Bill Gothard and Repentance

[paintergurl]

I've been reading at Recovering Grace for quite a while, following the discourse about about the fall of Bill Gothard and ILBP, reading the stories of those ATI members and families trying to recover from years of spiritual abuse, and trying to understand the vehemence and denial of those who still defend this man and the ideals of extreme fundamentalism.

 

This article, addressing the feigned repentance of Bill Gothard, is one of the most thoughtful, powerful and tremendously well-written pieces I've read at Recovering Grace. The author's descriptive analogy of Bill Gothard's failures and those of her own father left me breathless at times.

 

 

recoveringgrace.org/2014/11/you-cannot-pay-with-words/#more

 

 

 

The article speaks about the type of person/family who is attracted to such extremism, and how Gothard, on his own broken, narcissistic path, could manipulate those people to further his megalomaniac empire.

 

The comments are, as always, just as thoughtful and profound.

[paintergurl]

I was not certain if the link should be broken. Can we link directly to Recovering Grace?

[paintergurl]

I think this was my first time really introducing a new topic. I love reading and learning at Free Jinger and having read this particular article at Recovering Grace, I thought I could be the first one to introduce this timely and important topic that would garner smart and thoughtful responses.

I know it's pretty silly, but I'm feeling either unintelligent or uninteresting, because my new topic has received exactly 2 responses, both my own. lol and a little embarrassed. Oh well, back to reading.

:| :| :|

[quiversR4hunting]

The writers dad is a piece of work- my goodness!

A commenter named "Momma Bear" hits the nail on the head (IMO) "(Gothard's teachings)....it seems his teaching attract couples who are emotionally unhealthy, not balanced, and damaged in some way by their family of origin/life circumstances. Because these couples are seeking answers for their mutual brokenness, they are easy targets for "formula living""

Look at Pris and David & Michelle D as good examples of emotionally unhealthy and not balanced. Formula living is "easier" than thinking and having an opinion. It's like my co-workers that just want to put the widget in the machine, not look at where the widget came from or where it is going.

[littlemommy]

I will read this but need to wait for time later in the day so I can REALLY read it. Things like Lori Alexander you can read in 5.5 seconds because it's ridiculous...good stuff I save to savor. ;)

[formergothardite]

Don't feel bad. If it makes you feel any better I have started topics that have received hardly any views and no comments. It happens sometimes.

I think the author of the article has a good point about repentance. Bill has already started some new program, it is clear he just wants people to forget about all the things he has done and just let him move on. But this isn't the 80's and that isn't going to happen. I really think he is incapable of living without all the attention and praise. The funny thing is that one of the things that drew my parents to him was his humility and how he gave the impression that he didn't like being in the spotlight, but God put him there.

[lemonhead]

I've also started or commented in a thread and had no response...just the way the forums go sometimes :| Things often pick up in the evenings.

I enjoy reading over at RG, but I have to limit my time there because it's pretty triggery for me, especially reading the "comments" (more like diatribes of self-righteous condemnation) from the ex-ATI parents. Twenty-five years out of that environment, and it's still hard to revisit the terrible reality of my past. But I did read the article you're referring to over the weekend, and it touched me in a different way for some reason. Many of the stories there--rightfully so--are about how BG and his teachings damaged an individual, but in her story we see how her entire family was slowly wrenched apart. It is horrifying.

[Four is Enough]

I didn't even grow up fundy, and RG triggers some bad responses in me. I read part of that article, OP, and I know what you mean. I'm going to try to read and finish it.. I stopped going there, because the stories just got to me. How these things are done in the name of religion just makes me nuts.