A prominent friend and supporter of James Dobson believes Dobson was pushed aside by the new leadership of Focus on the Family, who want the powerhouse evangelical ministry to project a softer image on issues ranging from abortion to gay marriage to relations with President Obama.In February 2009, Dobson stepped down as chairman of the Colorado Springs-based group's board of directors, after relinquishing his longtime role as president in 2003. But he kept his role of host of the popular Focus radio show, which is reportedly heard by 1.5 million Americans each day.
Then, this past November, Dobson said on the show that the Focus board had asked him to give up the radio program in a few months time. Late last month, he delivered his final Focus broadcast.
In little-noticed comments from the November show, Dobson seemed troubled by the board's decision to ask him to give up the program.
"[T]the board of directors voted privately on Wednesday -- before we got there -- to ask for my resignation, although their request was made with kindness and respect. We can only guess the reason for their decision because frankly I don't fully know," Dobson said. "But it apparently has to do with the desire for closure on my tenure and the beginning of another."
Well this can only be taken as good news. Though I don't expect Focus on the Family to suddenly become a bastion for tolerance and progressive ideals, I certainly think throwing Dobson overboard gives them a chance to at least move away from the crazier side of Christianity.
Remember James Dobson is the same genius who suggest that watching Spongebob Squarepants would make your children gay. He also gave serial killer Ted Bundy a kind of absolution by allowing him to suggest that pornography was to blame for his desire to rape and murder women. And perhaps most egregious of all is that Dobson and his Evangelical cohorts are the one's to blame for John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate.
Yes I think we can all agree that the world is a safer, saner place without the likes of James Dobson running an influential group like Focus on the Family. However, in my opinion, the world might be improved even further if groups like Focus on the Family did not exist at all.
But they that is just me.
(Oops I almsot forgot to give a hat tip to kellygirl. Thanks Kelly!)
He also preaches whipping children into snivling submission.
ReplyDeleteHe Bible has a misprint "Suffer, little Chidlren."
I am listening to R. Gamorrah in the car. Dobson is an ugly piece of work.
And let's not forget that he (Dobson) and a few of his cohorts managed, in just a few weeks, to turn Ted Haggard straight. He and Annie Sullivan: miracle workers!!!
ReplyDeleteRight on Gryphen!
ReplyDeleteJames Dobson is on the bus. Read more soon, here:
ReplyDeletewww.whosonthebus@blogspot.com
Seems to me that Dobson is not one bit HAPPY with his GIANT PUSH out the front door, but he certainly has to KNOW that with his 'decry of racism, belligerence, and ridiculous blame games' about GOD being angry and punishing countries with earthquakes and floods', he's really bad for business! To think that 1.5 million people tune in daily to watch this crap is really unbelievable. At least it's good to know they finally threw him out on his ass! Good riddance to him. Let's just hope he will fade away - fade far, far away!
ReplyDelete"I certainly think throwing Dobson overboard gives them a chance . . ."
ReplyDeleteBut we know a passing craft will fish him out and take advantage of his name and following.
Hopefully, Pat Robertson won't be far behind--and many, many others.
ReplyDeleteSome lyrics from "Fiddler on the Roof" seem fitting, here:
"May the Lord bless and keep the Czar (i.e. James Dobson) far away from us!!!"
Wow, this transition was really under the radar. It actually is comforting to know that the radio program only enjoys a 1.5 million listenership.
ReplyDeleteSure it's a relief to get rid of this nasty wolf in sheeps clothing, but it'd be naive that someone just as slimy is ready to take the helm.
Good luck on progressin the many many folks made up of God fearin Joe-six-pack real Americans that focus on their family, cause you know unreal Elite's do no such thing, you betcha.
Dobson looks a little like Bob Dole - coincidence?
ReplyDeleteI hope they did not get rid of him because they felt he was too moderate for them. Who knows now days.
ReplyDeleteActually, I'm guessing his having personally made the unilateral decision to use more than half a mil in church donations to fund the fight in California to overturn the gay marriage law might have something to do with it. In the article on the FOF website posted way back in 2008, Dobson boasted of his having made the decision to spend church donations on this California issue on his own.
ReplyDeleteIt's entirely possible the person who'd made the primary donation was not amused with how her donation was spent. It's also possible the board decided to rethink their organization and no longer allow any one person that much control over the donation basket.
This is actually the 'fight' I keep expecting to see emerge between Kristan Cole (sp?) and the Palins.
I'm sure FOF will actually become MORE radical after his departure.
