Shocker: James Dobson criticizes Obama's reading of the Bible

[Pittsax]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25343812/
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - As Barack Obama broadens his outreach to evangelical voters, one of the movement's biggest names, James Dobson, accuses the likely Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible and pushing a "fruitcake interpretation" of the Constitution.

The criticism, to be aired Tuesday on Dobson's Focus on the Family radio program, comes shortly after an Obama aide suggested a meeting at the organization's headquarters here, said Tom Minnery, senior vice president for government and public policy at Focus on the Family.

The conservative Christian group provided The Associated Press with an advance copy of the pre-taped radio segment, which runs 18 minutes and highlights excerpts of a speech Obama gave in June 2006 to the liberal Christian group Call to Renewal. Obama mentions Dobson in the speech.

"Even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools?" Obama said. "Would we go with James Dobson's or Al Sharpton's?" referring to the civil rights leader.

Dobson took aim at examples Obama cited in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy — chapters like Leviticus, which Obama said suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination, or Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, "a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application."

"Folks haven't been reading their Bibles," Obama said.

'Deliberately distorting'
Dobson and Minnery accused Obama of wrongly equating Old Testament texts and dietary codes that no longer apply to Jesus' teachings in the New Testament.

"I think he's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology," Dobson said.

"... He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter."

Joshua DuBois, director of religious affairs for Obama's campaign, said in a statement that a full reading of Obama's speech shows he is committed to reaching out to people of faith and standing up for families. "Obama is proud to have the support of millions of Americans of faith and looks forward to working across religious lines to bring our country together," DuBois said.

Dobson reserved some of his harshest criticism for Obama's argument that the religiously motivated must frame debates over issues like abortion not just in their own religion's terms but in arguments accessible to all people.

He said Obama, who supports abortion rights, is trying to govern by the "lowest common denominator of morality," labeling it "a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution."

"Am I required in a democracy to conform my efforts in the political arena to his bloody notion of what is right with regard to the lives of tiny babies?" Dobson said. "What he's trying to say here is unless everybody agrees, we have no right to fight for what we believe."

The program was paid for by a Focus on the Family affiliate whose donations are taxed, Dobson said, so it's legal for that group to get more involved in politics.

Possible visit
Last week, DuBois, a former Assemblies of God associate minister, called Minnery for what Minnery described as a cordial discussion. He would not go into detail, but said Dubois offered to visit the ministry in August when the Democratic National Convention is in Denver.

A possible Obama visit was not discussed, but Focus is open to one, Minnery said.

McCain also has not met with Dobson. A McCain campaign staffer offered Dobson a meeting with McCain recently in Denver, Minnery said. Dobson declined because he prefers that candidates visit the Focus on the Family campus to learn more about the organization, Minnery said.

Dobson has not backed off his statement that he could not in good conscience vote for McCain because of concerns over the Arizona senator's conservative credentials. Dobson has said he will vote in November but has suggested he might not vote for president.

Obama recently met in Chicago with religious leaders, including conservative evangelicals. His campaign also plans thousands of "American Values House Parties," where participants discuss Obama and religion, as well as a presence on Christian radio and blogs.

I love how Dobson totally dismisses the Old Testament and Leviticus in particular in response to the slavery and shellfish comment, yet that's where his anti-abortion and "stone the gays" comments usually derive from. I don't recall Jesus ever preaching hate against gays and saying that abortion was evil.....

[leekohler]

Dobson is a psycho, with an ego that dwarfs the size of his congregation. Remember, with people like him, it's not enough to believe themselves. Everyone else has to believe the same things too.

[Peace]

This just proves how racist most conservative "christian" groups really are.

And I personally don't consider them Christian. Jesus taught tolerance and love not hatred.

[leekohler]

This just proves how racist most conservative "christian" groups really are.

And I personally don't consider them Christian. Jesus taught tolerance and love not hatred.

You would be correct. Hmm...wonder how big his bank account is? That should speak volumes about which "god" he worships.

