James Dobson

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James Clayton Dobson, Ph.D. (born April 21, 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana), is a conservative Evangelical Christian and psychologist who presents a daily radio program called Focus on the Family on over 6,000 stations worldwide in more than a dozen languages. He founded and is chairman of the board of a nonprofit organization of the same name, founded in 1977 and based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where it has its own zip code (80995). He claims that 200 million people every day in 164 countries hear his programs,^[1] including one translation carried on all state-owned radio stations in the Republic of China.^[2] Focus on the Family is also on 80 US television stations daily.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Background 1.2 Degrees, positions and awards 2 Social views 2.1 Views on corporal punishment and authority 2.2 Views on homosexuality 2.3 Views on marriage 2.4 Views on tolerance and diversity 2.5 Views on school 3 Political and social influence 4 Criticism and controversy 4.1 Mark Foley scandal 4.2 Politics 4.3 Statements about ethics and science 4.4 SpongeBob SquarePants controversy 4.5 Mel Gibson/The Passion of the Christ 5 Books 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Background

Dobson is a conservative evangelical Christian with substantial political clout, well known for mobilizing his listeners on conservative political and social issues. Dobson is sometimes labeled as a fundamentalist; however, some fundamentalists criticize Dobson for cooperating with Roman Catholics and Jews.[1] Yet Dobson has stated his opposition to Catholic teachings and Church hierarchy and has vigorously criticized it for what he calls its "lack of spirit."^{[citation needed]} Some fundamentalists also disagree with his mixture of psychology and Christianity.

He first became well-known with the publication of Dare to Discipline, a book that became a cultural phenomenon among conservative Christian families. Dare to Discipline asserts the value of spanking children who defy their parents. This caused some controversy among those who oppose all physical discipline of children. Dobson's social and political opinions are widely read among many evangelical church congregations in the United States. Dobson publishes monthly bulletins also called Focus on the Family which are dispensed as inserts in some Sunday church service bulletins.

Dobson and his wife Shirley have two children, Danae and Ryan. Ryan Dobson is a public speaker in his own right, often speaking on issues relating to youth and the pro-life movement. Dobson is an ardent supporter of adoption, especially adoption of troubled children (Ryan is adopted).

Dobson was an eyewitness to the death of basketball great Pete Maravich. Maravich was scheduled to appear on Dobson's Focus on the Family radio show on January 5, 1988. That morning, Maravich collapsed during a pickup basketball game in which both he and Dobson were playing, and was declared dead on arrival from a heart attack resulting from an undiagnosed congenital defect.

[edit] Degrees, positions and awards

Dobson earned a doctorate in child development from the University of Southern California in 1967. He was an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine for fourteen years. He spent seventeen years on the staff of the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles in the Division of Child Development and Medical Genetics.

He is a licensed psychologist in California, and is listed in Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare. He also has a long list of honorary doctorates from various institutions.

At the invitation of presidents and attorneys general, Dobson has also served on government advisory panels and testified at several government hearings. Among many other awards, he has been given the "Layman of the Year" award by the National Association of Evangelicals in 1982, "The Children's Friend" honor by Childhelp USA (an advocate agency against child abuse) in 1987, and the Humanitarian Award by the California Psychological Association in 1988.

[edit] Social views

[edit] Views on corporal punishment and authority

In his pamphlet, Dare to Discipline Dobson advocated the spanking of children of up to eight years old when they misbehave, but warns that "corporal punishment should not be a frequent occurrence" and that "discipline must not be harsh and destructive to the child's spirit." He does not advocate what he considers harsh spanking because he thinks "It is not necessary to beat the child into submission; a little bit of pain goes a long way for a young child. However, the spanking should be of sufficient magnitude to cause the child to cry genuinely."^[3]

Dobson recognizes the dangers of child abuse, and therefore considers disciplining children to be a necessary but unpleasant part of raising children that should only be carried out by qualified parents: "Anyone who has ever abused a child -- or has ever felt himself losing control during a spanking -- should not expose the child to that tragedy. Anyone who has a violent temper that at times becomes unmanageable should not use that approach. Anyone who secretly 'enjoys' the administration of corporal punishment should not be the one to implement it." [2]

In his book The Strong-Willed Child, Dobson suggests that by correctly portraying authority to a child, the child will understand how to interact with other authority figures: "By learning to yield to the loving authority... of his parents, a child learns to submit to other forms of authority which will confront him later in his life — his teachers, school principal, police, neighbors and employers."^[4]

Dobson stresses that parents must uphold their authority and do so consistently, comparing the relationship between parents and disobedient children to a battle: "When you are defiantly challenged, win decisively."^[3] In The Strong-Willed Child, Dobson draws an analogy between the defiance of a family pet and that of a small child, and concludes that "just as surely as a dog will occasionally challenge the authority of his leaders, so will a little child — only more so.^[3] (emphasis in original)

