Bill Gothard Sexual Misconduct Investigation - Part 2

[nokidsmom]

That statement was all the wrong things to say.

[Toothfairy]

ick ick ick ick ick!!!! :ew:

Seriously, who CAN'T see right through this statement? Who on this earth would still believe him, much less put their kids in a situation that's anywhere near him?

People with no brains and common sense.

[Palimpsest]

Because that's not creepy or anything.

FFS. If this statement isn't typical of a completely unrepentant and determined to continue with his behavior sexual predator, then I don't know what is.

It's eerily reminiscent of statements made by the late John Geoghan -- during and after so-called "intensive therapy" for his persistent and ongoing sexual abuse of young boys.

It's old news now but Geoghan was a priest in the Boston area who was shuffled from church to church finding new victims wherever he landed for over 30 years. He was in and out of treatment, "cured," and sent back to parishes time and time again. He was eventually convicted and defrocked. Then murdered in prison. Death finally put a stop to his predations because therapy was obviously not effective.

I hope to goodness no-one ever, ever, lets Gothard anywhere near a young woman again.

[Toothfairy]

I disagree. This may have been used as an excuse, but pedophiles are not stopped by virtue of the fact that they might be married to women. Pedophiles still act on their pedophilia. This, unfortunately, has been demonstrated by the fact that there, unfortunately, are Protestant denominations with married pastors who preyed on children (boys or girls). Way too many such cases.

Back on the thread topic: Gothard would have continued the same behavior even if he had been married. Marriage to one woman who would now be close to his own age was clearly not what he wanted. RG has over 50 stories of young girls/ young women and they have clearly testified to Gothard's "type" and it has nothing to do with a woman who by now would have grown old along with him, had he been married.

I agree. There are many of people who are married and rape/molest people, being married has nothing to do with it.

[quiversR4hunting]

Not sure to put it hear or with Hobby Lobby but anyone see this article from hollywood gossip?

thehollywoodgossip.com/2014/07/bill-gothard-duggar-familys-disgraced-minister-was-funded-by-hob/#disqus_thread

It references a Mother Jones article: motherjones.com/politics/2014/07/hobby-lobby-bill-gothard-institute-basic-life-principles

[Kitchen Princess]

A long time ago, c. 1995, I lived in the LIttle Rock area. We rented a house that belonged to a well known homeschooler (not the Duggars, but friends of the Duggars). They had not lived in that house for some time, and had rented it to someone else before me, who were also homeschoolers. We were homeschoolers as well. This is a random coincidence.

The owners of the house sometimes received mail there. It was mostly junk mail, long lost subscriptions, etc. One time it was a box of Godiva chocolates at xmas time, which they let me keep (yum). But this one time, there was an unsealed letter, and it was from Hobby Lobby. Thinking it was a coupon or something, I read it.

It was a letter announcing that Hobby Lobby had purchased the old VA hospital in Little Rock (the old behemoth on Roosevelt Road, if anyone is familiar) for the benefit of IBLP and Bill Gothard. I was already well versed in Dominionism and the rise of homeschooling due to the advent of the internet. I was aware of a growing discord amongst the homeschooling community because of Gothard's connection with Rushdooney, et al., and their intention to use the broader homeschooling community to boost their numbers. (http://www.sheo.co.nz/who-stole-homeschooling.html for an rundown and more) HSLDA is just one arm of that "movement", and they inserted themselves in state regulatory battles over homeschooling all over the country, so they could define what it was as a religious movement. I lobbied the state legislature to fight Family Council/Education Alliance and HSLDA's effort to speak for all homeschoolers in Arkansas. I wasn't part of them.

I post this to say that Mother Jones is right, but the one point of fact is that it hasn't been "for a decade or so" that Hobby Lobby has funded this disgraced pervert Gothard. It has been at *least* two.

[Rhetorica]

... But this one time, there was an unsealed letter, and it was from Hobby Lobby. Thinking it was a coupon or something, I read it.

It was a letter announcing that Hobby Lobby had purchased the old VA hospital in Little Rock (the old behemoth on Roosevelt Road, if anyone is familiar) for the benefit of IBLP and Bill Gothard. I was already well versed in Dominionism and the rise of homeschooling due to the advent of the internet. I was aware of a growing discord amongst the homeschooling community because of Gothard's connection with Rushdooney, et al., and their intention to use the broader homeschooling community to boost their numbers. (http://www.sheo.co.nz/who-stole-homeschooling.html for an rundown and more) HSLDA is just one arm of that "movement", and they inserted themselves in state regulatory battles over homeschooling all over the country, so they could define what it was as a religious movement. I lobbied the state legislature to fight Family Council/Education Alliance and HSLDA's effort to speak for all homeschoolers in Arkansas. I wasn't part of them.

