Doug Phillips, Vision Forum, Sex Abuse Lawsuit, Lourdes Torres, Clergy Sex Abuse, David C. Gibbs III
On October 30, 2013, Doug Phillips, President of Vision Forum Ministries, stepped down from his position and issued this public statement:
In June of 2016, I posted about the conclusion of the lawsuit: it was dismissed and settled: Doug Phillips: The Sex Abuse Lawsuit Conclusion and Epilogue of His Vision Forum Shipwreck
Interestingly, exactly three years and one day later after Doug Phillips’ resignation, whoever mans the Vision Forum page on Facebook has posted their version of an update about the sex abuse lawsuit brought on by Plaintiff Lourdes Torres. You can click on the image below which will take you directly to the original Facebook page. I will also be posting images of the FB post in case it is removed. You’ll have to scroll down quite a bit to read more.
I spent an hour on the phone with Lourdes Torres on Tuesday (11/4/16), the Plaintiff in this case. After speaking with her, I have some important questions and thoughts concerning the Statement. In speaking with her, and in acknowledging that I also had a working relationship with David C. Gibbs III, I feel I can piece together things that were not said. You can take them with a grain of salt, but having had long conversations with Gibbs and now Lourdes, I think they are worth considering.
Okay, first off, why in the world is the Vision Forum Facebook page still active? The ministry is shut down, the employees are long gone. It is apparent that he is trying to make a comeback to his large fan base of people who still have “liked” his Vision Forum page. What a perfect way to make a re-entry!
But why is this Statement coming out now, when the lawsuit was settled 6 months ago? I suspect that he intentionally waited until 3 years after his resignation, on October 31, 2016 (on Halloween????). He knows people will be counting. Three years sounds good, doesn’t it? Now, keep in mind, we haven’t heard much of anything except that he and his family joined a “normal” church, a church that he would have criticized earlier because his new church does not fit the mold he insisted was the right kind of “biblical” church: family-integrated, not age-segregated, no youth groups, etc. So, all of you who followed his lead on how evil traditional churches are, just throw that away. He’s doing it, why can’t you?
Okay, let’s move on to the wording in the Statement. Before getting started, it’s important to note that Doug Phillips is a lawyer. He may not be practicing law now, but he definitely knows legalese. He knows how to word things in order to sway opinions; that is what lawyers do. Hello, are you with me?? Phillips is counting on readers to be fools and not know how to interpret his words. After all, the way he words things makes it look like he is innocent of any sexual harm done to Lourdes. Now that we are considering that the Statement was most likely written by Doug Phillips, or at least approved of by him, we need to have a common understanding of legal terms.
In the first paragraph, we see that the litigation “has been settled and dismissed with prejudice.”
What does that mean?
Dismissed with prejudice means that a civil lawsuit has been dismissed based on merits of the case after a judgement has been issued. When a case is dismissed with prejudice, the plaintiff is barred from filing a lawsuit on the same issue at a later date. To explore this concept, consider the dismissed with prejudice definition. (Source)
At the legaldictionary.net site, it also says, “A civil lawsuit may be dismissed without completing the process and obtaining a judgment.” This is so crucial to understand. We also see the word “settled” in the Statement. When we see both words together, we have an understanding that the case was settled, and that is why it did not complete the court process, nor received a judgment. So . . . in other words, Doug Phillips did not have to go to court to deal with witness testimonies. He did not have to be questioned about his sexual abuse AT ALL. This doesn’t mean that Doug was innocent. It simply means that by settling, they interrupted the normal court proceeding IN ORDER TO AVOID a complicated court process which could have opened up all kinds of dirt on Doug Phillips. Doug Phillips is no fool. Everyone I have spoken with about Mr. Phillips knows that he would never want to go to court and be figuratively naked, exposing his sexual behavior to the world.
You will notice great attention given to the part about Lourdes removing statements from the original lawsuit. We are only getting Doug Phillip’s side. For some reason or other, Gibbs has not released a statement about Phillips. Mr. Gibbs has been absolutely quiet on the settlement. Hmm, could that be because Attorney David C. Gibbs III got in legal hot water in another case representing victims of Bill Gothard? He was removed from that case and it is important to note that the Torres/Phillips dismissal and settlement occurred right around the same time. (See Attorney Representing Victims of Bill Gothard Disqualified; Support for Survivors.)
Moving along, let’s take a closer look at this quote from the Statement:
“On March 26, 2015, my interrogatory answers asserted that Douglas Phillips ejaculated on me and ejaculated on my face. On November 3, 2015 I served amended interrogatory answers which removed those statements.”
