Recovering Grace

[Jessica]

I don't know if this has been shared yet but it's a website for ex-ATI/IBLP members. http://www.recoveringgrace.org/

[finleeport]

I hated the part where they talked about imagination; that Gothard wants imagination to be firmly grounded reality with God.

Screw that, I dream dragons, nymphs, mermaids and giants all the time. The made up things are a great deal better than the real ones. It can lick the real world hollow.

But seriously, why are fundies against fantasy so much? what do they got against ghost stories and fables and myths?

[MerryHappy]

I am familiar with the site. It is okay. Bear in mind that it is run by Christians for Christians.

In my opinion, RG refuses to address the reality of just how bad things were for many ATI kids. Yes, they tell a few stories but articles such as the "Dear Dad and Mom" letter almost made a mockery of the very real, rampant abuse within ATI circles.

Personally, I wish they would stop posting so much theology drivel. This website should not be a place for pastors and wannabe pastors to have theological penis measuring contests.

The theology rebuttals are just snoozers, aimed to show Gothard the error of his ways, which history shows us is futile.

The personal stories that come out of ATI are horrifying enough.

Kylar's story is amazing. I think Ryan touched on something raw and real with his post about limiting family size. There is a lady named Kristiana who shared about growing up with truly narcissistic parents within ATI, a story I have heard often from X-ers.

Overall, I think the intent behind the site is good. However, the religious gibberish overshadows what really matters...the personal stories of lives destroyed by Bill Gothards teachings.

They could stand to learn from RazingRuth. Sometimes, the stark details of what it is like to grow up Gothard is enough to make the point.

I wanted to love this site but the owners have made it clear that it is for X-ATI Christians and Christians leaving legalistic backgrounds.

I find that to be a shame.

[lizzy]

I hated the part where they talked about imagination; that Gothard wants imagination to be firmly grounded reality with God.

Screw that, I dream dragons, nymphs, mermaids and giants all the time. The made up things are a great deal better than the real ones. It can lick the real world hollow.

But seriously, why are fundies against fantasy so much? what do they got against ghost stories and fables and myths?

That's easy. They will think that delving into fantasy will lead you to the belief that God is a fantasy, as well.

[MerryHappy]

They believe that the imagination is Satan's playground.

One is to always be focused on God.

[snarkbillie]

I am familiar with the site. It is okay. Bear in mind that it is run by Christians for Christians.

In my opinion, RG refuses to address the reality of just how bad things were for many ATI kids. Yes, they tell a few stories but articles such as the "Dear Dad and Mom" letter almost made a mockery of the very real, rampant abuse within ATI circles.

Personally, I wish they would stop posting so much theology drivel. This website should not be a place for pastors and wannabe pastors to have theological penis measuring contests.

The theology rebuttals are just snoozers, aimed to show Gothard the error of his ways, which history shows us is futile.

The personal stories that come out of ATI are horrifying enough.

Kylar's story is amazing. I think Ryan touched on something raw and real with his post about limiting family size. There is a lady named Kristiana who shared about growing up with truly narcissistic parents within ATI, a story I have heard often from X-ers.

Overall, I think the intent behind the site is good. However, the religious gibberish overshadows what really matters...the personal stories of lives destroyed by Bill Gothards teachings.

They could stand to learn from RazingRuth. Sometimes, the stark details of what it is like to grow up Gothard is enough to make the point.

I wanted to love this site but the owners have made it clear that it is for X-ATI Christians and Christians leaving legalistic backgrounds.

I find that to be a shame.

I like the theology stuff though because I'm still working my way out of it.

[Sister Mary Savage]

The imagination thing is sad. I guess if you're a Gothardite, even your mind is not your own.

[finleeport]

The imagination thing is sad. I guess if you're a Gothardite, even your mind is not your own.

That is so depressing. Life without imagination is lifeless.

[razingruth]

"Imagination" is one of those things that ATI parents claim to want to instill in their children, but their definition of imagination is similar in context to Josh Duggar talking about "individuality" as "some of us like pickles and some of us don't".

Growing up, I was allowed to "imagine" if it was "imagining" reality. For example: I was allowed to "imagine" that my dolls were my babies and that my mini-iron was actually pressing clothes. I was allowed to "imagine" playing house or teaching my children "school". However, we were strongly discouraged from imagining things that would go against God's order or swerve into fantasy. We were constantly asked to examine our thoughts for deviations from God's order and if we admitted that we'd imagined something approaching magic or outside of the realm of possibility, we were told that those were possibly satanic thoughts in origin.

[AnnoDomini]

You were 'allowed' to pretend you were already in the situation they wanted you to grow up to enter instead of 'allowing' you to imagine whatever you wanted? That's terrible.

[Mango]

Oh wow, I know someone on that site. o.0 Didn't know that was his background- he's just a friend of a friend who I knew was in music ministry for some church.

[razingruth]

You were 'allowed' to pretend you were already in the situation they wanted you to grow up to enter instead of 'allowing' you to imagine whatever you wanted? That's terrible.

That's the extent of it.

[snarkykitty]

You were 'allowed' to pretend you were already in the situation they wanted you to grow up to enter instead of 'allowing' you to imagine whatever you wanted? That's terrible.

:think:

[CancerBomb]

The lack of imagination is what's disturbing. These people tremble in fear of characters like Harry Potter because they believe different things from them. Pretty much the only shows I could watch as a child were Veggie Tales (vegetables telling Bible stories), and public broadcasting services children's shows like Sesame Street, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Arthur. All took imagination to create, yet when I was off playing and I invented fantasy worlds it was wrong. 

[Tangy Bee]

10 minutes ago, CancerBomb said:

The lack of imagination is what's disturbing. These people tremble in fear of characters like Harry Potter because they believe different things from them. Pretty much the only shows I could watch as a child were Veggie Tales (vegetables telling Bible stories), and public broadcasting services children's shows like Sesame Street, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Arthur. All took imagination to create, yet when I was off playing and I invented fantasy worlds it was wrong. 

Oh didn't ya hear? Sesame Street is totally evil now. Fundies and few Conservatives have picked it apart. Too bad for them because the show still has high ratings. Hope it lives on forever. Cookie Monster rocks!

[CancerBomb]

Guess I missed the memo. Now I'm going to go watch it even though I'm a grown woman just because it pisses Fundies off. Thanks Anaconda Hunter!