This is a quick round-up of some strange links between Secretary of State and candidate for Ohio Governor, Ken Blackwell, and the evangelical cult of Bill Gothard.  If you are worried about fringe religious evangelicals infiltrating public life, then make sure you pay attention to Blackwell’s Gothard connections.

First, check out page two of this Character First! newsletter.  It includes excerpts from a speech given by Ken Blackwell to the Greenville, Ohio Character Council in Darke County.  And it also includes this revelation, about how deeply the Gothardites have infiltrated public life:

Remember, these “character qualities” are really the secularized version of Bill Gothard’s fringe teachings.  (Click here to see the 49 traits listed at the Character First! web page; click here to see the same thing at Gothard’s page—though at Gothard’s page they are not sorted alphabetically by trait.)

For Gothard, these align with what he calls “The 49 General Commands of Christ.” Character is one thing, but taking the fringe teachings of Bill Gothard, and implementing them into civic life is something else entirely.  Even if you think more religiously inspired ideas should influence public life—do you believe the teachings of Bill Gothard, teachings that include the idea that minor chords in music subvert the will of God?

Does this stuff belong on government employee pay stubs?

Think about these weird connections when you see Blackwell’s character building page at his government site.

What’s going on here?

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