The only information we are given is that Lourdes agreed to remove the above sentence. This lawsuit was settled which means that both parties had to come to agreement and this requires give and take on both sides. It does not necessarily mean that the action did not take place. We simply do not know. What we do know is that removing that sentence made it possible for the case to be settled.
I have not alleged sexual intercourse between me and Douglas Phillips or that he molested me as a minor.
Let’s look at what this above sentence does NOT say. It does not say that Douglas Phillips did not sexually abuse or objectify Lourdes Torres. It simply says there was no intercourse, and that any sexual contact did not occur when she was a minor. That does not say that she was not sexually molested as an adult. It does not say she was not sexually groomed as a minor.
We certainly cannot say that because Lourdes amended the lawsuit and removed that particular wording, that sexual abuse did not happen! But notice how the wording makes it appear that sexual abuse did not happen. This is classic manipulative wording meant to clear his name.
Vision Forum and Mr. Phillips continue to deny all allegations made by Torres in her various pleadings and elsewhere.
Well, that is ridiculous. If that’s the case, then he is denying his own public confession. In Doug Phillips clarification Statement which was released two weeks after his original public confessional statement, he says this (I bolded important part):
My sin has resulted in great pain within the Body of Christ, some confusion, and has given the enemies of God reason to rejoice. This is heartbreaking to me. Some have suggested that my sin was not sufficiently serious to step down. Let me be clear: it absolutely does merit my resignation. My resignation is sincere and necessary given the weightiness of my sin. Some reading the words of my resignation have questioned if there was an inappropriate physical component with an unmarried woman. There was, and it was intermittent over a period of years.
He cannot say he denies all allegations and also admit to “inappropriate physical component with an unmarried women.” What he is doing is trying to clear his name entirely from ANY wrongdoing with Lourdes. Do you get that? Three years ago, he ADMITTED to wrongdoing, and now, he’s denying it???? Is he thinking we would forget?
Vision Forum and Mr. Phillips deny any liability to Torres and no admission of liability was made as part of the resolution of the case.
Ok, this is how a public relations person words things. It’s horse doo doo. Let me try to reword it for you in more appropriate lingo:
JA wording: Because this case was dismissed and settled out of court, and we had to pay the plaintiff a boatload of $$$, we can say whatever we want about this case. We can deny anything and everything, and we don’t have to admit to anything because that is what it means when cases are settled.
Mr. Phillips observed as follows: “I am very pleased to be in a new chapter of our lives, and for this resolution.”
Yea, right. Insert massive eye roll here. Listen, Mr. Phillips. The only new chapter of your life is that you are trying to get on with life in the public sphere without your Vision Forum
“ministry.” The reality is that with this ridiculous unrepentant Statement, you have denied ANY responsibility for harming Lourdes Torres, you expect your blind followers to read your words as you are innocent, and you will continue to manipulate others as you have always done. Shame on YOU!
Where do you show responsibility for the harm you caused? Where do you show concern and care for Lourdes? If you cared for her, you would never say anything publicly that could cause more pain. She was disgusted by this Statement. That alone should tell you something.
And that picture of Doug Phillips included on the Facebook page post – – – who does that after such a shameful “ministry” history? The first sign that we look for in a repentant man is humility and there is no humility represented in that picture.
Frankly, this new public Statement is inexcusable. It shows the nature of his unrepentant heart. Any man who is repentant would never publish something like this. He would care for the harm he caused his victim and would not want her to experience more pain. This is a narcissist who waited 3 yrs and has been itching to get back in the spotlight again. I spoke with Lourdes yesterday. She is disgusted by the Statement. That alone should tell you something.
Spiritual Sounding Board 
Excuse me, but I have just thrown up. There is a special place in hell…for liars, abusers, and those who use God’s name to cover up their evil, evil deeds. Just saying.
As it is, I’m in no mood for arrogant narcissist basta**s today (they are ALL the same, Tullian Whatshisname, this guy…).
Once again the victim is trampled upon by someone who acts in the name of God and “His mercy and love.”
Liar, arrogant, sadistic liar.
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Shall we play a little bit of Scrabble? Okay, rearrange these letters, please, Philips:
TERVERP.
Yep.
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1 Timothy 3:2 Now the overseer must be above reproach…
Even with all his denials, Mr. Phillips will never be “above reproach.” Of course, his followers won’t see that. They will just see vindication and conspiracy against him.
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It’s completely heartbreaking that she is silenced in this and somehow Phillips/VisionForum is allowed to comment.
I’m sure if she wrote an equivalent statement that her removal of the charges doesn’t imply that he didn’t do it (in contrast to their implication that it does) she’d get sued for breaking the settlement.
The settlement was out of court, which means that she agreed to withdraw the lawsuit (in whatever form they agreed to) in exchange for being paid an agreed-upon sum of money.
