Have you Shiny Happy People? Looking for more info? Start here.

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.

Tag Archives: abuse

Sexual Harassment Part 2: “Aren’t you making too big an issue of this?”

23 April 2012, 06:00

Moderator

153

Editor’s Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part article documenting sexual harassment within the Institute. Please click here to read Part 1 first–“Exploited Innocence: Sexual Harassment at HQ.” After publishing this first testimony, we have continued to receive similar testimonies of sexual harassment by Gothard: Another Witness: Sexual Harassment at HQ; Third Witness: Sexual […]

A Difficult Journey

17 April 2012, 06:00

Moderator

61

“I want to die, I want to die! I can’t take it anymore!!” I remember screaming that as loud as I could in the middle of the woods while punching a tree until my fists bled and I slumped down on the ground from exhaustion. I was 10 years old and felt so hopeless I […]

Character Sketches or Sketchy Characters? Dinah and Tamar

12 April 2012, 07:00

DavidM

78

In his Character Sketches series, Mr. Gothard retells many of the stories found in Scripture to illustrate some aspect of character, either good or bad. Often, however, these sketches are better at illustrating how Mr. Gothard will twist Scripture with points that are many times theologically poisonous and logically absurd. In light of the theme […]

Finding Healing and Recovery From Abuse

11 April 2012, 06:00

BrandonS

5

Healing from abuse isn’t as cut and dry as many people would like it to be. Victims are often re-victimized by well intentioned, but often misinformed and insensitive friends and family members who try to encourage them to “just get over it and move on.”  To compound things, many victims of abuse are dealing with […]

It’s All My Fault

9 April 2012, 06:00

Moderator

28

I’m adopted. I’ve always wondered why. My dad told me one day that my mom didn’t want to adopt me, but that he had talked her into it. I trusted my dad completely. I thought he was the best dad in the world. He taught me the Bible and how to memorize Scripture. He taught […]

Choosing Both Forgiveness and Prosecution

6 April 2012, 06:00

Moderator

38

Along his journey to becoming a convicted felon, pedophile, and sexual predator, I was one of my older brother Michael’s earliest victims in life. He began “grooming” me when I was six; “Grooming” is a term I have since learned that is clinically used to refer to the deliberate preparation of an intended victim for […]

Without an Umbrella in a Broken System

5 April 2012, 06:00

JaimeD

23

The earliest memory I have related to my sexual abuse was when I was 4 or 5 years old. I was sitting in the backseat of the car with my brother who was two years older than I. We were waiting outside my grandparents’ house while my mom ran in for something. I remember feeling […]

Gracenotes: Sexual Assault Awareness

4 April 2012, 06:00

Moderator

15

Dear Recovering Grace Readers, April is National Sexual Assault Awareness month. Current statistics show that one out of every four girls, and one out of every six boys are sexually abused (usually by someone they know) before they turn 18 years old. The problem of sexual abuse is systemic, and unfortunately it’s not just out […]

Passive Moms: A Plea for Compassion

30 March 2012, 06:00

WendyA

28

A lot of the young people who have come out of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and Advanced Training Institute (ATI) teachings have  run wildly in any direction that would get them away. Away from the pain, the abuse, the guilt, the self-hatred, the despair — and all the other negative emotions that […]

Creating a Rebellious Heart

21 March 2012, 06:05

Moderator

19

Two short months before leaving for Russia, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel Europe with my mom, both grandmothers, and my aunt. It had been a lifelong dream of my 88-year-old grandmother, and I relished every second of it. One of the days that had the most impact on me was the trip […]