This is a letter that I sent to Focus on the Family in response to a fictional story they sent out to Evangelicals attacking Senator Obama.
Dr Dobson,
I recently read the fictional letter Focus on the Family published from a make-believe Christian in the year 2012. The tone and content of this letter saddened me greatly. I grew up in rural New Mexico listening to Focus on the Family in the car with my mom. I came to faith in Christ while I was a teenager in the Church of the Nazarene, a denomination we both belong to. I respected Focus on the Family.
But I feel that over the years your organization has begun to drift away from a focus on the Kingdom of God and has tried to serve two masters – God and the Republican party. I do not agree with everything Barack Obama stands for. I am consistently pro-life, and I do not agree with Senator Obama’s stance of being pro-choice. However, Senator Obama is pushing the Democratic party towards a goal I think conservatives and liberals can both work towards – FEWER abortions. I believe that in God’s eternal Kingdom there will be no abortions, no death penalties and no war. I believe that peace is God’s will. And that’s why I am consistently pro-life. I see senator Obama, motivated by his faith in Christ, working towards a society with FEWER abortions. And to be honest, I’m just plain tired of voting for Republicans who say they agree with my pro-life stance (only on abortion), but do nothing to work towards FEWER abortions. I would rather see abortion rates drop than have politicians who say they agree with me but do nothing to address the problem.
I have become very disillusioned with the motives of the Republican party regarding abortion. As I see their policies I see a party who is concerned with two main things, unbridled militarism and capitalism. I believe that both unbridled militarism and capitalism are dangerous unhealthy things that work against the Kingdom of God in this world. I believe that the Kingdom of God is about unbridled peace and generosity. I have become cynical about Republicans lofty words regarding the issue of abortion because I think it has become the carrot on the stick they use to gain our votes. And once in office they go about the business of militarism and unregulated capitalism while doing little to nothing to decrease abortion rates. And think about it – if Republicans DID outlaw abortion there would be no more carrot to hang in front of us. In short, I think they are deceiving us and I am sad to see your organization fight so hard for a party that is lying to and manipulating Christians.
However the most disheartening part of your letter is the doomsday tone used. When you put so much emphasis on the impending doom and gnashing of teeth that you think an Obama presidency will bring about I can’t help but be deeply suspicious that you have put your HOPE in the Republican party. That somewhere along the way, you lost sight of your savior and opted instead for conservative politics.
I hope that Barack Obama is elected president. I simply think he will do a better job than Senator McCain. But if Senator McCain is elected I’m not going to lose one minute of sleep over it. Because I believe the HOPE of the world is Jesus Christ, not some politician. Likewise, I don’t think a politician can turn history down some distopian path that would derail the Kingdom of God from breaking into our world. God will be God no matter who is elected.
I am not opposed to Christians participating in politics, but I am saddened by what I think is the way your organization has lost sight of its first true love – Jesus of Nazareth and has fallen in love with the Republican party. Please… come back. We miss having you on the side of the Kingdom.
I read the letter and I thought that you were much kinder to Dr. Dobson than you could have been. It saddens me to see an organization such as focus on the family making up a letter like this so people vote the way they want them to. It’s as if they place fear into people so they think like them. I guess if it worked for the Bush administration it can work for them.
Hey Zach,
I actually sent this letter to Focus on the Family, so it really is a letter to Dr. Dobson, not just an angry blog post. I don’t think I’d get anywhere if I just wrote an angry tirade against him. Plus this comes from the heart, I really wish he would quit fighting for the Republican party and come back to working for the Kingdom.
