Know Your Right-Wing Speakers: James Dobson
Updated Friday June 15, 2007
We all know Dr. James Dobson as a frontrunner in the Christian right’s crusade against all things tolerant and reasonable. Dobson founded the über-conservative Focus on the Family and Family Research Council, and broadcasts a radio address that reaches an estimated 7 million American listeners each day. Utilizing Focus on the Family’s website, radio show, books and more, consumers can fill their heads with conservative advice on everything from movies to figuring out their husbands.
But most recently, Dobson has moved beyond his expertise comparing embryonic stem cell research to Nazi torture and supporting Roy Moore’s failed quest to display a 2.5-ton Ten Commandments monument outside the Alabama Supreme Court. His newest crusade is in favor of global warming. Yep, Dobson has openly criticized progressive evangelicals who believe that the destruction of God’s Earth is actually a bad thing.
Richard Cizik, the vice president of government relations for the National Association of Evangelicals, has repeatedly called on Christians to address the issue of climate change. “To harm this world by environmental degradation is an offense against God,” he has said. Cizik’s focus on the issue has pissed Dobson off.
On March 1, 2007, Dobson and other right-wing fundamentalists, including Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council (which, don’t forget, Dobson founded), sent a letter to Dr. Roy Taylor, chairman of the board of the National Association of Evangelicals, in which they asserted that “the issue that is dividing and demoralizing the National Association of Evangelicals and its leaders is related to global warming.” This fissure is the result of “a relentless campaign orchestrated by a single individual in the Washington office, Richard Cizik.”
“Cizik and others,” says the letter, “are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time, notably the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage, and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children.” Cizik, much to Dobson’s dismay, survived the onslaught. Falling into the same mindset as many other conservatives, Dobson does not comprehend the importance of addressing global warming now, before it leads to ecological and humanitarian disasters.
Right-wing parents around the world rejoiced when Dobson finally revealed to them the key to child-rearing in Dare to Discipline. First published in 1972, the tome proved so popular it’s now out in a new and updated edition. Unlike most powerful Christian conservatives, Dobson isn’t a minister. He holds a Ph.D. in child development from the University of Southern California and worked in the field for decades, both as a teaching professor and an attending therapist at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. But if you assumed Dobson would be promoting peace, love, and nonviolence with a background like that, you’d be wrong. Dobson’s definition of discipline doesn’t mean threatening to withhold allowance, but spanking children as young as two years old with a belt or a paddle. His advocacy of spanking is one example of how Dobson’s books and advice place heavy emphasis on instilling unquestioning obedience to “rightful” authority—bad news for future activists who want to change the world and challenge the system.
In addition to hitting children, Dobson loves to compare those who disagree with him to the most genocidal and evil organizations in history. He has pulled the Nazi card on same-sex marriage proponents and supporters of reproductive freedom. “While we sleep,” he warns, “the Far Left is advancing a radical agenda” that Dr. Jim can’t help but describe as the “Nazi-esque barbarism known as partial birth abortion.” Aggrandizing the conservative misconception that most dilation and extraction abortion procedures occur in the third trimester, Dobson labels it “late-term murder.” But don’t fear if you disagree with him; he assures us that “everyone is entitled to change his or her position as long as it’s in the direction of preserving the sanctity of life.” Thanks, Dr. Dobson—it’s good to know you leave room for people to think on their own.
Of course, another one of Dobson’s favorite targets is the infamous “gay agenda.” According to Dobson’s 2004 book Marriage Under Fire, the homosexual agenda aims to “implement a master plan that has as its centerpiece the utter destruction of the family.” What’s in this “master plan”? Dobson says the evil scheme includes “overturning laws prohibiting pedophilia [and the] indoctrination of children and future generations through public education,” among other things.
Unsurprisingly, Dobson vehemently opposes marriage equality, calling it a slippery slope leading to polygamy, bestiality, and general mayhem. If we permit marriage equality, he says, “How about group marriage? Or marriage between daddies and little girls? Or marriage between a man and his donkey?”
Dobson’s attacks on homosexuals aren’t limited to flesh-and-blood people—no, there’s also the world of cartoons to consider. In 2005, Dobson railed against SpongeBob Squarepants. Although Dobson insists he never called SpongeBob himself gay, he’s all worked up by the use of SpongeBob and his adorable animated pals “to promote the theme of ‘tolerance and diversity,’ which are almost always buzzwords for homosexual advocacy.”