When asked "How long do you think a child should be allowed to cry after being punished? Is there a limit?" Dobson responded:

"Yes, I believe there should be a limit. As long as the tears represent a genuine release of emotion, they should be permitted to fall. But crying quickly changes from inner sobbing to an expression of protest... Real crying usually lasts two minutes or less but may continue for five. After that point, the child is merely complaining, and the change can be recognized in the tone and intensity of his voice. I would require him to stop the protest crying, usually by offering him a little more of whatever caused the original tears. In younger children, crying can easily be stopped by getting them interested in something else."[3]

[edit] Views on homosexuality

Dobson believes homosexuality can be cured in adults and prevented in children, and is an opponent of the gay rights movement. Focus on the Family sponsors a monthly conference called “Love Won Out,” where many of the speakers are self-professed ex-gays. Held around the U.S., the conference encourages its attendees to believe that "homosexuality is preventable and treatable."^[2] According to critics, Focus on the Family asserts that there is a "homosexual agenda" and associates gays with pedophilia.^[2]

In his book, Bringing Up Boys, Dobson writes that "Homosexuals deeply resent being told that they selected this same-sex inclination in pursuit of sexual excitement or some other motive.^[5]

However, Dobson does not believe that homosexuality is genetic. In his June 2002 newsletter, he states: "There is further convincing evidence that homosexuality is not hereditary. For example, since identical twins share the same chromosomal pattern, or DNA, the genetic contributions are exactly the same within each of the pairs. Therefore, if one twin is 'born' homosexual, then the other should inevitably have that characteristic too. That is not the case. When one twin is homosexual, the probability is only 50 percent that the other will have the same condition. Something else must be operating."

[edit] Views on marriage

James Dobson is a promoter of patriarchal marriage. He believes men have the divine obligation to lead their families, and women have the divine obligation to submit to their husband's authority. As such he supports the conservative Christian men's organization Promise Keepers, which also believes women should submit to the authority of their husbands. He believes that mothers with any children under the age of eighteen ought not to work outside the home, if finances and temperaments permit them to stay home.[4]

Dobson warns that interracial marriage may cause additional strain to a union that is already difficult to maintain even under ideal circumstances, yet he states that the ultimate decision to marry is up to the partners, regardless of race.[5] He is also highly critical of the American trend of singles getting married several years.^{[citation needed]} In his opinion, the call for men to lead isn't limited to the home, but stretches to both the church and government. He is highly critical of efforts to increase a female presence of leadership in these realms of authority.[6]

On the 7 June 2006 edition of his Focus on the Family radio show, Dobson lambasted opponents of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Dobson compared the ban to civil rights legislation and the abolitionists' campaign to end slavery.[7]

In the 2004 book Marriage Under Fire: Why We Must Win This Battle, Dobson outlines his view of traditional marriage. Dobson suggests that falling heterosexual marriage rates in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are due to the recognition of same-sex relationships by political leaders in those countries during the 1990s (pp. 8-9). He remarks that traditional marriage "is rapidly dying" in these countries as a result, with "most couples cohabiting or choosing to remain single" and illegitimacy rates rising in some areas of Norway up to 80%. Dobson writes that "every civilization in the world has been built upon [heterosexual marriage]," (p. 7) and describes the institution of marriage as "the bedrock of culture in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and even Antarctica" (p. 8). He also argues that homosexuality is "curable." Railing against "the realities of judicial tyranny," Dobson has written that "[t]here is no issue today that is more significant to our culture than the defense of the family. Not even the war on terror eclipses it" (pp. 84-85).

[edit] Views on tolerance and diversity

Dobson contended that "tolerance and diversity" are "buzzwords" that the We Are Family Foundation misused as part of a hidden agenda to promote homosexuality. He stated in the February 2005 edition of the Focus on the Family newsletter that "childhood symbols are apparently being hijacked to promote an agenda that involves teaching homosexual propaganda to children."[8] He offers as evidence the association of many leading LGBT rights organizations, including GLAAD, GLSEN, HRC, and PFLAG, with the We Are Family Foundation and the foundation's distribution of elementary school lesson plans which included discussions of compulsory heterosexuality, gender, heterosexism, and homophobia. [9] The Focus on the Family website stated, "While words like 'diversity' and 'unity' sound harmless — even noble — enough, the reality is they are often used by gay activists as cover for teaching children that homosexuality is the moral and biological equivalent to heterosexuality."

