Inside The Duggar-Cult' Gothard getting more negitive news

[doggie]

nothing really new but it is good gothard is getting more negative news.

 

http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2015/ ... followers/

In recent years, the Duggars have become the poster family for wholesome values. But behind the 19 Kids & Counting family's strict God-loving guidelines is a controversial and ultra-conservative foundation: the Institute of Basic Life Principles. Now, in an exclusive investigation, RadarOnline.com has uncovered testimony from former followers of the IBLP, who warn that it is a "cult" that will do the famous family's children more harm than good!

 

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar began homeschooling their brood in the 1990s using the Bible-based curriculum of the IBLP's Advanced Training Institute, which was founded by disgraced leader Bill Gothard. He resigned from the organization last year amid allegations of sexually harassing women at his ministry and failing to report child abuse cases.

 

Largely because of this tarnished history, former devotees of the Duggar family way say it's hard to even watch them play out their beliefs on their show.

 

"I have no problem calling it a cult," former follower Micah Murray told RadarOnline.com. "What the Duggars are doing is putting Gothard's philosophies on display as a positive thing and they are not positive."

 

"From my experience, it has the hallmarks of what makes cults so damaging - abusive authority structures, the way that people's thinking and behavior is controlled, the way that people aren't taught to trust themselves and trust their leader unquestionably," continued Murray, who runs his own blog, Redemption Pictures, about his experiences inside the Institute.

 

"I've seen a number of episodes [of 19 Kids & Counting] and it makes me very uncomfortable," he added. "I think the Duggars are probably very nice people. They're probably very sincere people. But I think that the teachings of Bill Gothard are very destructive."

[rosaline]

Interesting. Isn't Radar Online one of the sites suspected of gleaning stories from Free Jinger? Maybe they finally followed one of the Duggars=cult leads.

[browncoatslytherin]

Interesting. Isn't Radar Online one of the sites suspected of gleaning stories from Free Jinger? Maybe they finally followed one of the Duggars=cult leads.

lol well hopefully they're checking all of their sources now ;)

[Jana814]

Interesting. Isn't Radar Online one of the sites suspected of gleaning stories from Free Jinger? Maybe they finally followed one of the Duggars=cult leads.

Wouldn't that be nice!!

[16strong]

Interesting. Isn't Radar Online one of the sites suspected of gleaning stories from Free Jinger? Maybe they finally followed one of the Duggars=cult leads.

So basically they decided to actually find people, collect information from them, and do something that remotely resembles journalism? Well gee. Who would have thought a news source (albeit a tabloid) would do such a thing?

[Palimpsest]

"Now, in an exclusive investigation, RadarOnline.com has uncovered testimony from former followers of the IBLP, who warn that it is a “cult†that will do the famous family’s children more harm than good!"

My first thought was ROL found this on FJ too!

Translation: While browsing FJ for leads on the Duggars our reporter found links to Recovering Grace and Micah Murray. As RadarOnline.com looked pretty foolish the last time we published speculation and rumor as fact, a reporter briefly talked to Micah -- or perhaps just lifted quotes from Redemption Pictures.

[Rescinded and Mended]

Maybe we should compile leads with legitimate sources and send them to Radar On Line. Looks to me like they're finally using their powers for good.

[FloraKitty35]

Maybe we should compile leads with legitimate sources and send them to Radar On Line. Looks to me like they're finally using their powers for good.

And it least it's not another Kardashian / Jenner story. :roll: We get Kris Jenner pays you Radar Online.

[RosyDaisy]

Hey, Radar Online, you might want to do a story on the Duggars frenemies, the Bates Family who have their own show on UP called "Bringing Up Bates". Thanks!

[LongDogMom]

Starcasm had an article (http://starcasm.net/archives/303429) today about a former follower of Gothard and IBLP talking about how he believes it's a cult and that he thinks the Duggar kids won't be able to break away unless they actually get out of the country, like on a mission somewhere far removed from the family. Here's a bit of the article:

"For many of 19 Kids and Counting‘s millions of viewers, the Duggars’ modest practices are amusing to watch because it’s all so different from the average American lifestyle. However, some who know more about the Duggars’ actual beliefs — from their own experiences with the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and its founder, Bill Gothard — are disturbed by the family’s growing popularity. “I have no problem calling it a cult,†former follower Micah Murray (pictured below) told Radar Online. “What the Duggars are doing is putting Gothard’s philosophies on display as a positive thing and they are not positive.â€Micah, who regularly writes about his adolescence immersed in the IBLP system on his blog, explained the IBLP has “abusive authority structures†designed to make followers “trust their leader unquestionably.

