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LearnedHand

(4,948 posts)
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:20 AM Thursday

James Dobson, Influential Leader of the Religious Right, Dies at 89

Source: NYT (gift article)

James Dobson, the evangelical Christian broadcaster who waged war on homosexuality and championed “family values” in a long crusade that made him one of the nation’s most influential leaders of the religious right, died on Thursday at his home in Colorado Springs. He was 89.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/21/us/politics/james-dobson-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.f08.fP_D.ULPeCQgGfRjR&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare



Finally that dangerous fuck meets his own mortality!
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James Dobson, Influential Leader of the Religious Right, Dies at 89 (Original Post) LearnedHand Thursday OP
And the world is a better place!! hatrack Thursday #1
good. keroro gunsou Thursday #2
I think he was the "Focus on the Family" founder BumRushDaShow Thursday #3
I think he was too LearnedHand Thursday #7
Yeppers JustAnotherGen Thursday #8
I always enjoyed that retaliation "Focus on your own damn family" Blue Owl Thursday #23
... BumRushDaShow Thursday #25
LOL! Never heard that one! Great retort. 👍 electric_blue68 Thursday #29
ding. btw . quit shoving your mortality down my throat , not u personallhy blue owl. AllaN01Bear Thursday #37
We here refer to that tax-free group as either "fungus on the family", or, niyad Thursday #55
Focus on the Family SpankMe Thursday #45
Focus facility lakercub Thursday #71
Focus on the fetus? What it really was. Grins Thursday #56
Focus on the family as another hater mountain grammy Thursday #4
Hocus Focus Blue Owl Thursday #24
Perfect! mountain grammy Thursday #32
Woo hoooooo! JustAnotherGen Thursday #5
Roast him slowly Satan!!🔥 Hey Joe Thursday #59
Hope that scares the s... out of TSF! LakeVermilion Thursday #6
Good riddance. Paladin Thursday #9
All I can do is UpInArms Thursday #10
The air is a little fresher orangecrush Thursday #11
I can't think of anything nice to say. yardwork Thursday #12
I'm with you. There is nothing positive I can think of to say. Arkansas Granny Thursday #15
Come sit next to me and we'll continue saying nothing nice. yardwork Thursday #17
You do realize that it could take some time to exhaust all of the Arkansas Granny Thursday #69
Great idea! And a beach! yardwork Thursday #72
You should say something good rurallib Thursday #28
We're taught never to speak ill of the dead, only good. So.... YodaMom2 Thursday #58
To quote the movie "Razor's Edge" - "He will not be missed." n/t the nelm Thursday #13
swaggart, dobson who will make 3? rampartd Thursday #14
Here's an honest obituary for Dobson AverageOldGuy Thursday #16
That's an excellent obituary. hunter Thursday #77
I am so happy to learn this! tonekat Thursday #18
Unfortunately his father failed to pull out in time. NT cstanleytech Thursday #19
Only just now learned of you and looks like best moment, RIP! Brainfodder Thursday #20
Where the P stands for "perdition"? LearnedHand Thursday #31
The world is a better place today Stuckinthebush Thursday #21
I thought the air smelled a bit fresher this morning. -nt CrispyQ Thursday #22
John MacArthur keeled over too..in july Demovictory9 Thursday #26
The Devil Awaits ZDU Thursday #27
Look folks, when someone dies you're supposed to say something good. underpants Thursday #30
There will be someone to take his place. The Grand Illuminist Thursday #33
Or hopefully he may be a total corrupt incompetent fuckup. Crowman2009 Thursday #36
"No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin twodogsbarking Thursday #39
There are already many to take his place. valleyrogue Thursday #40
Luckily due to MAGA a lot of them are grifters. Crowman2009 Thursday #61
Good riddance to this christo-fascist pigman wolfie001 Thursday #34
Child abuse advocate Freddie Thursday #35
Some good news for a change. Crowman2009 Thursday #38
No heaven for you James Clouds Passing Thursday #41
You should always say something good about the dead. Ray Bruns Thursday #42
Excellent. sinkingfeeling Thursday #43
took too long pfitz59 Thursday #44
The fires of hell are burning brighter today. Oopsie Daisy Thursday #46
My mother taught me Pototan Thursday #47
HAH! I thought... GiqueCee Thursday #48
Nice to wake up to this PlanetBev Thursday #49
Not the obituary I was looking for... Dulcinea Thursday #50
I know how you feel. calimary Friday #82
Go to Hell, JD. FalloutShelter Thursday #51
Prepare the way for Trump now Dobson... Moostache Thursday #52
I noticed that the air here was a bit cleaner this morning. niyad Thursday #53
Have fun in the flames of hell choie Thursday #54
About the white-washing job I would expect from the nyt. The Wonkette niyad Thursday #57
Woohoo!!! rhiannon55 Thursday #60
I once emailed Focus on the Family Mblaze Thursday #62
Who's left of religious right leaders? ChicagoTeamster Thursday #63
ah hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha eggplant Thursday #64
Freddi was fabulous. They name a planet after him. twodogsbarking Thursday #65
Excellent Owl Thursday #66
Adios, Fucko JoseBalow Thursday #67
The only real justice, these days. Buddyzbuddy Thursday #68
Now he will find out what God really thinks of his version of Christianity jgmiller Thursday #70
Boo hoo. WestMichRad Thursday #73
Wasn't he the one who, on 9/12/2001 with the buildings still smoking, blamed the attacks on lesbians? Hekate Thursday #74
That was Jerry Falwell, Sr. n/t valleyrogue Thursday #78
Ah yes. So hard to tell the emeffers apart Hekate Thursday #79
One of the best send-offs Wild blueberry Thursday #75
May his journey be enlightening Hekate Thursday #76
Good. One less monster in the world. travelingthrulife Thursday #80
Bye Bye eringer Thursday #81