Campaigns like these signal Dobson’s move from child development expert to political powerhouse. Nothing makes this shift more obvious than Dobson’s heavy participation in the 2004 elections. Consciously flexing his political muscle, he did everything from making the Biblical case for conservative positions to showing up at anti-gay marriage rallies in South Dakota. And it’s clear he’s not ducking out of the political limelight any time soon. Dobson’s gearing up for the 2008 elections. He cites the April 18 Supreme Court ruling upholding the Bush administration’s “partial-birth” abortion ban as a reminder “that elections matter.” In his newsletter, Dobson writes, “I believe pro-life voters are more committed to traditional values than ever and their participation will impact the outcome in 2008.” Heaven forbid the Democrats take charge, says Dobson, because when they do “they go straight for the jugular. They begin passing radical bills by the hundreds and doing everything within their power to stifle the opposition. The result is a left-wing revolution that turns the culture on its ear.” To combat this “revolution,” Dobson’s got more political capital than ever and aims to keep all ears in Washington, D.C. tuned to his station.
— Updated by Cara Boekeloo, Calvin College
Illustration: August J. Pollak
--------
Comments
|
!
I don’t understand the problem with doctor Dobson’s message. Do you mean that progressives are against loving discipline in a family setting? And for promoting pedophilia?
— Susan Jeniin - Apr 8, 02:57 PM - #Tolerance is extended to those who are tolerant. I am prejudice against only one group, those who are prejudice.
— Paul Shanabarger - Apr 9, 12:40 PM - #hahahahaahhaha! What a substantive article on the EVIL RIGHT WING RACIST INTOLERANT CONSERVATIVE Dobson!
If the center for “progress” were really tolerant you’d actually try to be introspective to consider the point of view of somebody else. Your simplistic dismissal and diesrespect for the views of many Americans is shameful…yet predictable.
— Kevin Burke - Apr 9, 01:12 PM - #It is nice and all that your cartoonish website has to cleverly and carefully characterized Dr. Dobson, but in reality all you have done is expose how intolerant and disinterested you are in other points of view.
— Chadwick - Apr 11, 02:27 AM - #Chadwick-
Thank you for your compliments on my cartoons.
— August J. Pollak - Apr 11, 10:39 AM - #As someone who worked to put this piece together, I can tell you that we “try to be introspective to consider the point of view” presented by people like Dobson. But when you look at his history of speech and action, all you’re left with is a man dedicated not to Christian love and acceptance but to divisiveness and judgment.
If you dispute anything in the article, feel free to make your case—but recognize that it’s based on Dobson’s own words and actions.
— Annika Carlson - Apr 11, 12:03 PM - #I must tell you that I love getting the Campus Progress. I am a child of the 60’s, draft card burning hippie type, critical thinking, hard working family man. People like Dobson feed on ignorance and unfortunately there seems to be an ample supply of that wherever he goes. I saw an interview once with Dobson and after a particularly hateful rant about gays etc. the interviewer intimated that “that didn’t seem like a very Christian thing to say” and Dobson shot back “how dare you question my Christianity” and I thought, so this is what Christianity has become, something that justifies hate, intolerance toward anyone that thinks differently than Dobson does. The worst part is there seems to be an ample supply of non-critical thinkers ( see Kevin Burke comment above ) that buy into what I call the “New Fascism”. Please keep up the good work and Kevin, please expand your reading list because the more you know the more you know.
— Dan Freeman - Apr 13, 10:26 AM - #I don’t know exactly what Dobbs said in the interview you’re referring to, but many times I think people equate disagreeing with a certain behavior or lifestyle as being hateful, ignorant or intolerant.
— Kevin Burke - Apr 16, 12:50 PM - #On the comments in reference to the “nazi card”, when you’re coming from the perspective that abortion has killed 43 million people since Roe v. Wade in 1973 and has brought tremendous psychological turmoil to millions of women, men, and families then it’s not that far or a stretch to make a comparisons with the holocaust. Another comparison, if you don’t mind me pulling the “civil rights card” out for a moment the comparison between abortion and slavery has some striking paralells. For many years in our nations history many Americans believed an African American simply was less than a person who was unworthy of protection under the constitution, much like the unborn baby is not recognized as a person or protected by our laws in the constitution today.
