Institute in Basic Life Principles: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:05, 3 February 2025

Revision as of 18:20, 3 February 2025

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The following references use sources linked to IBLP apologist groups and must be discerned with caution. The YouTube channel "Shiny Slander" is one of these said groups and has led a campaign to dismiss ongoing claims of abuse. Numerous ex-members have come forward stating their abuse and the following section does not acknowledge the abuse sustained by members of the church.

A number of former participants of IBLP programs have alleged that the organization is a [[cult]]<ref name=Chicago>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Bryan |title=The Cult Next Door |url=https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/July-2016/Institute-in-Basic-Life-Principles-Hinsdale/ |access-date=September 11, 2020 |work=[[Chicago (magazine)|Chicago]] |date=June 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='I broke away from a strict homeschooling community cult' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42701297 |access-date=September 11, 2020 |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=February 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Tracy |first1=Jenna |title=My childhood in a cult is hard to imagine - but my survival is truly unbelievable |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/01/childhood-in-cult-hard-imagine-survival-truly-unbelievable |access-date=September 11, 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=June 1, 2015}}</ref>, although this has been shown to be untrue {{Citation needed|date=February 2025|reason=this is a definitive statement made at odds with other sources and information in the article; how and where was this proven to be untrue?}}. Don Veinot, president of [[Midwest Christian Outreach]], alleged that Bill Gothard was a charismatic leader, had authoritarian control, IBLP practiced isolation of members, severe punishments, and demand for absolute and blind loyalty, that this added up to IBLP being "cult-like".<ref name=Chicago /> But when these allegations were investigated<ref name=":3" />, many of these claims have come into question. It came to light that there was authoritarian control from the IBLP organization over families who participated in it, isolation of members, severe punishments inflicted by IBLP (such as physical abuse), and demand for absolute or blind loyalty to the organization whatsoever.

In the 1980s, the organization faced "a major sex scandal" when Gothard's brother, Steve Gothard, resigned as administrative director after having affairs with several secretaries of the institute.<ref name="newrepublic.com">{{Cite magazine |last=Pease |first=Joshua |url=https://newrepublic.com/amp/article/151787/bill-gothard-fundamentalist-trap |title=The Fundamentalist Trap |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |date=22 October 2018 |access-date=22 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601163818/https://newrepublic.com/article/151787/bill-gothard-fundamentalist-trap |archive-date=1 June 2023}}</ref> According to accounts reported by [[Midwest Christian Outreach]] founders Ron and Joy Veinot (in their book ''A Matter of Basic Principles''), the board recommended that Bill resign from the board. But in truth, Bill Gothard requested a leave of absence to allow the investigation of the allegations to conclude. A few weeks later he returned to his position and continued his leadership role in the organization.