“I’ve seen a number of episodes and it makes me very uncomfortable,†Micah continued. “It does make me uncomfortable to see it all portrayed as healthy wholesome family values when it’s not.â€

“It’s tough to be a child of a cult. I feel the most for the children. I feel if they decide they want to move away it would be very difficult… There would be shame,†she said. “In my opinion, if those children decide they want to leave the family lifestyle, they’re going to have to leave the country, be a missionary and be out of the picture. I can see that happening.â€

---------------

He goes on to talk about Gothard's sexual misconduct, the bizarre rules and how the kids are not allowed to go or do anything on their own. He also talks about how Gothard never followed any of the rules he set himself. While he doesn't blame JB and M, because he says Gothard is a "Master Manipulator," he does think that recent events should at least give them cause to re-evaluate and discuss Gothard's teachings and if they are good or bad.

Frankly, my opinion is that the JB and M are so invested in Gothard's teachings and have made it who they are and use it for money-making (ie - the tv show as well as giving talks and writing books, etc.) that they would never dare question it. I never see them admit they might be wrong or consider that maybe there's a better way. They have convinced themselves they are 100% right and I doubt anything will change their minds at this point.

As for the kids? Hard to say. It would be tough to break away from something that has become so tangled up with who they are ...their "brand" so to speak. If one of the kids breaks away or says something negative, it would hurt their "brand" and I'm sure that has been hammered into them over and over again. Since JB and M have never modelled being able to make a mistake or re-evaluate their beliefs, I doubt the kids would be comfortable doing it until they are far from their influence. Maybe he is right...maybe they would need to be away on a mission somewhere for a long period of time (years) to be able to feel safe enough to begin to think for themselves.

These cults always seem to heavily re-inforce through constant contact. Like in Scientology where they make sure the person has Scientologists around them at all times to keep them on the "right path". The Duggars do the same thing, only they use family members.

Glad to see it being called out as a cult in a public forum and that former kids who have grown up in it are starting to speak out and break away. I especially liked his line about how it makes him uncomfortable to see it all displayed as wholesome family stuff when it's really so abusive and stifling.

[calimojo]

I know that on the surface it would appear as if the Duggars would have a lot to lose if they stepped openly away from IBLP/Gothardism. Yet, honestly, just imagine in the hands of a true documentarian, just how fascinating it would be to see them question the cult and the journey away from it to a more gracious way of living and loving?

I personally think that would be so much more interesting, compared to just re-digesting the same old thing year after year.

I mean, by this time, do we really still need to see how much food it takes to feed a family of 21? Or the basic logistics to get them all from point A to point B? It would be just so much more interesting for them to actually be real. To see them actually grow and mature.

JB and Michelle are so immature in their faith. They have stuck hard and fast to ridiculous beliefs that they adopted as very young adults. IT would appear as if they hard wired that in, and have not matured, or shown even an iota of critical thinking over the years, despite being exposed to far much more of the world than probably most of their peer group.

I think JB and M would actually make more money, and the kids as well, if they actually de-constructed the cult life, and really showed some growth, wisdom and maturity and learned to not take the words of a false prophet like Gothard, and learned to really live in grace.

[SassyPants]

I know that on the surface it would appear as if the Duggars would have a lot to lose if they stepped openly away from IBLP/Gothardism. Yet, honestly, just imagine in the hands of a true documentarian, just how fascinating it would be to see them question the cult and the journey away from it to a more gracious way of living and loving?

I personally think that would be so much more interesting, compared to just re-digesting the same old thing year after year.

I mean, by this time, do we really still need to see how much food it takes to feed a family of 21? Or the basic logistics to get them all from point A to point B? It would be just so much more interesting for them to actually be real. To see them actually grow and mature.

JB and Michelle are so immature in their faith. They have stuck hard and fast to ridiculous beliefs that they adopted as very young adults. IT would appear as if they hard wired that in, and have not matured, or shown even an iota of critical thinking over the years, despite being exposed to far much more of the world than probably most of their peer group.

I think JB and M would actually make more money, and the kids as well, if they actually de-constructed the cult life, and really showed some growth, wisdom and maturity and learned to not take the words of a false prophet like Gothard, and learned to really live in grace.

100% agree. If any FJ comment goes viral, I hope it's this one. :clap:

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

I know that on the surface it would appear as if the Duggars would have a lot to lose if they stepped openly away from IBLP/Gothardism. Yet, honestly, just imagine in the hands of a true documentarian, just how fascinating it would be to see them question the cult and the journey away from it to a more gracious way of living and loving?