The We Are Family Foundation countered that Dobson had mistaken their organization with "an unrelated Web site belonging to another group called 'We Are Family,' which supports gay youth." [10] A spokesman for the foundation suggested that anyone who thought the video promoted homosexuality "needs to visit their doctor and get their medication increased." [11] Dobson contended that the controversial material had been removed by the We Are Family Foundation following their remarks to the press, stating that Focus on the Family obtained "clear documentation that these materials were being promoted on the Web site." [12]

[edit] Views on school

Dobson and Focus on the Family support private school vouchers and tax credits for religious schools, and they reject education efforts that address multiculturalism or homosexuality. According to Focus on the Family website, Dr. Dobson believes that parents are ultimately responsible for their children's education. He encourages parents to visit their children's schools to ask questions and to join the PTA so that they may voice their opinions.^[6] Dobson opposes sex education curricula that are not abstinence-only. According to critics, local schoolbook censors use Focus on the Family's material when challenging a book or curriculum in the public schools. Focus on the Family encourages Christian teachers to establish prayer groups in public schools. Dobson supports student-led prayer in public school but doesn’t support teacher-led prayer for fear that a teacher would encourage Christian students “to pray to Allah, Buddha, or the goddess Sophia against the wishes of the parents and/or students.”^[2]

[edit] Political and social influence

In 1981, Dobson founded the Family Research Council, which served as his political arm, though he initially remained somewhat distant from Washington politics. With LGBT issues becoming more prominent, he entered politics in full force.

In late 2004, Dobson led a campaign with social conservatives to block the appointment of Arlen Specter to head of the judiciary committee because of Specter's moderate stances on abortion. Responding to a question by Alan Colmes on whether he wanted the Republican Party to be known as a "big-tent party," he replied, "I don't want to be in the big tent... I think the party ought to stand for something."[13] In 2006, Focus on the Family spent more than a half million dollars to promote a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in its home state of Colorado.[14]

On January 1, 2005, The Washington Times reported that Dobson promised six Democratic senators "a battle of enormous proportions" if they filibustered conservative appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court. "He singled out six Democrats up for re-election [in 2006]: Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mark Dayton of Minnesota, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Bill Nelson of Florida." According to a 2005 Washington Times article, in 2004 Dobson played an important role in the defeat of then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle.[15] Five of the six senators went on to win reelection and the sixth, Dayton, was succeeded in office by another Democrat.

In November 2004, Dobson was described by the online magazine Slate.com as "America's most influential evangelical leader."^[7] The article explained "Forget Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, who in their dotage have marginalized themselves with gaffes... Dobson is now America's most influential evangelical leader, with a following reportedly greater than that of either Falwell or Robertson at his peak... Dobson may have delivered Bush his victories in Ohio and Florida.^[7] Further, "He's already leveraging his new power. When a thank-you call came from the White House, Dobson issued the staffer a blunt warning that Bush 'needs to be more aggressive' about pressing the religious right's pro-life, anti-gay rights agenda, or it would 'pay a price in four years.'... Dobson has talked about bringing down the GOP if it fails him.^[7]

Dobson has sometimes complained that the Republican party may take the votes of social conservatives for granted: "Does the Republican Party want our votes, no string attached--to court us every two years, and then to say, 'Don't call me, I'll call you'--and not to care about the moral law of the universe? ... Is that what they want? Is that the way the system works? Is this the way it's going to be? If it is, I'm gone, and if I go, I will do everything I can to take as many people with me as possible."^[2]

However, in 2006, Dobson said that, while "there is disillusionment out there with Republicans" and "that worries me greatly," he nonetheless suggested voters turn out and vote Republican in 2006. "My first inclination was to sit this one out," but according to The New York Times, Dobson then added that "he had changed his mind when he looked at who would become the leaders of Congressional committees if the Democrats took over."^[8]

[edit] Criticism and controversy

[edit] Mark Foley scandal

Main article: Mark Foley scandal

In October 2006 conservative Congressman Mark Foley resigned in the midst of allegations that he had acted improperly with a Congressional page.^[9] In early October 2006, however, two news organizations quoted anonymous former pages as saying that they had sexual liaisons with Foley after they turned 18 and 21, respectively.^[10][11]

On the October 6, 2006 broadcast of Focus on the Family, Dobson commenting on the congressional page scandal and stated,

We condemn the Foley affair categorically, and we also believe that what Mr. Clinton did was one of the most embarrassing and wicked things ever done by a president in power. Let me remind you, sir, that it was not just James Dobson who found the Lewinsky affair reprehensible. More than 140 newspapers called for Clinton's resignation. But the president didn't do what Mr. Foley has done in leaving. He stayed in office, and he lied to the grand jury to obscure the facts. As it turns out, Mr. Foley has had illicit sex with no one that we know of, and the whole thing turned out to be what some people are now saying was a -- sort of a joke by the boy and some of the other pages.^[12]

