How close is Republican Congressional candidate Daniel Webster, running against Democratic Representative Alan Grayson for Florida's 8th Congressional District, to evangelist Bill Gothard?
That question is now politically salient because of Gothard's participation in a radical Christian political movement called Christian Reconstructionism that seeks to impose stoning as a form of capital punishment for crimes including murder, adultery, "heresy," and "witchcraft." (for more on Christian Reconstructionism, see story appendix)
Answer: Very close.
As a February 16, 1997 story in the St. Petersburg Times described,
"Last summer, Daniel Webster journeyed to South Korea on a religious mission, meeting with the country's president and other political and spiritual leaders. He was joined by Bill Gothard, the head of a $30-million Christian evangelical group. Four months after the trip, Webster ascended to one of the most powerful positions in Florida: speaker of the state House of Representatives. He brings with him 14 years of experience with Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles, where Webster has not only attended seminars, but also taught classes and even made an instructional video that raised money for the institute."
As an August 5, 1996 article in the Gainesville Sun quoted Webster, 'I respect (Gothard) as much as anybody. As Webster told the Gainesville Sun, "I wouldn't have gone [with Gothard to Korea] but he wanted me there."
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I've moved the rest of this article to another location because I've substantially added to the Alternet.org version.
The updated, expanded version, which demonstrates Daniel Webster's longstanding and intimate involvement with the ministry of Bill Gothard, who teaches the need for female submission (among other things) can be found here, at Alternet.org