Wasilla, Alaska, City of Character. A "faith-based" city.

[madfloridian]

Wasilla was named a City of Character by the International Association of Character Cities in 2000.

There are some of the other "Cities of Character" as listed at the IACC website. Texas, Oklahoma, and South Carolina seem to have the most cities listed.

From Salon:

Sarah Palin, faith-based mayor

Subtitled: "How the vice-presidential nominee brought fringe biblical teachings to her work as the chief of Wasilla, Alaska."

Sept. 18, 2008 | In April 2000, under the direction of then-Mayor Sarah Palin, the Wasilla City Council passed a resolution declaring itself a "City of Character." Adopted unanimously, the resolution pledged that the city would "do all in its power" to promote "positive and constructive character qualities which distinguish between right and wrong," which the resolution predicted could work a range of wonders, from reducing juvenile delinquency to increasing corporate profits. Thanks to Palin's efforts, Wasilla is now among roughly 200 cities nationwide (and others in 27 countries around the world) that have committed themselves -- in name, at least -- to following the teachings of the International Association of Character Cities (IACC), an organization that purports to be secular but is modeled on the evangelical teachings of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

Palin's personal connection to IACC, and her efforts to bring its agenda to Wasilla as mayor, sheds new light on her connections to the Christian far right, as well as her willingness to infuse government with its ideals rooted in religion. Her championing of IACC principles raises further questions about Palin's views on running government, including the hiring and firing of government employees, an area in which she has come under intense scrutiny in part due to her involvement in "trooper gate."

By becoming a City of Character, Wasilla under Palin committed to adhering to 49 "character qualities" as outlined by the IACC, which are secularized versions of IBLP's 49 "character qualities" derived from the Bible. Critics have charged that the organization and its affiliated Character Training Institute are for all intents and purposes a front group for the evangelical IBLP.

..."Through its Character First training seminars, IACC has spread its gospel of character to local government officials like Palin as well as to Fortune 500 companies, law enforcement agencies, federal government agencies, and the private prison giant Corrections Corporation of America, which uses the character training in its prisons. Character First principles are taught in hundreds of public schools across the country. Each of the 49 character qualities, as outlined by Gothard, have a biblical basis and are therefore required for believers to fulfill God's goal "to transform them into the image of His Son so that they may be a reflection of the character of Christ." The character quality of diligence, for example, is rooted in Colossians 3:23 ("Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,") meaning, for Gothard, that one should "visualize each task as a special assignment from the Lord and use all my energies to accomplish it."

IACC's secularized version requires one to "invest my time and energy to complete each task assigned to me," and is compared, like Gothard's version, to the diligence of a beaver. (Each character quality is linked to an animal, although apparently none to the barracuda.)

Bill Gothard's website has his very controversial religious beliefs displayed. I am linking to his views on courtship. He seems to feel that the whole family is involved in the choice of a mate, and that being over 18 makes no difference at all.

The foundational command for the happiness and success of any marriage is “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). God emphasized the seriousness of this command by giving the following penalty for breaking it: “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him” Leviticus Ch. 20, verse 9.

....If we say that a person over eighteen years of age has the legal right to make his own marriage decisions, regardless of whether those decisions please his parents or not, we are making the Law of God of no effect by our traditions.

The commandment does not say “Honor parents only if they are believers,” nor does it mean that to honor is always to obey. If parents command a son or daughter to marry outside of God’s will, that son or daughter must respectfully refuse to carry out their wishes.

To violate this command is to experience generations of grief and iniquity. “The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it” (Proverbs 30:17).

The education system listed at the IACC is called Character First.

Character First was founded on the principles of The Institute in Basic Life Principles, a group founded by Bill Gothard. Here is more about IBLP. Its founder, Bill Gothard has been known for some very controversial methods.

About IBLP

At the age of 15, Bill Gothard observed many of his classmates making unwise decisions. Realizing they would have to live with the consequences of these decisions, he was motivated to dedicate his life to helping young people make wise choices.

What We Do

The Institute in Basic Life Principles was established for the purpose of introducing people to the Lord Jesus Christ, and is dedicated to giving clear instruction and training on how to find success by following God’s principles found in Scripture.

In the words of the founder of the IACC's Character First who is on the board of Directors of IBLP:

Founder of Character First says based on IBLP

"Thomas A. Hill

Tom and his wife, Kay, attended their first Basic Seminar in 1974 and
brought home to their family the truths presented at the seminar. The
principles they learned and applied enabled them to work through problems
such as anger, bitterness, and rebellion. The result was harmonious family
relationships.

Tom and Kay have three married children and twenty grandchildren who are
living evidence of the abundant grace of God toward His children.

The family business, Kimray Inc., of which Tom is the president and chairman
of the board, has also benefited from the application of Biblical
principles. In 1992, they developed and piloted the CharacterFirst!®
program, which is now being used by cities and companies around the world.

Tom served on the IBLP Board of Directors from 1993 until 2005.'

I remember in 2003 that Florida's DCF under a Jeb Bush loyalist...wanted to require Character First classes for all it's employees. I never heard the final outcome, just that there was great frustration over it.

From a 2003 article:
DCF Training might cross church/state separation bounds

Lakeland -- The state's embattled child-welfare agency wants to build a more compassionate, efficient work force through a character fitness program with roots in biblical teachings.

