Bill Gothard, God, and sexual molestation

[Howl]

Curious:  When did mandatory reporting law of sexual abuse come into effect in Illinois and did clergy fall under the jurisdiction of these laws in the original iteration?

 

[Howl]

On 2/1/2016 at 0:58 PM, refugee said:

I keep coming back to what I've read about the Sitler case, that pedophiles are fixated on a specific age group, which is why Sitler may only be "dangerous" to children under the age of 12 (and if I'm remembering right, his preferred victims are infant - to - preschool age). Kids of that age (the one they're fixed on) is what arouses them. It is their sexual preference, and it is unvariable.

So perhaps Gothard is a pedophile, and his preference is a specific age range. It is his sexual preference, and it cannot be changed.

 

I addressed this earlier with the disclaimer that I'm not a psychiatrist and I don't play one on TV, but my take is that there is some sexual compulsion going on, because even through it's not specific to, say, very young women, these were all young women between around 15 to 20ish and wikipedia notes:   

Quote

ephebophilia is the primary or exclusive adult sexual interest in mid-to-late adolescents, generally ages 15 to 19

Gothard's attraction was limited to very attractive young women in this age range, who had a certain look and were dressed and wore their hair (crunchy curls!)  a certain way that was specified by BG.  These were the women chosen to  be his assistants or to come in for counseling or both.  That there was a specific Bill Gothard "type" was openly known and discussed by the young women there.  

That the intern program was ever set up to include  teen women was likely at BG's request in order to supply him with an endless pool of his preferred victim type.  

The entire foot rubbing thing just screams fetish. I'm sure the one-on-one "counseling" where these girls had to share the details of their 'sins' was a form of sexual titillation for him, and probably served the specific function of assessing that particular girl's vulnerability.  There were also reports of BG visiting the girls dorm to give creepy full-body goodnight hugs.  These  women all report the same story.  This pattern has played out over, what, 50 years -- maybe longer?   And yeah, NEVER MARRIED. 

 I think the words sexual pervert and predator are where you want to start. Then consider that his brother was a hard core predator whose sex scandals finally came to a head back in the early days.....

 

[SilverBeach]

14 hours ago, halcionne said:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dupage-ministry-lawsuit-update-met-20160218-story.html

What a piece of shit.

I was just going to post this. I used to live in LaGrange. Ugh. This scandal is indeed growing in a Cosbyesque manner. I hope all victims receive recompense, although nothing can compensate for the emotional damage perpetrated by that false prophet. Is any of this enough to wake up the Duggar and the Bates? 

[formergothardite]

43 minutes ago, SilverBeach said:

I was just going to post this. I used to live in LaGrange. Ugh. This scandal is indeed growing in a Cosbyesque manner. I hope all victims receive recompense, although nothing can compensate for the emotional damage perpetrated by that false prophet. Is any of this enough to wake up the Duggar and the Bates? 

I wonder if all this info might wake up some of the Duggar/Bates kids. They might know and be friends with some of the plaintiffs. I don't think this will wake up the parents because, at least Gil and Kelly, already knew all this info and tried to hide it.  Is it any wonder that the Duggars hid Josh's abuse? This whole empire is built on hiding abuse and blaming victims. 

[laPapessaGiovanna]

Mainstream media is picking this up and linking BG and IBLP with the Duggars and Josh's 'treatment' for abusing his sisters. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3453944/Woman-details-sexual-abuse-suffered-teen-hands-minister-treated-Josh-Duggar-church-leader-s-driver-alleges-abused-150-girls.html#comments-3453944

[formergothardite]

I know the Duggars are more popular, but Gil and Kelly's faces need to be plastered on all the news articles about this too. Their names need to be connected to this so that people can start seeing them for who they really are. 

[Sister Mozz]

It seems even harder to read the accounts of the new plaintiffs. Even though we knew this was long-standing, horrific abuse, it becomes more and more obvious as additional people tell their stories.

[formergothardite]

Does anyone know anything about the two guys who are mentioned in the lawsuit for raping and molesting two of the plaintiffs? 

[NeverAFundie]

2 hours ago, Howl said:

Curious:  When did mandatory reporting law of sexual abuse come into effect in Illinois and did clergy fall under the jurisdiction of these laws in the original iteration?

 

The Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act was passed in 1975.  Clergy were added as mandatory reporters effective August 16, 2002.  http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/pubact92/acts/92-0801.html

[formergothardite]

Would Bill be considered clergy since it wasn't a church and he wasn't a pastor? 

[doggie]

1 minute ago, formergothardite said:

Would Bill be considered clergy since it wasn't a church and he wasn't a pastor? 

no thats the sad part. 

