Substitute "Christian" for "character" and you'll have a list of cities in which some key Christian leaders are being trained on how to exercise dominion.

by Mainstream Baptist on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 10:59:57 AM EST

The whole thing smacks of classic "stealth evangelism" by dominionist groups--including the suckering-in of normally progressive groups that would run screaming in the other direction if they knew fully what they were supporting.

One example I've seen that is very similar to what Gothard is doing is how the Ezzos ("childrearing experts" popular in the dominionist community who have supported blatantly abusive techniques of childrearing that have caused infants to require hospitalisation) market the same book to two different communities--"Babywise" (with most religious commentary stripped) and "Growing Kid's God's Way" (with religious commentary intact).

This page has a good expose of both the abusive tactics promoted and how they are "co-promoted" in secular and dominionist communities.

Gothard himself is connected to both coercive and spiritually abusive tactics in general and specifically religiously-motivated child abuse.  A large number of articles detail specifically abusive practices documented in Gothard's groups:

http://www.batteredsheep.com/gothard.html (documentation of abusive practices in a book, also notes that Gothard has attempted SLAPP lawsuits against book's author)

http://www.nospank.net/fortune.htm (notes in regards to religiously motivated child abuse that Gothard promotes "woman must submit to man as man submits to God" ideology often promoted in dominionist groups; Promise Keepers (a group which is regarded increasingly as coercive due to its use of shepherding) has also promoted similar ideology)

http://billgotharddiscussion.com (homepage for a Yahoogroups list for discussion pro and con of Gothard; notes nearly all front groups used, as well as major criticisms; gives indication Gothard may be connected to coercive word-faith or "third wave" movements ("rhemas"--revelations above and beyond the Bible--are often promoted in pentecostal dominionist groups into word-faith and "third wave" teachings) and also notes Gothard's promotion of coercive "deliverance ministry" teachings that claim all diseases are result of demonic infestation, also pointing to word-faith beliefs)

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=659247
(A series of investigative reports from WISH-TV in Indianapolis details regarding abuse at a Gothard-operated center for "troubled youth", which was apparently receiving state funding)

http://members.tripod.com/ronhenzel/GothardZone/08-BG2BG/index.html (a somewhat irreverent look at the controversies regarding Gothard; of note, one major influence was Watchman Nee, who invented the coercive shepherding movement used in dominionist "cell churches" and who is regarded as a major influence in multiple spiritually abusive movements; also notes possible promotion of dominion theology; notes Gothard explicitly has promoted coercive shepherding tactics)

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/gothard/general.htm
(notes how Gothard is explicitly dominionist and "Christian Nationalist", involvement in dominionist movements including "Latter Rain" (one of the two main theologies, along with word-faith theology, that formed the basis of dominion theology in pentecostal circles and ultimately the "Brownsville" aka Third Wave movement); notes again promotion of deliverance ministry and "third wave"-esque theology (claiming that trolls and Cabbage Patch Kids dolls prevented a woman from being able to conceive, claiming the toys were demonised); notes heavy emphasis on "spiritual warfare" theology promoted in dominionist circles)

http://www.pfo.org/bgothard.htm (again notes emphasis on "deliverance ministry", again notes Gothard's peculiar idea that Cabbage Patch Kids are possessed by the devil (which actually WAS being promoted heavily in pente churches into "deliverance ministry" back in the 80's-90's), promotes the particular flavour of dominionism that the "saved" and Israel are "God's chosen nations" and that the US must be converted to a theocracy to "secure God's blessing" and to "claim dominion of this land and drive the devil out" (the common rationalisation for dominionism in pentecostal pre-millenial dispensationalist churches); claims even "Christian rock" is Satanic because it "causes children to dishonour their parents")

http://www.pfo.org/evol-fad.htm (further evaluation of Gothard, including claims that Cabbage Patch Dolls were "idolatrous" because of the "adoption contract" one had with them and even claiming that all dolls were potentially idolatrous; notes Gothard is promoter of "Generational Curses" theory popular in "Third Wave" circles (the idea that demons can harass families over multiple generations due to sins of ancestors) as well as coercive deliverance-ministry theology, going so far as to claim problems with adopted children are the result of generational curses;  again notes promotion of shepherding and coercive family structures; legalism extends to specific dictation of how services in churches are to be performed and how often and what times people are supposed to have intercourse (!))