The fact that Phillips is now trying to manipulate public opinion back on his side by misrepresenting the facts is completely indefensible.
What we are seeing is that narcissists using religious power are dogs returning to their vomit. The lure of control and manipulation is so strong that they can’t help but try and return to the position of power and prestige.
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“I’m sure if she wrote an equivalent statement that her removal of the charges doesn’t imply that he didn’t do it (in contrast to their implication that it does) she’d get sued for breaking the settlement.”
Right! So look at how he gets to take center stage and try to steer the narrative. Doug Phillips has not changed. He’s still the same unrepentant self-absorbed Tool.
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I trust Doug Phillips about as far as I can throw an elephant.
No matter what he says, I think he sexually harassed Lourdes. He’s a predator and a hypocrite.
My impression of Phillips:
Oh yeah, you’re really respectful of the female gender, Phillips.
Guys like this should get into secular work to get a pay check, and not have anything more to do with earning a living off anything even remotely having to do with Jesus Christ, Christianity, or the Bible.
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Daisy, I thought I was upset! Just to see that arrogant, self-assured face pose like that! You throw your elephant; I’m going for a very long run.
This story mind the boggles, it doesn’t?
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Boston Lady and Daisy,
I’m right there with you—just can’t wrap my head around that level of arrogance.
If we feel this much anger at seeing the innocent hurt how much more anger does God feel at this? That’s why I believe there IS a special place in hell for abusers and the kind of evil that hides behind the pulpit to gain access to victims.
I was just reading the book Satan’s Deceptions where Mary K. Baxter describes actually seeing that special place in hell for abusers in a vision where Jesus took her through hell.
She also described seeing a special place for the lawyers and expert witnesses that had lied under oath in the courtroom to put innocent people behind bars. In the vision Jesus says to her
“My Word says —Woe to the lawyers—They’ve let the wicked go free…and done many wicked things….for the almighty dollar…..Nobody knew. But I know.”
(Luke 11:46)
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Lourdes,
If you’re reading this right now—just know that we believe you. Something about this guy just doesn’t add up.
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Avid Reader,
I’m. Puff. Back. Puff. From. Puff. My. Puff. Run. Revelation 21: 8 sounds good too. What worries me is that this guy still has followers and may soon be in a position to do what he likes best, you know?
A (former) relative who is a detective says that with certain perverts one should go a long way back to find the start of their “violations” against women. He says certain perverts are not once-off perpetrators. I wonder…
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I would like to slap that smug smile off his face.Yes, this grandmother of three would kick him where it hurts. He is vile. Went to V.F. FB page & now I feel like throwing up over the comments of support for him. Stupid, blind sheep er um goats. My blood is boiling, what a *&%$#$% TOOL. Master manipulator.
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Reblogged this on Speakingtruthinlove's Blog.
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Does anyone else wonder if Doug Phillips might hear this on that day? Not judging, just curious: I NEVER KNEW YOU
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
“There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are NAKED and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
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Boston Lady,
You’re making me want to go for a run! 🙂
Yeah—I’ve always wondered why the church is so eager to put disgraced ministers back into the pulpit so quickly after a big scandal meanwhile shutting the door of opportunity to thousands of other highly qualified people who are actually called and gifted by God to stand in that pulpit.
Think about it—thousands of qualified people who are walking in holiness before God are overlooked for ministry promotion so that someone else living in unrepentant sin can be reinstated. What’s wrong with this picture?
The only way it will end is when congregations start voting with their feet. That’s why I try to be very careful about the ministries that I choose to donate to. I want something with a long term track record and leadership willing to sacrifice for the flock.
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Summary of Douggie ESQUIRE’s statement:
“I AM HIGHBORN AND I HAVE A PENIS. I CAN DO NO WRONG.”
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Gm370,
GREAT point—thanks for bringing that up.
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@AvidReader:
I have a problem with “visions of hell” — they’re literally a dime a dozen. (Just search YouTube.) And none of them agree with each other.
If they are genuine visions, I can only conclude that the imagery of each vision is unique, tailored specifically for the visionary’s understanding and emotions. And that said imagery doesn’t transfer all that well.
Like my church’s take on such “private revelations”: They are binding only on the one having the private revelation; others may follow that revelation on a voluntary basis, but it is not required.
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@Daisy:
Too much like work.
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@gm370
Yeah. They’re deleting all the negative comments. I’m really glad that JA put up this excellent post. It makes me angry when the sexual predator celebrity returns to congrats and back slapping while his victim is silenced. There’s churchianity for you.
#ImWithLourdes
btw, that meme at the top really says it all.
