God help us, we have to remain strong and shield ourselves against these false prophets and con artists circulating among us.
Bears repeating!
Go Fred, Go!
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.
Virtually all law is at its core a legislation of morality. For example - laws against murder are a legislation of the moral law “thou shalt not kill.” Your federalism concerns would be appropriate if we were trying to use the courts to impose a ban on gay marriage - like the liberals did with abortion. However, we are talking about a constitutional amendment here. Constitutional amendments are by definition constitutional and thus are not subject to concerns about federalism.
“The amendment is not feasible. Not. Gonna. Happen.”
Yeah, and the Berlin Wall will never come down either.
Thompson’s refusal to support a Marriage Protection Amendment is a reflection of him, not it.
It signals people for whom it’s a non-negotiable issue — those of us who believe being faithful to the defense of marriage is the point, regardless of your assessment of its political viability — as to whether he shares our worldview or not.
Just as the simple issue of Romney’s opposition to the Boy Scout policy protecting 12 year olds from exposure to individuals openly involved in homosexual activity tells us that he does not share our worldview, no matter how many “pro-family” lines he’s learned to mouthe since promoting abortion and the homosexual agenda and gun control for a dozen years.
God help us, we have to remain strong and shield ourselves against these false prophets and con artists circulating among us.
Bears repeating!
Go Fred, Go!
He is the founder of Focus on the Family. He is extremely influential in social conservative circles. He has not been as politically active as some of the other leaders but he is probably the most respected. When he speaks other social conservatives listen.
My guess is that he will probably endorse Huckabee. I wish that he would endorse Hunter, however, Huckabee has now been endorsed by HSLDA and Faith 2 Action, as well as winning the Value Voters poll overwhelmingly. So, since Dobson has completely rejected Thompson I would expect that he will join the other social conservative leaders and endorse Huckabee. If he does so Huckabee will quickly rise to the top tier because he will have the support of must of the Christian Conservative movement.
Someone is going to eventually be the final choice for the GOP, and if the final choice ends up being somebody that too many conservatives all over the U.S. truly decide not to vote for, then Hillary Clinton will probably have enough votes to both win the ‘08 Presidency as well as also help the Democrats win in other races at every level throughout the entire U.S.! Conservatives truly need to work together to truly defeat the “leftist” Democrats at every political level in ‘07, ‘08, and beyond, and not doing this will end up truly creating long-term socialism throughout the U.S.! Does Mr. Dobson and a majority of conservatives all over the entire U.S. truly want to kill themselves politically by making socialism exist throughout the U.S. for the long-term?
Dobson is a good man and highly respected. You should be ashamed of yourself.
I am a strong believer in federalism. I go so far as to want a return of the state legislatures election of the U.S. Senators for thier states. That said, marriage is too fundamental to mess with. Protect it within the Federal Constitution. It’s wrong to see that protection as a “violation” of Federalism. By amending the Constitution, you amend what federalism means under the Constitution. Homosexual marriage is a Sodom and Gommorrah level corruption of the society. We are rushing right past late Roman levels of sin to Old Testament, fire and brimstone, unleash the flood types of societies. It’s worth an Amendment to stop homosexual marriage.
One of my sons said something to me one time. He said: “When you think about it, God is pro-choice. He lets us know what is right and what is wrong and WE MAKE THE CHOICE.”
No way I’d say I’m “pro-choice”, but he has a point.
I am a little confused about your ambivalent attitude towards James Dobson. He is one of the nicest and most respected leaders of the social conservative movement. Focus on the Family has been a tremendous resource and untill more recent years he hasn’t even been extremely involved in politics. When he has gotten involved in politics it usually has been over very important issues. Most of the social conservatives that I know think the world of him. So, I am surprised that you seem to have a negative opinion of him.
I agree. We will unite to defeat shrillary after we select the best guy to do that. Right now, it’s time to slug it out in the GOP.
Speaking of “influences,” I tend to respect the influence and integrity of our forum host more highly than James Dobson.