The Character First! program has sparked controversy on grounds that it breaches the wall dividing church and state. Program administrators insist course materials are strictly secular. Still, Character First! has been embraced by Gov. Jeb Bush and Jerry Regier, the state's childwelfare chief who has pledged to restore the agency's credibility and boost morale.

Currently, the program is being taught in the Department of Children & Families' Orlando district, and it soon may come to District 14, which includes Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.

Should the program come to Polk, DCF workers will be schooled on 49 character qualities, such as alertness, diligence, humility and tolerance.

I never heard how that turned out, didn't follow it. Sounds like the movement is gaining ground by saying the group IACC is secular in nature....but there is no doubt it is based on the Gothard group's religious fundamentalism.

[BlooInBloo]

1. The meth capital of the world???

:rofl:

[madfloridian]

3. Maybe Sarah forgot to tell them about the faith-based part.

:evilgrin:

[George II]

21. She has "faith", it just doesn't have anything to do with religion or spirituality

[madfloridian]

50. True.

:hi:

[obiwan]

17. Amen. And pass the pipe.

[obiwan]

18. Whoops! Dupe post.

[madfloridian]

2. Forgot the link to Gothard's courtship views..

http://billgothard.com/bill/teaching/courtship/

His other views are linked from there as well.

[earthboundmisfit]

40. self-delete

replied wrong spot, woops

[msongs]

4. NOT including Palin's own children of course nt

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Character?

Pregnant teens, drug addicted teens, rape victims being victimized a second time to raise money for a hockey rink. A rape rate 2.5 times higer than in places like Los Angeles and NYC. Constant lies about everything.
The town and their Granny Palin are amoral and Unamerican in the most basic ways.

[hobbit709]

13. You left out the adultery.

And the other ethics lapses. Someone needs to ask Sarah what the Bible says about adultery.

[dixiegrrrrl]

26. and Palin being pregnant when she and Todd eloped.

As seen in the Enquirer.

[Confusious]

6. Yea dude,

The blues and greens and yellows swirling.... on the wall, and the ground moving me like those flat escalators in the big airports give this place alot of character.. believe me!

[madfloridian]

10. Colorful description.

I assume you are speaking of Wasilla? Interesting.

Oh, make that dudette. :)

[Confusious]

7. Just one more thing

Ever notice, the more conservative a place is, the more drugs are involved? Like people trying to escape?

Just a theory, but I'll be checking on it.

[XemaSab]

38. I never wanted drugs more in my life

than when I lived in Oakhurst, California.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

8. I'm disappointed that the separation of church and state didn't come up in the debate

I would have liked to hear Ifill ask each candidate for their views on the subject and whether they felt America was a "Christian nation". I would have liked to hear them comment on whether they approved of Bush's White House ministry of faith-based programs and whether they would choose to continue fostering those leanings in their administration, if elected.

[madfloridian]

9. That has been carefully avoided out loud.

In debates, on TV...seldom discussed at all.

[Hissyspit]

11. What the fuck is a character city? Making rape victims pay for their rape kits.

Nice character.

What a joke.

[madfloridian]

12. But she's pretty, she shoots moose, and she says "you betcha"

and the hockey moms love the heck out of her.

All the qualifications for VP.

[Shallah Kali]

15. All it takes is $$$ to buy their seminiars and dvds and posters - links

Cult of Character' Xtian Reconstructionist Bill Gothard, Character First! plus a possible Palin connection.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4004754

[madfloridian]

19. Excellent link to In These Times....thanks for that. I was looking for that article.

They just keep naming and renaming, but it is still the same goal of power.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2450

"Gothard, the 74-year-old, unmarried man at the head of the Oak-Brook, Illinois-based Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP)—which brings in an estimated profit of at least $63 million annually—has been in the evangelism business since 1964. Originally named the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts, IBLP changed its name in 1990. All totaled, IBLP boasts that at least 2.5 million people have attended the organization’s seminars and ministries in the United States and other countries, including Russia, Mongolia, Romania and Taiwan.

Although legally and fiscally independent, the CTI is for all intents and purposes a “secular” front group for Gothard’s IBLP. In the last decade, the CTI has quietly gained entry into hundreds of elementary, middle and high schools, state and city offices, corporations, police departments and jails.

Though he never uses the term, Gothard’s ideology fits into the framework of the burgeoning “Christian Reconstructionist” movement, which aims to rebuild society according to biblical mandates. Within the Christian Reconstructionist worldview, modern-day chaos is directly attributable to the division of church and state and the consequent degradation of individual character.

For Gothard, the solution is restoring the United States—and then the rest of the world—to something that he calls “The Sevenfold Power of First-Century Churches and Homes.”

[AnnieBW]

24. A 74-year-old unmarried man?

Things that make ya go "hmmmmmm......."

[madfloridian]

23. Looks like CTI is part of the IACC which is based on IBLP religious worldview.

Do I have that right?

[jmowreader]

31. It;s hard to be a character city...

you apparently need a LOT of meth labs in the city limits...

[madfloridian]

14. Gothard has really odd views about adult children leaving home.

I have never encountered anything quite like this. He founded the group that formed the so-called "secular" IACC...

http://www.pfo.org/evol-fad.htm

"Gothard generally re-creates a modified extended-family concept with large doses of the patriarch model. He suggests that, unless they have parental consent, adult single children should remain at home and that married couples should exercise what seems to be excessive dependence on the counsel of their parents (even if the parents are unsaved and in spite of Psalm 1).

