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

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Tag Archives: authority

Work Parties

26 July 2011, 12:15

WendyA

Some of my most vivid memories from my times at IBLP Headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois, center around “work parties.” For those who aren’t familiar with this oxymoronic term, a “work party” is when a bunch of students “volunteer” to work after hours on a specific project so that it can be completed on deadline. […]

Children Leading Children

24 July 2011, 20:00

lizs

Sometimes I wonder if those who were in charge at the various training centers really thought about what they were doing when they put young people “in charge” of other young people. I know that age does not always matter when it comes to authority and respect, but it can sometimes be very important. There […]

Escaping the Religious Noose, Part 4: Wrapping Up

21 July 2011, 08:00

Moderator

[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

Moderator

[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

Moderator

[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

Moderator

[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 […]

My Childhood in ATI, Part 3

15 July 2011, 08:00

admin

TRANSFORMATION God really began to do a miracle in our family when I was around 18 years old. Somehow through all of this indoctrination, I began to ask questions. Something about what I was experiencing didn’t line up with what I was seeing and reading in God’s Word. Gothard defined grace as “the desire and […]

My Childhood in ATI, part 2

14 July 2011, 08:00

admin

The Indianapolis Training Center, 2001

THE EFFECTS Within ATI, Bill Gothard was viewed as a sort of demigod. I remember attending the annual conferences where he was lauded with 10 minute standing ovations. We awaited every word that he said with baited breath, and took it all as gospel truth. We didn’t ask questions, we just accepted it. And that […]

My Childhood in ATI, part 1

13 July 2011, 08:00

admin

What I share in this story is something that I have never shared with anyone in its entirety except my wife. Some of you will know bits and pieces of this story, and some of you will recognize yourselves in it. I am not going to share names of friends and associates in the ATI […]