Christofascist With GOP Ties Under Investigation For Sexual Harassment, Abuse Cover-Up

Gothard with Mike Huckabee

Why is it that those who whine the most and condemn gays the most vocally always seem to turn out to be sexual predators or aiders and abetters of sexual abuse?  My answer is that these individuals are nothing less than psychologically disturbed and obsessed with all things sexual because of their suppression of of their own sexuality as a result of religious brainwashing.  The legions of Catholic priest who have sexually abused children and youths are but one example.  Another is the ranks of GOP "family values" politicians who get busted for seeking gay sex - e.g., Ed Schrock and Larry Craig - or using prostitutes while married - e.g., David Vitter.  Now it turns out that Bill Gothard - a major homeschooling advocate with GOP ties - has been put on administrative leave from the Institute in Basic Life Principles due to allegations from thirty-four different women that he engaged in sexual harassment.  In addition, Gothard reportedly failed to notify Child Protective Services about sexual abuse claims.  That's right 34 different women!  Here are excerpts from Right Wing Watch:

The allegations against Gothard are chronicled on the website Recovering Grace, which aims to expose the activist’s record of “emotional, spiritual, and sexual abuse.”

The revelations about Gothard’s alleged misconduct are another blow to the patriarchal, anti-birth control Quiverfull movement, which suffered a setback last year when Vision Forum head Doug Phillips resigned because of an extramarital affair.

Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles has been championed by conservative figures including Rick Perry and Sarah Palin, who attended one of the institute’s conferences and adopted its “Character Cities” program as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Mike Huckabee has provided an endorsement of the group for its website: “As a person who has actually been through the Basic Seminar, I am confident that these are some of the best programs available for instilling character into the lives of people.” GOP mega-donor Jim Leininger was once a member of the IBLP’s advisory board.

TLC’s Duggar family are also followers of Gothard’s teachings on homeschooling and Quiverfull families, which teaches that “the husband is the undisputed leader of the family.”

After Gothard’s close ties to Florida congressman Daniel Webster became an issue in a 2010 congressional election, Sarah Posner released an exposé on how the IBLP promotes marital submission and cult-like practices.

She quoted critics who said Gothard instilled a “culture of fear” and preached “the terrible picture of the chain of command in the family with the husband as the hammer, the wife as the chisel and the children as the gems in the rough... The ghastly picture is that he beats on her and she chips on them.” One woman who belonged to the movement said that Gothard taught that women “don’t have any rights.”

He also claimed that he had an “ability to heal ‘stress’ and cancer” and instructed men on how to guard against Satanic attacks on his family.

Gothard taught that homosexuality would lead to the End Times

This wouldn’t be the first scandal for the Gothard family either, as “Gothard’s own brother, who worked for IBLP, was dismissed from his organization after it was discovered that he was having sex with students.”  One woman who recounted her experience working for Gothard on Recovering Grace said that IBLP board members were well aware of complaints from girls as young as fifteen-years-old .

These people are sick.  Very sick.  Yet they continue to dupe the simple minded and find members of the Republican Party only too ready to prostitute themselves in the hope of gaining votes.  These "godly Christians" are nothing short of morally bankrupt.

Homeschooling advocate Bill Gothard has been put on administrative leave from the organization he heads, the Institute in Basic Life Principles, in response to allegations from thirty-four different women that he engaged in sexual harassment and failed to notify Child Protective Services about abuse claims. - See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/religious-right-leader-gop-ties-under-investigation-sexual-harassment-abuse-cover#sthash.L5CRWcBx.dpuf