Extended families and a patriarchal structure are not commanded by God, no matter how many instances of them are reported in the Old Testament. Jesus did not live at home and there is no record that He ever had to get Mary’s permission to leave. Jesus’ comment that the husband and wife must leave father and mother, which involves more than just physical leaving, is certainly suggestive that the neolocal and nuclear family is the New Testament model.The relationship of adult single people to parents, as well as the continuing relationship of a married couple to parents, is quite a bit more flexible and unstructured than in Gothard’s system. At best, the exact relationship of the marriage structure of the Old Testament to the Church is debatable and should not be made a test of spirituality or orthodoxy.

Gothard’s views on singleness might have led to the scandal that almost wrecked his organization by way of his brother’s repeated and prolonged immorality with secretarial employees, which Gothard admitted in his letter to pastors, July 18, 1980:

“For many years I have put the ministry ahead of my family and staff, especially my brother. My pride and wrong priorities resulted in encouraging him to postpone marriage because of the demands of the ministry, thus disregarding his personal needs. I have also failed others, including present and former staff members who sought to warn me of my incomplete handling of past staff problems, rejecting reproofs, and personal inconsistencies.”13

However, he never recalled any of his materials."

[ColbertWatcher]

16. So, do the fundies have a booklet outlining what they want their candidates to do? n/t

[George II]

20. Based on Palin's behavior the last week or so....

....she should be drummed out of the organization. She's violated several of their teachings. And none of their teachings is "win at all costs, even if one has to lie!!"

[RufusTFirefly]

22. Probably from the same people who named Greenland

It's classic, slimy PR. You name a god-awful place something it definitely isn't and then sit back and watch how many people get hoodwinked by the name.

[kath]

25. Gothard on child-rearing:

This is from a Gothard discussion-group that used to be on OneList - it's at YahooGroups now, but I'm not sure if the archives, which would include this post, still exist. This was copied from the Gothard list and posted to a list I was one in 1999- the Knoxville Mother's Panel discussion in question was at one of Gothard's ATIA seminars, which is linked to his IBLP (Institute of (or for) Basic Life Principals).
Since this is so long, I'll mark with asterisks the parts I find most appalling - the stuff on spanking babies and "blanket training", also a bit about strictly limiting playtime --
WARNING - before y'all get off topic and start bashing homeschoolers, keep in mind that the Gothard cult is a *very* small minority of homeschoolers, and there are many good liberal homeschoolers, even here at DU.

The person who copied it from the Gothard discussion list and posted it to the list I was on (NOT a Gothardite) began with this editorial comment:


I have a question: Why, if this is a mother's panel, which means it is for
moms only is there this "Jim guy" interjecting in between the discussion? I
KNOW that at the father's panel meetings there is no woman there monitoring
their discussions and interjecting "wisdom". It reminds me of the tea party,
I have to admit. It seems that this man, Jim (possible Jim Samson? an ATI
top-dog), was put there to keep things in order. Did you all notice him in
the other mother's panel discussions that I sent to you? I am going to try
and ask and see if I can't find out why this guy keeps on appearing in the
mother's panel notes.

Also, this will get the blood boiling of some of you moms. A LOT of spanking
of babies is advocated.
******
Here goes, the "Mother's Panel":

>>>Friday Mothers' Panel
Mary Craig
Jerri Dee Flage
Greer Llewellyn
Lori Voeller

Greer-I have 9 children from 18 years to 11 months. We live in Rockville,
Maryland. I'm an exhorter.
Jerri Dee-I'm a prophet married to an exhorter and my 6 children are 11 to 2
years and we're from Minneapolis.
Mary-I live on South Campus Indy, I have 5 children from 23 to 10 and we
work with alot of other children.
Lori-I now live in Oak Brook, we have 8 children our oldest is 22 and
youngest 3. I'm an exhorter.