I personally think that would be so much more interesting, compared to just re-digesting the same old thing year after year.

I mean, by this time, do we really still need to see how much food it takes to feed a family of 21? Or the basic logistics to get them all from point A to point B? It would be just so much more interesting for them to actually be real. To see them actually grow and mature.

JB and Michelle are so immature in their faith. They have stuck hard and fast to ridiculous beliefs that they adopted as very young adults. IT would appear as if they hard wired that in, and have not matured, or shown even an iota of critical thinking over the years, despite being exposed to far much more of the world than probably most of their peer group.

I think JB and M would actually make more money, and the kids as well, if they actually de-constructed the cult life, and really showed some growth, wisdom and maturity and learned to not take the words of a false prophet like Gothard, and learned to really live in grace.

I honestly don't believe that Duggars would have anything to lose if they stepped away from their faith in all things Gothard. I'd hazard to guess that 95-99% of the viewers have no idea they even follow Gothard, and most of the people who do would like to see them leave.

What WOULD hurt the family is if SOME stepped away and Michelle/JB didn't approve. It's hard to say who it would hurt more (the one stepping away or the parents), but there would be a shit storm.

If anyone's going to move away it'll either be in private or it'll be the entire family all at once.

[ariel9]

Same if anything should get to the tabloids it should be this. I think the duggars have everything to gain stepping away from gothard but on the other hand they have everything to lose by following him. Imagine the general public found out that the duggars knowingly expose their children to a sexual predator. Can you say honey boo boo all over again?

[Bethella]

There's already a thread on this article. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24725

[rosaline]

There's already a thread on this article. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24725

That's actually a different article--one written by Radar Online--that is quoted in this one (by Starcasm). So that means two gossip articles on the Duggars being in a cult... Maybe this will keep spreading.

[marmalade]

No, this is the same article. Starcasm just picked up Radar's piece.

[rosaline]

And now the threads are combined like the should be. I wrote that before they were combined, so it sounds backwards now, but that was my point--they are two separate articles, because as you said, Starcasm picked up Radar Online's piece.

Edited to fix typo.

[rosaline]

Looks like the Hollywood Gossip has picked it up as well:

thehollywoodgossip.com/2015/01/duggar-cult-damaging-kids-former-followers-of-religious-leader-s/

[doggie]

Looks like the Hollywood Gossip has picked it up as well:

thehollywoodgossip.com/2015/01/duggar-cult-damaging-kids-former-followers-of-religious-leader-s/

good the more the merrier. Now if some real news stations will do the same. someone willing to say the truth about the duggars and gothard.

[RosyDaisy]

HOT DAYUM!!! More negative publicity. The Duggars deserve it!

[formergothardite]

Since the Bates have a new show and are becoming more popular I wish this would all be connected to them too. People need to see these families for who they really are, die-hard cult members.

[eh02]

This is heading somewhat OT, but how many people total are actually associated with IBLP overall? Are people actual "members" of IBLP or is it just open attendance seminars that anyone can sign up for?

Does anyone have a more recent summary of IBLP's financial situation and attendance levels, now and historically? Are they still on the decline? And I wonder how all the fundies we follow are taking it if so, especially the ones who work for IBLP?

I was reading this ridiculous snippet from their website:

"Trusting the Lord With Our Finances

The original owner of the property where IBLP is headquartered was skeptical about the reality and power of God, until an unsolicited letter was sent to IBLP by one who had no idea of the Institute’s need for funds to purchase the property.

This letter contained a gift for the exact amount of the purchase price.

Hundreds of similar examples have occurred since the Institute ministry began."

:roll: But hey, stuff like that will just be the cherry on top when we get to revisit when IBLP is closing its doors :D

[doggie]

This letter contained a gift for the exact amount of the purchase price.

Hundreds of similar examples have occurred since the Institute ministry began."

:roll: But hey, stuff like that will just be the cherry on top when we get to revisit when IBLP is closing its doors :D

so god donates money to keep a pedo stocked with fresh meat huh?

[Imrlgoddess]

I've followed the stories about Warren Jeffs for years. Now, having found this site, Recovering Grace, and Homeschoolers Anonymous, the similarities between Gothard's teachings and Jeffs' just scream at me. It took a lot to put a dent in the FLDS cult...and it's still an ongoing battle. I believe taking down IBLP will be a similar lengthy battle. There will always be someone still drinking the Kool-aide to carry that crazy legacy onward :?