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Saturday, May 07, 2005
Our State Fair is an Evil State Fair
The following e-mail was apparently sent to ATI families and was forwarded to me. To be fair, I'm not sure if it is real, but it certainly sounds authentic.
UPDATE: The original e-mail, as forwarded to me, is posted in the comment section.
==================================
Dear ATI Families,
Please help your perplexed servant!
Two days ago we received an emergency call from an ATI mother. Her 20 year old daughter was experiencing strong impulses to commit suicide and to harm others. She was also experiencing unusual, lustful thoughts. This daughter has been in the ATI program for 11 years. She is a bright, attractive young lady with many talents and skills. She loves the Lord and has been very obedient to her parents. So what is the problem?
I talked to her for about an hour that evening. Her depression began when a potential friendship with a Christian young man did not work out. I began sharing with her some of the information we will be presenting next week at the first Regional ATI Conference in Big Sandy, Texas. Her response was very encouraging, and we prayed through some vital issues. When she was helped that much by what I explained to her, I became excited by how much more she would be benefited by attending the conference, which is only about a 4 hour drive from their home.
It was at that point that I became totally perplexed! She said, "Our family is not planning to attend the ATI Conference. Instead we are going to the State Fair!" The State Fair? With a daughter who is being obsessed with impulses to kill herself and also with immoral thoughts? I do not understand! This is an emergency situation, and not only are they missing potential help at the conference, but they are exposing her to potential danger at the fair due to her weakened spiritual condition.
Last night I called the father (who gave me permission to share this information with you). He is a dedicated Christian and committed to doing what is best for his family. He reported that after my talk with his daughter and further discussion with him and his wife, she was improved. But I explained that we have two key issues to deal with. The first is the matter of suicidal impulses, which in part resulted from bitterness over the failed friendship. The second was immoral thoughts, which in part results when a father is not sanctifying his wife and family by his regular
meditation on God's Word.
I explained to him how Jesus sanctified Himself by the Word for our sakes and how a father must do this for those under his spiritual care (see John 17:19 and Ephesians 5:25-27). He acknowledged that he had become very lax in meditating on God's Word. He also realized the importance of rethinking his schedule for next week.
I explained that for 20 years I have been working on lasting results for ATI families, and now we are able to provide significant new tools, resources, direction, and information for parents and teens. However, if the fathers do not make the effort to receive it, it will not be of any value to them or their families. I am sharing this with you because I know that many other families are facing similar situations. The problem is that the fathers are often not aware of the secret defeats that are happening in the lives of their sons and daughters. So often we get calls when it is too late to deal with what could have been easily averted.
A New Offer of Help
Based on the above, I would urge each one of you to first sign up for the Daily Success program to enhance the sanctifying power of meditation. Many of you took advantage of this when it was offered without charge for an early registration. Even though the original deadline for the early registration rate is past, I would like to give a further encouragement for more of you to sign up for these daily treasures of insight and information on the Commands of Christ. If you get your annual enrollment fee in before May 15, you can also receive the Daily Success program without charge.
My second appeal is to make whatever sacrifices are possible to attend a Regional Conference. I believe you will agree at the end of the week that it was worth every effort you made to attend. Further information on the Daily Success program can be obtained by visiting www.iblp.org or by calling 1-800-398-1290. For more information on the ATI Regional Conferences, please visit the ATI website at www.ati.iblp.org/conferences or call the ATI Department at 630-323-2842.
It truly is a joy to serve you and a thrill to see the marvelous fruit that is resulting from our work together.
Through Christ our Lord,
Bill Gothard
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21 Comments:
Wow. I hope that's not authentic.
Actually, I can verify that it [i]is[/i] authentic.
WOW. As if that's not enough he has to add a sales pitch for his wonderful solutions to the end. How does he sleep at night??
it really *doesn't* sound like him ...
Anon #4.. you sure about that? If you can check out his letter he sent to fathers (I think) with the January 2005 Newsletter. Quite similar in the pitch style at least.
Fastinating case study in using fear to pitch a product. The product of course here is Bill's ministry, and if you "don't" show up to his stuff then you can be sure your daughters will be experiencing suicidal depression etc.
Seabhag
Yeah, It doesnt sound like Billy G. Nothing like the newsletters and everything else he would send out. Any of you still enrolled to see if it was sent to the fathers?