Q) We have 3 boys 12, 9, and 5 we've tried to come up with different
projects for them to do but we don't have many physical projects they can
do. HOw can they be service-oriented in their free time without constant
supervision?
Greer-Why don't we have enough work? LOL> We began doing the things that
we had asked others to do, there are so many options. When I feel like our
home is in good order, I love to give our children Scripture verses to work
on. We work on chapters rather than verses, different books of the Bible.
Scripture memory with 3 X 5 cards. Also Scriptures on audio tape.
Listening to whole books on tape gives them the whole context of the
passage.
Jim-Do you ever feel you have your children work too much?
Lori -- Lam. 3:27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. Idle
hands are the devil's workshop. We are to train the children to work hard
in their youth. I believe a mother's real work force is between the ages of
6 and 13 so our children are working very hard in our home in those ages.
Beyond 13 they're still working but they now need to be relieved of some of
the routine duties so they can move towards preparing themselves for their
life calling. They also need the time now to invest in their younger
brothers and sisters.
I think about the boys that have nothing to do but play that the older ones
should design projects to do with the younger ones. Ex. If younger boy
memorized 15 verses of PS 119, the older boy would buy him a Bible cover.
Mary-When my children were younger I did school in the morning and work in
the afternoon and then playtime. I would work while they played but found I
was irritable and grouchy from working too much. I realized this wasn't
good so When my youngest was 4 he washed all the dishes, sweep the kitchen
and wipe the table! We set a timer for 30 minutes and after awhile he was
able to do it within the time. Now that boy really loves to work!
And now I really think it's important that if I'm working that my children
should also be working.
Jeri Dee-One thing we've done to help them stay on task is to figure out how
long a particular job takes and then set a timer. As adults we work toward
a deadline all the time and we need to teach the children to that. Another
thing to really encourage them is to stand them before Daddy and praise
them.
Greer-My husband went to West Point and has a lot of discipline. He has
helped me delegate chores to children that I would have thought were too
young. We need to fight the world's mindset that we must have playtime for
our children. We should look on things we can do as a family for God as our
pleasure. Working on Scripture as a family can be really fun though mom and
dad are the slowest ones to memorize!
Music can also be a wonderful pastime-our afternoons are spent practicing
our instruments.
Jerri Dee-OUr children dont' have much free time either. WE have found that
our children are more joyful when they are serving and working. OUr 7 and 11
year old have about an hour to play in the afternoon. During that hour they
do have to watch the little ones and play with them also. We also take naps
in the afternoon.
I had heard once that a house ful of 7 or 8 year olds could run the entire
household.
***Lori-Something that made an change in our household that in colonial days
children between the ages of 8 and 10 were encouraged to turn away from
playfulness but toward work. We are to do our work heartily unto the Lord,
not unto our pleasures (legos).
We had a "play fast." IT was for one week and then we tried it another
week. So we've adopted the old-fashioned idea that children play on
Saturday afternoon only.
Mary-Our children usually play after supper. I have all of them working in
the daytime. The older ones may go for a bike ride for 30 minutes or shoot
baskets.
Jim-I am reminded of Webster's 1828 dictionary the definition of fun was
merriment in the work of the home?
Q) What have youdone about computer or video games in your home?
Mary - LIfe is not about fun an dpleasure but about responsibility and
serving others.
Greer-We started out with the excitement of having a cmputer in the
classroom with good things on it but one by one they were eliminated because
our children would do their work for computer time. EVen the math software
would tempt them to rush through the things they were supposed to so they
could play and compete with each other. We decided to limit the cmputer.
We do use it for foreign language but we eliminated programs that were not
the best.
God calls us to choose the best. I would just encourage you as you enjoy
the tools that God provides to also weigh carefully what the spirit is that
is being produced. I found that with the computer games it was more of a
self-interest and self-focus.
Jerri Dee-About 3 months ago my dh pulled the last computer game out of our
computer and we haven't played it since. The children would be so focused
on getting to that game that they would do their work too quickly just to
get to it. It was non-productive.
Q)
***Lori-We learned about spanking babies. WE learned about disciplning a child
with a rod at the age of 6 months, when the weeds are very little we pluck
them out. We use a 1/4 inch wooden dowel when they are 6 months. If you
ignore those weeds then by the time they are toddlers you have to do
something drastic. WE learned that if we started when they were babies, they
were so much more obedient in coming and sitting and being quiet. OUr goal
was that they be able to sit quietly for 2 hours on Sunday morning. Now
it has been a joy.
I have learned that just one whack on a baby's bottom is not enough, it is 5
or 6 whacks. I found I was spankiing my children a whole lot less when I
did it right the first time.
***Jim-You get more fruit by spanking very young and not having to do it so
hard.
***Mary-I have spanked a little one-PRov. 13:24 "chasten your son betimes" and
the word betimes means from the womb from the dawn. The idea is to be very
alert right from the beginning what is needful of a spanking.
Jim-What is the answer for getting a child to go to bed at night?
Jerri Dee-You could always try chocolate chips! LOL. On my first baby I
didn't have a clue and she wouldnt' go down and I'd be so frustrated and
angry. By my fifth child someone taught me how to train my child to put her
head down from 3 or 4 weeks old, I encourage them with the tone of my
voice..
At around 6 months I would get down and look through the crib bars with them
and smile at them and say, "heady down, heady down" and I would wait to see
if they would lay down and if I noticed their head coming up I would switch
them on the bottom and say, "heady down." I woulud try to give them the
sense of my omnipresence by sneaking away and then checking on them when
they thought I wasn't looking.
Mary-In Moscow we had delinquent boys, liars, it was very very difficult.
We wondered what we were going to do and they were all in the same room.
There was one extra bed where someone could lay in there with them all
night. At first we couldn't even spank them at all, we told them what the
standard was and that once the light switched off there was to be no more
talking. We told them what the consequence would be if they didn't do
this-they would received dried oats for breakfast with a little water but it
was less preferable than the cooked cereal they usually had. This caused
them to not want to repeat the experience. We didn't have to do a lot of
work but we would just say "this is the consequence."
A parent needs to have some time, it is Scriptural, so whenever the chosen
bedtime is you are in control and it's really important that we must not let
them control us but that God wants us to be controlling them.
Jim-Do you ever use food as a motivator for your children?
Greer-We take to heart the verse that says, "he that will not work shall not
eat" The youngest that we have done this with was 4 and he had to take out
the trash in the house. He would get distracted though and start to play.
I was encouraged by that Scripture to take away his meal when he would do
this and the result was excellent. He has had to repeat that several times.
Some children just need more monitoring and a "short leash" and he was one.
This really sweetened his spirit. We staretd with the older ones and
gradually worked our way down. NOw they have hearts that are open and want
to be instructed.
Jim-ONe of our sons complained about eating soup the third time in a row and
Lori just took the soup away and said, "wel, then you don't eat today."
This boy never complained about food again.
