Cory at Madville writes a great post about why Dobson doesn’t have the qualifications to critique Obama on faith. He also has a great recipe for Rev. Wright’s Fruitcake.
By l3wis
18 thoughts on “James Dobson is a theologian like Allen Unruh is a Doctor”
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i believe that MANY christians, not just james dobson, would question obama’s “oprah” faith. he likes to tailor things for the marketing soundbite (yeah, he’s a marketer) and conveniently walk away from the stuff that is not so palatable in worldly terms.
i am not saying there are not good things about the man and the kind of stuff he is calling on for this country, but i don’t get the vibe that christianity is any more than a convenient thing to call himself.
his views on abortion are way off base from the bible.
oh boy. hope i didn’t open a huge can of worms here! but that is what you wanted, right??!
It’s always interesting to me that people who call themselves Christians are the first to point out the flaws in others and always play the abortion card when there are sooooo many other issues of the day that us as Christian need to also focus on. What Obama said in a speech and Dr. Dobson made a big stink about was “Which passages of scripture should guide our public policy?” “Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is OK and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount?”
Sounds like Dr. Dobson is the one who is tailoring things for the marketing soundbite (yeah, he’s also a marketer).
Dobson and others like him do not want Obama to win the white house and will say whatever the can now until November.
Something people should know about the good doctor is: Dobson’s “Alliance Defense Fund†is encouraging pastors to deliberately break the law and engage in politicking at church services during a pre-arranged “Pulpit Freedom Sunday†scheduled for September 28.
The last time I considered myself a member of a local church was when a pastor explained in an hour long service to the congregation about voting our values. I went to church to connect with GOD, not to be told how to vote. This was a VIOLATION.
I will admit I am disappointed in Obama for not defending his pastor, if you watched the entire sermon, Rev. Wright spoke truth to the power. But I would much rather prefer a president who wants to bridge the gap between Christians and Secularists instead of someone using an agnostic (Karl Rove) to duke the Christians into voting for. See unlike GW, Obama has the intelligence to understand just because you don’t belong to a religion doesn’t mean you don’t beleive in God.
i like to listen to dr. dobson. many times in the last few years (since i have become a christian) i feel he has spoken some truth into my life. concerning how God sees me, how my relationships affect me, and concerning how the truth penetrates and changes us. obama has NOT done that for me, so i will wait and see. i agree with you detroit, i didn’t see what rev. wright said that was so wrong.
this is not politics, this is something that directly has affected my life. i will wait to see how many people ARE CHANGED by obama. and i will hope for the best.
hosenpheffer — I couldn’t have said it better. Especially the part about how “Christians” are the first ones to consistently point out others’ faults and jab at them for being “morally wrong”….and they do all that jabbing while they are molesting their neighbors kids or whackin’ it to the pile of porn they just bought at studio one. HYPOCRITES! I definitely consider myself spiritual — I grew up in a Catholic family, went to Catholic school, etc….but I see it as VERY UN-Christian to blame others for their spiritual beliefs — I’m sick of many of these “so-called Christians” pulling out the “moral card” whenever they need to be heard or need to make themselves feel good. It is just CRAZY how divided we are as American citizens and that party lines are so evident — it never used to be this obvious.
Obama has a hard time undersanding concepts. Like 50 states, historical facts, economic principles, etc… The problem with Rev. Wright is the Reverend part. If you believe in the Word of God, you believe it to be the word of love. There was no love in any of Wrights sermons. (There available for viewing, go find some love in there.)
The whole comment Dobson made was to assure Obama that this is a Christian country, that allows religious freedom for all. Dobson is fighting for his freedom to do so.
I know this might be like teaching first graders macro-economics; but if I get anyone thinking that’s good enough for me!
I have liked to listen to Dobson also, Listening just recently to a great broadcast with Dr. R.T. Kendall about forgiveness and forgiving oneself.
It’s makes it very difficult to take the good doctor seriously when he make statements such as the “fruitcake” ideas” of Obama. Below sums up a lot of what what I think I am trying to say.
From Sam Hodges, Dallas Morning News
The United States is not the Christian theocracy that people like James Dobson seem to think it should be. Political appeals, even if rooted in religious convictions, must be argued on moral grounds rather than as sectarian religious demands–so that the people (citizens), whether religious or not, may have the capacity to hear and respond. Religious convictions must be translated into moral arguments, which must win the political debate if they are to be implemented. Religious people don’t get to win just because they are religious. They, like any other citizens, have to convince their fellow citizens that what they propose is best for the common good– for ALL of us and not just for the religious.
