I have waited for nearly a week to write this post, not because Pam has been busy getting caught up with her news from Singapore and Nepal. But rather because I needed to calm down, as I honestly haven’t been so angry and disappointed about an issue in a long time, and that doesn’t help coherence.
I am refering to the ‘Letter From 2012’, put out by CitizenLink, the political arm of Focus on the Family. In it the fictional letter writer makes 34 points about how things have changed, all for the worse, in an Obama-led United States, from the loss of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the rise of Russia in eastern Europe, to the loss of freedom of religion and speech in America. But the first 12 points, fully one-third of this nasty, right-wing screed, are devoted to wholesale hatred of homosexuality and homosexuals.
It is true that the Bible lists homosexuality as sin. That can be found in a list of vices in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. But the same list also condemns drunkenness and coveteousness, idolatry and adultery. Why hasn’t this ‘letter’ focused on them? Other lists (Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Galatians 5:19-21;Colossians 3:8; 1Timothy 3:3) likewise condemn avarice and gluttony, anger and envy, lying and slander, but no other list mentions homosexuality. Obviously to the writers of the New Testament it wasn’t a big deal. Christ talked about the peril of materialism more than He talked about hell, yet He never mentioned homosexuality.
Dr. Dobson, my wife and I were happy to have followed your advice on raising our children for years. We thought yours was a voice of reason in a world of vain words. But you have just fouled your name and that of your ministry beyond recovery. It is not just your small-minded obsession with the denial of minority rights that is so troubling, but this ‘letter’ that you allowed to go out under your name lacks any shred of Christian charity, compassion or understanding; it borders on hate-mail.
The economy is in meltdown, America’s reputation is in shatters, the world is reaching out, desperate for world leadership and all that’s on your tiny mind is how does America continue to deny gay rights for as long as possible? Dr. Dobson, you have done the cause of Christ a great disservice, and if you are not thoroughly ashamed of yourself, then shame for you has lost all meaning.
Read at your own risk:
Click to access 10-22-08_2012letter.pdf
Home Thoughts From Abroad 
November 1, 2008 at 1:04 pm
No offense to anyone who banked on Dobson before, but the man has been a vile, right-wing mouth piece for most of my adult life. I’m sure there was a time when his teaching was worthwhile, but I turn him off when he comes on Christian radio these days — I’m ashamed by him…
November 14, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Finally I read from a Christian, what I have felt for some time about Dr. Dobson, Focus on the Family. I have had times when I cherished the advice and resources but more recently have doubted the strength of my own beliefs if I don’t feel the same hatred for those who Dr. Dobson says we should deny rights to. Steve, you mean to say that I can be a good Christian and not think that gay rights are the vilest and most abhorant thing we should be fighting? There is so much injustice, people starving, dying of diseases that we have the ability to treat, prevent or cure, child abuse, sexual abuse, neglect….the list goes on…of true human rights issues that would benefit from the church stepping up to lend a hand. I missed the letter that you talk about but I too, am excited to see what Obama can do for the world if given a chance.