Yeah, its real. Mr. G is actually kind of losing it which is obvious to everyone still in the ministry. He is getting slightly more charasmatic in his beliefs and doesnt stand solidly on some issues that he used to. For instance, he is now saying that faith healing is the way to go and that rehmas are no longer valid and that you need to ask the Lord for "signs" instead of getting things from the bible. This from someone who heard him say it in NZ a few weeks ago. Im not making this up! Mr. G really has got to go. Who knows how many kids faith's he will destroy if he keeps changing beliefs in these last years of his life?
It might not actually sound like him because he frequently does not actually write these letters.
It is quite possible he recently switched ghost writers.
I would agree with the last post. Very often, someone will write the letter for him and he will sign off on it. Sometimes, though, he WILL write the letter and when it goes through editing...he won't let many changes be made. It all depends on the subject matter. If it's something he feels passionately about at the moment, sometimes even the slightest edits get refused. I've seen letters come in and go out after just hitting a "spellcheck" button. Those can be very different from others that are well edited.
Also, if this was an email, it's possible that it just went through the computer dept. or his office or something and was one of those things exhorters do...write a letter about something in the heat of the moment, about something they feel passionate about. That would give it a different "tone" anyway.
I think it's sad...i still believe his heart is to help these people and families...and I know how hard it is to have a truth that could change people's lives but to be patient and to allow people to see the need to change their lives...or to allow God to change them...that is hardest. I am sad for IBLP, I am sad for Mr. G. The life and message that has touched and encouraged change in so many lives is fading...Here's hoping it won't fade forever.
I've been out of ATI for over 7 years. I love this site because it is very entertaining -- however, posts like this remind me of how glad I am to be out of the matrix, so to speak, and how much concern I have for those still caught up in it all that they will not be deceived and that somehow, God will still be glorified in the midst of the messiness of man's interference.
Someone said that they can verify that it is authentic?? Do tell. It may be authentic, but the situation described is now old enough as to be completely irrelavent. The letter would have to be a minimum of 7 months old since there is no state fair within 4 hours of Big Sandy until this coming Sept/Oct. And there hasn't been one since that time last year. Of course I could be confused. Maybe Texas changed the date of the fair this year and forgot to tell the fair-goers that are all planning on going this fall. But something tells me that's not right either. *rolls eyes*
Actually this is very similar to a letter mailed to ATI fathers last month.
In that letter, Bill wrote detailing the "crisis" an older teenager/ early twenties girl was going through (seems like it was about a boy, don't remember exactly) and how after talking with the girl she was on the right track, etc. He then spoke with the father to assure him more help would be available at the conference in Big Sandy, and the resulting incredulism was articulately expressed when he learned that the family wasn't going to the conference.
The entire thing was a push to go to the conference, along with 3 of the 5 life purposes that would be revealed at the conference.
This letter about the state fair is sorta like someone took the real deal and had fun cutting and pasting in a sub story about a fair. :)
And yeah, I'm still on the ATI / IBLP / Fathers mailing list. Having had family in "high places" isn't with out its perks. (hmm, is that a perk?)
"there is no state fair within 4 hours of Big Sandy until this coming Sept/Oct." - I sincerely doubt its validity as well. Im sure Mr G wrote it but Im sure he twisted the facts as he twists scripture and just about everything else he reports. The monthly newsletters are FULL of twisted reports. Ive seen a few lies first-hand on those thing... I know MANY ATI families in the Big Sandy area and nobody has heard of this girl or has any idea as to who it might be.
Also, a girl who would kill herself over a "failed friendship" is kinda stupid.
This is anonymous #2 checking in again. While I cannot verify how recently it was written, the letter IS authentic and was recently emailed to ATI families. I had just finished looking over it at my parents' house before getting on here, and seeing it. Good or bad, it's real.
"there is no state fair within 4 hours of Big Sandy until this coming Sept/Oct."
--people drive for hours to go to these conferences, so it could even be farther than that.
options: (1) Gothard twisted the facts a little and/or (2) it was someplace other than Big Sandy.
Will someone please forward to X-er the original e-mail?
If it's in hard copy maybe someone who has access to it could use a wonderful technology known as a scanner and scan the "letter" in and post it. That would solve this little validity problem..
Here's the original, as forwarded to me.
----- Original Message -----
From: "ATI Mailings" mailings@ati.iblp.org
To: "ATI Mailings" mailings@ati.iblp.org
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 11:42 AM
Subject: Special Letter from Bill Gothard
> Dear ATI Families,
>
> Please help your perplexed servant!