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This man is setting a horrible example for his children. At some point one of them will figure out that “dad is a lying narcissist”. Christians are capable of all kinds of heinous behavior, just like the rest of humanity. However, a true mark of an ethical person is the ability to repent and make restitution. Instead, the toolman uses all his resources to deny his actions and make his victim look off balance.
Lourdes, at this point, most people with half a brain will see through this sham. Most of all, be assured that his behavior will negatively impact his children at some point. Any man who is willing to victimize a young woman and hide behind his wife and children will continue to wreck havoc on his family. Thank God you can walk away. Unfortunately, they will continue to live with his deceitful ways.
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These are the words and actions of an extremely deceptive individual, a man who is well practiced at the art of lying and who feels no remorse about it. He can throw together flowery phrases about God and faith but you will notice those phrases don’t really convey the meaning they pretend to either. “There are no words” may just mean there really aren’t any words- because he doesn’t care.
I’m very sorry that Lourdes settled out of court. Eventually one of these sleaze-balls needs to be taken all the way through the wringer to set a precedent.
My hope is that some of the survivors of these dysfunctional groups will go into law. Then maybe we will see some changes.
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Did Lourdes have competent legal counsel? And they didn’t see this coming?
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Yes BTDT! #IWithLourdes
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Headless Unicorn Guy,
Totally love your sense of humor and appreciate all the ways you keep this discussion lighthearted. 🙂
I understand where you’re coming from on this—yes there’s all kinds of people claiming to have supernatural visions, angelic visitations, ghost disturbances, etc. So the question becomes—if we believe that God speaks to people, how do we sort through everyone claiming to have had a supernatural experience?
You’ve probably already thought of this—the answer is to look at their life.
Case in point—Joseph Smith claims to have received a new Bible in a vision. Look closer and you see that he was the type of man who was always cheating on his wife and running scams to make money so common sense makes us hesitate at the thought that maybe he just figured out a way to get all the women and money he wants by inventing his own religion. So when he claims that God commanded him to cheat on his wife—obviously we don’t take his visions seriously.
So what about all the visions that people claim to have had of Heaven or Hell? Once again, I agree with you that we have to take everything with a grain of salt—reading it through the glasses of common sense. Maybe some of these people just invented a crazy story to make money. Maybe some of them just hallucinated it. But even if we can toss out most of them that doesn’t automatically prove that the remaining few aren’t real.
Here’s my perspective—after reading through a lot of this stuff and tossing out most of it—the two people that sounded the most logical and reasonable to me on this topic were Bill Wiese and Mary K. Baxter.
I understand you have a different opinion on this but keep in mind that logic tells us there’s three possibilities:
1) they invented the whole story to make money
2) Bill just drank a bad batch of carrot juice one night and hallucinated everything
3) they’re actually telling the truth—which counts as eyewitness testimony in a court of law
Considering all the evil people out there who have used the pulpit to hurt people, I believe Baxter’s vision when she describes seeing pastors in hell for doing some pretty bad stuff.
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Makes me suspicious that the judge in the Gothard case was really protecting the victims.
Seems to me that Gibbs is playing both sides – yes, getting the victim money, but also structuring the settlement so that the victim loses her voice while the abusers get essentially a clean slate and a path back to ministry.
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This is disgusting. I feel sick to the stomach, too. Much like when my betrayers arrogantly denied and continue to deny any harm to me. 😦
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Thank you Julie Anne for writing about this (and just when I thought we’d “maybe” heard the last from Doug Phillips, Vision Forum, or patriarchy.) Yes, why is there even a Vision Forum FB page?
Yep, it looks like he’s trying to make a comeback. Please, if you’re tempted to follow this man again, wake up! His treatment of Lourdes is evidence enough that he only cares about himself and image.
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Where on earth did he get the money for a settlement? Last I heard of him, the kids could not answer the door because of collectors.
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This man is disgusting. His followers are almost as delusional as he is. If anyone trusts this guy around their children, they are nuts. How do you confess to your wife and family with a statement like that and then come back three years later and act like you didn’t do anything. If I was his wife I would have divorced him three years ago and after this I would divorce him now.
As far as this statement is concerned:
“to me that Gibbs is playing both sides – yes, getting the victim money, but also structuring the settlement so that the victim loses her voice while the abusers get essentially a clean slate and a path back to ministry.” Mark
I don’t understand how a judge can even allow this. How can the accused speak, but not the accused? Both parties should be silenced, shouldn’t they? This allows Phillips to further abuse Lourdes by printing half truths about the case.
And doing what he is doing now, Phillips is at the top of the despicable list
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For anyone who would still follow this guy…wasn’t he chased ceremoniously by the males in her family with shotguns – in the middle of the night – after crawling out of her bedroom?
JA, thank you for updating us.
