Girlie Fighters

Years ago I met the Coach.  I remain impressed with his direct Christian approach.  He started a recent column, "Christian leadership is soft. They think that talking and praying constitutes ‘fighting’. War, to them, is arguing with Juan Williams on Fox News, when in fact, words mean nothing. Words are the weapons of girlie fighters."

Girlie fighters.  Yea, he said that.

After quoting James Dobson's now infamous quote about the failure of the pro family movement

“We tried to defend the unborn child, the dignity of the family, but it was a holding action. We are awash in evil and the battle is still to be waged. We are right now in the most discouraging period of that long conflict. Humanly speaking, we can say we have lost all those battles."

the Coach names names, "So now, they say it is time to disobey. WE WILL NOT OBEY! I hear them bombasting in regard to their anticipated defeat in the Supreme Court’s homo-marriage decision. Really? They are going to go to jail? James Dobson, Tony Perkins, Matt Staver, Franklin Graham, Jerry Johnson, Rick Santorum, Keith Fornier, Rick Scarborough—they’re willing to go to jail? REALLY?"

Focus on Dr. Dobson

My favorite people these days have something to do with football.  My buddy in Ohio, Coach Dave Daubenmire, is running for Congress in one of America's most conservative Congressional districts.  He coached football until the prayer police tried to make him stop.  They failed, but he got so disgusted with fearful leaders during the year long fight that he quit ... coaching football.  He kept right on coaching though.  He traded a non-descript cap for his trademark cross hat and took to preaching, and coaching guys like me.  I enjoy his columns published on newswithviews.com.

My new favorite football guy used to play NFL ball.  He's now a preacher also.  The good Reverend Ken Hutcherson penned a doozie of a column the other day.  World Net Daily published it.  He titled it I lost my Focus on the Family.

Hutcherson says he spoke personally with both Jim Daly and Dr. Dobson.  He claims that he's the only one who has spoken to both of them about Dobson's recent departure from the ministry he founded over three decades ago.  I'm sure there are many folks around the world who looked on these developments and would have enjoyed a conversation with both men.  I count myself among them.  Maybe "enjoyed" isn't the right word.  It isn't enjoyable to discuss these developments with anyone, but it is necessary.

I attend a small Nazarene Church in rural Maine.  Dobson was raised by a Nazarene evangelist father.  I'm sure he got his toughness from his dad.  It's no picnic being an evangelist.

Having inherited his dad's grit, as leader of Focus on the Family Dr. Dobson stood up when it was absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to endorse publicly the notion of spanking.  He not only endorsed it, he taught us all how to do it Biblically.  Moreover, Dr. Dobson taught us about discipline, choosing to do the hard thing for the good of others.

Dr. Dobson helped Paulie and I raise three sons who we couldn't be more proud of today.  All three have demonstrated with their actions deep commitments to God, family and country.  Between them there are three combat tours to Iraq with the United States Marines, and work in high levels of our government protecting all of us from terrorists.  And they're just getting started, none of them having crested 25 years of age.  I credit Dr. Dobson's Focus on the Family with providing significant, very significant, guidance to our parenting.

Dr. Dobson is an American hero.  He should be broadcasting from the Focus microphone until the day HE chooses to retire, and not before.  It is beyond belief, what has been done here.  I feel like listeners to Focus on the Family should object to this move and demand that Dr. Dobson be returned to the host chair of Focus on the Family.

His new radio venture is unwise for the movement.  I'm ashamed to call myself an evangelical as I think about this.  Surely we must do better with the war horses of our movement?  Dr. Dobson is in his prime.  God has brought him through so much.  Agree or disagree we need his ideas as host of Focus on the Family, not as the host of some side show.

Dr. Dobson is not to blame here.  He is too much of a gentleman to make Focus look bad.  I honor him for that.  The board of Focus on the Family needs to make a course correction, and invite Dr. Dobson back to the microphone.

Peter LaBarbera, the leader of  Americans for Truth observed:

We also suspect that Focus may be feeling the pull of George Barna’s polling research denigrating “religious right” activism (e.g., Barna Group President David Kinnaman’s and Gabe Lyon’s influential yet painfully shallow book UnChristian) and the appeasing liberal Christian “Emergents” — both of which appeal to younger generations of Christians who eschew the polarizing “culture war.”  In that regard, Focus has a choice: does it follow the worldly culture trends driven by these new generations — who, although they probably are loathe to admit it, are indoctrinated in politically correct,  “gay”-tolerant attitudes? Or does it recommit itself to educating these youth and standing boldly for timeless truths no matter where the culture is headed? (We realize there are many Christians who advocate quitting the cultural war against social evils, but they never have a good answer to this question: what about the hugely funded and powerful Homosexual, Abortion and Porn Lobbies that never quit; do we simply abandon America’s cultural/political landscape to them in a free society?)

