I’m not totally comfortable with the idea of Dobson “speaking for me” as a Christian… He doesn’t.

but…

he’s right when he says Obama is “deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology”. A little like Nancy Pelosi quoting imaginary scriptures in the Bible when speaking to Congress.

Dobson absolutely DOES NOT speak for me.  He works hard to persuade the public that he does though, because unless he speaks for all American evangelicals he has no power.  This makes him nothing more than a lobbyist, and a manipulative one at that (I guess manipulation and lobbyist go hand in hand).  I find that the whole thing reprehensible.

Yes, his critique is correct of Obama’s theology.  But here’s the problem, unless he publically analyzes McCain’s theology every time he refers to the bible or comments on the Christian faith, through his (Dobson’s) silence he communicates that anything he (McCain) says about Christianity and faith is correct . . . which is why it’s counterproductive to our mission to merge politics with our theology.

Wendi

He is speaking the truth regardless of whether he is speaking for ‘us’.

And he has been just as hard on McCain, even publicly saying that he won’t vote for him as it stands right now.

The big difference is that Obama took a shot at Dobson publicly , so Dobson is publicly responding to him.

There is a big difference between Romney’s flawed theology and Obamas.  Romney’s Jesus is a little different than Dobson’s… Obama’s Jesus is WAY different than Dobson’s.

But what you are missing is something Dobson said 29 years ago in Cincinnati.

He said publically that he will NEVER vote for a proabortion candidate.  His opposition to both are in line with this belief.

Though Obama is pro-abortion where as McCain is pro-states right to decide (which is honestly an easy way to say I don’t object to abortion all to much).

I think if McCain came out and made a declaritve pro-choice statement he would get a vote from Dobson.

whoops, sorry, i ment to type that Dobson has not backed down from his statement that he’d never vote for McCain.

And Wendi, where do you get that the GOP is ‘beloved’ by Dobson? He cricitizes both parties when they act (in his opinion) unbiblically.

This is a bit of side note to the main issue of this post (I’m really not a fan of any thought process that God’s work is so tied up in government....), but I thought it interesting timing that you make this comment, Jim:
“When you look at Obama’s statements about there are other paths to Heaven, it shows he’s completely thrown-out the Biblical Jesus, and all that Scripture teaches about the Christ.”
With the just-released Pew Forum survey showing that 70% of people with a religious affiliation and 57% of Evangelicals saying the same thing, is Obama really that out of step with American Christian culture? Maybe some Muslims would say that, but almost 2/3 of (admittedly self-identified) Evangelical Christians say the same thing. (And if you look at some Barna research over the last few years, more and more regular self-identified Christians believe what you see in Obama.)
Just thought that was an interesting note…

Jim, how much do you know about Islam? You’re ringing up a 3000 on the ignorance-meter right now, and about a 2000 on the fearmonger-meter.
Dislike Obama’s politics if you must. But leave your un-Christian labeling out of it.

I personally care no more for Dobson’s Christianity than I do for Obama’s.

Perhaps Mr Dobson should take the Jesus test at http://www.sentforlife.com/jesus.html

He would probably fail miserably,

“I think he’s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology,” Dobson said.

Wow, if that’s not the pot calling the kettle black! 

This is from the same James Dobson who tries to enforce morality in a very Pharisee-like way (that enraged Jesus) while saying that taking care of the planet isn’t a moral issue. 

Whew.  When will we learn to appreciate the wonderful family-enrichment ministry of Dobson while ignoring his incredibly un-Christlike political involvement?

I am utterly amazed at the lack of awareness of the founding of this nation.  When I read some of the posts, I’m amazed at the venom that is aimed at Dobson, because he engages in the political arena for his moral beliefs.  Yet, Obama, who will embrace every immoral position and attack the moral positions gets not only a pass, but defended.  The quote, “I’m not voting for a theologian, but for a President who represents the whole country” assounds me. 

If you are aware that the Founders of the nation were Christian men who broke away from England because of moral issues-the issue to self-governance, which is a theological position of Luther, then you will begin to understand that most all of our Constitional guarantees, and especially the first 10 of our Bill of Rights, were based on Scriptural principals. 