[clevin]

i would just skip lunies like this If I were Mr. Obama. Whats the point.

[Peace]

i would just skip lunies like this If I were Mr. Obama. Whats the point.

Well he proved one of his points by doing this. He said he was willing to talk to the worlds craziest people.;)

[leekohler]

i would just skip lunies like this If I were Mr. Obama. Whats the point.

I agree. Obama needs to focus on bigger things, not this wacko.

[NT1440]

I agree. Obama needs to focus on bigger things, not this wacko.

well if he focuses on just bigger things Mccains camp just says hes not in touch with the average American, "town hall" debates anyone?:rolleyes:

[benmrii]

The Christian Right is neither.

I agree, avoid getting into a back and forth with this nutball. You won't win if you have to put yourself in the gutter to fight. Dobson makes his career twisting the Bible to say what he wants it to say, preaching fear and anger and hate. You can't win against that because he worships his own 'interpretation' more than anything else.

[Gelfin]

You know, when I was a kid Dobson was a mostly innocuous guy authoring and selling Sunday School materials on the subject of getting along with your own family. I'm sure he was still conservative, but if he had an overtly hateful agenda, it wasn't especially evident from where I was sitting.

Now he's just gone absolutely chiropteran-poop-peculiar. Dobson is really the perfect case study in what money and national political influence do to preachers in the U.S.. Even more so than Pat Robertson, since I don't think Robertson actually believes in God or ever has.

The really disappointing thing is that it was beginning to look like there was a chance we might actually skate by with electing a President instead of a High Priest for once, that "evangelicals" might actually be forced to think about issues for once, but this lunatic is trying to drag it back down to the shallow and completely unprovable level of who God likes better.

I only wish Americans on the whole were canny enough to see this for the underhanded sabotage of their interests that it is. Whether you believe in God or not, nobody is served by ignoring the dire and tangible issues the next President will face to debate which candidate can squeeze more angels onto the head of a pin. Of course, we have proven time and again Americans are not that canny. As much as I'd like to be able to suggest Obama just ignore this tiresome and facile angle of attack, there are a lot of people who will take it seriously no matter how meaningless it is objectively, and as loathe as I am to admit it, he needs to make at least a token effort to defuse Dobson so that evangelicals don't swarm out and vote against him for no good reason.

[benmrii]

Gelfin, such a great post. Well said, and I'm in line behind you.

And I also just have to say that

chiropteran-poop-peculiar

is just brilliant. Never a more PC way of saying b**-s***-c****. I'm stealing it. :D

[Thomas Veil]

You know, when I was a kid Dobson was a mostly innocuous guy authoring and selling Sunday School materials on the subject of getting along with your own family. I'm sure he was still conservative, but if he had an overtly hateful agenda, it wasn't especially evident from where I was sitting.

Now he's just gone absolutely chiropteran-poop-peculiar.Ditto. When our kids were little, my wife was into Dobson (though I wasn't), believing that he gave good guidance for raising a family.

Nowadays he's become just another theocratic nutcase. Observe:

"Even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools?" Obama said. "Would we go with James Dobson's or Al Sharpton's?" referring to the civil rights leader....

Joshua DuBois, director of religious affairs for Obama's campaign, said in a statement that a full reading of Obama's speech shows he is committed to reaching out to people of faith and standing up for families. "Obama is proud to have the support of millions of Americans of faith and looks forward to working across religious lines to bring our country together," DuBois said.

Dobson reserved some of his harshest criticism for Obama's argument that the religiously motivated must frame debates over issues like abortion not just in their own religion's terms but in arguments accessible to all people.Now check this (http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=5229895&page=1) out:

...New poll numbers released today from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life show that Americans are overwhelmingly open-minded about faith. A majority of Americans -- 70 percent -- say that many religions, not just their own, can lead to eternal life.

Mary Burrell, a St. John's Episcopal Church member in New York City, accepts that believers of other religions can also be saved. "I believe in every religion. It's hard for me to be just nailed down to Christianity," she shared with ABC News.