[Rhetorica]

18 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

I know the Duggars are more popular, but Gil and Kelly's faces need to be plastered on all the news articles about this too. Their names need to be connected to this so that people can start seeing them for who they really are. 

The Freejinger Instagram account posted this very interesting screen shot: 

(Mods, if this is not an approved link, please delete.)

[Sister Mozz]

13 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Does anyone know anything about the two guys who are mentioned in the lawsuit for raping and molesting two of the plaintiffs? 

No. The name Matthew Heard sounds very familiar, but I can't place it exactly and those are common enough words that a search isn't being helpful.

[formergothardite]

1 minute ago, Sister Mozz said:

No. The name Matthew Heard sounds very familiar, but I can't place it exactly and those are common enough words that a search isn't being helpful.

It sounds really familiar to me too, but I can't figure out why. I was wondering if we had discussed him at some point or if I had heard his name while I was in ATI. 

[NeverAFundie]

19 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Would Bill be considered clergy since it wasn't a church and he wasn't a pastor? 

The statute defines "member of the clergy" as a clergyman or practitioner of any religious denomination accredited by the religious body to which he or she belongs.  So unless IBLP can be characterized as a religious body/religious denomination, then I do not believe Bill is clergy.  Note that you do NOT have to be a pastor to be considered clergy.

However, the statute applies to people "responsible for the child's welfare."  That includes:  parent; guardian; foster parent; relative caregiver; any person responsible for the child's welfare in a public or private residential agency or institution; any person responsible for the child's welfare within a public or private profit or not for profit child care facility; or any other person responsible for the child's welfare at the time of the alleged abuse or neglect, or any person who came to know the child through an official capacity or position of trust, including but not limited to health care professionals, educational personnel, recreational supervisors, members of the clergy, and volunteers or support personnel in any setting where children may be subject to abuse or neglect.  [Bold added by me for emphasis.]  I think that many of the people at IBLP would fall into these categories, regardless of whether they are clergy.

[quiversR4hunting]

2 minutes ago, NeverAFundie said:

The statute defines "member of the clergy" as a clergyman or practitioner of any religious denomination accredited by the religious body to which he or she belongs.  So unless IBLP can be characterized as a religious body/religious denomination, then I do not believe Bill is clergy.  Note that you do NOT have to be a pastor to be considered clergy.

However, the statute applies to people "responsible for the child's welfare."  That includes:  parent; guardian; foster parent; relative caregiver; any person responsible for the child's welfare in a public or private residential agency or institution; any person responsible for the child's welfare within a public or private profit or not for profit child care facility; or any other person responsible for the child's welfare at the time of the alleged abuse or neglect, or any person who came to know the child through an official capacity or position of trust, including but not limited to health care professionals, educational personnel, recreational supervisors, members of the clergy, and volunteers or support personnel in any setting where children may be subject to abuse or neglect.  [Bold added by me for emphasis.]  I think that many of the people at IBLP would fall into these categories, regardless of whether they are clergy.

First, I agree, I think your bolding many of the people under Gothard would fall into one or more of those categories.

(to my red, underline and italic area of the text)

If I understand the organization IBLP is the umbrella with ATI under it. ATI is marketed as a homeschooling curriculum. So I would argue that those mangers* at HQ working on ATI material would be considered educational personnel.

*managers- the adults overseeing the volunteers and interns.

[OnceUponATime]

14 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

It sounds really familiar to me too, but I can't figure out why. I was wondering if we had discussed him at some point or if I had heard his name while I was in ATI. 

He's mentioned in the comments on x-ati guy's blog linked to OKTC.

[formergothardite]

20 minutes ago, OnceUponATime said:

He's mentioned in the comments on x-ati guy's blog linked to OKTC.

So apparently he was well known for being a huge flirt, maybe that is why I recognize his name. 

ETA: Alfred has responded. Not enough people for him to take it seriously. 

Quote

And, after all the years, all the alleged enormous numbers of accusers, all of the full court press, three months of worldwide publicity, the possibility of real money to pick up participants, this is all they could come up with. Think about 50 years, tens of thousands of participants, Bill deliberately seeking out troubled youth to try to help all around the world, given the fact that by the laws of statistics some small percentage of those thousands would remain troubled, are liars and would jump at the chance to gain some publicity let alone some money . . . And THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is it.

 

[quiversR4hunting]

1 hour ago, OnceUponATime said:

He's mentioned in the comments on x-ati guy's blog linked to OKTC.

I wonder if Matt Heard in x-ati guy's blog the same Matt Heard that has this website: <removing link to not accuse a possible different Matt Heard of being connected to gothard- if you want to read about this Matt Heard just google the name and Moody Church you will get to him.>  There are things on his "about" that ping fundie to me. One of his sons is the photographer for the website- which also pinged as a gothard approved business for boys.

