Posted on 09/19/2007 7:14:10 PM PDT by pissant
DENVER (AP) — James Dobson, one of the nation's most politically influential evangelical Christians, made it clear in a message to friends this week he will not support Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson.
In a private e-mail obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, Dobson accuses the former Tennessee senator and actor of being weak on the campaign trail and wrong on issues dear to social conservatives.
"Isn't Thompson the candidate who is opposed to a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, believes there should be 50 different definitions of marriage in the U.S., favors McCain-Feingold, won't talk at all about what he believes, and can't speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail?" Dobson wrote.
"He has no passion, no zeal, and no apparent 'want to.' And yet he is apparently the Great Hope that burns in the breasts of many conservative Christians? Well, not for me, my brothers. Not for me!"
The founder and chairman of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, Dobson draws a radio audience in the millions, many of whom who first came to trust the child psychologist for his conservative Christian advice on child-rearing.
Gary Schneeberger, a Focus on the Family spokesman, confirmed that Dobson wrote the e-mail. Schneeberger declined to comment further, saying it would be inappropriate because Dobson's comments about presidential candidates are made as an individual and not as a representative of Focus on the Family, a nonprofit organization restricted from partisan politics.
Dobson's strong words about Thompson underscore the frustration and lack of unity among Christian conservatives about the GOP field. Some Christian right leaders have pinned their hopes on Thompson, describing him as a Southern-fried Ronald Reagan. But others have voiced doubts in recent weeks about some of the same issues Dobson highlighted: his position on gay marriage and support for the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation.
Dobson and other Christian conservatives support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would bar gay marriage nationally. Thompson has said he would support a constitutional amendment that would prohibit states from imposing their gay marriage laws on other states, which falls well short of that.
Karen Hanretty, a spokeswoman for the Thompson campaign, said Wednesday in response to the Dobson e-mail: "Fred Thompson has a 100 percent pro-life voting record. He believes strongly in returning authority to the levels of government closest to families and communities, protecting states from intrusion by the federal government and activist judges.
"We're confident as voters get to know Fred, they'll appreciate his conservative principles, and he is the one conservative in this race who can win the nomination and can go on to defeat the Democratic nominee."
In his e-mail addressed "Dear friends," Dobson includes the text of a recent news story highlighting Thompson's statement that while he was baptized in the Church of Christ, he does not attend church regularly and won't speak about his faith on the stump.
U.S. News and World Report quoted Dobson earlier this year as questioning Thompson's commitment to the Christian faith — comments Dobson contended were not put in proper context. Dobson in this week's e-mail writes that suppositions "about the former senator's never having professed to be a Christian are turning out to be accurate in substance."
Earlier this year, Dobson said he wouldn't back John McCain because of the Arizona senator's opposition to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Later, Dobson wrote on a conservative news Web site that he wouldn't support former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani should he win the Republican nomination. Dobson called Giuliani an "unapologetic supporter of abortion on demand" and criticized him for signing a bill in 1997 creating domestic-partnership benefits in New York City.
Last week, Dobson announced on his radio show that the IRS had cleared him of accusations that he had endangered his organization's nonprofit status by endorsing Republican candidates in 2004. The IRS said Dobson, who endorsed President Bush's re-election bid, was acting as an individual and not on behalf of the nonprofit group.
As a non-Catholic, evangelist, you aren’t Christian: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288841,00.html
Yes, [Evangelists] tend to be nice people with good values. But their doctrine is not compatible with [Catholic doctrine.]
Perhaps you might want to chew on that for a while before mounting your anti-Mormon soapbox.
i had no idea this guy was so inflammatory. but come on. saying that this guys views have nothing to do with this gigantic intergalactic corporation that he founded, is the chairman of AND who produces his far-reaching radio show is a little naive, imho. these are just his personal views? come on.
and i love how people who would destroy the IRS on principle 364 days a year will stand by their impeccable judgement when it comes to clearing this guy of any wrongdoing.
again, i don't know who this guy is. he doesn't get much press in new york city. if the people in fly-over country want to take their cues from dobson because he wants a constitutional ban on gay-marriage, then fine. just wait until hillary gets elected and the new national flag becomes an upside-down rainbow triangle.
this guy needs to bring himself into the 21st century. his issues just don't matter when you are talking about electing the leader of the free world.
There will always be a gap in religion bridged by the act belief. If you were genuinely searching for “truth,” then your mind would be open to the possibilities incompatible with beliefs you now hold dear. You can’t have it both ways: a searcher for truth and a believer.