If Fred were not a bona fide conservative choice in this election, Jim Robinson would certainly not support him.
Thats not fair at all and you know it. You have issues that you feel strongly about and oppose certain candidates that disagree with you. Dobson is the same way: he is very concerned about abortion and marriage. Thompson seems to be less concerned about these issues and frankly has done a lot of distancing himself from social conservatives since he entered the race. So, no, Dobson doesn’t demand perfection he just wants a candidate who is willing to fight for life and marriage.
I know better than to drink Demon Rum, but I do.
>>>>You disagree with him but he is a very good man of great integrity who has done a lot of good for this country.
He is a B+ at best
>>>He is probably the most respected leader in the social conservative movement.
He is not even close to the top.
>>>> So, when you ridicule him you are ridiculing all of the rest of us and insulting us is not a good idea when you need our votes to win.
If that is the official attitude of the Christian Social Conservative Movement, then to Hell with you, and that is not meant as a curse, but rather MapQuest for the afterlife.
The problem with the so-called Christian Social Conservative Movement is that it takes the position that if a candidate does not agree with them 100%, then they will sit hone and not vote.
Since when can any movement that seeks to emulate Jesus claim to be perfect? That’s what you are doing. In a practical sense, you tell candidates “If you do not agree with us 100%, then there is no room for discussion. We are perfect. If you do no kow tow to us on every point and every issue, you are imperfect and should not be elected.”
If Jesus had followed that philosophy, there would have been no Disciples.
Stop and think about it. Following your philosophy, it;s better to elect a liberal Dem an a very Conservative Republican if that Republican was Jewish, or disagreed with you on just one point.
This is the movement that says Mother Theresa (No, not Ms. Heinz-Kerry; the one who worked in India) can never go to heaven because she was not born again. Trust me, if Mother Theresa isn’t in heaven, then the only way any of us are going to get above 100,000 feet is in the Space Shuttle!
I am a Christian, an ordained elder in my mainstream Protestant church, and I detest bigotry of any kind. When Mr. Dobson tells me not to vote for a candidate becaus ehe isn't pure "enough", then that is bigotry.... or perhaps he forgot who said "Let him among you who is without sin cast the first stone."
Show me a minister with two suits and I'll show you a fraud!" Lenny Bruce.
Today’s evilvangelicals ARE the modern-day pharisees.
WRONG and disgusting.
Where was Fred when the Clintons were running the Chinese Carry Out presidency?
Conducting a dignified, objective investigation. Unfortunately politics were more important then than they were when he was investigating WaterGate and so his respect and professionalism was used against him, but you already knew that.
My ambivalence is that I don’t pay him any attention. I see his name bandied about in the news. I don’t look to any religious leaders other than Pope Benedict and my parish priest. I know Dobson is a conservative, that’s good. I just have no interest in his ministry or newsletter. If he endorses Hunter, then I’ll be interested in his politics.
Dobson wants someone who will give him access.
“If the final (GOP nominee) ends up being somebody that too many conservatives all over the U.S. truly decide not to vote for, then Hillary Clinton will probably have enough votes to...win the ‘08 Presidency...”
Strongly agree.
Nominees, in my opinion, certain to be as you describe and thus guarantee Hillary the WH:
Giuliani
Romney
Either of these two puts even some southern states in play.
Some Soros-funded 527 will be happy to air TV spots featuring actual video of Rudy dressed up as Dolly Parton, with Donald Trump kissing “her” breasts, or in a can-can line kicking up his sequin and pantyhose-clad legs. (They’d be fools not to.) And can you imagine placards of the same photos being paraded back and forth in every Islamofascist street in the Middle East...the President of the United States in drag?
Or similar footage of Mitt explaining how passionately he pledges to defend “a woman’s right to choose” (to pay to have her prenatal child killed) and why he thinks men openly involved in homosexual behavior should be allowed to participate in the Boy Scouts.
Kiss of death in the South in either case.
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