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/i13.html (Apologetics Index expose of Bill Gothard's "secular" programs, including indications that the same coercive tactics promoted in the religious-oriented material are being promoted in the secularised ones and that the materials are being promoted in schools via "stealth evangelism")

http://www.midwestoutreach.org/journals/bill_gothard.htm (a documentation of a typical "religious" Gothard seminar, wherein the people who attended note there are serious problems with Gothard's tactics--of note, this is coming from an Evangelical group itself)

http://www.midwestoutreach.org/journals/mystical_approach.htm (notes promotion of dominion theology as practiced in word-faith churches--including "deliverance ministry" and the concept of "generational curses", and also promotes dominionist ideas regarding birth control (that it is a sin, and "God will provide" even if childbirth is medically contraindicated)--this time from a walkaway from a Bible-based cult who worked for the (old, pre-Scientology-hijacking) Cult Awareness Network))

http://www.midwestoutreach.org/journals/gothard.html (notes explicitly not only the promotion of coercive tactics but that Gothard is a "Christian Nationalist"

http://www.midwestoutreach.org/02-Information/02-OnlineReference/04-Etc/01-TheJournal/Volume3/No4-Bi llGothardsEvangelicalTalmudPt1.html
http://www.midwestoutreach.org/02-Information/02-OnlineReference/04-Etc/01-TheJournal/Volume3/No5-Bi llGothardsEvangelicalTalmudPt2.html
http://www.midwestoutreach.org/02-Information/02-OnlineReference/04-Etc/01-TheJournal/Volume4/No3-Bi llGothardsEvangelicalTalmudPt3.html
(investigation of Gothard and his group by religious countercult organisation, wherein the same major problems documented in other articles including promotion of coercive tactics and spiritual abuse are documented)

http://members.aol.com/excognito/gothard1.html (evaluation by a walkaway-turned-activist of Gothard's actions, notes heavy emphasis on shepherding and "submission" whilst group promotes itself as elect)

http://www.midwestoutreach.org/02-Information/02-OnlineReference/02-UnorthodoxyGuide/105-IKnowSometh ing/Gothard-IBLP/
(extensive coverage of Gothard and promotion of coercive tactics by a Christian group opposed to promotion of spiritual abuse)

http://members.aol.com/excognito/gothard2.html (responses to above articles, including from Gothard's supporters--some of whom blatantly promote "Joel's Army" theology common in "Third Wave" and Latter Rain circles of an "end-time army")

http://www.rickross.com/groups/gothard.html (Rick Ross Institute's extensive research archive on Bill Gothard's activity, including the "Character First" promotions; includes a mirror of the Silja Talvi article)

http://home.datawest.net/esn-recovery/artcls/transit.htm (Notes links between Gothard and owner of Hobby Lobby (who has been documented as funding dominionism and is a dominionist himself)--all the more reason not to shop that chain)

http://www.spiritualabuse.org/experiences/upc/jeff.html (statement from a UPC and AoG walkaway--notes how Bill Gothard's coercive tactics have been embraced by the Assemblies of God; not surprising, as many of the tactics promoted are identical to spiritually abusive tactics promoted by word-faith and especially "Third Wave" teachers in AoG churches including Paul Yonggi Cho)

http://www.lyingspirits.com/ (site fighting promotion of "Theophostic Counseling" aka "Christian Counseling"--an "alternative" to "secular" psychiatry that has many practices that are extremely coercive and in fact are essentially identical to known coercive tactics in Scientology; notes Gothard's role in promotion of "theophostic counseling")

http://www.undergroundbride.com/gothard.html (aimed as warning to homeschooling mothers--notes promotion of Gothard in dominionist circles promoting "satanic panic" and deliverance ministry, as well as fact he operates homeschool curriculum which explicitly teaches the same coercive tactics he promotes in seminars)

by dogemperor on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 11:40:58 AM EST

Again, here is the fundamental premise: what the IBLP hopes will come of these myriad efforts on secular and religious fronts is a patriarchal, hierarchical Christian government that truly has no place for dissent, for disbelievers, or for those whose character qualities fall short of expectations. Government, from this viewpoint, is akin to the right hand of God: Nothing or no one should stand between the two entities, or question their right to rule over our lives.