I post this to say that Mother Jones is right, but the one point of fact is that it hasn't been "for a decade or so" that Hobby Lobby has funded this disgraced pervert Gothard. It has been at *least* two.

Really? This is very interesting because I worked in purchasing for a sister company of Hobby Lobby from 1997 to 2001. I was very aware of the homeschooling movement at the time, but I never got the sense that the Greens were necessarily political in their religious work. Their giving was always represented to employees in very ecumenical terms--pretty mainstream evangelical stuff. It seemed to me that their flavor has changed since the time frame that I worked there, but maybe not. Maybe they're just doing more of it now.

[Kitchen Princess]

Absolutely true. I remember it distinctly, because at the time I didn't know that the Mardel near the house was one of Green's companies, too. I have also posted about this letter somewhere before on Free Jinger, well before all of this broke out

[homeschoolmomma1]

Wow did you all see how many Wisdom booklets are being sold on Ebay?

[apple1]

Another story

http://redemptionpictures.com/2014/07/0 ... l-gothard/

(may be triggering to some)

At this point, my suspicion is that we have still only seem the tip of this iceberg. And that most likely, Gothard will never pay for what he has done IN THIS LIFE. He has long been a master at weaseling out of consequences.

[ILoveJellybeans]

OH GOD SHE WAS 11???????????????

Holy shit, no, she was just a child :( I thought 14-18 was bad enough, but 11!

[Howl]

Another story

http://redemptionpictures.com/2014/07/0 ... l-gothard/

(may be triggering to some)

At this point, my suspicion is that we have still only seem the tip of this iceberg. And that most likely, Gothard will never pay for what he has done IN THIS LIFE. He has long been a master at weaseling out of consequences.

This raw intensity of this was so very painful to read. I did not know who Bill Gothard was until I stumbled on FG, and yet I physically hurt just reading this story. Bill Gothard is an evil, sick **** in every way. But, bear in mind he wasn't operating in a vacuum; the mini-BG henchmen were right there to carry out his sadistic agenda.

[Rhetorica]

This raw intensity of this was so very painful to read. I did not know who Bill Gothard was until I stumbled on FG, and yet I physically hurt just reading this story. Bill Gothard is an evil, sick **** in every way. But, bear in mind he wasn't operating in a vacuum; the mini-BG henchmen were right there to carry out his sadistic agenda.

Exactly right. Hence why the whole organization must go, and not just BG. He would have just been a run-of-the-mill perv if it hadn't been for all the people around him who carried out his schemes and benefited from the power they got in the process.

[Palimpsest]

Another story

http://redemptionpictures.com/2014/07/0 ... l-gothard/

(may be triggering to some)

At this point, my suspicion is that we have still only seem the tip of this iceberg. And that most likely, Gothard will never pay for what he has done IN THIS LIFE. He has long been a master at weaseling out of consequences.

That was very difficult to read. All these stories are.

I'm convinced that what we have seen so far is only the tip of the iceberg. Also no-one has come forward whose experiences are within the SOL so far, have they?

I consider it extremely unlikely that Gothard suddenly stopped this behavior within the last 10-15 years without any treatment. These victim stories demonstrate a long-term and very consistent pattern of sexually predatory behavior by him. I don't think his advanced age makes any difference -- this is more about power, control and humiliation than it is about sex. Gothard should never again be allowed contact with minors and young women should avoid him like the plague. IMO he will continue this behavior until he is on his deathbed. He has no intention of stopping.

Perhaps sooner or later a woman will come forward with a more recent case that can be prosecuted.

[Toothfairy]

So gothard made up these crazy rules to appease him to abuse kids and women. And fundies follow along knowing its wrong.

[Tdoc72]

I don't understand how fundies are still defending/supporting this guy. Even if I could buy a lame excuse for accidentally petting a child's hair or arm, the foot thing is just weird. No adult should ever be touching/rubbing/stroking my child's feet. And Gothard specificallymentioned the feet thing is his statement. That, to me, is proof that all these girls' stories are true. I mean, I believed them before his statement, but the feet thing is such a random thing and he admitted it.