***Lori -- (on blanket training) I Cor. 14:40 "let all things be done decently
and in order" and I remember one day trying to teach the CCC and getting
alot of distractions and I just began to cry. I cried out to the Lord and I
think blankiet training is just a lifesaver for a homeschooling family.
I had gotten some training on how to teach a baby not to touch a plant so I
wondered if I could teach a baby to sit on a blanket and not touch the
carpet. So at about 6 months I put them on the blanket and I am there with
a paint paddle and when the baby touches the carpet I spank the hand. First
I go around the carpet and spank the carpet on all four sides and say, "no
touch, no touch." This spanking just gives content to my words.
This whole process is done so speedily---I have the baby on the blanket, the
2 1/2 year old on the blanket and I can teach in peace. WE've even gone to
dinner parties and put the child on the blanket and it's like there is a 10
foot wall around that blanket!
When I met Jerri Dee, her baby was all over the place, but JErri DEe gave
her blanket training. When Jerri Dee came to visit me later her baby sat on
the blanket and let us talk for 1 1/2 hours and did not make a sound that
entire time.
***Jerri Dee-They are not unhappy on the blanket. Everyone's spirit is so free
and so happy because there is order. When Mommy is upset and fretful that
is much worse.
Q) How can I stop my children from tattle-taling? They delight in telling
each other's faults?
Mary-I think it's really important when this happens to first of all ask,
"What did YOU do?" Before you get all involved int eh situation, it's
really good to hear both sides of the story. If you have a situation in
your home where you get more irritated with one child more than the rest,
the other children will pick up on that and take advantage of it. Go and
hear the whole story. I woudl encourage the child who came to tell that if
there really was something wrong, to be a leader and go back and appeal to
the other child. It's always good to find out what is the basic issue-why
is this child telling? Get to the heart of the issue.
Q) What do we do if an older son or daughter wants nothing to do with the
rest of the family and looks to his friends for answers?
Greer-first I want to add a comment on the tattletaling. We are instructed
in Matt. 18 that when we are offended to go to that brother. We need to
encourage our children to be mature and go to that brother and be restored.
The first thing I ask when a tattler comes is "Did you go to that child and
try to work it out first?"
One other little key in this that it is so much easier to receive correction
in private, so I will encourage them to work things out privately not
publicly.
Lori-Scripture says that we are not to rejoice in unrighteousness but to
rejoice in righteousness. One wonderful project in the WB was to present
character awards. The children would have lists of character traits and
they would pick ones that they could praise each other for. At dinner Dad
would shout out "I have an announcement to make" and the child would be
given an opportunity to praise another for character.
Another thing that we have just recently started doing-Eph. 4:28 says let
him that steals steal no longer but let him labor with his own hands what is
good that he may have to share with him that needs" For any unpleasant act
that the children do like bickering or criticizing, etc. we don't just let
them apologzie but they have to write a written letter of character praise
for the other child, and go and ask forgiveness. They also have to do
chores for the other child.
Back to last question regarding older child who prefers friends:
Jerri Dee - A wise older mom gave me the word that it's ok for our children
to just play with each other and that they dont' need to play with other
children in the neighborhood. This has gone on for over 4 years and they
have learned to love each other this way.
Mary-I think it's also important to remember that if the child is acting
that way to ask yourself, "Why don't they want to be here? Is there
something missing? Is there a poor relationship (betwseen dad and mom,
etc.) It's not really right for us to force them to do things when inside
they are hurting.
Help the children to see that the family is the most important relationship
to work on. If we say to one part of our body like the toe that we don't
need it, then the body cannot function properly.
Greer-I think of Psalm 1. We read a biography of G. Washington and his mom
said that no friends are better than bad friends. Being alone can sometimes
even allow a child to cry out to the Lord. WE found that when ours were
going through teh ages of 11 12 especially, they were divurging from their
peers rather radically, even other Christian peers. Now my oldest girls
will tell me that I'm their best friend and that is because we didn't
compromise-there were seasons that they didn't do things with friends.
Sometimes our relationships with people can crowd out God. Alone times are
not necessarily bad times. God can use these lonely times to sharpen our
convictions. The Lord has only given us one or two families over the years
that we can really be close with.
Jim-if your children's hearts are being drawn away from the parents then you
know they have wrong friends in their life. We are training our children
that their best friends are in teh home-the ones they will know for the rest
of their lives.
Mary -0- I think also that the Lord had a special design for your child if
He has never brought a friend into the life of that child. Maybe He knows
that they will be in a place where they will need to depend only on the
Lord. Now my daughter who has never had many friends is more prepared to
depend on the Lord.
Lori-I think it is very important that brothers and sisters learn to be
friends. It doesn't always come natural but I believe that God is glorified
when there is unity in the family. One person said to us that there is no
sermon in the world that speaks louder han a Christian family that ihas
harmony.
The Lord gave me a project for my 2 and 4 year olds who wanted nothing to do
with each other. One day I took them aside and said, to the four year old,
"You're a leader, and the mark of a leader is being a gentle servant." Then
I went to our 2 year old and ssaid, "You're under auhority and you need to
be respectful."
Q) How can I overcome the irritation I have against my children?
Jerri Dee-Once the irritation had grown so great even though I had asked the
child for forgiveness I would go on with the discipline. Time plus
consistency equals change. It was a long process but over time God has
given sweet fruit.
Mary-what helped me was to ask myself why am I so irritated. What right was
I feeling was being violated? I was holding on to doing what I wanted to
do, I wasn't caring about their disobedience as much as my irritation. God
showed me that the most important thing was helping my children to obey and
not what I wanted to do. I think that usually there is something that we
won't deal with and that is what is making us irritated. We might get
irritated, then the next time we yell, but we avoid dealing with things
until it gets to the point where we blow up. If we are irritated, we have
trained our children to be an irritant. We have to retrain our children.
The same steps that Lori mentioned about the baby training apply to an older
child. My son every morning would always turn the cups from breakfast
upside down as he carried them from the table. So I sat down with him and
said, "you need to keep the cups upright as you go to the sink." And I told
him that there would be consequences of disobedience and that there's always
rewards for obedience. So the next morning when he did it again I made him
clear the whole table. The next morning he did it again, and he cleared the
whole table and washed all the dishes. If he had done it again, then I
would have had him do those things and also given him a spanking for
rebellion because he kept doing it again and again.
Lori-I would like to add that there's two things that the Lord has given me
to conquer anger. One thing was to make sure that my child understood,
really clearly. Four ponits of obedience is to obey cheerfully,
immediately, unconditionally, and completely. If they do not obey all four
of these points, then that is clearly disobedience and they know that. We
do alot of role-playing and also we had a "salute" day where each child
saluted and said, "yes, ma'am" everytime I asked them to do. They would
also have the children salute and say, "I'd be glad to."
Put music in your voice when you ask your children to do things. (and
smile!)