Well spoken, CP. It’s extremely difficult for me to vote against my pro-life position. i am voting for Senator Obama next week, but reluctantly, and after much consideration of the other issues in comparison. i’d like to know what you think he will do to reduce the number of abortions, since everything i’ve read about his voting record seems to demonstrate otherwise: his promise to sign FOCA upon taking office, his opposition to the partial birth abortion ban, his opposition to parental notification legislation, his opposition to born alive infant protection legislation, his support of Planned Parenthood in general… i don’t doubt that he morally opposes abortion, but i haven’t found any evidence of it beyond his rhetoric. On the other end of the Life spectrum, he has publicly renounced his vote in support of Terri Shiavo’s medical protection, so i can’t see how he would protect innocent life on the dying end either.
i will say that when i worked for the CA Pro-Life Council i did see Republicans actively and successfully work against assisted suicide legislation in CA. There was little anti-abortion legislation proposed during that time however, if you don’t count the parental notification propositions put forth by the voters. i definitely agree with the observation that it has become a mere talking point for Republicans, and since that’s the case we pro-life voters seem to be completely without a candidate to support and hope in.
Kallie,
His stance against partial-birth abortion is not something that sits well with me. What Obama has said about signing FOCA also is something that really really disturbs me. That being said, I think (as counter-intuitive as it may seem) that abortions would decrease under an Obama administration. I think that abortions being fewer in Democratic administrations has more to do with the web of factors that impact a woman coming to a place where she feels like she has to get an abortion.
This is where I feel like the economic dimension of abortion is totally ignored by Republicans. Their answer seems to be – it’s wrong, so outlaw it.
But I see abortions as more symptomatic of deeper problems in our society, and outlawing the symptom doesn’t do much to solve the problem.
This is where I think that sex education, better education in general, an economy that isn’t tilted towards the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer all factor into people getting pregnant and then not wanting to keep the child.
Now… as someone with a firm pro-life stance, I still think that adoption is the right choice even in light of all those problems. I don’t think that abortion is ever the right answer. But I think we go a lot further towards reducing abortions in a society where the unemployment rate is low, where people have access to good health care, and where quality education and the chance for a job that pays a living wage are the norm. And I think that Obama comes closer to working for that kind of a society than McCain does.
Now, all this being said… I’m not trying to defend Obama’s pro-choice stance. I’m against it. What I was really upset about was how Focus on the Family has traded their love for Jesus in turn for the “influence” of being a campaign tool for the Republican Party.
Which is why it also doesn’t sit well with me that the Matthew 25 Network endorsed Obama.
I think Christians should take a much more Dr. King/Shane Claiborne approach, and reject the temptation of endorsing a candidate in order to be prophetic to both parties.
Charlie,
Thanks for posting your letter to Dobson, please let us know if you hear back!
Did you see Jim Wallis’ response to Dobson’s letter?
http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/?p=3283
I sent it to my parents as a means of generating discussion…
and that it did!!
I did get a response from Focus on the Family, it was the same form response that I’m sure they sent out to hundreds of people like me who wrote in about our disappointment. Here’s their response…
Thanks for your e-mail. It was good of you to offer your candid reaction to Focus on the Family Action’s “Letter from 2012 in Obama’s America.”
We’ve heard from many people who found this resource helpful; some, like you, have disagreed with our approach. While critics of this document accuse us of engaging in “sensationalist fiction,” it’s vital to underscore that we are not claiming to make definitive predictions on what a Barack Obama presidency would produce.
However, as the “Letter from 2012″ makes evident, every scenario outlined in this piece is plausible based on recent documented events, court rulings, the Democratic Party’s stated agenda, and Senator Obama’s voting record and campaign promises. We invite you to re-read the introduction of the letter which clearly states that we are neither employing unfounded “fear tactics” nor speaking out with mean-spirited intent. On the contrary, we’ve posted a reasonable projection of what *could* occur with a Senator Obama presidency and a Democratic-controlled Congress. Of course, we hope and pray that none of the possible outcomes described in “Letter from 2012″ come to pass.
It might be beneficial to provide some additional background on our mission to help you better understand our reasons for engaging in the public policy realm. We have no interest in partisan politics; rather, we care deeply about the sanctity of human life, the value of marriage, and the preservation of religious freedom. Dr. Dobson has espoused these crucial issues since he launched Focus on the Family in 1977 and has always encouraged people to consider them at the ballot box. Despite what the Matthew 25 Network and other pro-Obama action groups may say, we contend that Senator Obama’s record *significantly* differs from the pro-life and pro-family policies that many Christians hold dear. Some may label this “fearmongering” — we call it a sobering, rational assessment based on actual events documented in the letter.
