Huffington Post: Dr. Dobson Has Just Handed Obama victory

[Hissyspit]

Interesting...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20080625/cm_huffpost/108989

Dr. Dobson Has Just Handed Obama Victory
Frank Schaeffer
Tue Jun 24, 8:45 PM ET

Senator Obama just took another giant step toward winning the presidency. Actually, someone who considers himself a sworn enemy of Senator Obama took the step for him. Dr. Dobson of the Focus On the Family radio program (and evangelical media empire) has aired a attacks Senator Obama, the Senator's theology and his credentials as a Christian. With enemies like this Senator Obama doesn't need friends.

- snip -

Dobson is one of the Evangelical religious right old guard. He's to the right what Nader is to the left. Like the late Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and others Dobson has alienated as many evangelicals -- let alone moderate Christians -- as he's inspired. In fact, ever since he tried to get Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) fired last year Dobson has found himself painted into a reactionary corner. Many evangelicals still fear him and so won't denounce his posturing power-plays but they also despise him.

Cizik is the future of evangelicalism. Dobson is the past. Cizik is a strong environmentalist advocate on the issue of global warming. Dobson tried to get the board of the National Association of Evangelicals to fire Cizik because of that fact. Dobson said that Cizik's environmental beliefs ran counter to what Dobson thought was in George Bush's best interests. He also said that the environment distracts from the favorite issues Dobson raises most of his funds on: abortion and gay bashing. But Dobson failed. The board of the NAE rejected Dobson's power play, for the same reason many evangelicals will reject his telling them how to vote this year. Dobson also failed in stopping John McCain (who failed to kiss Dobson's ass sufficiently) from becoming the Republican nominee.

If you're one of many Americans who thinks that the war in Iraq was a mistake or believe that the Republicans have run the economy into the ground or think that perhaps the chaos George Bush unleashed in our foreign affairs has something to do with the price of gas at the pump... then you have Dr. Dobson to thank -- personally. No one worked harder to get Bush elected then reelected. Dobson delivered his millions of dupes. But now many of them see through him and like most Americans, are appalled by Bush.

Nevertheless Dobson has -- for eight years -- been George W. Bush's personal shill. In return Dobson has had ego-stoking "access" to the White House, or rather to the lackeys in the White House laughing at him but charged with stroking Dobson and the other pompous asses masquerading as religious leaders.

But the new generation of evangelicals is sick of being labeled as backward rednecks because of their association with fossils like Dobson...

MORE AT LINK

[grantcart]

1. I went to college with Cizik and was surprised to see him pop up after

30 years in an Evangelical setting as we were the token liberals in a conservative protestant school.

[Peacetrain]

2. From Frank Schaeffer's lips to

God's ears.. that is all I have to say.. :)

[nxylas]

3. For those who don't know...

...Frank Schaeffer is a former member of the religious right who has drifted leftwards over the years and is now a harsh critic of Bush and the Dobson/Falwell/Parsley/Hagee brand of Christianity.

[Peacetrain]

4. It revives my faith in people..to know, that people can

change and move..and "see the light" so to speak.. if they have the information.. as long as we have a media that is commentary driven..like limbaugh or oreilly..it really get tough to get the other side out there.. we need the fairness doctrine put back!.. and thank you for the history on Mr. Schaeffer :hi:

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

5. He didn't move leftward; he became Greek Orthodox.

Good luck trying to fit the Orthodox on any sort of stable left/right political continuum: extremely "right" on some issue; extremely "left" on others. No offense, but they're all over the place.

[nxylas]

6. I know, I'm one of them

That sounds like a pretty accurate description of my politics. But then, I'm cradle Orthodox. Many Orthodox converts bring their old politics with them. You'll find a lot of ex-Evangelicals whose politics are indistinguishable from those of people in their former megachurches. Schaeffer used to be like that in the first few years after his conversion, so I don't think "moved leftward" is an inaccurate description.

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

7. I figured you were. I mean, your cross sports the three bars and all.

[nxylas]

8. Bit of a giveaway, huh?

The surprising thing is, it was in DU's standard avatars, I didn't import it.

[Faryn Balyncd]

9. Frank Schaeffer is the son of Francis Schaeffer - - one of the godfathers of the Religious Right

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Schaeffer