If even the obviously Christian Focus on the Family is going to give up the fight for common sense on sexuality then very soon the question will be, "Will anyone be allowed to boldly speak out for Biblical ideas about marriage, family and sexuality?"  Massachusetts lawmakers decided this week to consider jail terms and fines for citizens in their state who shame the public display of sexual sin.

This is not a good sign for Christianity in America.  It's obvious we are losing our courage.  One good way to get it back would be to reverse course with Dr. Dobson, one of the most gutsy men in recent American history, and put him back on the radio.

The smooth tones of hate

I am glad that I got over Jim Wallis and Sojourners years ago.

After earning my college degree in philosophy years ago I developed a passing interest in Mr. Wallis's ideas. I still respect his intellect. I don't spend any time, however, keeping up with what he is doing or saying these days. I have too much to do. Mr. Wallis publishes the Religious Left's flagship magazine, Sojourners.

I noticed in my email box today a message from Jason Gedeik, a representative for Sojourners. I was pleased to see that the work of my hero Dr. James Dobson has seized the attention of Mr. Obama's religious apologists. Mr. Gedeik opens, "Fear has always been the dark side of American politics, and we're seeing its resurgence in the elections' final days."

Whenever I see the Religious Left use the word "fear" I know what's coming next. The Religious Left never misses an opportunity to bash Christians. Sure enough Mr. Gedeik continues, "Much of this fear-mongering comes from Religious Right leaders who are really worried about losing control over Christian votes." Losing control over Christian votes? That sounds ominous ... and over the top.

Mr. Gedeik goes on to pitch a couple columns that his boss, Jim Wallis, wrote to reveal the "fear tactics" of Christians. The only Religious Right leader Mr. Gedeik mentions in his diatribe is one of the truly great courageous Christian leaders at the national level, Dr. James Dobson. Mr. Gedeik concludes promising, "Jim also can offer insights into the real issues behind the attacks of people like James Dobson of Focus on the Family."

I clicked on the link to one of the columns. It wouldn't work. I guess I won't be getting to the real issues behind the attacks of those awful demons like James Dobson. Can you believe Mr. Gedeik even left off the honorific? Why can't the Left show even a modicum of respect for serious men like DR. James Dobson. Agree or disagree with him, we should all honor his intellect and accomplishments.

With all due respect to Mr. Wallis, I hope the link stays broken until November 5th.

To see our report on what we should all fear related to the pro-sodomy activities of the Religious Left read our report on a movie they showed in Portland Maine earlier this year. Click here.

Bold Men of God

I saw a book title this morning. "God Built: Bold Men of God aren't Born, they're Built." That got me wondering whether it is possible any longer for bold men of God to be political. In saying that I'm not wondering if they can want power or success. That, in fact, seems to be all that they can want.

I'm wondering if bold men of God can be like the character examined in the book mentioned above. God Built is about Joseph. I haven't read the book so I can't write about its contents. I have read about Joseph.

Joseph didn't want power or success in Egypt. It literally fell into his lap after he fell ... was pushed actually ... into a hole in the desert by his brothers. We all know the story. When offered culturally acceptable sex with the wife of his boss he fled. She lied about him and he went to jail.

Anyway, Joseph wasn't politically correct. He was, however, spiritually powerful. It was, of course, possible to be religious in pagan Egypt. It isn't possible to be both religious and powerful in America anymore. We appear to occupy a nether world between cultural Christianity and rabid atheistic secularism. Many of us now believe that multiculturalism is the glue that will bind us together going forward.

I don't think it will.

Religion is what binds groups together. Shared values are what work. Pretending that a nation can hold opposite values in tension and survive is folly. Bold Christian men will either stand and be counted in a way that honors the Bible and Christian tradition, or the USA will continue to crumble.

President John Quincy Adams said, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

Unfortunately I meet less and less bold Christian men as I travel. I do meet them, but almost none of them understand the cultural mandate. Many of them are interested in evangelism. Some are evangelizing.

Three men whose communications inspire and challenge me are Doug Giles, Dave Daubenmire and James Dobson. They are different from one another. Their styles are so divergent as to be completely disconnected and even contrary to one another. However, they share in common a passion for applying Biblical reasoning to unpopular ... non politically correct ... issues like sexuality, abortion, marriage and the family.

You can check them out at these websites:

Dr. James Dobson
Doug Giles
Coach Dave Daubenmire

These men are modern day Josephs.