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February 17, 2006

James Dobson may get the concept of karma, after all

Being a highly vocal and sometimes vitriolic critic of rightwing religious Christian extremists, I find myself in a state of shock and awe when one of their prominent groups makes a short trip off the reservation:

The conservative Christian group Focus on the Family teaches that gays and lesbians lead dangerous and deviant lifestyles. The ministry has long lobbied against recognizing same-sex couples as spouses or parents.

So it came as a surprise to political analysts — and to gay and lesbian activists — when Focus on the Family endorsed a bill this month that would give same-sex couples in Colorado some of the same rights as heterosexual spouses.

The bill tries to chart a neutral middle ground through an issue that has roiled state after state in recent years.

Focus on the Family's chief cook and bottle washer is evangelical fundamentalist Christian James Dobson. According to Pam, Dobson is taking a beating with the Freepers.

The Family Research Council whack job Paul Cameron looks like he's about to have an aneurism over the whole thing:

Dr. Cameron said “the Mitchell bill is really ‘marriage-lite’ for gays. Focus on the Family’s support for this bill is madness.”

“Currently there is one voluntary relationship that immediately confers these benefits and more — that relationship is marriage between a man and a woman. Society gets tremendous value out of marriage, because married individuals are more economically productive, provide the best place to raise children, and are the least criminal. Homosexuals, on the other hand, are less economically productive, have few children, do not raise them well, are more criminal, and tend to spread disease. Society should not reward homosexual relationships with marriage-like benefits,” said Cameron.

(FYI: Cameron's freaky unscientific claims about homosexuals have been roundly discredited)

Donald Syphers at the Christian Newswire Service is not a happy camper, either:

Has Dr. Dobson become so politically oriented and motivated that he cannot bring himself to be critical of a bad measure, simply because it was put forward by a Republican? Or is the truth about Dobson that at some point he went off course, putting the family as his pre-eminent value? He named his organization "Focus on the Family" -- has it become a self-fulfilling prophecy?

ANYTHING, no matter how noble or godly it may seem, if it is put before and above God, becomes an idolatrous snare. It is only a matter of time. Dobson’s focus has been on the family - so much so, that he may be losing sight of God’s truth as put forth in the Bible.

Poor Donald. James Dobson has finally decided to do something humane for a change and the wee little minds of the hardcore religious right can't see the Jesus in it. Not that they'd recognize Jesus in much of anything they do..but I digress.

Sypher's whine is pathetic. He actually attempts to couch the work to build up families as a negative.

Actions like these from Dobson makes me wonder if something happened to him to instill a belief in karma. I hope so. Maybe we'll this tiny little light of goodness blossom into a beacon someday.

Yeah..its naive. But a girl can hope.

Posted by Carla at February 17, 2006 03:30 PM