The Return of Bill Gothard?

[Columbia]

Set your timers, folks. Creeps McGee must have run out of teenage girls.

Unfortunately the FB page is private, so no way to see if any of the manly patriarchs are concerned for the safety of their daughters  

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

No way. Bill Gothard is delusional. He will be reinstated to IBLP right after the Doug Phillips is reinstated to VF. 

[Giraffe]

3 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

No way. Bill Gothard is delusional. He will be reinstated to IBLP right after the Doug Phillips is reinstated to VF. 

Idk, with this crowd both of those are possible. For the record I don’t see Gothard making a comeback. He’s what, 90something at this point?

[Pecansforeveryone]

There are to many young, relatively scandal-free "photogenic" rivals like David Keller and family for perverted crypt-keeper Gothard to stand a chance of re-instatement. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

15 minutes ago, Pecansforeveryone said:

There are to many young, relatively scandal-free "photogenic" rivals like David Keller and family for perverted crypt-keeper Gothard to stand a chance of re-instatement. 

You mean David Waller? David Keller is his brother in law. David Waller would be a perfect replacement for Gothard. He has no scandals and has a perfect blonde family and wife. Gothard never even got married. That was always a strike against him. 

[feministxtian]

BG will be "reinstated" at the same time TFG is "restored" to POTUS. 

[Queen Of Hearts]

If he is restored it is only because IBLP has been fractured/split with all the folks with common sense moving away from IBLP.  Otherwise, no way.  

[Zebedee]

3 hours ago, feministxtian said:

BG will be "reinstated" at the same time TFG is "restored" to POTUS. 

BG is quite a bit older than Agent Orange, right? In better shape, undoubtedly, but perhaps they can regain their former "glories" together when they go to their eternal, erm, what's the word I'm looking for? Reward, rest?  No, something else...

[Howl]

He's 88 and repellent as ever -- utterly repulsive. 

[Pecansforeveryone]

@JermajestyDuggar, yes David Waller thank you. Jeez these fundies blur together so bad I get typing David Keller in this reply. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

2 minutes ago, Pecansforeveryone said:

@JermajestyDuggar, yes David Waller thank you. Jeez these fundies blur together so bad I get typing David Keller in this reply. 

There are a lot of Davids in that group. David Keller, David Waller, David Rodrigues. 

[neuroticcat]

I wonder if it’s just such an echo chamber within the True Believers that this kind of thing keeps them afloat in their cognitive dissonance. If Gothard is about to be reinstated, then they haven’t destroyed their lives and children’s and grandchildren’s development for a cult. 
 

Also think the idea of a split in the group is interesting. If there are fundies of the fundies, perhaps they would welcome him with reverence. I would think his age would be a problem, but the magical hold he’s had on ppl has never made sense anyway. Cult leaders going to cult lead.

 

[Columbia]

10 hours ago, neuroticcat said:

I wonder if it’s just such an echo chamber within the True Believers that this kind of thing keeps them afloat in their cognitive dissonance. If Gothard is about to be reinstated, then they haven’t destroyed their lives and children’s and grandchildren’s development for a cult. 

I’ve wondered that, too. If he’s coming back then he never really did anything wrong to begin with, and everything’s fine. 

[Alisamer]

On 1/8/2023 at 6:05 PM, Zebedee said:

BG is quite a bit older than Agent Orange, right? In better shape, undoubtedly, but perhaps they can regain their former "glories" together when they go to their eternal, erm, what's the word I'm looking for? Reward, rest?  No, something else...

Roast?

Hopefully Gothard stays in whatever shadows he's been skulking around in.

I swear. It seems the worse a person is the longer they live. Cockroaches, all of them. 

[Zebedee]

13 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

It seems the worse a person is the longer they live

I think it's often that it just *seems* longer. Rupert Murdoch must be at least 700 by now. And David Attenborough in his late 20s.

[Howl]

I think there are a few, very few Gothard supporters around now.  It seems there was one hanger-on leg humper Gothard assistant who would post in favor of Gothard and he got no traction from anyone. 

Gothard's a legend in his own mind and zero possibility that he'll make a comeback. The Chicago headquarters and North Woods retreat are gone, so the physical seat of Gothard's past power no longer exists.  He's unwelcome at Big Sandy and if he did show, he'd likely be escorted off the property.  

It's interesting to me that there are so many fundy sex abuse redemption stories, like "Sure he molested children/teens/wives, but he said he's SORRY, forgiveness blah blah and we welcome him back to the pulpit/congregation/youth ministry."   

However, everyone discovering the magnitude of Gothard's predation among the rotating cast of teen girls of his preferred type must have been too much. 

The original exposure of brother Steve Gothard's sexual shenanigans and abuse at the North woods location were pre-internet, but with the internet it all got out again to a wider audience. 

Then there's David Gothard, a financial con man. BILL GOTHARD’S BROTHER ACCUSED OF RACKETEERING, STEALING MILLIONS FROM THE ELDERLY.   Again, internet put all of that front and center. 

The 2016 over view is a good refresher: The Cult Next Door   For decades, the people of Hinsdale gave little thought to the mysterious brick building in town. Then came a scandal.

 

Edited January 11, 2023 by Howl

[JermajestyDuggar]

34 minutes ago, Howl said:

I think there are a few, very few Gothard supporters around now.  It seems there was one hanger-on leg humper Gothard assistant who would post in favor of Gothard and he got no traction from anyone. 