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Phillips has a history of settling out of court with a gag order attached in all sorts of circumstances. Anyone remember the Joe Taylor story about the Allosauras thing? Phillips used him horribly. There are several homeschool things likeproduced DVD he ripped people off. Printers, too. Always settling with gag orders. Then blogging started and people talked.
So where did he get the money for this settlement?
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Pam,
Hopefully there’s more tough guys out there willing to chase this creep away from their families too! 🙂
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Mark, I believe the judge was protecting the victims. Gibbs is a man with no evidence of a conscience. Here’s a good analysis https://homeschoolersanonymous.org/2016/05/24/the-fixer/
This is why I am against the whole mindset that Christians are being discriminated against and need to pay into a Christian legal defense fund- in reality all those funds are going to protect and defend sociopaths.
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he is not a narcissist, he is a sociopath. i fear for his wifes sanity. god bless u, mrs phillips. phillips children, RUN as soon as u can do so.
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Generally settlement agreements bind both sides from speaking publicly about the matter with any specificity. I don’t know, because of course I wasn’t privy to this particular settlement, but I can’t imagine any attorney in his or her right mind agreeing to a purely one-sided deal in which Torres had to shut up and Phillips could do as he pleased. Unless she had totally ineffective counsel, I’ll bet Torres could make an internet statement which only referenced matters of public record herself, as Phillips did. Just guessing though that she likely wants to move on with life at this point and probably took her share of skin off the butt of Phillips at the settlement already and has nothing more to prove.
Phillips’s statements here are pretty standard stuff for an organization attempting self-serving damage control, and while they’re far short of behavior expected of a Christian who cares about truth, how many years has it been since anyone expected either Christian behavior or truth from this man?
While surely there’s a small percentage of people who would express support if he ran cockfights and clubbed baby seals in the public square, and I understand how blood would boil seeing dunces gush over him, I doubt there’s any reasonable possibility Phillips returns to public life or ever again enjoys Christian celebrity. Phillips’s own selfishness and Torres’s persistence fixed that up quite well, and we should be thanking her for the service.
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There’s a lot that my flesh would like to say but the Spirit within me says, “Don’t do it”.
Self control people.
Self control.
That facebook photo is the BEST.
I’m dying.
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Wise and godly advice, Salty; thanks for the reminder, but sometimes righteous anger (whether we interpret it correctly or not) takes over and we go too far as a result. But, seriously, the in-your-face audacity of this “‘man” is just too much to ignore. So, I choose to rather vent here than take it out on an innocent person (such as my neighbor, who has just walked past my door). Or scream; I don’t like screaming.
But thanks for the reminder, Salty. Some of us are very near to situations similar to this one.
I’m dying too. That photo. May God shut my mouth right now.
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Salty
Good reminder! I was furious when I read the update, and let it rip. No excuses.
Lydia, Good question. Makes one ask if one of his fellow mob members coughed up the $.
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“Let’s look at what this above sentence does NOT say. It does not say that Douglas Phillips did not sexually abuse or objectify Lourdes Torres. It simply says there was no intercourse, and that any sexual contact did not occur when she was a minor. That does not say that she was not sexually molested as an adult. It does not say she was not sexually groomed as a minor.”
There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding the definition of sex, grooming, objectifying young women since President Bill Clinton defined it for a nation when he flirted and groomed Lewinsky at work. People bought into his definition and now view it as only the act of intercourse. Things like this are the result.
I was wrong about a judge. Where does Phillips find these people?
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Sorry he just thinks that we’ve forgotten it and it is time for a comeback. All those “C”hristian” Reconstructionists on the ballots, they need his support.
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I’ll accept that you gals thought I was providing a gentle rebuke.
But in truth I was suggesting (in jest) that I have attained a fruit 🍉 that money can’t buy.
In reality… I thought all the words in my heart but was too lazy to type them out.
(Sorry Lord) 😊
That photo.
I think I need to print it off and whenever I’m having a crap day just look at it and have a good laugh.
JA is right… who does that? (Only narcissists)
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About that photo. He’s not a very bright malignant narcissist, as it would seem that only the dimmest bulb would authorize any such thing to be put on public display, because it makes invites such ridicule, it looks like a bona fide parody, a joke, something you’d see in a Michael McKean or Harry Shearer film.
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Truth Detector,
Yes, bona fide parody is good, but to me, he looks like Jack Nicholson in “The Shining,” no matter how dim and no matter the angle. I can even hear it, ““Here’s Dougie!”
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That photo says, I won and am back. He was always vain and played drama dress up. All 5’4 of him.
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Beall has a new blog, and is serving once again as Doug’s apologist:
https://beallsblog.com
No comments allowed, of course.