Christopher Scott, a member of Burrell's congregation, echoes her inclusiveness: "I don't think there's any doubt that that's possible. ... Anyone can find their way."

John Green, who conducted the poll, was genuinely surprised by the results. The findings show that 83 percent of mainline Protestants, 79 percent of Catholics, 82 percent of Jews, and 56 percent of Muslims concur that eternal life is not exclusive to their faith.

"I didn't think it would be that high," Green remarked, "and I didn't think that the figures would extend to so many different religious communities."Looks like Christians are a lot more aligned with Obama's open-minded way of thinking than they are with Dobson's fanaticism.

[Thanatoast]

I knew Dobson was wrong to start, but then:"Am I required in a democracy to conform my efforts in the political arena to his bloody notion of what is right with regard to the lives of tiny babies?" Dobson said. "What he's trying to say here is unless everybody agrees, we have no right to fight for what we believe."proves he's also dumb.

Obama never said either of those things.

Sadly there are people who take notes on his sermons on Sundays. Wish they'd take notes on the Bible instead...

[miloblithe]

Looks like Christians are a lot more aligned with Obama's open-minded way of thinking than they are with Dobson's fanaticism.

Well, what percentage of evangelicals believe that eternal life is not exclusive to their faith? I imagine Muslims (in the US) are significantly higher at 56%.

[mactastic]

Heh... a message of "I hate the other guy more than I hate my guy" isn't exactly going to bring droves of believers to the polls.

Dobson's a worthless crank. He might as well be shaking his fist in impotent rage while screaming "You god damn kids get off my Bible".

[skunk]

Wish they'd take notes on the Bible instead...Notes on real life might be even better.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Dobson is a psycho, with an ego that dwarfs the size of his congregation. Remember, with people like him, it's not enough to believe themselves. Everyone else has to believe the same things too.Dont forget ,while making big $$$ selling his ancient book. Dobson takes Obama out of contex. Obama is right and the DOBSONS are why we do have a seperation of church & state. Take your religion and.....

[themadchemist]

...New poll numbers released today from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life show that Americans are overwhelmingly open-minded about faith. A majority of Americans -- 70 percent -- say that many religions, not just their own, can lead to eternal life.

Mary Burrell, a St. John's Episcopal Church member in New York City, accepts that believers of other religions can also be saved. "I believe in every religion. It's hard for me to be just nailed down to Christianity," she shared with ABC News.

Christopher Scott, a member of Burrell's congregation, echoes her inclusiveness: "I don't think there's any doubt that that's possible. ... Anyone can find their way."

John Green, who conducted the poll, was genuinely surprised by the results. The findings show that 83 percent of mainline Protestants, 79 percent of Catholics, 82 percent of Jews, and 56 percent of Muslims concur that eternal life is not exclusive to their faith.

"I didn't think it would be that high," Green remarked, "and I didn't think that the figures would extend to so many different religious communities."


That's really encouraging!! I'm surprised by the figures, too, but they're wonderful to see. Thanks for sharing.

[solvs]

i would just skip lunies like this If I were Mr. Obama. Whats the point.
I'm actually glad he has:

Obama dismisses Dobson criticism about Bible (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080625/ap_on_el_pr/dobson_obama)

It's a tough tightrope to walk, he doesn't want to legitimize him by having to mention it, but it's out there and he should do something to combat the smear.

