By R.L. Stollar, HA Community Coordinator
Guess what? There’s a new Facebook page for defending Bill Gothard against “persecution.”
Here’s the page’s Description:
(Because complaining about cold fajitas is totally comparable to “complaining” about being molested by a religious leader?)
The page is run by people who think calling Bill Gothard out for a history of sexual harassment and molestation is pretty much the equivalent of stoning Stephen or persecuting Jesus himself. But don’t worry your pretty little head about whether or not that’s legitimate theology. Just get back under your umbrella of protection.
There’s also a public Facebook group for “friends” of Bill Gothard. It’s been around for a while, existing to “appreciate the wit and wisdom that Mr. Bill Gothard has shared over the years from his practical study of God’s Word and heartfelt desire to help young people find success in life.” But it has recently been revitalized to defend Gothard against everyone who is mad about the many disturbing allegations concerning him sexually harassing and abusing young women under his “umbrella.”
Full disclosure: I refuse to link to the Facebook page and group and thereby give them increased attention.
But I am happy to share screenshots from the public group.
*****
First of all, you should know there might be a “huge backlash” from IBLP directors and ATI parents who are “mad” and “repulsed” by Recovering Grace, the evilest of organizations dedicated to furthering the work of Satan by “helping people harmed by the teachings of Bill Gothard, the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), and the Advanced Training Institute (ATI).” There might even be a “rebuttal website” soon against Recovering Grace. This is according to Robert Norvell, who was the Director of Gothard’s Eagle Mountain Training Center:
Norvell is “glad there are some standing” with Bill Gothard because, basically, for every one girl Bill Gothard allegedly molested, there’s at least a hundred girls he didn’t molest. So that’s something, right? Especially since Recovering Grace is so “liberal.”
People are pretty mad at Recovering Grace for standing up for abuse victims. Abuse survivors and allies are like “children” who “mock the prophet Elijah.” Abuse survivors and allies are also like people who stoned Stephen:
So thank God for people who stand with abusers. These brave people are voices “crying in the wilderness”:
…and it’s a wilderness for IBLP indeed. A wilderness of $84,000,000 in assets and an annual income of $12,000,000. It’s a rough life.
What’s particularly weird is that the same people who accuse Gothard of being “cultish” also accuse his defenders of being “cultish,” too. But people in cults never defend their cult leaders, right? So that makes no sense. And really, everyone who is mad that Gothard might have sexually harassed and molested kids just want “to continue on in their sinful lifestyle.” After all, “it’s why they persecuted the Messiah too.” So if you think about, Gothard is pretty much like Jesus.
So come on, everyone. Let’s not try to “destroy” people by bringing abusers to justice. And let’s not focus on “who is right or wrong.” “Right and wrong” is doublespeak from the pit of Hell. People should just “move on.”
It’s all “under the blood” anyways. We might as well ignore abuse victims at this point.
It’s a free country. So let Gothard have the freedom to keep abusing and let the victims have the freedom to shut up.
Someone also posted this photo of young women who experience “brokenness” and “full surrender.” Not that that’s at all creepy in this context.
In conclusion: This last comment was probably prophetic, in light of all the screenshots I took.
Homeschoolers Anonymous 
There is NEW FB page defining him? Lol No way. People are desperate for religious leaders, I tell ya’.
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Rank Hath It’s Privileges, and Some Are More Equal Than Others.
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I guess when you’re in a cult like Gothard’s, everyone else seems liberal. It reminds me of some of the promotional materials my sister had for Hyles Anderson (which unfortunately, she ended up going to college there), and I remember seeing one booklet where one of their top staff members was saying that they “don’t fellowship with liberals”, which to them meant anyone who wasn’t in the IFB (and even some people who were.
Recovering Grace, from their actions, and the language that they use, I can definitely tell that they are conservative/evangelical, but unlike most in that crowd, they actually care about abuse victims.
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Wow, never want to encounter those Jaycoxes IRL, either.
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good grief. Mrs. Jaycox attended my former church and we are still friends on FB– one of the few from that time in my life who have not shunned me. I had a protracted discussion with her a couple weeks ago about BG. And I thought I was making progress. Hahaha. Jokes on me.
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One thing I learned about Mr. Gothard is he vilifies and slanders ANY who attempt to correct him. Why should his followers do anything different? They have been brainwashed well. In fact I think if bill gothard claimed it was with God’s blessing and approval that he molest and emotionally harm young girls then his followers would say ‘amen’.
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really and all those girls he touched and manipulated for his good is all right in your minds , for all of you that run around quoting bill gothard , he will never sit on the throne and he will be judge accordingly , just like all of you bg people who sit in judgement of everybody who isn’t like you.
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I have read recovering grace for about 2 years now. It has been eye-opening to say the least and it has been very freeing to read the stories about those who suffered abuse, either legalistic or grooming under Gothard and unchangeable teachings straight from God to the rest of us.
Years ago, according to Gothard and other legalists, I was a terrible sinner about the awful choices in my life. My husband was called before the pastor who asked him angrily “What is wrong with your wayward wife?” My husband was bumfuzzled, had I committed adultery, drank a beer, worn revealing clothing, smoked a joint? Then the pastor stated “She rode her horse to church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Among my other sins— wearing pants (the pastor told me I was to wear dresses AT ALL TIMES!) I had 2 pet cats, I did not keep the cleanest house nor did I want children. So you can see the need for Gothard, to keep wayward women in their place, humbly serving their husbands, wearing only approved lady-like clothing and long blond hair with soft flowing curls, keeping an immaculate home and making baby after baby. That is the ONLY way God will bless. An impoverished tribal woman in Nigeria needs to read this.
(Is there a smiley for sarcasm?)
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