Dobson accuses Obama of ‘distorting’ Bible
Posted by Tony Listi on June 24, 2008
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Dobson is right about Obama distorting biblical teaching. Hopefully, every Christian will recognize this.
At the same time though, I can’t help but laugh ironically at conservative Protestants like Dobson who try to argue with liberal Protestants like Obama based on the “traditional understanding of the Bible.” Tradition?! What happened to sola Scriptura? Surely, Obama can read the Bible for himself and reach a correct conclusion inspired by the Holy Spirit and by his own private judgment and reason, no? Seems like an arbitrary appeal to obedience to tradition when it suits one’s own personal preferences. Obama and his church embody the real and deep divisions within Christianity that were created by Protestantism and sola Scriptura.
Dobson is right, but his own theology leaves him helpless to combat the false doctrines and interpretations of Obama. When will Protestants realize that sola Scriptura inexorably leads to theological relativism which in turn leads to moral relativism which in turn strengthens liberalism and corrupts American politics?
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080624/D91G8E200.html
By ERIC GORSKI
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) – As Barack Obama broadens his outreach to evangelical voters, one of the movement’s biggest names, James Dobson, accuses the likely Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible and pushing a “fruitcake interpretation” of the Constitution.
The criticism, to be aired Tuesday on Dobson’s Focus on the Family radio program, comes shortly after an Obama aide suggested a meeting at the organization’s headquarters here, said Tom Minnery, senior vice president for government and public policy at Focus on the Family.
The conservative Christian group provided The Associated Press with an advance copy of the pre-taped radio segment, which runs 18 minutes and highlights excerpts of a speech Obama gave in June 2006 to the liberal Christian group Call to Renewal. Obama mentions Dobson in the speech.
“Even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools?” Obama said. “Would we go with James Dobson’s or Al Sharpton’s?” referring to the civil rights leader.
Dobson took aim at examples Obama cited in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy – chapters like Leviticus, which Obama said suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination, or Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, “a passage that is so radical that it’s doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application.”
“Folks haven’t been reading their Bibles,” Obama said.
Dobson and Minnery accused Obama of wrongly equating Old Testament texts and dietary codes that no longer apply to Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament.
“I think he’s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology,” Dobson said.
“… He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter.”
Joshua DuBois, director of religious affairs for Obama’s campaign, said in a statement that a full reading of Obama’s speech shows he is committed to reaching out to people of faith and standing up for families. “Obama is proud to have the support of millions of Americans of faith and looks forward to working across religious lines to bring our country together,” DuBois said.
Dobson reserved some of his harshest criticism for Obama’s argument that the religiously motivated must frame debates over issues like abortion not just in their own religion’s terms but in arguments accessible to all people.
He said Obama, who supports abortion rights, is trying to govern by the “lowest common denominator of morality,” labeling it “a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution.”
“Am I required in a democracy to conform my efforts in the political arena to his bloody notion of what is right with regard to the lives of tiny babies?” Dobson said. “What he’s trying to say here is unless everybody agrees, we have no right to fight for what we believe.”
The program was paid for by a Focus on the Family affiliate whose donations are taxed, Dobson said, so it’s legal for that group to get more involved in politics.
Last week, DuBois, a former Assemblies of God associate minister, called Minnery for what Minnery described as a cordial discussion. He would not go into detail, but said Dubois offered to visit the ministry in August when the Democratic National Convention is in Denver.
A possible Obama visit was not discussed, but Focus is open to one, Minnery said.
McCain also has not met with Dobson. A McCain campaign staffer offered Dobson a meeting with McCain recently in Denver, Minnery said. Dobson declined because he prefers that candidates visit the Focus on the Family campus to learn more about the organization, Minnery said.
Dobson has not backed off his statement that he could not in good conscience vote for McCain because of concerns over the Arizona senator’s conservative credentials. Dobson has said he will vote in November but has suggested he might not vote for president.
Obama recently met in Chicago with religious leaders, including conservative evangelicals. His campaign also plans thousands of “American Values House Parties,” where participants discuss Obama and religion, as well as a presence on Christian radio and blogs.
This entry was posted on June 24, 2008 at 2:23 pm and is filed under Catholicism vs. Protestantism, Christianity and Politics, Culture War, Government and Politics, Liberalism, Politicians, Politics and Religion, Religion and Theology, Sola Scriptura. Tagged: Barack Obama, conservative Protestants, distorting the Bible, Focus on the Family, James Dobson, liberal Protestants, Liberalism, moral relativism, Protestantism, sola scriptura, theological relativism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Dave said
Perhaps Dobson should take the Jesus Test at http://www.sentforlife.com/jesus.html .
He will probably fail at it miserably.
Susan Raybuck said
Jesus said a tree is known by its fruits. Good trees can only produce good fruit. The Spirit’s fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Those are the marks of authentic faith. Obama seems to be able to overlook those who are critical, rude, or untruthful about him and to see them the way God does. Anyone ever hear him speak without courtesy of John McCain, President Bush, Hillary Clinton, or even James Dobson? I haven’t. He seems to unfailingly show charity to all and malice toward none.
Wayne from Jeremiah Films said
I’ve linked to your post from Obama difficulty in discerning biblical truth
NobamaNetwork.com said
Nobama
No Way
He recites anti-christian rhetoric and the press still loves him.
If that doesn’t scare you, nothing will and you deserve the president you’ll receive in him.
Christians will be the ones to suffer
foospro86 said
Judging from your test, Dave, you don’t understand Scripture either. The test assumes Jesus wanted government to do certain things rather than his Body. And there is a difference. Also it misrepresents the conservative position.
Susan, I’ll give you some credit. Obama does have some great self-control. But so do actors. So do cold, calculating people. And I don’t consider raising my taxes as a charitable act.
But this just begs a very interesting question: why would such a calm, self-controlled person like Obama personally choose Jeremiah Wright, a loud hate-filled preacher, as his spiritual mentor of 20 YEARS?
Tell me, does Jeremiah Wright have “authentic faith”?
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