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Thanks for that info, Marian. So if Doug is DPIAT Doug Phillips is a tool, is Beall the toolette? BPIAT?
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Another piper type, huh? It makes you wonder if these guys went into ministry because standing on the podium is the only way they could be taller 🙂
Ugh.
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Pls lets not drag Beall Phillips into this. She is trapped as surely as shes chained to a post. Leaving, or even admitting a sociopath is what he is, takes tremendous courage and self awareness. You have no idea what hell she lives in and what its like to be with a sociopath, esp having children together. It makes you unable to function logically and rationally. Pray for Mrs Phillips, don’t scorn her 😦
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@Ann:
|
Or become just like him, except more so.
(“Be a Winner, not a Loser!”)
Like Amnon & Absalom with their father David.
(“He got away with it, So Can I!”)
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@Lydia00:
The gloat of the sociopath: “I. WIN.”
And he’s short, too?
No wonder he’s male supremacist by Divine Right — he can’t just force dominance on other men, they’re bigger and stronger than him. So he has to do it to women. And dominate by making threat displays (ESQUIRE) and claiming Highborn Rank even if it is only in cosplay.
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I’d be very surprised if their adult children stick around in the future.
All the adult children I know who have toxic religious ‘ministry’ parents move as far away as possible.
I feel sad for this woman.
Married to a guy who would do that to a young woman.
I’d be furious.
I’d be putting up that Facebook pic of Doug on my blog.
It will increase visitors for sure.
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“Pls lets not drag Beall Phillips into this. She is trapped as surely as shes chained to a post. ”
.Beal has a new public blog because she doesn’t want us to read it?
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You have no idea why she has new blog. You can only guess and youre guessing from a perspective thats never known sociopathy intimately. Extending some grace to those caught in the Doug Phillips carnage would be a better use of time.
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Helene.
I’ve seen her blog. She’s dragging herself into this by writing nonsense like “wife to a visionary.” Visionary? VISIONARY? VI-SIO-NA-RY? Whom is she trying to fool? And she is turning 50 sometime and wants the world to know; who cares? If she’s “trapped” and all that, then she must do something about it, not blog herself deeper into it with pompous writing and photographs, etc.
And that devil’s smile…may be fooling her, but not others.
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I don’t want to judge Beall Phillips. Yes, she is a victim, however, I pray she would develop the insight to perhaps not have a blog at all that way she can’t be criticized. Quite often ‘silence’ can speak volumes.
Let Doug do all the talking and dig his grave.
Many of us victims know all to well, me included, that putting on the smiley face and appearing supportive of the abuser will only warrant more severe heartache in the future.
Praying for the children. What are they living through and expected to cover-up? 😦
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She got that term from Debbie Pearls bk on the different type of men there are. I see that blog as a cry, not a pompous anything.
AFAIK, Beall Phillips is not guilty of anything; slandering her, calling her names, etc doesnt seem helpful to me. Or gracious.
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HealingInHim, she may know that indeed, or She May Not Know That Yet. Either way, I wish ppl would stop talking about what they dont have inkling about…that is socipathic abusive partners and that whole hell.
I am pretty appalled at Believers throwing her to the lions. And flabbergasted that ppl dont care to understand abuse.
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Regular pastors kids have enough trouble!
I don’t think anyone has done this, unless you consider ‘apologist’ name calling. I can’t imagine dealing with this public humiliation and betrayal and staying with someone, though.
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Helene — I agree we should be gracious but you are also sounding judgmental in implying that many of us do not understand abusive partners? Many of us discovered this blog because of our search for support.
I do care and understand abuse and am still in a very delicate situation; moving cautiously. I have to have a private FB page, etc.
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I really hope Beall opens up an E-Shop on the new blog.
I’d pay $50 for a signed Doug portrait photo.
I’d put it up in my lavatory.
I’d put some memory verses next to it…
Ones about millstones and lakes, deceitful workers and filthy lucre.
Helene: they sold materials for PROFIT in Jesus’ name.
Do you know what a charlatan is?
Christendom is full of them.
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I’m sorry Helene but you remind me of those people who ‘like’ bomb Facebook posts by guys like Bill Gothard.
“Prayin’ for ya Bill!”
How is she innocent? She’s a very strong and independent woman. She’s not a battered doormat. Look at her Instagram pics… she’s quite happy with her catch of a husband.
Don’t be deceived.
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I was watching Beal post on FB for quite some time when the sex abuse scandal was coming to light. She has staunchly defended her husband and has shown little concern for Lourdes. She and Doug are in this together and she even spoke publicly when Doug didn’t say a word.