hatrack

(63,385 posts)
1. And the world is a better place!!
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:21 AM
Thursday

Awaiting him in Hell - an infinity of dachshunds - and they're pissed off.

BumRushDaShow

(158,727 posts)
3. I think he was the "Focus on the Family" founder
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:24 AM
Thursday

I know my mom used to monitor these guys (and RW talk radio to hear "the other side" ). And to quote Forrest Gump - "And that's all I have to say about that" (and that guy).

niyad

(126,375 posts)
55. We here refer to that tax-free group as either "fungus on the family", or,
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 12:21 PM
Thursday

"focus on fascism", for over 30 years.

SpankMe

(3,568 posts)
45. Focus on the Family
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 11:41 AM
Thursday

...unless your family contains gay people, Or trans people. Or pregnant women. Or...

I have friends in Colorado Springs (where Focus was HQ'd) who derisively referred to it as "Poke-us-in-the-Fanny".

lakercub

(665 posts)
71. Focus facility
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 03:33 PM
Thursday

My mother-in-law and some friends worked there and I went in to the main building once. It was nauseating. Dobson made a temple to himself. There was a very long hallway that was absolutely filled with pictures of Dobson shaking hands with, or posing with, other famous people (i've never forgotten the one with Dobson and Oliver North). At the end of the hall was an extremely expensive, beautiful mahogonay staircase. The staircase was donated, allegedly, but an organization that really wanted to help would have asked for that donation to be in the form of food and clothing for the poor, not unnecessary opulence.

Allegedly Christians aren't supposed to make idols of themselves and are supposed to show humility (laughable, with the Christian right...I know), but this was so egregious that it just put the lie to the whole place's reason for existence. They wanted to stop homosexualtiy, pre-marital sex, et al, but what they REALLY wanted was as much money as possible.

JustAnotherGen

(36,724 posts)
5. Woo hoooooo!
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:24 AM
Thursday


That s.o.b. has been part of the ChristoFascist movement for decades.