Gothard's a legend in his own mind and zero possibility that he'll make a comeback. The Chicago headquarters and North Woods retreat are gone, so the physical seat of Gothard's past power no longer exists.  He's unwelcome at Big Sandy and if he did show, he'd likely be escorted off the property.  

It's interesting to me that there are so many fundy sex abuse redemption stories, like "Sure he molested children/teens/wives, but he said he's SORRY, forgiveness blah blah and we welcome him back to the pulpit/congregation/youth ministry."   

However, everyone discovering the magnitude of Gothard's predation among the rotating cast of teen girls of his preferred type must have been too much. 

The original exposure of brother Steve Gothard's sexual shenanigans and abuse at the North woods location were pre-internet, but with the internet it all got out again to a wider audience. 

Then there's David Gothard, a financial con man. BILL GOTHARD’S BROTHER ACCUSED OF RACKETEERING, STEALING MILLIONS FROM THE ELDERLY.   Again, internet put all of that front and center. 

The 2016 over view is a good refresher: The Cult Next Door   For decades, the people of Hinsdale gave little thought to the mysterious brick building in town. Then came a scandal.

 

I personally think it’s because he was so old when it all came out and he has no wife or children to take his side and keep him in power. If he had built up a family dynasty, he would have been much more protected. That’s how a lot of these types stay in power. 

[Columbia]

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I personally think it’s because he was so old when it all came out and he has no wife or children to take his side and keep him in power. If he had built up a family dynasty, he would have been much more protected. That’s how a lot of these types stay in power. 

That’s very true. Also, nature might abhor a vacuum, but toadies and flunkies don’t. His downfall means someone else gets to compete for power. 

[Cults-r-us]

On 1/8/2023 at 1:04 PM, Giraffe said:

Idk, with this crowd both of those are possible. For the record I don’t see Gothard making a comeback. He’s what, 90something at this point?

If he was "reinstated", don't you suppose it would be an honorary or decorative, no contact with women type position?

[Giraffe]

34 minutes ago, Cults-r-us said:

If he was "reinstated", don't you suppose it would be an honorary or decorative, no contact with women type position?

No, not necessarily, not with this crowd. I mean, look how the Duggar’s covered up Josh’s crimes after he “apologized.” All BH would have to do is pretend to repent and all would be forgotten covered up forgiven once more. 
 

The only thing that gives me hope he won’t be coming back are the non-gothardites who spoke out against him before. Those able would do what they can to protect anyone he might harm again. 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Giraffe

[JermajestyDuggar]

Gothard really did shoot himself in the foot by never marrying and having kids to brainwash thoroughly. He could have gotten married later in life to someone 15 years younger and the ATI crowd would have been fine with it. Back in the 1980s when he was big, I bet he could have found some perfect female fundie to adore him and give him 6 perfect little children. Think of all the children of evangelists that take on the family business. Billy Graham’s son Franklin Graham has kept it going. Jerry Falwell Sr had Jr until he fucked things up with the pool boy. But Falwell has other children to keep things going. Gwen Shamblin has Elizabeth even though she isn’t doing a good job so far. There are a lot of others I can name. 

[hoipolloi]

On 1/11/2023 at 6:53 AM, Howl said:

Gothard's a legend in his own mind and zero possibility that he'll make a comeback.

From your keyboard to the FSM's ears! I agree, though, that a comeback is highly unlikely.

2 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Gothard really did shoot himself in the foot by never marrying and having kids to brainwash thoroughly.

Possibly, but it is so strange to me that none of his leghumpers ever questioned all of the shite spewing from Gothard about married life and raising children -- a man who was the bachelor uncle of IBLP. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

1 hour ago, hoipolloi said:

From your keyboard to the FSM's ears! I agree, though, that a comeback is highly unlikely.

Possibly, but it is so strange to me that none of his leghumpers ever questioned all of the shite spewing from Gothard about married life and raising children -- a man who was the bachelor uncle of IBLP. 

That too! He could say, “I have experience in this so listen to me!” And parade his kids out front and center like so many other fundie families. 

[Howl]

1 hour ago, hoipolloi said:

Possibly, but it is so strange to me that none of his leghumpers ever questioned all of the shite spewing from Gothard about married life and raising children -- a man who was the bachelor uncle of IBLP. 

The magnitude of  sexual dysfunction and crime-ing of Gothard and his male siblings is stunning. Maybe those who found it off-putting left.  Also, there were so many followers who never met Gothard in person or were at headquarters.  He reached people on radio and at rallies/conferences. 

Also, 

On 1/8/2023 at 12:57 PM, Columbia said:

Creeps McGee must have run out of teenage girls.

Every time I see this I start laughing.  Creeps McGee indeed. 

[Black Aliss]

On 1/8/2023 at 11:28 AM, feministxtian said:

BG will be "reinstated" at the same time TFG is "restored" to POTUS. 

For both of those creeps the fundy creed is "Love the sinner, ignore the sins". I hope the stranglehold the right-wing evangelicals hold over politicians is weakening.

4 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

That too! He could say, “I have experience in this so listen to me!” And parade his kids out front and center like so many other fundie families. 

I think Steve Maxwell cornered the market of that approach.