>
> Two days ago we received an emergency call from an ATI mother. Her 20
year
> old daughter was experiencing strong impulses to commit suicide and
to harm
> others. She was also experiencing unusual, lustful thoughts. This
daughter
> has been in the ATI program for 11 years. She is a bright, attractive
young
> lady with many talents and skills. She loves the Lord and has been
very
> obedient to her parents. So what is the problem?
>
> I talked to her for about an hour that evening. Her depression began
when a
> potential friendship with a Christian young man did not work out. I
began
> sharing with her some of the information we will be presenting next
week at
> the first Regional ATI Conference in Big Sandy, Texas. Her response
was very
> encouraging, and we prayed through some vital issues. When she was
helped
> that much by what I explained to her, I became excited by how much
more she
> would be benefited by attending the conference, which is only about a
4 hour
> drive from their home.
>
> It was at that point that I became totally perplexed! She said, "Our
family
> is not planning to attend the ATI Conference. Instead we are going to
the
> State Fair!" The State Fair? With a daughter who is being obsessed
with
> impulses to kill herself and also with immoral thoughts? I do not
> understand! This is an emergency situation, and not only are they
missing
> potential help at the conference, but they are exposing her to
potential
> danger at the fair due to her weakened spiritual condition.
>
> Last night I called the father (who gave me permission to share this
> information with you). He is a dedicated Christian and committed to
doing
> what is best for his family. He reported that after my talk with his
> daughter and further discussion with him and his wife, she was
improved. But
> I explained that we have two key issues to deal with. The first is
the
> matter of suicidal impulses, which in part resulted from bitterness
over the
> failed friendship. The second was immoral thoughts, which in part
results
> when a father is not sanctifying his wife and family by his regular
> meditation on God's Word.
>
> I explained to him how Jesus sanctified Himself by the Word for our
sakes
> and how a father must do this for those under his spiritual care (see
John
> 17:19 and Ephesians 5:25-27). He acknowledged that he had become very
lax in
> meditating on God's Word. He also realized the importance of
rethinking his
> schedule for next week.
>
> I explained that for 20 years I have been working on lasting results
for ATI
> families, and now we are able to provide significant new tools,
resources,
> direction, and information for parents and teens. However, if the
fathers do
> not make the effort to receive it, it will not be of any value to
them or
> their families. I am sharing this with you because I know that many
other
> families are facing similar situations. The problem is that the
fathers are
> often not aware of the secret defeats that are happening in the lives
of
> their sons and daughters. So often we get calls when it is too late
to deal
> with what could have been easily averted.
>
> A New Offer of Help
>
> Based on the above, I would urge each one of you to first sign up for
the
> Daily Success program to enhance the sanctifying power of meditation.
Many
> of you took advantage of this when it was offered without charge for
an
> early registration. Even though the original deadline for the early
> registration rate is past, I would like to give a further
encouragement for
> more of you to sign up for these daily treasures of insight and
information
> on the Commands of Christ. If you get your annual enrollment fee in
before
> May 15, you can also receive the Daily Success program without
charge.
>
> My second appeal is to make whatever sacrifices are possible to
attend a
> Regional Conference. I believe you will agree at the end of the week
that it
> was worth every effort you made to attend. Further information on the
Daily
> Success program can be obtained by visiting www.iblp.org
> http://www.iblp.org or by calling 1-800-398-1290. For more
information on
> the ATI Regional Conferences, please visit the ATI website at
> www.ati.iblp.org/conferences http://www.ati.iblp.org/conferences
or call
> the ATI Department at 630-323-2842.
>
> It truly is a joy to serve you and a thrill to see the marvelous
fruit that
> is resulting from our work together.
>
> Through Christ our Lord,
> Bill Gothard
Since I really don't keep up with the day to day ATI stuff, and haven't for years, I would have no idea if such a letter would be true. However, my mom begged me and begged me to go with them to Big Sandy this past year (2005)...and since I was leaving soon after for the mission field and it would be a chance to see one of my grandmas who lives nearby probably for the last time (she is 95), plus be a chance to visit with my family on the trip to there and back, I decided to go along.
Anyway, to get to the point, I think what someone said on this post earlier is probably true...I think Mr. Gothard is losing it a bit. He said the same stories over and over again during the conference and no one said anything to him...parents were just sitting there nodding along to his stories...even if they'd already heard them 4 times that week!! That is probably one of the reasons he has others taking over more of the running of sessions these days.
it's true, he IS the anti-christ.
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