|
| Affiliation | Republican |
|
| Name | James Dobson |
| Address |
Colorado Springs, Colorado , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | http://www.family.org/ |
| Born |
April 21, 1936
(87 years)
|
| Contributor | 411 Name Removed |
| Last Modifed | DFWDem
Apr 21, 2007 11:31am |
| Tags |
|
| Info | Dr. James Clayton Dobson, Ph.D. is a conservative Christian psychologist who presents a daily radio program called Focus on the Family on over 6,000 stations worldwide in more than a dozen languages. He is chairman of the board of a nonprofit organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado of the same name, which he founded in 1977. His programs are heard by more than 200 million people every day, and Focus on the Family is also on 80 US television stations daily.
Dobson is an Evangelical Christian with significant political clout, because he can mobilize his listeners to contact politicians with civic concerns. Liberal critics label Dobson as a fundamentalist, but some fundamentalists are among his severest critics mainly because Dobson works cooperatively with Protestant and Roman Catholic Christians and Jews, and because the organization is politically active. Many fundamentalists also decry his mixture of psychology and faith.
He first became well-known with the publication of Dare to Discipline, a book which became hugely popular with parents of young children, especially other Christians. He attracted some controversy because in it he approved of the spanking of young children.
Dobson has two children, Danae and Ryan, with his wife Shirley.
Dr. Dobson has an earned doctorate in child development from the University of Southern California (1967). He was an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine for 14 years. He spent 17 years on the staff of the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles in the Division of Child Development and Medical Genetics.
He is a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a licensed psychologist in California, and is listed in Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare. He also has a long list of honorary doctorates from various institutions.
Dobson has also served at the invitation of presidents and attorneys general on government advisory panels and testified at several government hearings. Among many other awards he has been given the "Layman of the Year" award by the National Association of Evangelicals in 1982, "The Children's Friend" honor by Childhelp USA, (an advocate agency against child abuse) in 1987, and the Humanitarian Award by the California Psychological Association (1988).
Dobson advocates the spanking of children from 15-18 months to eight years old. According to Dobson, "pain is a marvelous purifier." (Dare to Discipline, p.6) He argues that "it is not necessary to beat the child into submission; a little bit of pain goes a long way for a young child. However, the spanking should be of sufficient magnitude to cause the child to cry genuinely." (Ibid., p.7.)
In The Strong-Willed Child (p.73), Dobson writes: "Some strong-willed children absolutely demand to be spanked, and their wishes should be granted." As for the magnitude of the spanking, he argues that "two or three stinging strokes on the legs or buttocks with a switch are usually sufficient to emphasize the point, 'You must obey me.'" (The Strong-Willed Child, pp. 53-4.)
Dobson directly connects parental authority to social authority: "By learning to yield to the loving authority...of his parents, a child learns to submit to other forms of authority which will confront him later in his life -- his teachers, school principal, police, neighbors and employers." (The Strong-Willed Child, p. 235.)
He frequently portrays the child as the natural enemy of the parent and emphasizes that it is necessary to punish the child to uphold parental authority. "When you are defiantly challenged, win decisively." (Dare to Discipline, p. 36.)
In The Strong-Willed Child, Dobson draws a strong analogy between child rearing and dog rearing. He tells a story in which the family dog refuses to leave his resting place on the lid of the toilet seat. According to Dobson, a "vicious fight" between him and the dog resulted in which he "fought him up one wall and down the other, with both of us scratching and clawing and growling and swinging the belt [sic]." He concludes that "just as surely as a dog will occasionally challenge the authority of his leaders, so will a little child--only more so." (emphasis Dobson)
To deal with crying, Dobson recommends: "Real crying usually lasts two minutes or less but may continue for five. After that point, the child is merely complaining, and the change can be recognized in the tone and intensity of his voice. I would require him to stop the protest crying, usually by offering him a little more of whatever caused the original tears."