[dixiegrrrrl]

29. that is stomach turning.

:puke:


Child abuse does not even begin to cover it.

****WE learned about disciplning a child
with a rod at the age of 6 months****

Beating a 6 mo. old child????????

Reminds me of he Polygamy women reporting the man waterboarding the infants.

[LeftyMom]

30. The isolation and baby abuse reminds me of the Pearls and the Ezzos.

They also make religious arguments for child abuse and really age inappropriate behavioral expectations.

[Shallah Kali]

42. Break 'em while they are young and they will grow up to be authoritarian loving/fearing adults

This is why everyone IMO should read Alice Miller's 'For Your Own Good' http://nospank.net/fyog.htm

[Solly Mack]

44. hitting 6 month olds with a dowel? striking them 5-6 times?

and she wants to them to "obey" her "cheerfully,immediately, unconditionally, and completely."?


That Lori Voeller is a monster.

[MooseGoose]

27. Palin energizes the base and only the base.

Isn't this another confirmation of this? In electoral terms, the more they speak to the base, it seems it is better for Obama.

[kath]

28. Here is an article on Gothard's "Character First!" program, which is being used in THOUSANDS and

thousands of public schools across the country:

http://www.rickross.com/reference/gothard/gothard2.html

"Little soldiers in the Culture War"

Palm Beach, Florida -- One of the lessons for today is obedience, and the first graders at the school inside the First Christian Church building in Fort Lauderdale sing about it quite obediently.
While the students at the Charter School of Excellence are divided fairly evenly between blacks and whites, they dress alike, with the boys in dark blue pants and green buttoned-up golf shirts and the girls wearing white blouses under plaid jumpers. All eyes are focused on their young and attractive teacher, Mrs. Blocker, who leads them in song:

Obedience is listening attentively,
Obedience will take instructions joyfully,
Obedience heeds wishes of authorities,
Obedience will follow orders instantly.
For when I am busy at my work or play,
And someone calls my name, I'll answer right away!
I'll be ready with a smile to go the extra mile
As soon as I can say "Yes, sir!" "Yes ma'am!"
Hup, two, three!

The ditty is capped off with a collective clap from all the happy children in the classroom. While singing songs about obedience and orderliness, they march in place, stand up straight, and occasionally salute in unison, giving the class a slightly militaristic feel. The little boys and girls, however unwittingly, are indeed in a war of sorts: They stand on the front lines of an ideological battle - popularly known as the culture war - for the souls of America's children.

The lesson the children are learning this morning in South Florida has nothing to do with math or science or history; it's about values, about morality, about set ways of how to conduct oneself in life. The curriculum is called "Character First!" and it says little kids should never complain or draw attention to themselves. The children are taught to forgive, to "turn the other cheek," and to "respond kindly to those who hurt me." In addition to instantly obeying their authority figures, they are to be grateful for the chance to follow orders ("I will show appreciation/To my authorities/I will write them notes of gratefulness/For all they've done for me"). The pupils are also taught to "guard my eyes, ears, words, and thoughts," and they are ordered to "abstain from anything which might damage or pollute my mind or body."

