posted 16th Apr '09
REMEMBER I FOUND IT IN A FORUM...SO WHO KNOWS IF ITS TRUE...
"WOW! andyman! You are right on with all you say. I have attended a couple of basic seminars when I was a teen and young adult(somewhat awhile back). Like you stated previously, I took what seemed to be the good stuff and left the goofy. Then, about 6 years ago, I met my now best friend. Her husband was very interested in IBLP and ATI. They learned about it through a home church here in our area. The families mostly belong to ATI, some since the very beginnings of ATI. A few of the families actually see ATI as to liberal for them, are you getting the picture. I was actually excited the first year that this family went to the ATI conference and came back with their first set of Wisdom Booklets. They shared them with us as we are both long time home school families. But as I started reading through and preparing to teach my children, I found some things that disturbed me and gave them back. Around the same time, my husband and I attended this home church. It seemed so perfect with all of the bright eyed, well behaved children and the friendliest people I have ever met. My husband is the one who had the red flags blarring, so he told me to take a couple of weeks and really look at Gothard's teachings, which are taught in the church through video and other means. What great wisdom on his part, I found more than enough to warrant my own red flags, but we still really admired two of the families in particular. We had seem them occasionally over the next few years at some social events and even helped with political campaigns. Here is where things get interesting. These ATI families hold high state offices and have run for high federal offices, also. These are not sit in the corner type people. They are separatists though. A few years ago, unknown to my best friend, now out of ATI but still participating in the home church, the men of the church were meeting after church to discuss my friends teenage daughters apparel. They felt like their blouses were to tight and they should bind their chest up more, go figure. At the same time the son of one of these political men was touching one of my friends teenage daughters in a sexual way as she slept. This was found out and apologies were made although the boy was tempted by the girls tight blouses(lol). The boy was sent to one of the training centers to be punished??? My friends did not return to the home church for quite sometime after this. At this same time, the boy mentioned earlier was betrothed to a girl in the the group, both were 14 at the time. The betrothal was broken by the boys actions. Then about a year later, my friend decided to go back to the home church and see everyone again. She was appalled at what went on at that particular meeting. An eight year old girl was made by her parents to stand in front of the group and confess the sin of masturbation and ask for punishment(to cleanse her) and forgiveness. My first thought was that this girl had to have been abused if she was truly masturbating, but with the power of these families, what can you do. Just this last year the family of the young man mentioned before was highlighted on the Discovery Channel, at the time they had 14 children and were about to have another and the mom was receiving a mother of the year award from our governor. Since that time the same boy was betrothed again to the same girl. He was working very hard on a campaign for U.S. Senate for the girls father. The father lost the campaign. He immediately began looking for "sin in the camp", as that could be the only explanation for the loss. He found that the young man betrothed to his daughter, had committed sexual sins(?) while on the campaign trail. The young man, now 16, was made to stand in front of the church and confess his sin. He was then told that the campaign was lost due to his sin. The weight of the world on this poor boys shoulders. I do not know what punishment the church gave but I do know that it was harsh enough for his mother to seek advise outside of the "group", but she did eventually give in to her husband and the group. The young man and young girls betrothal is now broken. I am I nuts to see this as abuse? And what do you think can be done? I think if DHS were called they would go and see a happy family who call the governor friend not just acquaintance. I know this post is long, but I tried to include the really important stuff as there is so much more that can be told."
INCASE YOU'RE CONFUSED THIS WILL CLEAR IT UP A BIT:
Jim Holt reportedly made the "sin in the camp" remark about our Joshie. The OP's friend, who was the source of this material, was the mother whose daughters were wearing clothing that was too tight. Joshie was reportedly betrothed to the oldest daughter of Jim Holt, and it was their betrothal that was broken. Joshie was sent to an ATI camp and later was the one whose punishment was so severe his mom (that would be our very own JMichelle) went outside the church before giving in and allowing this unnamed punishment. Rumors varied on who exactly he was accused of touching. The ATI camp (which actually do exist, according to the ATI website) would probably be on their campus in Texas. Don't know which 8-year-old girl was accused; could have been any child whose parent was/is a member of the Duggar's home church.
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