For her to draw attention to herself with a new blog, right after the ridiculous statement was posted shows that they are not done using a public platform, taking advantage of the fact that the old Vision Forum FB page still has 20K followers. They show no humility.
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yes, I know hes a charlatan. im seeing no evidence she is.
Bill Gothard, Doug Phillips, both errant, DG a sociopath too.
I am a very strong, independent woman. I was a battered doormat. My friends could not believe it. I went back! TWICE! I am intellligent and not naive. I used to help abused women. Seriously.
Deception is a tricky thing.
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Helene, we are not against you, but for some reason, you do not (cannot) see what we see regarding the bigger Phillip’s picture here. And, no we do not delight in it, but take a step back and see her blog in the context to his offensive statement. By the way, where is the REAL victim in all of this mess? I don’t see her name anywhere. As Julie Anne has pointed out: “They show no humility” and they are (together) trying to get back somehow. Well, that will be the day.
You helped abused woman; great. Why did you stop?
On SSB we know just too well how the winds blow; nothing here is a novelty to us. We’ve seen it all, and have seen them all, every deceiver, male or female.
Blessings, Helene.
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“AFAIK, Beall Phillips is not guilty of anything; slandering her, calling her names, etc doesnt seem helpful to me. Or gracious.”
Slander is spoken not written. In any event who has called her name’s or knowingly lied about her.
I am think most here are hoping she realizes her value and gets away from such a horribly evil man.
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“You have no idea why she has new blog”
Helene, the above is just willful ignorance on steroids. I went and read through it. Beal makes it clear what the new blog is about.
The question is why are you so willfully blind about it? You claim mentioing her is judging and name calling yet you are judging People here.
Beal has gone public with trying to project an image. If she had remained private, off social media, you might have a leg to stand on. As it is, your brand of reasoning is very much like the typical Vision Forum followers of before.
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Mark—“structuring the settlement so the victim loses her voice”–???
To me the definition of a victim is someone who has lost their voice– otherwise they would never be a victim.
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Are we certain that Beall’s actually the one blogging on her blog?
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btw………..Lourdes DID admit to lying and was pushed to get this lawsuit going by her ex husband, Nolan. This went down last Dec but there was a gag order. Glad it’s over.
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If you look back at the WND article that broke the story, and the legal documents filed, the only thing new is that one of the most lurid bits of it has been removed. Still plenty of ick factor there.
So is DP planning a comeback of some sort? Maybe, but for his sake, I hope that before he tries, his former patrons would sit him down and remind him how poorly both Vision Forums (Inc. and Ministries) were run. I got their emails for a long time, and I remember being amazed how often they were running fire sales to get rid of excess inventory, and then more when I got their “entrepreneurial bootcamp” CDs and realized that they were running the place more or less with barely paid interns. Other portions of the bootcamp indicated they recommended stretching ordinary “net 30” or “net 60” terms to terms like “fifth third” and “consignment”. (you get paid in three months to forever instead of at the end of each month)
In other words, despite huge gross margins, a dedicated customer base, incredible cash flow, and ludicrously low wage structure, VF gave every indication of being a hair’s breadth away from being bankrupt.
Couple that as well with the fact that, for all their talk of homeschooling, headship, family devotions and the like, VF speakers really had a “genius” for spending an hour or so saying nothing–Joel Salatin was a notable exception, IMO. Otherwise,a lot of them were living proof of the maxim “if you can’t blind them with brilliance, you can baffle them with bull****.”
Pardon my French, but sometimes there’s no other way of saying it. Even those who would otherwise endorse some version of his patriarchal/complementarian theology have to say “there is just something lacking here.”
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A few days ago, just for fun, I tried leaving the following comment underneath this announcement on VF’s Facebook page:
Needless to say, it didn’t last there long, and I didn’t expect it to. It would be nice, though, if my words got a few people thinking…
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Irene, victims are people who have had crimes committed against them. Silencing victims is a further injustice, but they were victims first.
I don’t think a woman who’s had her purse stolen is generally silenced, but a woman who was raped generally is. That’s why abuse in all forms is so toxic. Abuse may be an action or set of actions that are unjust, but what makes it worse is the resultant shame and silencing by our current patriarchal society.
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Very good analysis, JA. Especially in his original statement 3 years ago, which he now is denying. Lying Doug!
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Could the timing have anything to do with Doug watching how evangelicals have dismissed the conduct of One president elect and figured the time was right? I experienced the same in my divorce. After thousands of dollars spent and going on two years, a settlement of removing grounds of divorce and abuse was suggested by attorney without explanation of what could mean afterward. Settlement was made to get it over and stop financial and emotional hemorrhage. Yep. He can claim no grounds.