ReplyDeleteThem people is crazy.
Focus on the Family is very, very good about hiding. Gryphen, do a little looking and you will find them in publishing textbooks for Middle School Sex Ed, among other things. They own the publishing company, and that book is just a piece of junk.
ReplyDeleteA very, VERY evil organization. Frightening in the scope of what they do, and mainly because they are hidden behind reams of corporate hoo-dah.
I wonder how long it will be before Dobson and Sarah are doing joint appearances like the Glenn Beck /Palin circus that is coming soon?
ReplyDeleteanonymous in Texas
Not quite on topic but, unfortunately, I interacted with Ted Bundy and there is no way I am believing that a porn addiction was the underlying cause to his murder spree! Wow, I never heard of this interview before.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I agree with all the points above. ;0-
Amen! That board has a backbone!
ReplyDeleteIf one's words and works are the true measure of a man, then I think that it is safe to say that Dobson is NOT a Christian. He is a mean spirited bigot, an arrogant asshat, and a vindictive odious little turd who has pompously appointed himself God's Chief of Staff. He seems to think he has the authority to pass judgement upon the entire world. He alone has been anointed by God to render moral judgement upon everyone else's sins.
ReplyDeleteI can think of very few people whose conduct reminds me LESS of Jesus Christ than James Dobson. He is an overbearing, bumptious, officious fuck who just KNOWS that he is better than EVERYBODY else.
If I had to be like Dobson in order to be a Christian, then baby, I'd go pagan all the way. If they let his sorry ass into heaven, then I'll actively petition to go to hell. He is a hateful and loathsome creature.
He can eat shit and die for all I care.
We got lucky this time, folks. Not only did Dobson, in the name of Focus on the Family, cast his lot on the WRONG candidate (Palin via McCain), but it exposed FoF for the nutty, hustling, backward organization that they are.
ReplyDeleteNext time, they'll be far more cautious in letting it be known who they support. We must be very diligent and investigate every candidate who is running for local, state or national office. FoF is hell-bent on getting evangelicals into political power.
Woe to our country if we allow that to happen.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2008/10/palin_dobson_and_gop_god.html
ReplyDeletePalin, Dobson and (GOP)GOD
Well, this time Dobson is the one under the FOF bus. Another strong Palin defender bites the dust.
Here's the "unbelievable" interview $P had with Dobson.
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.beliefnet.com/stevenwaldman/2008/10/the-amazing-palindobson-interv.html
Religion and politics don't mix! Buh bye Dobson!!
This is crude but funny!
ReplyDeletehttp://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/Davis1950/RINOs/OREILLYNOSPINZONE.jpg
Yeah, I absolutely can't stand this man. When I found out my son was gay my born-again sister immediately ran out to the local Christian Bookstore to get me a Dr. Dobson book. Imagine - I could have "gay proofed" my son. Who knew;)
ReplyDeleteMy only worry is -- with Dobson we knew the face of the devil....who/what will replace him?
ReplyDeleteI really have mixed feelings about this news. I despise Dobson and would be very happy to see him 100% retired and silenced. But who's the bigger star? Dobson or FoF? If he goes off and starts another radio show, then another organization, will his fans follow him and transfer their support and money to his new gig?
ReplyDeleteThe other concern is visibility. One of the biggest problems with tracking dominionism is that they are good at flying under the radar. We often don't know what they are up to until the damage is done. I wonder if Biden had any idea that Netanyahu had just met with John Hagee the day before Biden arrived.
Dobson's ego and mouth are too big to work off camera and off mike, but a FoF without him just might.
Best news I've heard all week.
ReplyDeleteI'll just indulge a fantasy for a second and dream that Dobson and FOF involement in procuring TRIG for Sarah is going to come out soon and Dobson is getting a head start to get out of Dodge . Wouldn't that be something??
If anyone procured Trig for Sarah, I'd be more inclined to suspect Franklin Graham than Dobson.
ReplyDeleteMy money is on Focus on the Family for the "procurement". Dobson was telling his listeners that he wasn't going to vote, for the first time in his life, because he thought so little of John McCain. Then Sarah appeared with Baby Boy Wonder, who just happens to be born with Down Syndrome, to whom, we don't yet know. But Sarah takes him as her own, and suddenly the RNC ticket has the full throated endorsement of FOTF. Not to mention the full support of evangelical churches across America. Coincidence? I think not.
ReplyDeleteSatan has taken possession of Focus on the Family.
ReplyDelete