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Articles about how Bill Gothard mishandles the Bible to support his legalistic viewpoint.

Personal testimonies of finding true freedom through God's matchless grace.

Living and thriving through the grace of God.

Stories and accounts of the destruction caused by the teachings of Bill Gothard.

Category Archives: The Destructive Effects of ATI & IBLP

Open Letter To My Mother

28 July 2011, 06:00

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Black Letter Box

When we were children, you followed Bill Gothard’s teaching about being “a light to the world” and forced your kids to wear matching clothes every time we left home. This made it difficult to develop my own identity. When we weren’t allowed to watch television because Gothard said it was a “corrupting influence,” I didn’t […]

Escaping the Religious Noose, Part 4: Wrapping Up

21 July 2011, 08:00

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[Editor’s note: This is Part 4 of a four-part series. Click here for Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3] —CHOICES— In Wisdom Booklets and in other manuscripts, Bill teaches that every choice–no matter how trite–is “good” or “evil.” He teaches that “gray areas” indicate a presence of evil because gray is a mixture of […]

Escaping the Religious Noose, Part 3: Absolute Authority

20 July 2011, 08:00

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[Editor’s note: This is Part 3 of a four-part series. Click here for Part 1, Part 2, or Part 4] Using this verse in a manner not unlike the Jehovah’s Witness movement, Gothard teaches that the kingdom of heaven operates much like the Roman Empire. High-powered individuals at the top require those under them to […]

Escaping the Religious Noose, Part 2: Grace Redefined

19 July 2011, 08:00

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[Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of a four-part series. Click here for Part 1, Part 3, or Part 4] I will never forget the first time I heard Mr. Gothard teach that “unmerited favor” is a faulty definition of grace. His first step in redefining grace was to look up the New Testament word “graciousness” […]

Escaping the Religious Noose, Part 1: Legalism

18 July 2011, 08:00

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[Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a four-part series. Click here for Part 2, Part 3, or Part 4] My name is Donna. When I was a child, our family became involved with the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC), which was later renamed the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). In 1986, we […]