[Toothfairy]

I don't understand how fundies are still defending/supporting this guy. Even if I could buy a lame excuse for accidentally petting a child's hair or arm, the foot thing is just weird. No adult should ever be touching/rubbing/stroking my child's feet. And Gothard specificallymentioned the feet thing is his statement. That, to me, is proof that all these girls' stories are true. I mean, I believed them before his statement, but the feet thing is such a random thing and he admitted it.

i think parents should be chraged as well. Any parent who allows this to happen and knows about it should be responsible as well as the abuser. i dont understand how any parent can just throw shit like this under the rug.

[antwan]

I don't understand how fundies are still defending/supporting this guy. Even if I could buy a lame excuse for accidentally petting a child's hair or arm, the foot thing is just weird. No adult should ever be touching/rubbing/stroking my child's feet. And Gothard specificallymentioned the feet thing is his statement. That, to me, is proof that all these girls' stories are true. I mean, I believed them before his statement, but the feet thing is such a random thing and he admitted it.

Ditto.

[Palimpsest]

Ditto.

To the bolded, are they still defending him? Where are you seeing this? Links? What idiot would send their daughter into his clutches these days? :angry-banghead:

My perception is that (in contrast to the DPIAT apologists) the ATI/IBLP folks have gone very quiet when it comes to Gothard. About the only public statement I've seen is from Jim Bob Duggar when he rambled on about following God not man ... I think most of the bigger families are not speaking out publicly.

With reference to Gothard having no intention of stopping his behavior ever, has this article from RG been discussed at all? recoveringgrace.org/2014/07/when-apologies-make-it-worse/

Interesting excerpt:

Readers of the accounts on Recovering Grace will recall that Gothard commonly groomed his victims of sexual and/or emotional abuse by urging them to confide to him all the sexual details of previous relationships. It would appear from this series of emails that even at nearly eighty years old, he still takes a voyeuristic interest in hearing his victims describe the shame he sought to burden them with.

“He consistently asks the girl to tell him what it is she thinks he has done. Then he apologizes for ‘her perceived’ grievances. There is no ownership of his behavior. He’s putting it all back on the victim.â€

And once again, Gothard is breaking his own fundamental rules–this time for apologies.

[ExLuther]

I thought I saw recent pictures of Gothard with kids at one of his camps. Am I hallucinating?

[Palimpsest]

I thought I saw recent pictures of Gothard with kids at one of his camps. Am I hallucinating?

:serious:

:angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:

I hope you are hallucinating or that those were old pictures :(

[mebeforee]

I haven't read through this whole thread, but I noticed that on wikipedia, it explains that after his brother's "sexual misconduct" in the 80's, Bill Gothard resigned from IBLP for about 3 weeks. Then he came back as the head of the organization. Sure,it was pre-internet and thus probably harder for people to follow, but... do you guys think he'll come back as the head of IBLP again? Maybe when the drama around the story has died down? Say 'God forgave my sins and I am a new man' and hope that no one calls him out for his dead-eyed creepiness? Most of the people within the lifestyle won't have as much internet access as the rest of us, and that might allow him to get away with his nasty behavior as long as he spins it right...

[ExLuther]

I did not see recent pictures. I retraced the rabbit hole I fell down and realized the pictures were from July of LAST year. Sorry

[Palimpsest]

I did not see recent pictures. I retraced the rabbit hole I fell down and realized the pictures were from July of LAST year. Sorry

Phew! Thanks for the correction.

[Palimpsest]

I haven't read through this whole thread, but I noticed that on wikipedia, it explains that after his brother's "sexual misconduct" in the 80's, Bill Gothard resigned from IBLP for about 3 weeks. Then he came back as the head of the organization. Sure,it was pre-internet and thus probably harder for people to follow, but... do you guys think he'll come back as the head of IBLP again? Maybe when the drama around the story has died down? Say 'God forgave my sins and I am a new man' and hope that no one calls him out for his dead-eyed creepiness? Most of the people within the lifestyle won't have as much internet access as the rest of us, and that might allow him to get away with his nasty behavior as long as he spins it right...

This was discussed in the last thread and a lot of people think he will be reinstated. Perhaps quite soon.

However, my guess only, coming back to preside over an organization in his 50s was one thing. Returning after much greater disgrace in his 80s to the actual Presidency might not happen. An office next to the President with "President Emeritus" on the door and allowed to counsel young people again? Probably.

A fake penitent Gothard will always be able to exert his evil influence over ATI/IBLP. IMO, he never went away and all he got from the board was a slap on the wrist.