On October 11 Dobson claimed Media Matters for America "spun" his remarks by quoting his on-air statement when Dobson said the page scandal "turned out to be what some people are now saying was a -- sort of a joke by the boy and some of the other pages."^[13] Dobson said, "There is a blog called Media Matters for America, and it says, Dobson and Daniel Henninger claiming Foley scandal is 'sort of a joke' and a 'prank' by pages. That story didn't come from me, but it sounds like I believe it."^[13] He was also criticized for this comment by the Denver Post.^[14]

[edit] Politics

Dobson also stirred controversy when he called Vermont senator Patrick Leahy a "God's people hater" in response to Leahy's viewpoints on homosexual marriage.^[15] In a November 2004 interview with George Stephanopoulos, Dobson was asked, "In the 'Daily Oklahoman,' it quoted you saying, 'Patrick Leahy is a God's people hater. I don't know if he hates God, but he hates God's people.'. Do you think you owe Senator Leahy an apology?"^[15] To which Dobson replied, "George, you think you ought to lecture me on what a Christian is all about? You know, I think -I think I'll stand by the things I have said."^[15] Later in the interview Dobson refused to apologize or amend his statement on Leahy.^[15]

[edit] Statements about ethics and science

During the Focus on the Family radio show on August 3, 2005, Dobson criticized United States Senator Bill Frist and others who supported expanded stem cell research, saying:

"In World War II, the Nazis experimented on human beings in horrible ways in the concentration camps, and I imagine, if you wanted to take the time to read about it, there would have been some discoveries there that benefited mankind... You know, if you take a utilitarian approach, that if something results in good, then it is good. But that's obviously not true. We condemn what the Nazis did because there are some things that we always could do but we haven't done, because science always has to be guided by ethics and by morality. And you remove ethics and morality, and you get what happened in Nazi Germany." [16]

[edit] SpongeBob SquarePants controversy

On January 20, 2005, The New York Times published an article, "Conservatives Pick Soft Target: A Cartoon Sponge", that focused on comments made by Dobson on the association of SpongeBob SquarePants with a children’s tolerance video created by the We Are Family Foundation. [17]. Dobson stated that his words were misinterpreted by the media and that he did not accuse the cartoon character of being homosexual. At least one media outlet published a correction. [18]

[edit] Mel Gibson/The Passion of the Christ

On August 11, 2006 Dobson publicly forgave Mel Gibson after Gibson made anti-Semitic remarks to police officers during a DUI traffic stop.[19] In a statement Dobson announced he supported "Mel Gibson and his film, The Passion of the Christ, saying Gibson's anti-Semitic remarks had nothing to do with "one of the finest films of this era." He explained further that "we certainly do not condone that racially insensitive outburst," but added, "Mel has apologized profusely for the incident and there the matter should rest." On the movie, "Our endorsement of it stands as originally stated. We did not believe it was anti-Semitic in 2004, and our views have not changed," Dobson said.

[edit] Books

Dobson has authored or coauthored over 31 books including:

• Bringing Up Boys:Practical Advice and Encouragement for Those Shaping the Next Generation of Men, Focus on the Family 2003, ISBN 0-8423-5266-X
• Dare to Discipline. Bantam, 1982. ISBN 0-553-20346-0
• Emotions: Can You Trust Them?
• The Focus on the Family Complete Book of Baby and Child Care (with Paul C. Reisser)
• Judicial Tyranny: The New Kings of America? - contributing author (Amerisearch, 2005) ISBN 0-9753455-6-7
• Life on the Edge
• Love Must Be Tough: New Hope for Families in Crisis
• Marriage Under Fire: Why We Must Win This Battle, Multnomah Publishers, Inc. (Sisters, Oregon), July 2004
• The New Dare to Discipline
• Night Light: A Devotional for Couples (with his wife Shirley Dobson)
• Night Light for Parents (with Shirley Dobson)
• Parenting Isn't for Cowards
• Preparing for Adolescence ISBN 0-8307-3826-6
• Stories of Heart and Home
• Straight Talk to Men
• Straight Talk: What Men Should Know, What Women Need to Understand
• The Complete Marriage and Family Home Reference Guide
• The Strong-Willed Child. Living Books, 1992. ISBN 0-8423-5924-9
• What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew About Women
• When God Doesn't Make Sense

Dobson also served on the committee that wrote the Meese Report on pornography.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Focus on the Family - Official website
• James Dobson Headlines
• Dobson's political campaign contributions
• James Dobson at SourceWatch
• James Dobson's ProCon.org Biography
• "And on the Eighth Day, Dr. Dobson Created Himself" - Article by Eileen Welsome in 5280 Magazine