Bill Gothard Sexual Misconduct Investigation - Part 2

[lilith]

No, I think you are absolutely right. He will fade into the background where he will still control everything until he dies.

That can't be too far off. Unless it's already happened - he's looked like a reanimated corpse for years.

[Howl]

I suspect that the ATI hierarchy/board is composed mostly of Gothard family/relatives and that is a lot of mouths to feed and lifestyles to maintain. They've known all along about his creepy behavior, but his position has been secure because he was the cash cow who brought in the bucks.

Based on their handling of early scandals and successfully weathering them, they have an established model for how to keep the lid on things to keep the money flowing in: suppress information and get rid of/discredit people who questioned and it worked well.

But, fast forward to 2014: surely they have snapped to the fact that the internet doesn't care about the "no gossip" rule and things can only get worse if he tries to make a comeback and even worse things may come out.

I suspect he's now fallen into the financial liability category and will be kept in the background. Ultimately, I think it is a financial bottom line issue. Am I reading this situation correctly?

[Mitz_]

I just realised that there is a Gothard training center in the small town where I live in Mexico. We are chock full O fundies that come to convert the poor misguided Catholics here and I bet anything that is why they are here. I only know of one couple that is the skirt wearing variety so maybe not. Does anyone know if the training center in Mexico is still operating?

[Zaverin]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/micah-j-murray/growing-up-in-bill-gothar_b_5228166.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

Great article regarding Bill Gothard and ATI.

An amazing and informative article. Wow. I'm glad it's on Huffington. People need to know to not trust this man.

[Toothfairy]

I really hope he gets some jail time.

[FJismyheadship]

http://www.recoveringgrace.org/2014/05/ ... ering-sin/

So Gary Smalley actually witnessed a girl in a nightgown in Gothard's lap!

[Miss M]

How have I been on here all these years and didn't know he had a place in Watersmeet, I used to live 20 miles from there!!

[Howl]

Something about all of this just screams "fetish!" (if that is the correct word).

The obsession with girls of a certain age and very specific look/personality, even encouraging girls to get dental work/minor surgery to erase minor things he perceived as flaws -- an obsession that has persisted his entire adult life.

[Cleopatra7]

Something about all of this just screams "fetish!" (if that is the correct word).

The obsession with girls of a certain age and very specific look/personality, even encouraging girls to get dental work/minor surgery to erase minor things he perceived as flaws -- an obsession that has persisted his entire adult life.

I've always suspected that Gothard is a voyeur with a specific "type" who gets off on inappropriate touching and kissing, but not full intercourse, as none of the accusations seem to involve penetration. Of course, the inappropriate touching is traumatizing enough, especially to an ultra-sheltered ATI girl, but I think that this is all part of Gothard's weird fetish. His position as leader of ATI allows him to perfectly fulfill his fantasies, because his willing followers are more than happy to send him their daughters, all of whom have been raised to obey authority and dress according to his dictates. When a previous favorite gets too old, a gaggle of new girls are ready to replace her.

I'm surprised that none of the ATI parents seem to question why Gothard lists these very specific physical traits about what makes a "godly" female. I know that the people who are attracted to ATI tend not to be the sharpest knives in the drawer, but why should "soft curls" be any more godly than braids or a chin-length bob?

[Howl]

What happened to Steve Gothard (Bill's brother); where is he now? He was implicated as a sexual predator even back in the 1980s.

[Flyinthesoup]

What happened to Steve Gothard (Bill's brother); where is he now? He was implicated as a sexual predator even back in the 1980s.

I wonder the same thing. Here is a link to an article regarding his sister's death, last year, so he was alive as of Nov. of '13. http://www.hultgrenfh.com/home/index.cfm?action=public:obituaries.view&o_id=2322340&fh_id=10184

[Flyinthesoup]

As an aside from the rabbit trail I was just on, looking for Stephen Gothard information, I see that the Matriarch, Mrs. Gothard,(mother of Bill, Stephen and all...) her maiden name was Carmen Torres...sharing the same name as Lourde's mother. Small world.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Wow, that's weird. Wonder if there is a connection. I hope not, cause Lourdes is an awesome person who does not deserve to be related to a creeper like that.

