Posts Tagged ‘bill gothard’
27 Ridiculous Lies My Church Told Me
Yesterday Christopher Stroop posed this question on the internets: “What are some of the weirdest and/or most pernicious things you were taught as part of your indoctrination into ‘the Biblical worldview’?” Immediately I began rifling through the dusty archives of my brain in search of ridiculous bullshit that I had once believed to be true because…
Read MoreMy Cult Story (A Documentary Film)
We were supposed to change the world — a weird kind of extraordinary was defined by Gothard’s lists. When that’s your normal,the message hammered into you is just ‘You’re not good enough.’
Read MoreThe Civil War Wasn't Your Fault (and Other Things I Wish I'd Known)
“My system could have prevented the Civil War” is more than just laughable hubris. It carries the implicit suggestion that if we had only tried harder, done more, and followed the rules better, we could have prevented our own civil wars.
Read MoreHow Not to Discover God’s Will For Your Life
I came across some bullshit today. And by “bullshit”, I mean a few pages from the “Wisdom Booklets” that were the core part of Bill Gothard’s homeschooling curriculum. I had three thoughts when I read this bullshit: “I remember this. Exactly. I remember reading this. I remember believing this.” and then “Oh. No wonder I…
Read MoreI'm Tired of Talking about Bill Gothard & the Duggars
I’m so very tired. I just got home from a four-day camping trip — four days of sunshine and rain and afternoon naps and black coffee — and when I opened my computer for the first time last night, the notifications started rolling in. Tweets and Facebook comments and interview requests from the tabloids and click-bait…
Read MoreWe Are "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
When I was in first grade, my family joined Bill Gothard’s homeschool cult. So when Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt showed up on Netflix this month, it sometimes felt like rewatching parts of our life. In today’s guest post, my older sister Kirstin Murray Kyner put that feeling into words: The new Netflix show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”…
Read MoreWhen We Throw Stones
“Let him who is without sin throw the first stone.” That’s what they say, when religious leaders are questioned about their abusive and manipulative actions. “We all make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect. You wouldn’t want somebody airing all your dirty laundry, would you?” As if building an multi-million-dollar “ministry” or “church” on the backs of vulnerable followers…
Read MoreThe Benham Brothers, Evangelicals, and Bill Gothard
Earlier this month, I wrote about the deep connections between ousted cult leader Bill Gothard and high-profile Christians such as the Duggars and the family behind Hobby Lobby. Some people have asked why I continue to write about Gothard’s web, considering as he has resigned and those who had supported him previously probably didn’t know about…
Read MoreDear Mr. Gothard
A few months ago, Heather shared this story with me. I sat motionless reading the words you’re about to read, my heart breaking at the horror of it all. My mind didn’t want to believe it, but I knew in my gut that it was true. I recognized the places she speaks of, the phrases she…
Read MoreHobby Lobby, the Duggars, and Bill Gothard
I often hear Christians dismiss Bill Gothard and his teachings as legalistic, fundamentalist, bizarre, and dangerous. Rightly so, especially in the wake of his alleged sexual misconduct. But many of these same Christians support Hobby Lobby or the Duggars for their “Christian values”, perhaps not realizing how closely they are connected to Bill Gothard. This week, I’ve heard Christians…
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