The Charter School of Excellence, which receives some $800,000 in state tax dollars annually, has more ties to religion than its being inside a church building. Character First! is published by Character Training Institute (CTI) in Oklahoma City, which itself is an offshoot of the Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP). The Chicago-based IBLP is the brainchild of a 64-year-old evangelical Christian guru named Bill Gothard, who boasts some 2.5 million "alumni" of his Bible-based seminars, and he promises to give the world a "new approach to life." The Character First! curriculum is directly based on Gothard's teachings - but with overt references to God and Christianity edited out. Gothard has been accused by fellow Christians of everything from misinterpreting the Bible to ignoring spousal abuse to being a borderline cult leader. According to materials Gothard has published, his more radical ideas come from his belief in a "chain of command," which holds that authority figures - from preachers to politicians to middle managers - are put in their elevated positions by God. Mess with your boss, you're messing with Christ. Women are taught to be submissive and obedient to their husbands. He teaches his followers that political leaders are ordained by God and therefore to be obeyed. Gothard doesn't focus on the Ten Commandments - he teaches his seven "universal, nonoptional Principles of Life," and he extends those principles to what food to eat and what clothes to wear. Breaking any of Gothard's principles leads to the highway to Hell, quite literally. Another path to Satan is the drums. The "backbeat" common in rock music is evil, according to his teachings, as are chords played in the minor key, which is a subversion of God's harmony.

{Much More}

[madfloridian]

32. Thanks, I remember that.

It was creepy.

[MikeH]

52. This reminds me of description of Rudolf Höss's upbringing in Alice Miller book

The strong emphasis on obedience in Rudolf Höss's early upbringing left its indelible mark on him, too. Certainly his father did not intend to raise him to be a commandant at Auschwitz; on the contrary, as a strict Catholic, he had a missionary career in mind for his son. But he had instilled in him at an early age the principle that the authorities must always be obeyed, no matter what their demands. Höss writes:

Our guests were mostly priests of every sort. As the years passed, my father's religious fervor increased. Whenever time permitted, he would take me on pilgrimages to all the holy places in our own country, as well as to Einsiedeln in Switzerland and to Lourdes in France. He prayed passionately that the grace of God might be bestowed on me, so that I might one day become a priest blessed by God. I, too, was as deeply religious as was possible for a boy of my age, and I took my religious duties very seriously. I prayed with true, childlike gravity and performed my duties as acolyte with great earnestness. I had been brought up by my parents to be respectful and obedient toward all adults, and especially the elderly, regardless of their social status. I was taught that my highest duty was to help those in need. It was constantly impressed upon me in forceful terms that I must obey promptly the wishes and commands of my parents, teachers, and priests, and indeed of all adults, including servants, and that nothing must distract me from I this duty. Whatever they said was always right. These basic principles by which I was brought up became second nature to me.

When the authorities later required Höss to run the machinery of death in Auschwitz, how could he have refused? And later, after his arrest, when he was given the assignment of writing an account of his life, he not only performed this task faithfully and conscientiously but politely expressed gratitude for the fact that the time in prison passed more quickly because of "this interesting occupation." His account has provided the world with deep insight into the background of a multitude of otherwise incomprehensible crimes.

From http://www.alice-miller.com/">Alice http://www.naturalchild.com/alice_miller/">Miller's book http://www.nospank.net/fyog.htm">For Your Own Good

The passage quoted above is from http://www.nospank.net/fyog9.htm#values">this section of her book.

Here is another chilling passage about those responsible for carrying out the "final solution".

People with any sensitivity cannot be turned into mass murderers overnight. But the men and women who carried out "the final solution" did not let their feelings stand in their way for the simple reason that they had been raised from infancy not to have any feelings of their own but to experience their parents' wishes as their own. These were people who, as children, had been proud of being tough and not crying, of carrying out all their duties "gladly," of not being afraid--that is, at bottom, of not having an inner life at all.

Quoted in http://www.nospank.net/fyog10.htm#central">this section of her book.

Alice Miller's book, written over 25 years ago now, is devoted to exposing so-called child rearing methods which she terms "poisonous pedagogy", and which were especially practiced in previous centuries, but which still influence child rearing today. She especially documents how the upbringing of Germans in the late 19th and early 20th century was especially brutal, and what she terms as soul-murdering. She has an entire chapter on the childhood of Hitler, and how his upbringing was responsible for his becoming the person he became.

One needs to know that the child rearing advocated by people like Bill Gothard was practiced on children in Germany in the late 19th and early 20th century who later became the perpetrators of the Nazi holocaust.

[Shallah Kali]

33. Gothard has connections with the Quiverfull movement and thinks Cabbage Patch dolls are evil

Palin, Gothard, and dog-whistles to dominionists
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/9/19/163539/233

Wikipedia on Gothard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gothard

Mike Huckabee with Bill Gothard Last Week in Houston
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2007/12/24/104520/57

Bill Gothard Video: Schizophrenia equals irresponsibility
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2007/12/28/7414/0420

Another post by dogemperor on domionionist child abuse that goes into some of the stuff Gothard promotes in replay to an article on the 'left behind' video game:
http://www.talk2action.org/comments/2006/6/7/41835/37829/17?mode=alone;showrate=1#17

Gothard operates what appears to be a paramilitary-like training school for teenagers on a 2,200-acre former college campus in Big Sandy, Texas, as part of his ALERT program (Air Land Emergency Resource Team) -- purportedly for domestic missions work via the providing of disaster relief and humanitarian aid (see second paragraph of Endnote #9). Gothard states that "ALERT is an intensive program in which young men ages sixteen and older are trained in Biblical principles, Godly character, and practical skills. ALERT utilizes military disciplines to train young men to restore life, rather than take it, and to bring peace and encouragement to those in distress. The present program involves the following phases: (1) Discipline: in physical strength, endurance, and self-control; (2) Skills: in a wide range of vocational specialties; and (3) Emergency Services: in response to calls from cities, states, and nations." (Source: IBLP Internet web site, 8/97.) As of July, 2000, the program had 181 enrolled and 600 graduates.