"God ordained government to carry out His will in matters of justice. Rulers are to praise those who do well and punish those who do evil," reads the IBLP's Power for True Success. "Because civil authorities derive their power from God, they will be judged if they violate the Laws of God." Church leaders, fathers and husbands, and even business leaders, are given nearly the same power in this conception of a well-ordered society: "Employees are to obey employers with wholehearted service."

Totally mindless obedience. Not my cuppa, really. If I must obey an authority of any sort, I would prefer to do so mindfully, not because the excuse is 'God said so'. Upon those three words, many horrors have been launched.

by Lorie Johnson on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 12:49:43 PM EST

[ATIL] "is a Biblically centered home education program for families....

Just as homeschooling is not synonymous with cloistered (in the socialization non-controversy about homeschooled kids), so too is homeschooling not synonymous with "Biblically-centered."

Yes, religiously-minded parents homeschool.
No, not all homeschooling parents do it for religious reasons, nor for abusive-control reasons.

That any couple or parent can choose homeschooling opens it to all manner of folk, just like bowling, gardening, and driving automobiles.

In reference to the "chiseling" of children, I have a collection of links at my page titled, "We're Against Beating Our Children With Sticks."  I specifically named it that after finding out about the ads for a "rod" -- with a cushioned grip, no less.  (one of the "rod's" distributors stopped production because the cushioned grip was no longer available)

Even though my site isn't religious in nature, some of the links at my site are from Christians.  Concern for the well-being of children isn't restricted to one group.
http://home.kc.rr.com/milhmschlhq/controversial_topics_discipline.htm

[I just fixed a couple of dead links that will appear only after my next update.  
Gentle Christian Mothers is now at:
http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/
Project NoSpank is at:
http://www.nospank.net/main.htm ]

by ValerieM on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 01:04:16 PM EST

Our entire criticism of these people is that the poor character of those who engage in this type of behavior. They are arrogant and  deceptive with no regard for truth.

More importantly, they are intellectually lazyness. ("Intellectually reckless" would be more accurate.) Their idea of good character is a nation of dumb and obedient sheep.

Preventing this is very much an issue of promoting good character traits -- traits that include intellectual discipline where conclusions are carefully evaluated in the face of available evidence.

Bad things do happen when these traits are not developed.

We can attribute our involvement in the Iraq war to this type of intellectual backwardness -- the inability of people in this administration to reach conclusions based on a careful study of the evidence.

So, let us not turn this into a battle against "character". Let us recognize that good character is important, and what these people are teaching is quite the opposite of good character.
Alonzo Fyfe

The Atheist Ethicist
by Alonzo Fyfe on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 12:49:48 PM EST

"CHICAGO -- Responding to concerns from students, the Chicago Board of Education is investigating two assemblies held Wednesday at Lane Technical High School.

A senior at the high school contacted School Board lawyers concerning the 50-minute "character education" seminars presented by a group called the Seven Project, which The Chicago Sun-Times identified as a ministry of the Assemblies of God, an evangelical Christian denomination.

George Soto, 18, called School Board lawyers earlier this week after teachers announced that on Wednesday morning, two 50-minute, school-wide assemblies would be held featuring presentations by the Seven Project, a ministry of the Assemblies of God, an evangelical Christian denomination.

Soto and four other students sat out the assemblies in the prinicpal's office, the published report said.

"We had some concerns about separation between church and state, and we don't like these kinds of assemblies being pushed on us," Soto said. "I'm a Roman Catholic, and I believe in Christ, but I think it's something that should stay outside of school."

Lawyers responding to Soto's concerns contacted Lane Tech's principal, Keith Foley, warning him that the assemblies should be canceled if there were any religious content involved in the presentations, according to a public school spokesman, Eric Cunningham.

Cunningham said that an e-mail to that effect was sent to Foley. The message also suggested that the students be given an option about attending the assemblies, according to the published report.

The Sun-Times said that Foley insisted that there was no religious content in the Seven Project's assemblies, which nearly all of the school's 4,300 students attended."....