Did Gothard do anything with the Moody Church in Chicago? @formergothardite do you know if there is link between Gothard and Moody Church? For some reason I thought there was a link but I am not a former ATI person so I don't remember all the details.

[SassyPants]

56 minutes ago, Rhetorica said:

The Freejinger Instagram account posted this very interesting screen shot: 

(Mods, if this is not an approved link, please delete.)

Then why was Mr Gothard at their wedding?

They may not be affiliated with his ministry but they certainly were/ are friends-

[quiversR4hunting]

43 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

Then why was Mr Gothard at their wedding?

They may not be affiliated with his ministry but they certainly were/ are friends-

It might not have been Erin's choice. Her parents paying, her parents guest list. It happens at a lot of weddings (not only at fundies)

But they could be distancing themselves since the lawsuit. We won't know for sure unless we are personal friends with one of them an straight out ask.

[SpoonfulOSugar]

2 hours ago, formergothardite said:

I know the Duggars are more popular, but Gil and Kelly's faces need to be plastered on all the news articles about this too. Their names need to be connected to this so that people can start seeing them for who they really are. 

The Chicago reporter has both an e-mail and Twitter contact posted.  Have you considered contacting her to point out those links?  (I mention her specifically because she had a paragraph on the Duggars and it would have been very easy/appropriate to add the Bates right on in there.)

[formergothardite]

51 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

They may not be affiliated with his ministry but they certainly were/ are friends-

I am kind of doubting they are friends anymore. Gil and Stephen Paine pretty much stabbed Gothard in the back by letting him think that he would be allowed back in charge after a brief resignation and then refusing to let him come back. Gothard got back at them by giving G3 evidence that they had a sham investigation. Gothard has made it clear that he has lots of hard feelings towards the members of the board because of how they treated him.  

1 hour ago, quiversR4hunting said:

wonder if Matt Heard in x-ati guy's blog the same Matt Heard that has this website: http://www.mattheard.org/about/ There are things on his "about" that ping fundie to me. One of his sons is the photographer for the website- which also pinged as a gothard approved business for boys.

Did Gothard do anything with the Moody Church in Chicago? @formergothardite do you know if there is link between Gothard and Moody Church? For some reason I thought there was a link but I am not a former ATI person so I don't remember all the details.

Pretty sure that is a different Matthew Heard. I don't know if there is a link between Moody Church and Gothard. I thought there was a link between Moody Bible Institute and Gothard.

8 minutes ago, SpoonfulOSugar said:

The Chicago reporter has both an e-mail and Twitter contact posted.  Have you considered contacting her to point out those links?  (I mention her specifically because she had a paragraph on the Duggars and it would have been very easy/appropriate to add the Bates right on in there.)

Thanks, I'll send a message. 

[quiversR4hunting]

8 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Pretty sure that is a different Matthew Heard. I don't know if there is a link between Moody Church and Gothard. I thought there was a link between Moody Bible Institute and Gothard.

Moody Bible Institute must have been what I was thinking. Thanks for the reminder.  

[nolongerIFBx]

4 hours ago, SassyPants said:

Then why was Mr Gothard at their wedding?

They may not be affiliated with his ministry but they certainly were/ are friends-

Saw this on Pickles and responded there as well--This is the kind of lying we have caught the Duggars in. Remember that Goddard now has a new ministry started after he left/was fired (whatever) from IBLP/ATI. SO Erin can say in all honesty that they are not affiliated with BG's CURRENT ministry.

But what I actually came here to post was Recovering Grace's latest FB post: https://www.facebook.com/recovergrace/

Quote

Dear friends, we wanted to share with you the following letter that was forwarded to Recovering Grace by the law firm representing the plaintiffs suing Bill Gothard and IBLP. While every story that we have ever published was with the knowledge that we might one day have to defend our decisions in a court of law, it is nonetheless disturbing to see these threats in print. Your continued prayers are appreciated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Counsel -- It is unfortunate that Plaintiffs’ attorneys feel the need to circulate these pleadings to the press. Just remember this once the Court rules on the pending motions to disqualify.

Also, demand is hereby made upon any and all of your clients that have posted false and defamatory statements on the Recovering Grace website to immediately remove them.

Those persons can anticipate a counter-claim or cross-claim against them, in conjunction with the principals behind that website, for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress seeking actual and punitive damages in an amount in excess of $1,000,000 (with such an award after expenses be payable to an appropriate not for profit organization) along with such other injunctive and equitable relief the Court deems just.

Every day those postings remain in the public domain undoubtedly will enhance the damages recovery.

Glenn Gaffney
(gg@gaffneylaw.co)
Gaffney & Gaffney PC
1771 Bloomingdale Rd.
Glendale Heights, Il 60139

Me thinks BillyBoy is a little scared!