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First off, she got paid. The dismissal was granted by the court on the request of the plaintiff. That is quite different than a dismissal with prejudice for example not showing up in court in a case you filed or because it was a frivolous case.
Doug Phillips gets to spin things to try and rehabilitate his reputation as a pervert to a victim and the plaintiff gets paid. I think her counsel was wise to settle. First there was very little evidence ( if any ) that the relationship was NOT consensual. This would have been a tough case to take to trial and win. Regardless, in a day of social media Doug Phillips is DONE in Christian circles. He will never be the big shot leader his ego demands. He was exposed, everyone knows and they won’t forget. Sure there will be a few really gullible, homeschool oddballs that will still follow him but they are the imbecile segment of the extreme right within the homeschool market. NOT THE WEALTHY FOLKS THAT FUNDED Vision Forum from the start and made it work. The people showing up at all those events spent a bundle in fees and travel. They aren’t the imbecile segment, are no longer in his corner, and Doug Phillips will never put it make together. He embarrassed too many very vain people. People that had their own reputations damaged by the pervert. People who were sued along with the pervert. People that have moved on and carved out little kingdoms for themselves.
Scott Brown for example is working real hard to set himself up as the Doug Phillips replacement. Unfortunately they are both a lot alike, as are most diabolical narcissists . They both fled the jurisdiction of their respective local churches when under charges / church discipline. Doug just joined another church and hide under his wife’s skirt as she wrote of how their church of many years had NO Authority over them. Scott with his co-defendant left and started another church. He was enough of a hypocrite to host and teach a multi-day seminar on church discipline. Typical of those constantly seeking church court charges on others and promoting church discipline as the answer to all the church’s problems. Both of these guys are also deep down , the biggest BETA men I have ever seen. AS I have said before, fundamentalism attracts lots of very weak men that hide behind props. Watch the Wizard of OZ, Doug Phillips is the midget behind the curtain playing the great oz. Scott Brown is the weaselly huckster selling scams out of his trailer when the tornado hits. They both needed each other to be the parasites they are.
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I have experience with the sociopath/psychopath personality. After years of his manipulation, deception, and control, I am quite certain Beall has been sucked dry of her own identity. That’s what the psychopath does—steals all your good qualities and mirrors back to the world his stolen personality. I would be very surprised if Beall writes much if any of “her” new blog material. Psycho realized a bit too late (they have no judgment apart from what they steal and mirror from others) that the Facebook page was backfiring. This blog is totally his new ” look at wonderful me” attempt, disguised as his wife’s but, as everything in her life, totally under his control and jurisdiction. She is woefully under the spell of a Jezebel spirit and is to be prayed for and pitied.
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Yes, Grace, you and I know what is going on. Many others on here are duped. And this is why spaths go on with no reprecussions AND a.l.l. their vics PAY THE PRICE of character assasination. I pray Beall is hidden safe in His hand becuz the world wants to just eat her alive. My first thot on hearing of Phillips’ debauchery was for Beall’s soul. Her poor tormented soul.
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How is Doug Phillips supporting his family?
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I remembered recently Doug actually admitted an inappropriate relationship when he first resigned. That was something I forgot about when I was questioning whether the suit was bunk. So, because it’s illegal, Lourdes was trying to prove he had a counselor, boss, educator, pastor, mentor sort of relationship with her. So, as always I am asking the question, if it is illegal, why was Doug not charged with a crime? He admitted he did it, publicly. If he would have been charged, what sort of charge would it have been?
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Another disgusting thing coming out in this was his ejaculating on her face. I did not realize until my daughter recently told me, the later porn movies have people ejaculating in people’s faces to objectify them. So Phillips more than likely had to be steeped in porn addiction too. That explains his abusing this woman.
I feel so sorry for his kids as well.
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I want to know what Leslie asked as well. How is Doug supporting his family? I assume he was already rather wealthy because all the traveling and movie making he did makes it apparent. Even after his resignation, I noticed on a facebook link or something that he was traveling with his daughter. That costs a lot of money. But he’s become accustomed to living the high life now. So I always suspected he would later do something similar. He seems too greedy not to turn up again. A lot of these hot shots start doing book promotions, open churches or whatever again, after waiting about three years to appear repentant.
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That smug face on DP is called “duping delight” in the criminal investigation world.
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@Cathryn:
Three years after-the-fact, but…
Many years ago, I was told that in Porn ejaculating on the woman in general was done to show just how Virile and Manly the man was by showing the amount of semen he could put out. At the time, nothing was mentioned about “in her face”, but in that case the analogy to using a urinal is obvious.
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@E:
And is an involuntary gesture that’s very hard to damp down or control.
It’s also visible on L Ron Hubbard’s official videos used by Scientology. Described as a “I put one over on you” smirk.
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