I was listening to someone comment on the timing of this, as Dobson was taking something Obama said quite awhile ago, and they pointed out that this might be because while McCain isn't really making an inroad with some religious types, Obama actually is. I guess Dobson railed against McCain so much he can't really come out and support him, but he can try to attack Obama. Even if he is just, no pun intended, preaching to the converted. Moderates might be kinda turned off by the rhetoric you'd think. And might be more worried about the real problems facing us. But as another talking head pointed out on some other show I can't remember, at this point the GOP can't really run on the issues right now. They kinda have to distract with things like this. I just don't think it'll help as much as it used to:

Fellow Christians - we have been fooled for too long (http://www.excons.org/2008/06/19/fellow-christians-we-have-been-fooled-for-too-long/)

Read the article. It's not exactly what you'd think. He doesn't say vote Dem, or don't vote GOP, just to pay more attention to the real issues than those who wear the Bibles on their sleeves. Which Obama is actually doing more of lately. For better or worse. Reading his books, listening to his podcasts, then David Kuo's book about Rove and Bush (not as religious as they pretend to be, for those who still don't know) that could be a good thing if he actually follows the good ideals of the Bible. All while, as Dobson pointed out, also considering those of other religions or no religion at all.

Notes on real life might be even better.
The above I posted is the best you're going to get from some people, but it's not that bad, and often close enough to it you can't even tell it's not butter.

[solvs]

VIDEO: Obama's Outreach to Evangelicals (http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/395330.aspx)
James Dobson Doesn't Speak For Me (http://www.jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com/)
McCain's Evangelical Problem (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/06/mccains_evangelical_problem.html)

No wonder the right is so worried right now.

Not for lack of McCain trying:

McCain tries to assure conservatives (http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/26/1171065.aspx)

[Gray-Wolf]

In a choice between the two, Dobson gets my vote, over Obama. The bible, is the final authority.

[solvs]

In a choice between the two, Dobson gets my vote, over Obama. The bible, is the final authority.

But who's take on the Bible? That's the point. Dobson has his, which he claims is the correct view that everyone else should follow. Where he gets this authority, he doesn't say. Obama has his, which he says is his alone, claiming to respect the views of others.

In the world Obama is talking about, you are free to your views, provided they don't negatively affect others, whereas in the world Dobson talks about, you are free to his views.

[.Andy]

But who's take on the Bible? That's the point. Dobson has his, which he claims is the correct view that everyone else should follow. Where he gets this authority, he doesn't say. Obama has his, which he says is his alone, claiming to respect the views of others.

In the world Obama is talking about, you are free to your views, provided they don't negatively affect others, whereas in the world Dobson talks about, you are free to his views.
The correct take on the bible is the one in line with your politics.

[és:]

"These people don't believe in the Prophets and 'peace be upon them', they believe in the profits and how to get a piece of them"

[solvs]

The correct take on the bible is the one in line with your politics.
Actually, the speech Dobson was referencing says something a little different:
"Even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson's or Al Sharpton's?"
-
It was the forbearers of the evangelicals who were the most adamant about not mingling government with religious, because they did not want state-sponsored religion hindering their ability to practice their faith as they understood it.
-
when we shy away from religious venues and religious broadcasts because we assume that we will be unwelcome - others will fill the vacuum, those with the most insular views of faith, or those who cynically use religion to justify partisan ends.
-
Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason. I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God's will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.
http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal

Makes more sense to me than some of what Dobson has pushed:

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Dobson

Scary stuff.

[.Andy]

Actually, the speech Dobson was referencing says something a little different:
With those type of kooky pseudochritian (aka muslim) values he espoused america is doomed. Everyone knows people of no faith have no morals.

[benmrii]

In a choice between the two, Dobson gets my vote, over Obama. The bible, is the final authority.

Considering a great deal of Dobson's interpretation of the Bible is at odds with - and at times considered heretical - the majority of reputable Biblical scholars I'm not sure this is a resounding endorsement.

Also, I don't think Dobson is running for president. :D

[63dot]

i would just skip lunies like this If I were Mr. Obama. Whats the point.

while i am voting for obama, as i did in the primaries, it worries me that he wants to have dialogue with what appears to be a bigot

dobson seemed ok when he stayed in religion but his move to politics has possibly shown his real colors

to be fair sharpton is more political these days, too and i just don't see that as any pastor's job

if any pastor wants to be in politics so badly, they should go and do that and run in the secular political process, and not mess up their congregation who are there to hear biblical truths, not spins on the bible to push this or that up and coming political star headed for the white house