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

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

Tag Archives: authority

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 […]

A “New” Approach to Easter

13 April 2012, 06:00

Moderator

155

On Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012, Bill Gothard sent out a mass email to his followers. It was entitled, “Let’s Celebrate Easter…by Doing the Impossible!” You can view a screenshot of the entire email here. In the email, Gothard writes about how the 49 “commands of Christ” can be applied to the “seven stresses” of […]

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 […]

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 […]

Facing the Future….Alone!

2 April 2012, 06:00

JaimeD

13

While I don’t think dealing with an ending marriage and becoming a single parent is easy on any one, I do think those from an ATI (Advanced Training Institute) or similar background face specific challenges due to our upbringing. For instance, I was raised to believe divorce was not an option. It didn’t matter what […]

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 […]

Others may….

28 March 2012, 06:00

Moderator

25

You cannot! If I had $5 for every time I heard that phrase growing up, I would be very rich. My mom said it when she wanted me to yield to a standard that was set in our home. Mr. Gothard said it when he wanted us to buy into his particular brand of elitist […]

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 […]