It might be helpful for you to read a concise summary of four key points that motivate us in our actions:
1) Senator Barack Obama’s record is well outside the mainstream. For example, he was rated the most liberal United States senator by the _National Journal_ in 2007 [http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/].
2) A Democratic president, House and Senate has significant implications for pro-family policies. _The Wall Street Journal_ has stated that this election will usher in “one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history” if the Democrats control the White House and possess congressional majorities, including a filibuster-proof Senate [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122420205889842989.html]. This type of unchecked power, not seen since 1965, demands that voters critically examine the policies advocated by the Democratic Party.
3) Senator Obama’s commitment to causes championed by extreme liberal groups such as Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), both of which have endorsed him, are a source of great concern. Earlier this year, Senator Obama pledged that if elected president, he would advocate for and sign the “Freedom of Choice Act,” which would repeal virtually every federal and state law regulating or limiting abortion — including parental involvement laws for teenagers, late-term abortion bans, and limits on public funding of abortion. He has also indicated that he will make it a priority to repeal the “Defense of Marriage Act,” which allows states to restrict marriage to one man and one woman. In addition, he backs other HRC-supported initiatives including the passage of “hate crimes” legislation and the “Employment Non-Discrimination Act” [http://washingtonblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=20935]. Similar legislation has penalized Christians who hold a biblical view of sexuality.
4) Senator Obama’s stated appreciation of United States Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and David Souter — along with his votes against the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito — indicate he would appoint judges with a judicial philosophy detrimental to pro-family causes.
On a final note, organizational endorsements of political candidates wed groups to their candidate in a way that may not lend itself to an honest critique of that individual’s weaknesses. As you’re likely aware, the group behind the Matthew 25 Web site endorsed Senator Obama for president.
Again, thanks for writing. We hope this response has helped clarify our perspective and explained why we feel the Matthew 25 Network’s version of “choosing hope” without a sober look at the troubling elements of Senator Obama’s candidacy is misguided. Grace and peace to you.
Jonathan Bartha
Focus on the Family Action
Charlie,
I think your letter is well-written. I would have to agree with you on this love of the Republican party from Focus on the Family.
Also, the “doomsday tone” is a good thing to point out. I felt like the person was writing from a bunker in Gears of War or some other doomsday video game/movie. I’m not joking. I seriously felt this way.
Here’s where I think you hit the nail on the head – “Because I believe the HOPE of the world is Jesus Christ, not some politician.” That’s exactly the point!
Good stuff.
–Evan
PS – I was nice walking to 30th Street Station with you
Your letter was very well written. However, I read the letter and it ultimately made me think of the book of Revalation. The road will be paved for the end to come and the end is not a pretty thing. 7 years of tribulatin AGAINST Christians is what will come. I do believe in a pre-trib rapture. However, what leads up to the rapture is still going to be downhill. Everything stated in the letter (whether we agree with it or not) are absolute possibilities given Obama’s record (As short as it is). He is not a Christian. You can tell a Christian by their fruits. His fruits are like the fig tree (missing). I am not concerned about where we are headed because I put my faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. God will deal with those that come against Him and His children. All this to say that you shouldn’t write off what the letter says so easily. FOF shouldn’t be as deep in politics as they. However, we all have an obligation to vote our hearts.
Tierney,
I’m sorry to hear that you view the return of Christ as an ugly thing. Granted, books like the Left Behind series have seriously twisted the message of an incredibly uplifting and encouraging book to Christians who are being oppressed. I must say that reading Revelation in a different light will reveal how beautiful the return of Christ really will be. I highly recommend the book Answers for Chicken Little for those interested in the book of Revelation but who want to get beyond the bad theology of the Left Behind writers.
As per your calling Barack Obama a non-Christian… I find it troubling that you so easily cast judgment on him and his faith because he disagrees with you. I find George W. Bush’s actions as president to be beyond the pale for any Christian – and yet I do not condemn him as lying about his faith.