If I'm not Mormon I can not enter their temples?
Except on "Grand Opening" day...the new one in Fresno allowed the public in for guided tours "one night only". The "stakes" (regular churches) no problemo. Not even all Mormons can get into the Temple.
Again, nothing creepy about it.
Those chairs don’t look particularly comfortable.
You don’t even know Bible 101
I never said you were begotten read it again!
You still are a child of God just not begotten as Jesus was!
You can in the back door!
“I’ve read about this guy Dobson here at FR many times over the years. Is he big in the South or something? Are there a lot of people who listen to what he says, and vote the way he recommends”
Oh gosh, he was a huge influence in my life during the child-rearing years. I first heard his radio program before I even had my first baby almost 24 years ago. I was PG and heard an interview with Raymond Moore who was a pioneer in homeschooling. I was totally amazed and proceeded to homeschool all my kids and have been doing so for 19 years with terrific results.
Dobson’s books, monthly magazine and radio programs have encouraged me many times in many ways...motherhood, marriage, my own walk with God...on and on. I haven’t listened to him at all the last few years only because I am so busy and don’t listen to the radio much at all anymore but his program was on my kitchen radio every morning while the kids were babies and toddlers and I got a LOT of encouragement and wisdom from his programs.
Focus on the Family is the name of the organization he founded. They also produce a radio drama for kids called ‘Adventures in Oddysey’ My kids grew up on the weekly and nightly episodes.
I don’t follow his politics since I don’t get his publications or listen to his program anymore but I have nothing but respect for the man and his ministry...just because it was such a help to me as a young mom.
It makes me a little sad to see the thrashing he is getting on Free Republic right now...but to each his own.
I thought I would clue you in a little on what I know about him.
Thank you.
My occasional readings about Dobson here at FR have sometimes left me with the impression that Dobson has tried to bloat himself up as a kingmaker for the GOP. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but that’s the way it sounds.
I am child of God
Let him stick to the religious matters, not politics. I am a Conservative Christan, but my political efforts stop at the church door.
he should worry about his own house and stop trying to push his values on the entire country. what's good for arkansas might not be so good for new york. maybe next he'll be pushing for a constitutional ban on judaism. or atheism.
If they don’t like Romney in SC why would they like a New York Liberal running on a liberal platform any better?
yes, I think the church has for the most part fallen down badly in teaching people how to be still and know God, as the fhu.com does so well. What good is it to be a christian if you haven’t discovered the power over sin. If folks like Dobson would be doing their jobs better this country would be alot better off.
good post - your story is amazingly similar to ours!
Not a RINO, but you can't take the carry-my-golf-clubs out of someone like him.
So what?
Looks like the MSM is up to its old tricks again. What right does the AP have to publish a private email by Dobson without his knowledge or consent?
This is proof of how much the media fears Thompson.
As far as Dobson's comments, though, he could have made the same points about Bush's record in Texas on abortion and social issues. But, Bush has ended up being a strong pro-lifer and ally of social conservatives.
With the passing of Jerry Falwell, he is probably the most prominent Christian political leader in the country. It would be helpful if he actually backed a conservative that could win the nomination and election.
Having social conservatives divided on the nominee makes it easier for liberal like Giuliani to win the nomination.
“My occasional readings about Dobson here at FR have sometimes left me with the impression that Dobson has tried to bloat himself up as a kingmaker for the GOP. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but that’s the way it sounds”
*********************************
Hmm, yeah, maybe so...I really don’t know.
I occasionally get an email from my oldest daughter in regards to legislation that Dr. Dobson is encouraging his listeners and readers to call their congressmen about. Usually it is anything related to family issues...anything that would harm the institution of marriage and family. I think he is right on in those areas but I really don’t know much else about what he is saying these days. As it gets closer to election time I start to pay more attention.
Oh yeah, and his organization, Focus on the Family, is located in Colorado Springs, CO.
You are quite wrong. The Pope said no such thing, in fact has never said such a thing. The Catholic Church does not nor has She ever taught that non-Catholic evangelical Christians aren't Christian. And the very article you posted in support of your assertion doesn't even make the claim . Heck, the teaching of the Catholic Church is that anyone outside of the Catholic faith who is validly baptized is a member of the Church, albeit imperfectly.
From the article you linked:
The other communities "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" because they do not have apostolic succession -- the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles -- and therefore their priestly ordinations are not valid, it said.
That unchanging teaching of the Church was somehow widely misinterpreted into meaning that the Catholic Church was claiming that Christians outside of the Church were somehow not Christian. That could not be further from the truth.
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