James Dobson, Family, and Nation.
Warning: My post today is more of a theological rant than it is any type of quasi-pseudo-scholarly examination. If that is what you are looking for today, you will not find it here.
Hello all:
I listen to several radio stations around the Portland area, including a couple of Christian music stations. Two of these Christian radio stations regularly play the James Dobson Family Minute.
Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but growing up, I thought James Dobson was a member of the Church of Christ because he seemed to be very respected by our fellowship, even my parents. Listening to him now, I can somewhat see why that is… he fits decently into our worldview..close enough to be counted as safe.
I don’t typically care for most of the advice I hear from James Dobson and Focus on the Family. Most of it seems to be psychological and behavoral advice that they try to pass off as biblical or “approved by God,” but really just are human insights that may or may not be correct because of our fallen state.
Most of the time I can handle that, but then I heard this radio clip:
James Dobson Family Minute, 05/23/08 (59 Seconds).
Dobson says that “Any effort to destroy this great nation . . . has to be the ultimate assault on family values.” He goes on to describe how destroying this nation is to subject it to a foreign force that would endanger our freedom. Bill Maer then tells us that it is important to “be grounded in God’s word and to be involved in the Democratic Process . . .whether it is at home or abroad, any issue that threatens the family is one that needs to be faced head on.”
This clip makes several worldy assumptions: that the United States is a great nation, approved by God; that an attack on democracy or freedom is an attack on the family; that Christians have a duty to vote; that Christians have a duty to fight any aggressor that might threaten our nation, democracy, or our freedom.
This flies in the face of Jesus words recorded in Matthew 5:39, “But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
We equate the United States with Israel. Sometimes it appears that we have embraced Alexander Campbell’s Post-Millenialism… and believe that the Millenium is here, and that we are living in the renewed Earth, with our country as the renewed Israel, our President, no matter who he is, sitting on the throne of David.
Instead, we are living on a fallen Earth, in a Nation that is just as wicked before God as Babylon, believing that we are doing right by fighting anyone who attacks our freedom and our ability to buy whatever we want.
Our forefathers in Churches of Christ wouldn’t have bought into James Dobson’s Worldview, but we appear to have swallowed the line whole.
-Clarke
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June 28th, 2008 at 20:23
Clarke-
Thanks for writing about this. I certainly don’t speak for everyone but the vast majority of preacher friends I have in Churches of Christ absolutely cannot stand James Dobson. And neither, for that matter, can a growing majority of Christians in this country. I think Dobson has overplayed his hand and it is going to come back to bite him. He does not speak for all Christians in any way, shape, or form. Now, saying this does not mean that I agree with everything that those Dobson opposes believe in. I don’t. But I think that the way he goes about things is not good. And this says nothing about his views, which as you point out are very dangerous. This idea of a Christian nation is not Biblical and it is dangerous. I think that most of the people in our pews would agree with Dobson so what I do is I try and subtly counter his arguments whenever I can. For my money men like Jim Wallis and Brian McLaren have a much healthier view in these areas. If you have never read God’s Politics by Jim Wallis, go get it ASAP. And it is for this reason mainly that I firmly am supporting Obama. While I don’t agree with him on everything, his views in the areas you speak of are much healthier in my opinion.
If you haven’t checked it out, also, Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, who is a close friend of President Bush, has set up a website along with others refuting Dr. Dobson. The website is:
www.jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com
Blessings.
July 7th, 2008 at 9:04
The intersection of faith and politics is a dangerous place. The existence of the Falwells and Jeremiah Wrights of the world should prove that.
On the other hand, though, in a relative sense, Dobson’s point has some merit. The USA is probably the greatest nation that has ever existed on earth in every sense of the term. Mostly, I’d attribute this to its individualistic / libertarian bent, as opposed to the horrors of the collectivist / authoritarian / utopian nations, be they Communist, Fascist, Nazi, or socialist. Where America has erred, it’s usually erred because it strayed from its ideals.
The lesson? #1 - Man seems to get along best when he doesn’t try to impose heaven on earth. #2 - Even the greatest of human nations is inherently flawed because it’s just that: a human nation.
July 7th, 2008 at 12:43
James Dobson came to speak for the American Heritage Series at Harding when I studied there in the late ’90s. He gave quite a rant about America as a Christian nation and was pretty well-received by the mostly Church of Christ crowd.
Then his wife came to the lectern. Yes, it was supposed to be a lecture, but she spoke from the Bible and misquoted that word to the ancient Israelites about seeking God’s face so he would heal the land. She raised her fist and screeched that we could do it.
I’m pretty sure I could hear teeth grinding around me.