Since the hyper-spiritual warfare motifs of the Latter Rain movement are beginning to take a sinister shift towards actual military, Gothard's involvement in paramilitary-like things causes us to wonder if there is a connection. Don't forget that Joel's Army has a "chosen seed" (the coming generation) to carry out its purpose on earth, which is dominion (both physical and spiritual). In this context, Christians should have some grave concerns about Gothard's activities.

Along these lines, Gothard has clearly bought into the "Christian America Myth" (ATI Wisdom Booklet 53). He believes that "Christian" conviction can be equated with Biblical faith. But, all religions offer some form of moral basis for society. Christian conviction cannot save a nation that continues to reject true faith in Jesus Christ. America flourished upon a "Biblical ethic" that has sustained it until recent years. But a Biblical ethic is not necessarily evidence of a Biblical faith.

[madfloridian]

37. Your link to Talk2Action that led to Kos....

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/8/16296/09024/711/452873

This part:

"Steeplejacking--now at your local friendly police department

Even with the documented links to Gothard's program, it would seem Cincinnati was not the only city to be pulled in wholescale to what amounts to a neopentecostal dominionist cult.

Another city targeted in similar manner was Lexington, Kentucky--which in less than seven years has gone from one of the more liberal cities in the state to a new hotbed for the dominionist movement (including being home for the state Focus on the Family affiliate). A blog from an IBLP staffer associated with the ALERT teams noted the presence of an entire delegation of the Lexington PD--a recent addition to Gothard's list of "Character Cities"--on their recruitment tour to multiple PDs nationally, along with the aforementioned recruitment visit involving members of the Romanian federal police."

I wonder how much is going on under the surface that we do not know about. Palin's choice for VP was no last minute rabbit out of the hat trick.

[Shallah Kali]

41. They had to search long and hard to find someone so like w. - vicious & deliberately ignorant

I can't remember where I read this, maybe at salon.com, that Palin was helped from the beginning of her political career by her fundamentalist connections. They swept in and made her run for Mayor a religious issue and attacking her opponenet saying he was living in sin when in fact he was married with a wife who kept her maiden name, saying he was not Christian and other stuff like that. She has been groomed for some time now as was w.

[madfloridian]

49. Excellent term: "Deliberately ignorant"

Yes, then they can be manipulated and shaped into whatever their masters need.

[Shallah Kali]

53. And they take PRIDE in their deliberate ignorence

To them those darned smarty pants liberals who know all those darned facts and figures are an object of contempt not just for being liberal but for being smart well informed - using the brains that (insert name of deity of choice and/or evolution) gave 'em.

So they are enculturated to hate and distrust intelligence and education, raised up to be blindly obedient, and then told that everyone who does not have the same exact religious beliefs as them are open to evil taking them over if not deliberatly opening themselves to evil by not joining their cult. Oh and at times if you admit to doubts it is a sign that evil forces are trying to take them over so they need to be exorcised. There was a case a year or so ago in florida where a city board member and her husband attacked their daughter and drenched her in olive oil to drive out the devil that made her want to date. When the daughter fought back they called the police on the girl saying *she* was attacking *them*. Oh and they managed to strip the teen half naked and then her dear ole dad accused the police of all wanting to have sex with his daughter. It was all very twisted, sick, and perverted and I hope that poor kid was able to get far far away from those nuts!!!

[marmar]

34. When I worked in Flint, Gothard bought an empty hotel and remade it as "The Character Inn"....

.... The people who worked there, though very friendly, were frightening. :scared:

[madfloridian]

35. Wow, that is real...no joke? How weird.

:hi:

[marmar]

36. Unfortunately, it's real....or surreal, when I walked over there to handle the paperwork....

.... on an ad they were placing in the newspaper I worked at.

It was freaky in a "Deliverance" kind of way. Women in really long Turn-of-the-Century-looking dresses and everyone saying "Thank the Lord" after every sentence. It was sooooo strange.

[madfloridian]

39. Wonder if it is still there?

Sounds like one of those movies that are too weird to believe.

The first time I realized how bad things were was when a neighbor in my home yelled at us that we were not to criticize our leaders. She yelled Bush was chosen by God to lead us into this war.

We told her he picked the wrong country, she started shaking. Hubby told her to leave our home then.

She kept on like that, and we told her to go and go now.

[Blue_In_AK]

43. I'm really pissed off at Wasilla

because they were so closed-mouthed about Sarah during her campaign for governor in 2006. She must have had them sworn to secrecy on pain of death because the rest of us never had a clue she was so far out to lunch.

[madfloridian]

48. Very good point. They had to have known.

Would have been helpful in voting for governor. We had the word Charlie Crist was a moderate...well pardon me while I'm :rofl:

He has gone along with everything the right wing wants, including two ultra conservative judges.

[orleans]

45. but sarah said she would change everything...

"Alaska is the # 1 state in the country for Rape and has been for 23 out of the last 30 years (FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm).

"Alaska’s reported rate of rape per capita is 2.6 times the national average (FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm).
http://www.staralaska.com/scripts/assault.asp

[Solly Mack]

46. K&R

Icky

A lot of weak-minded people in the world

[Oak2004]

47. Well, hey, why not?

The Unabomber remains Evergreen Park, Illinois, most famous former resident. And EP's slogan has long been "The Village of Churches".

[kath]

51. Kick