That’s what I meant by being dismissive without really trying to see where people are coming from.
Dan I was just wondering what you meant by expanding my reading list and I was wondering what this “New Fascism” is? Sounds pretty COOL! But I will definitly expand my reading list so I can eventually become as enlightened as you are! Right now I’m enjoying Team of Rivals: the political genius of Abe Lincoln, I highly recommend it by the way, but if you have any suggestions let me know dude! Peace.
— Kevin Burke - Apr 16, 07:45 PM - #When I announced to my family that I was gay, my “evangelical” sister in the US started bombarding me with material from Dr Dobson. I also suspect that she has sent the same kind of material to my father, telling him that he should have somehow stopped me from being gay and creating unwarranted guilt feelings. Dr. Dobson is a creator of mischief and nothing else…
— Richard - Jun 11, 03:59 PM - #Throughout history people have been manipulating the message of Jesus Christ for their own political and economical gains. Dr. Dobson is the most current example of this shameful and blasphemous trend. Dobson and his followers reject Christ’s true message of love and the idea of a world family, and instead replace it with hate, rhetoric and a sense of Christianity that compares with one’s affiliation to their favorite football team: victory by trampeling over all of the other teams.
— Brian - Jul 30, 02:40 PM - #“Roe v. Wade in 1973 and has brought tremendous psychological turmoil to millions of women”
You have a males name so I’ll go ahead and assume that you are one.
If so could you tell me how you know what women feel and what makes them feel it?
Answer quickly please because without a male telling me what I think, want, feeI and need I ‘ll be floundering and otherwise making a big mess of my life.
Thankx XOXO
— ThePope - Sep 5, 11:03 PM - #“I think people equate disagreeing with a certain behavior or lifestyle as being hateful, ignorant or intolerant.” Kevin, not only do you contradict yourself by later showing your willingness to label others’ views as ”(Your simplistic dismissal and diesrespect for the views of many Americans is) shameful…yet predictable,” but you fail to make the distinction between “views” and the willingness to codify bigotry and discrimination into law.
— Kelly - Sep 29, 06:24 PM - #I don’t like the guy either, same as anyone who makes money off of some idea that they are the chosen ones to change the world to make it more like they are… I don’t like anyone like that. The cool thing is I dont have to like them, and in my house I don’t have to “tolerate” them either. After all it’s my house. Also I hate words like “tolerance”, “experience”, “awareness”, and “community”. not for the true meaning, but for what the whiny bastards that are afraid to do anything but bitch about what they don’t like use them for. The good part is that I don’t have to listen to them, and neither do you. Go fishing, go swim. Go hike, go hunt. Fly… Dive… Explore the world, Eat, Swim, play, and be good to your friends. Read what interests you and go where you want to go.
Ya know?
— Charlie - Mar 29, 11:53 PM - #I find it interesting that progressive-thinking people assume that we have to move forward and leave the past behind. Just because something has been done means we shouldn’t do it anymore, and just because something else hasn’t been done, we should try it. I know it isn’t quite as simple as that, but maybe, stripped down to the bare-naked truths, you could see what I mean.
— Dorinda - Jun 21, 01:56 PM - #Dobson followers, like him, feel they have a right to define Christianity, who is a Christian and who is immoral because they don’t adhere to any religion. If you were comfortable with true Christianity, as represented by the Bible you claim to literally adhere to, you wouldn’t care what another human being, especially one getting rich off them. He leads a cult-like following where people aren’t allowed to disagree with those they allow to be in charge of them.
— Sharon Dupree - Jun 22, 02:07 PM - #God gave people choices, so, no human being, whether considered to be elected, selected, appointed or annointed, has the God given moral directive to represent Christianity as a hate-filled and fear mongering way of life nor do they have the right to deny choice while trying to force their self-serving views upon others. He, nor others of his ilk, is not more important or intelligent than God, who gave the freedom of choice.
