“While I will not endorse either candidate this year , (in fact, I’ve only endorsed one presidential nominee in my life) I can say that I am now supportive of Senator John McCain and his bid for the presidency.” James Dobson
Now, please, DO NOT mistake that quote as an endorsement of Senator McCain. My gosh, are you just plain stupid? Dobson is just being “supportive” of McCain on his radio show AND in a press release that went out to every major media outlet. But those words do not constitute as an endorsement.
Can somebody explain to me how that man is able to keep his tax exempt status?
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Whack him in the knee’s, the knee’s I say.
Well, it’s better than endorsing, I mean being supportive of, Obama!
Who the heck cares who he endorses, supports or what not. Geez.
this seems to be the trail of the aging fundamentalist. I guess they get bored with religion.
Did you see the ridiculous “letter from 2012” that was put out….not that is extremist….. I truly believe that he gives Christians a bad name.
@Allison: I care because I believe in the separation of church and state. That’s an important law for the state, and even more important for church. When leaders like Dobson blur those lines in effort to extend their “messages,” it’s a detriment to people of faith and to the country. And furthermore, he’s breaking the law.
I work for a non-profit station that airs his programming. I rarely talk about him or tease his stuff on-air though. But from what I gather, whenever he airs a show that has “C4” content (which is political), the airing is paid for not by the non-profit portion of his ministry. There’s another arm of his ministry that pays for his “political” broadcasts … that isn’t under a tax-exempt umbrella.
Whenever he sends down C4 content, Focus warns the local non-profit stations (like us) that air the program so they can air an older and safer broadcast.
That’s the way I understand it … hope this answers your question.
By the way, Matthew.
Have you read this? i’m too scared to repost this on my blog. Maybe you can do it for me.
http://stillsearching.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/letter-from-2016-in-obamas-america/
I don’t believe it is an issue of seperation of church and state. I, personally, believe it is his constitutional right under free speech to say whatever he wants. He is saying he supports one candidate. So??? He isn’t asking them to change any law or the constitution to favor one religion or another.
Although, I do not believe that pastors and such should abuse their power by trying to get their congregation to vote one way or another. I know my pastor has never once publicly talked about his political beliefs. I feel strongly that this is important and would not attend a church where the pastor is public with such things. However, I do feel it is their right to be able to do so if they want.
I am not sure how his comments, endorsement, whatever, mean that he shouldn’t keep his tax exempt status as a church or non-profit? You may certainly know more about this than me, but aren’t pastors allowed to choose whether or not to speak or not speak about politics from the pulpit, including those who run ministries such as focus on the family? Further, I didn’t hear him say that Focus on the Family is supporting McCain?
Our church recently did an excellent couple of sermons as we were going through Romans on politics and Christianity which you might be interested in. The Gospel doesn’t mean you have to be democrat or republican, because the Bible doesn’t speak on this. But, we shouldn’t look to politic candidates to “save” us like it seems people do every election. Only Jesus Christ is the exclusive savior of men and God is sovereign and in control no matter who gets elected. Anyways, sorry for the ramble, You can listen to teh sermons here under “God’s Gospel and Human Politics”
http://www.sojournchurch.com/sermon-media
I work across the street from the Focus on the Family headquarters. Its not uncommon around here to see bumper stickers that say “Focus on your own damn Family”.
Dobson is an idiot.
didn’t dobson lead a charge earlier this year to not vote at all if mccain won the primary?
i’m not one to be surprised by anyone’s hypocrisy, but this is just too easy. i miss the focus on the family of my childhood.
I thought at one point, Dobson was not voting. I am going to hear him speak next weekend in Charlotte at a convention. Perhaps I shall “boo”.
Well, he has a 501c3 called Focus on the Family Action, which is a political organization.
http://www.citizenlink.org/focusaction/
“Focus on the Family Action is a new cultural action organization that is completely separate from Focus on the Family, legally. It has been created by separating out of Focus on the Family those activities which constitute lobbying under the IRS code so that they can be expanded in scope. It will provide a platform for informing, inspiring and rallying those who care deeply about the family to greater involvement in the moral, cultural and political issues that threaten our nation.”
I lived there too long, Matthew. Too long.
Oh I mean 501(c)(4). 🙂 Me+math=stupidity.
Amy,
I don’t think the argument is that Dobson shouldn’t be able to share his political beliefs as much as it is that he shouldn’t do so in the same sentence in which he states his commitment not to endorse a candidate.
Reason #3498 not to vote for John McCain: “Supported” by James Dobson.
Regardless if you agree or disagree with Dobson, the ‘separation of church and state’ has absolutely nothing to do with it…
a. Dobson’s a psychologist, not a pastor, and he never has been.
b. Even by IRS law, a pastor may endorse a candidate ‘as a private citizen’, thought I agree I don’t think it’s wise.
c. FOTF is a 501c3 (tax exempt). FOTF Action is a 501c4 (political action commitee) through which he can legal do that stuff.
But again, there is no ‘church’ anywhere in this example for anyone to cite ‘separation of church and state’. It shows a lack of understand of the concept. Now, if you want to debate IRS reform, then you might have something.
Praise God for Dr Dobson. Our civil liberties ARE at risk. The definition of marriage is at stake, innocent babies lives are at stake and many more. Why are people voting for Obama? He is as liberal as they come, and we as Christians shouldn’t be putting so much faith in him or any candidate for that matter. God is the only one that can change this country and that won’t happen in my opinion until America returns to God.
Well, don’t worry. After yesterday’s dismal outcome, probably all Christian/non-profit organizations will lose their tax-exempt status. I hope people love the “change” as much in four years as they apparently do today….though I have some doubts as I haven’t even heard clearly articulated what these great and glorious “changes” are going to be. But, all the quasi-Christians who were adamant against McCain should be happy today, too. They got what they wanted. God help us all. Seriously.
Amen! Dobson is a scary testament to the “right wing evangelical Christians” who have tried to hijacked my God, my religion, my community, and my church! We must let the voice of moderate Christians be heard just as loudly as the right wingers! We have spoken in the election that we just witnessed! Americans have spoken with a strong voice for FOLLOWING the principles of our Lord, Jesus Christ!!! HE stood for compassion toward our fellow man, toward his father’s creation, and FOR leading others to Christ through LOVE (remember 1 Cor. 13, my friends!).
First things first, I’m not a big fan of Dobson. I’m not a theocrat, and I am often disappointed by what I see him say.
With that said, where is the outrage regarding the same kind of comments from the religious left? Did you call for the removal of tax-exempt status for the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his church? Or the AME churches that have openly supported Democratic candidates in general, and Obama in particular?
And, to kgs, who posted last night: did He (the Jesus that you mentioned in your comment) also stand for the continued slaughter of innocent unborn children? Just wondering… because regardless of how good Obama’s views may be on other issues, his stance on this alone disqualifies him.. if you look at it from a Biblical perspective, of course.
Separation of church and state is supposed to keep the government out of religion, not religion out of the government. During the American Revolution, pastors were known to pack heat in the pulpit, and often were the trainers for the minute men. Drills were often conducted on church grounds. This liberal myth of separation of church and state needs to go back to hell where it came from and people need to study history because today’s wimpy church has forgotten it’s heritage.
“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
-Ronald Reagan
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American patriot if they ever attempt to separate Religion from politics.” – George Washington
B. Hussein Obama’s views and votes promoting child-killing were worth risking anyone’s tax exempt status.