Caprice Bourret
American actress and businesswoman
James Dobson is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder of Focus on the Family. He was a prominent conservative voice in American public life, known for his advocacy of traditional family values and his radio program, which reached millions worldwide.
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About the James Dobson
James Clayton Dobson Jr.
(born April 21, 1936) is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder of Focus on the Family (FotF), which he led from 1977 until 2010. In the 1980s, he was ranked as one of the most influential spokesmen for conservative social positions in American public life. Although never an ordained minister, he was called “the nation’s most influential evangelical leader” by The New York Times while Slate portrayed him as a successor to evangelical leaders Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.
As part of his former role in the organization he produced the daily radio program Focus on the Family, which the organization has said was broadcast in more than a dozen languages and on over 7,000 stations worldwide, and reportedly heard daily by more than 220 million people in 164 countries. Focus on the Family was also carried by about 60 U.S. television stations daily. In 2010, he launched the radio broadcast Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson.
Dobson advocates for “family values” — the instruction of children in heterosexuality and traditional gender roles, which he believes are mandated by the Christian Bible. The goal of this is to promote heterosexual marriage, which he views as a cornerstone of civilization that must be protected from the dangers of feminism and the LGBT rights movement. Dobson seeks to equip his audience to fight in the American culture war, which he calls the “Civil War of Values”.
His writing career started as an assistant to Paul Popenoe. After Dobson’s rise to prominence through promoting corporal punishment of disobedient children in the 1970s, he became a founder of purity culture in the 1990s. He has promoted his ideas via his various Focus on the Family affiliated organizations, the Family Research Council which he founded in 1981, Family Policy Alliance which he founded in 2004, the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute which he founded in 2010, and a network of US state-based lobbying organizations called Family Policy Councils.
Frequently Asked Questions
James Dobson is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder of the conservative Christian organization Focus on the Family, which he led from 1977 to 2010.
James Dobson was born on April 21, 1936.
James Dobson founded Focus on the Family in 1977 and led the organization until 2010. He produced the daily radio program Focus on the Family, which was broadcast in over 164 countries and reached over 220 million people worldwide.
James Dobson advocates for ,family values, and traditional gender roles, and he seeks to promote heterosexual marriage, which he views as a cornerstone of civilization that must be protected from the dangers of feminism and the LGBT rights movement.
In addition to Focus on the Family, James Dobson founded the Family Research Council in 1981, Family Policy Alliance in 2004, and the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute in 2010, all of which promote his conservative Christian agenda.
James Dobson was seen as one of the most influential spokesmen for conservative social positions in American public life, and he was even called ,the nation’s most influential evangelical leader, by The New York Times.
Before founding Focus on the Family, James Dobson worked as an assistant to Paul Popenoe and became known for promoting corporal punishment of disobedient children in the 1970s. He later became a founder of the purity culture movement in the 1990s.
5 Quotes by James Dobson
- 1.
I’m certain that most couples expect to find intimacy in marriage, but it somehow eludes them.
James DobsonEvangelical Christian psychologist, author, and radio broadcaster
- 2.
Children are not casual guests in our home. They have been loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving them and instilling a foundation of values on which their future lives will be built.
James DobsonEvangelical Christian psychologist, author, and radio broadcaster
- 3.
My observation is that women are merely waiting for their husbands to assume leadership.
James DobsonEvangelical Christian psychologist, author, and radio broadcaster
- 4.
God has called us to be His representatives in our nation and in our world. Select candidates who represent your views and work for their election.
James DobsonEvangelical Christian psychologist, author, and radio broadcaster
- 5.
One of the problems with sex education… is that it also strips kids – especially girls – of their modesty to have every detail of anatomy, physiology and condom usage made explicit.
James DobsonEvangelical Christian psychologist, author, and radio broadcaster