In the Christian faith I was raised by, we accept or reject the intentions of people based upon their actions towards others and not by their labels, self designated or otherwise, whether they had a certain religious faith or whether they didn’t adhere to any faith. This being the case, Dobson, in my eyes, is not a Christian. He’s an opportunist who preys upon the fears, biases, prejudices and hatred of those he controls or wants to control. Those whom obey him are worshiping a false God, so to speak and are as responsible for his speech and actions by condoning his behavior as he is.
Oh puhleeze, Sharon. Aren’t you here defining Christianity yourself? I suspect that you, like Dr. Dobson, are simply presenting your belief about what the Bible says and asking others to change their behavior accordingly.
And where do “followers” of Jim Dobson come under the coercion to follow in lock-step without disagreement? I don’t recall seeing that in any of the organizations’ materials. Maybe, he/they are simply asking those who do agree with their views to act to make a difference in legislation and in society.
Kind of like Campus Progress.
— doulos - Jun 25, 03:06 PM - #WOW! I cant believe that Dr Dobson would be against Homosexuality. Why, Cara, I bet you love anal sex. Well why not? Do you think it might just be a little risky? Maybe there are a few disease’s that are quite common among the Homosexual community. Oh ! But overlook giardia lamblia I mean whats a little disease that strikes gay men almost exclusively. Hmmm, well how about cryptosporidium , isospora belli, microsporidia. Now maybe 3 or 4 thousand years ago a few Jews figured this out. Now, not with standing the fact that it was kept in tact in a religous text that we call the Bible today it had some sound guiding principles founded on simple yet effective advice. Oh but let’s discount it because it doesnt feel like the right thing to do. Of course we should let our feeling dictate policy.
— hank - Jun 27, 12:03 AM - #Hank, before you spout biblical proof for your disagreements, I think that you should read into those so-called “proof texts” a little more. When you do, you will realize that Paul was referring to homosexual acts in the context of pagan worship, not as we have them today. So I’m actually not letting my feelings dictate my policy. Check out Dr. Myers book: “What God Has Joined Together?: A Christian Case For Gay Marriage.”
— Cara - Jul 2, 12:09 PM - #oh snap, cara.
— Zach - Jul 4, 03:13 PM - #Tolerance is extended to those who are tolerant. I am prejudice against only one group, those who are prejudice.
— Paul Shanabarger – Apr 9, 11:40 AM
Does this really make sense to anyone here? How intolerant is this comment? You are not truly tolerant Paul, unless you can tolerate views you disagree with.
tol·er·ant (tŏl‘ər-ənt) pronunciation adj. 1. Inclined to tolerate the beliefs, practices, or traits of others; forbearing. See synonyms at broad-minded. — Zach Wilkinson - Jul 6, 10:13 AM - #From what I have read, James Dobson appears to be the fundamentalist “Christian” equivalent of the “Islamic” extremist, Osama Bin Laden. They are equally self righteous; wantonly and gleefully seeking to discredit and/or destroy those with whom they disagree. Both have dupped large followings into alignment with their respective hatreds.
— DR RICHARD W. BOSSERT - Feb 6, 02:35 PM - #That Dr. Dobson’s so hilarious! What’s he thinking, “marriage between a man and his donkey”? Those crazy conservatives!
Oh wait! Here’s a story about a man marrying his dog! www.msnbc.msn.com/id…
And here’s a story about a woman marrying a dolphin: www.khaleejtimes.com…
And here’s one about a woman who married the Eiffel Tower! www.telegraph.co.uk/...
WTF is next? I’m tolerant, but I will never equate those marriages with my own (a man and woman).
I’m all for tolerance, but lets face it: Liberals are very intolerant of normal people like me (read: my first and second amendment rights). Hence, my disrespect, INtolerance, disgust, contempt, and impatience.
You simply can’t expect people to take you seriously when you champion abortion rights and animal rights in the same breath. Don’t expect my respect when you equate our President with Hitler—there’s little comparison, and you make yourselves look stupid. He’s sold our sovereignty, yes, but we don’t commit genocide.
And don’t expect anybody to respect you when you rail for nanny government, treasury hand-outs, and outright control of other people that practice things you don’t like! I’ve seen open commies and socialists in San Fran, and most liberals fall closer to that side than the conservative side. Hence, my intolerance.
— Eric - Aug 8, 12:59 PM - #