[Howl]

Torres is a common Hispanic surname, so likely not.

Also, re: Gothard: the very first red flag for him that everyone ignored is that he never married. It is the gigantic elephant in a very small room.

Remember, this is a sub-culture that presumes marriage and children as THE normative behavior in line with god's plan, and it seems that NO ONE ever called him out on this. I can't think of any other evangelical/fundie leader or preacher who has not married.

In one of the accounts on Recovering Grace, one woman indicated that he was interested in marrying her, but the Institute BoD would not approve. Man in his 60s (at least) wanting to marry a woman under 20? Not too damn likely.

Also, when the Steve scandal erupted in the early 1980s, the family's solution was to try to quickly arrange a marriage (within a matter of weeks) to one of the numerous secretaries he'd been sexually abusing at the North Woods campus. They went so far as to contact the families of the women to see if any would approve a marriage of their daughter to Steve (thankfully, none did). But it does indicate that they viewed marriage as a way to normalize & short circuit scandal.

So creepy to consider that BG spawned and advocated an extremely constricted way of living that emphasized sexual control on so every level when his own sexuality was anything but, as though the rest of the planet had to pay penance and compensate for his own perversions.

In an alternate and just universe he would just buy an inflatable foot, take off his shoes and play footsie with it to his heart's content.

Can't imagine what Steve and Bill grew up with to spawn not one but two brothers with sexual addictions/aberrations/obsessions.

Well, after I do some brain bleaching to recover from thinking about this, it is time for Saturday chores and errands.

[Toothfairy]

I wonder if gothard ever had sex with a woman. I think he did more than just touch girls. I can't believe parents are too dumb to see what kind of man he is. A man in his 60s hanging out with young girls. That should ring a bell.

[Joan of Snarc]

I know. Their entire culture revolves around keeping their daughters sheltered, safe, at home, under the protection of their godly fathers. So what do they do? Send 'em right out into the arms of a sexual predator. A man in his sixties, who's never been married and had a family, which is against their beliefs. Oh yeah, and they take all the unmarried sexual predator's advice about marriage and family.

[Howl]

Awwww, bunny facepalm is THE BEST!

[Ellimenopy]

I wonder if gothard ever had sex with a woman. I think he did more than just touch girls. I can't believe parents are too dumb to see what kind of man he is. A man in his 60s hanging out with young girls. That should ring a bell.

I'm sure that he hasn't. Because he couldn't deny, even to himself, that that was wrong. As it stands with his creepy footsie games and emotional abuse, he can claim to be "pure" and that it's other people that are just misunderstanding. I mean, I don't believe it for a second, but self-righteousness is a really powerful force.

[freethemall]

Has it already been mentioned here that Jezebel just had another article about the Duggars and Gothard? It didn't say much new, but it's good that the story got that kind of exposure.

[gustava]

Has it already been mentioned here that Jezebel just had another article about the Duggars and Gothard? It didn't say much new, but it's good that the story got that kind of exposure.

There's a thread on it. Good article.

[FloraKitty35]

I wonder if gothard ever had sex with a woman. I think he did more than just touch girls. I can't believe parents are too dumb to see what kind of man he is. A man in his 60s hanging out with young girls. That should ring a bell.

He probably has, but he seems to get his rocks off on his fetishes.

[FloraKitty35]

So basically, sheeple will continue to worship the leader even if he is proven to be false or not proven to exist at all.

Exactly, cultists usually don't just instantly leave a cult. The seeds of doubt have to be there and it may take years for them to bear fruit.

[FloraKitty35]

I really hope he gets some jail time.

Gothard is a sick, creepy fuck. :evil: David Waller could fall on his sword and go in Gothard's stead. Then again Pecan Thief might have too good of a time in prison, with all of those hardened criminals. Unless due to a clerical error they sent him to the women's prison.

[Letgo]

http://www.recoveringgrace.org/2014/05/bills-cabin-uncovering-sin/

So Gary Smalley actually witnessed a girl in a nightgown in Gothard's lap!

And yet interns could be sent home for talking to a girl for more than a few seconds, even a sister.

[StacyW]

David Waller's latest blog post lists his favorite books and he includes Bill Gothard's - wonder if he thinks this is all overblown.