Instead of saying that Christians must accept the “the lowest common denominator of morality,” as Dobson accused Obama of suggesting, or that people of faith shouldn’t advocate for the things their convictions suggest, Obama was saying the exact opposite–that Christians should offer their best moral compass to the nation but then have to engage in the kind of democratic dialogue that religious pluralism demands. Martin Luther King Jr. perhaps did this best of all with his Bible in one hand and the Constitution in the other.
In making abortion the single life issue in politics and elections, leaders from the Religious Right like Dobson have violated the “consistent ethic of life” that we find, for example, in Catholic social teaching. Dobson has also fought unsuccessfully to keep the issue of the environment and climate change, which many also now regard as a “life issue,” off the evangelical agenda. Older Religious Right leaders are now being passed by a new generation of young evangelicals who believe that poverty, “creation care” of the environment, human trafficking, human rights, pandemic diseases like HIV/AIDS, and the fundamental issues of war and peace are also “religious” and “moral” issues and now a part of a much wider and deeper agenda. That new evangelical agenda is a deep threat to James Dobson and the power wielded by the Religious Right for so long. Many evangelical votes are in play this election year, especially among a new generation, and are no longer captive to the Religious Right. Perhaps that is the real reason for James Dobson’s attack today on Barack Obama.
Guy Smylie-
you quoted “The whole comment Dobson made was to assure Obama that this is a Christian country, that allows religious freedom for all. Dobson is fighting for his freedom to do so.”
Your statement regarding the above is very hypocritical, as well — you state that “this is a Christian country, that allows religious freedom for all” — that wouldn’t be the case, though, as Jewish people aren’t Christian. Muslims aren’t Christian. People of Faith aren’t necessarily Christian — what you said he is saying pretty much states “We are a Christian country, and if you aren’t Christian, then get the hell out!”
I wonder what shape our country would be in if our ‘Christian’ founding fathers didn’t have the help of the ‘non-christian’ founding fathers. John Adams was a great man, but if Hamiltion, Washington, Jefferson and Franklin weren’t allowed to participate in the birth of our country, we would be in a world of hurt now.
i love how every single discussion about somebody’s faith in this day and age boils down to how christians are not tolerant, and with detroit talking about deists.
just love it 🙂
WE ARE a majority of Christians in this country, that fact is undeniable, but when I here people say we were founded as a Christian nation I just shake my head.
One definition of the word tolerant is:
1. showing respect for the rights or opinions or practices of others.
As a psychologist and, more so, a Christian, I expect Dr Dobson to be more TOLERANT and he crossed a line in attacking Obama. Besides the fact Dobson’s rant made little sense, it was inappropriate for him to say what he said and I think more Christians who dig deeper into the story will find the truth.
actually, i think the tolerance card is crap.
i’m not tolerant, and i don’t think as a christian i need to be. what i do try to do is recognize that Jesus works in people’s hearts in different ways, and that some folks will NEVER accept His gifts of salvation and sanctification no matter how many blogs i comment on. i’m also not Jesus, if you are wondering, and i don’t have to love or accept obama for what he says, just appreciate that he is made by God for God’s purpose, and hope he is listening for that in his heart.
i am just sick of the bumper stickers and presidential candidates who proclaim His name, and then bastardize His Word. that’s what i’m sick of.
and wouldn’t you know it…just like Jesus working – right AFTER i made that last pretty crabby/crappy comment….i went over to my friend Steve Hickey’s blog (not my pastor, but a christian i like and look up to) and found his lates entry. so, sorry if i offended, and group hugs for everyone. seriously. especially you barb 🙂
http://stevehickey.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/five-kinds-of-kindness/
Thanks Bob. I think the part that really sticks out in this whole thread is ” It’s not about doctrine, those who have been with Jesus don’t emerge with correct information about him, they emerge with his loving heart. ”
Dr D has USUSALLY emerged with a loving heart, but his recent blunder proves he is like you and me, only human.
I still want the recipe to Obama’s fruitcake.
yeah i noticed that when i went over to steve’s “voices carry” blog that he states he is not supporting dobson either. says it’s time for a new voice to emerge.
i’ll have to ponder that thought.
My Aunt Bertha likes Dobson, and because of this, so do I. Jesus also doesn’t like to tolerate evil people (lke prostitutes, criminals, tax collectors, and such) and he never preached that we should loved one another, so like my Aunt Bertha amd President Bush – I will be a good Christian. I also don’t like this new Gay marriage parade going on. Icky!