For example, the freedom of speech, which Obama’s hate crimes legislation and fairness doctrine will destory, was based on the Biblical principle that all men are created equal, and that was not found in any other view of man, except for the Bible.  If we are created equally, then we all have the right to speak our positions in public.  Why?  Because we are equally created.  In fact, the U. S. Supreme Court in 1803, I believe it was, upheld the conviction of a man in New York for taking the Lord’s name in vain.  John Jay,the first Supreme Court Chief Justice, wrote that by taking Jesus’ name in vain, the man was attacking the very foundation of the Constitution.  Sounds pretty theologically based to me.

If you want to know what the schools never taught you about the founding of this country, pick-up David Barton’s books, or Peter Marshall’s books on the Founders.  Plus, David Barton has a website called: Wallbuilders, where he discusses in great depth the Founders writings and our Christian heritage.  You will learn things you have never heard of before, and it comes directly from the Founders writings.

When I first started reading the Founding Fathers writings about ten years ago, I was absolutely amazed at what ten years of Seminary education had neglected in Christian History, especially our own.

I’ve never been impressed with Obama as a theologian.

Oh, wait, he’s not a theologian.  He’s a politician.  Riiiight, so I shouldn’t listen to Obama for my theological guidance. OK, got it.

He is, at least theoretically, a Christian and that is something I like in a candidate. Although according to Jim he’s apparently really a Muslim and no one in his church has noticed.  And James Dobson doesn’t seem to like him much, which is a plus for Obama in my book.

But, then again, George Bush is theorectically a Christian and that hasn’t worked out so well. He’s cut programs to care for the widows and orphans (the poor), started an unwarranted war, and failed to be a good steward of the earth.  But, of course, that’s just my opinion. 

Jim.

Don’t make wild claims without backing them up. Lying has never been Christian.
Obama has never said anything of the sort about Israel.

Neville Chamberlain was an ‘appeaser’ because HE GAVE LAND to Hitler. It had nothing to do with MERELY TALKING. Talk about guilt by association! Sheesh!

“McKain” is spelled with a ‘C’ (as in, McCain).

Many of the founders weren’t Christian. They were Deists. But that’s beside the point. Ever notice that that whole thing about ‘God’ endowing ‘man’ with rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness includes neither women nor nonwhite men? Hmm… real ‘Christian’ thinkin’ you got there.

Please don’t repeat alarmist nonsense. There are plenty of cogent arguments not to vote for Obama. Use those instead of the nonfactual fear-fueling nonsense you’ve given us so far.

For my two cents, evangelicals care far too much about the U.S. of A., and far too little about the Church. I’d rather vote for a non-Christian, because at least then the rest of the world wouldn’t be tempted to think that whatever the U.S. does is what ‘Christians’ are doing. Talk about dishonoring the name of God!!

Peace,
-Daniel-

Jim, I’ve searched Fox’s archives and can’t find where Obama said that. 

What I did find that Obama said is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a “sore” that is affecting the entire Middle East and our foreign policy.  Not that Israel is a stain and should not exist.

Get your facts straight, I have to agree with Daniel that you’re pegging way up there on the ignorance/fear-monger meters.

I’m not all-in for Obama, but I do think electing a black president would at least cause people in the US to take a harder look at the race problems that still exist here.

Not that I give him much of a chance.  Once the political machines get going they’ll smear him every which way.  As one GOP operative said to Time Magazine, “It’ll be Swiftboat times five.”

Between being labeled an anti-Semite and enemy of Israel, being black, having a foreign/Muslim sounding name, and having the GOP ramp up their smear machine, I don’t think there are enough people in this country who will actually listen to what he has to say to make it much of a contest.  There are just too many blocks of voters he won’t have any chance of reaching.

As for James Dobson, he doesn’t speak for me but I would like some real examples of things Obama has said indicating flawed theology.  I think political candidates need to be very careful when they start making statements based on a certain theology.