Anti-spanking groups have criticized Dobson's views as highly simplistic and dangerous to children.
|
 | BOOKS |
 |
|
| Title |
Purchase |
Contributor |
|
| Start Date |
End Date |
Type |
Title |
Contributor |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
| Feb 27, 2009 07:20pm |
Blog Entry |
Dobson Resigns
|
Article |
ArmyDem |
| Jan 25, 2008 04:00pm |
Analysis |
Is Dobson's Political Clout Fading?
|
Article |
Thomas Walker |
| May 18, 2007 12:00pm |
Statement |
Dobson says he won't vote for Giuliani
|
Article |
RP |
| Mar 28, 2007 03:00pm |
General |
Dobson Offers Insight on 2008 Republican Hopefuls
|
Article |
DFWDem |
| Jan 14, 2007 11:00am |
General |
Dobson says 'no way' to McCain candidacy
|
Article |
DFWDem |
| Jun 28, 2006 06:00pm |
Commentary |
Media provides cover for assault on traditional marriage
|
Article |
Brandonius Maximus |
| Jun 02, 2006 05:00pm |
Blog Entry |
Malkin Award Nominee
|
Article |
ArmyDem |
| May 18, 2006 03:00pm |
Blog Entry |
Focus on the Family Mad-Libs!
|
Article |
Ralphie |
| Dec 02, 2005 04:00pm |
Blog Entry |
Putting their money where their mouth is
|
Article |
ArmyDem |
| Oct 07, 2005 04:00pm |
General |
A Voice That Carries (James Dobson)
|
Article |
Thomas Walker |
| Aug 04, 2005 01:00pm |
General |
[James] Dobson likened embryonic stem cell research to Nazi experiments
|
Article |
ArmyDem |
| Apr 28, 2005 11:50pm |
Profile |
[Dr. James]Dobson seen as driven,divisive
|
Article |
User 490 |
|
| INFORMATION LINKS |
|
|
| ENDORSEMENTS |
| WA District 03 - Blanket Primary - Aug 02, 2022 |
R |
Heidi St. John |
| KS Attorney General - R Primary - Aug 02, 2022 |
R |
Kris Kobach |
| OH District 15 - Special R Primary - Aug 03, 2021 |
R |
Ruth Edmonds |
| NH Governor - R Primary - Sep 08, 2020 |
R |
Karen Y. Testerman |
| AZ District 08 - Special R Primary - Feb 27, 2018 |
R |
Steve Montenegro |
| AL US Senate - Special R Primary - Aug 15, 2017 |
R |
Roy Moore |
| US President - R Primaries - Jun 07, 2016 |
R |
Ted Cruz |
| TX US Senate - R Primary - May 29, 2012 |
R |
Ted Cruz |
| US President - R Primaries - Jun 26, 2012 |
R |
Rick Santorum |
| KS US Senate - R Primary - Aug 03, 2010 |
R |
Todd Tiahrt |
| IA Governor - R Primary - Jun 08, 2010 |
R |
Bob Vander Plaats |
| KY US Senate - R Primary - May 18, 2010 |
R |
Rand Paul |
| IN US Senate - R Primary - May 04, 2010 |
R |
Dan Coats |
| LA District 6 - Special Election - May 03, 2008 |
R |
Louis "Woody" Jenkins |
| US President - R Primaries - Jun 03, 2008 |
R |
Mike Huckabee |
| FL Governor - R Primary - Sep 05, 2006 |
R |
Tom Gallagher |
| MI District 07 - R Primary - Aug 08, 2006 |
R |
Tim Walberg |
| CA District 50 - Special Election - Apr 11, 2006 |
R |
Howard Kaloogian |
| OH District 2 - Special R Primary - Jun 14, 2005 |
R |
Bob McEwen |
| NC Governor - Nov 02, 2004 |
R |
Patrick J. Ballantine |
| NY District 26 - Nov 03, 1998 |
CST |
Randall A. Terry |
| NY District 26 - R Primary - Sep 15, 1998 |
CST |
Randall A. Terry |
| IL District 13- R Primary - Mar 17, 1998 |
R |
Peter J. Roskam |
| US President - Dec 16, 1996 |
CST |
Howard Phillips |
|