I hope he enjoys his time in hell.

Paladin

(31,444 posts)
9. Good riddance.
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:25 AM
Thursday

I hope Dobson put in a "good word" for trump getting into heaven, before he croaked---that would guarantee trump's failure to pass through the pearly gates...

Arkansas Granny

(32,131 posts)
69. You do realize that it could take some time to exhaust all of the
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 03:03 PM
Thursday

nothing nice things I have to say about the Felon-in- Chief. Let's do it someplace with margaritas.

AverageOldGuy

(2,868 posts)
16. Here's an honest obituary for Dobson
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:45 AM
Thursday
https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/08/james-dobson-burn-in-hell



Finally. This awful homophobe made the world a significantly worse place by his living in it. His brand of hate was tremendously influential in the modern Republican Party. Future Americans should look at Dobson with contempt and disgust, much like the racist scum of our collective past and of the Trump administration today.


(There's a lot more at the link . . . and it gets much better.!

Stuckinthebush

(11,170 posts)
21. The world is a better place today
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:50 AM
Thursday

Some people's lives are a cancer on society. No tears and definitely no holding back on grave dancing.

Demovictory9

(37,113 posts)
26. John MacArthur keeled over too..in july
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:56 AM
Thursday

From wiki:


In March 2022, The Roys Report published an investigation critical of Grace Community Church (GCC) and its pastor, John MacArthur.[63] Some female victims of domestic violence, according to the findings, were reportedly asked to return to their husbands or face excommunication. Hohn Cho, a GCC elder, said that he advised MacArthur to reconsider that stance.[64]

underpants

(192,363 posts)
30. Look folks, when someone dies you're supposed to say something good.
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 10:59 AM
Thursday

James Dobson is dead. Good.

Stole that from someone at DU when Falwell died.

Crowman2009

(3,223 posts)
36. Or hopefully he may be a total corrupt incompetent fuckup.
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 11:22 AM
Thursday

All those donations are going to be spent on extra houses, jewelry, sports cars, drugs, female escorts, gay escorts, orgies, etc. Take Jerry Falwell Jr. for example.

twodogsbarking

(15,216 posts)
39. "No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 11:25 AM
Thursday

You are, however, spot on.

valleyrogue

(2,267 posts)
40. There are already many to take his place.
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 11:25 AM
Thursday

Doug Wilson and his ilk are vastly worse than Dobson ever thought of being.

Crowman2009

(3,223 posts)
61. Luckily due to MAGA a lot of them are grifters.
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 12:48 PM
Thursday

So get ready for some entertaining infighting!

Freddie

(9,939 posts)
35. Child abuse advocate
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 11:22 AM
Thursday

Wrote several books about how it’s “Christian” and perfectly fine to hit your kids. Another obituary read with great pleasure.

Pototan

(2,836 posts)
47. My mother taught me
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 11:49 AM
Thursday

that if you couldn't say anything good about the deceased, don't say anything at all.

James Dobson is dead. GOOD

GiqueCee

(2,723 posts)
48. HAH! I thought...
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 11:50 AM
Thursday

... the Sun was shining brighter, and the air smelled fresher! Good riddance. He was an evil man.

Moostache

(10,740 posts)
52. Prepare the way for Trump now Dobson...
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 12:14 PM
Thursday

The blessed day awaits, "Trump found dead on toilet" - this Dobson news is just an appetizer for the main course.

niyad

(126,375 posts)
57. About the white-washing job I would expect from the nyt. The Wonkette
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 12:26 PM
Thursday

obit is much, much better.

rhiannon55

(2,748 posts)
60. Woohoo!!!
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 12:46 PM
Thursday

Colorado Springs just got a teeny tiny bit more woke. If I still lived there I would be dancing in the street!

Mblaze

(677 posts)
62. I once emailed Focus on the Family
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 01:00 PM
Thursday

And asked them why they push prayer in school when Jesus specifically directed his followers to pray in private rather than in public "like the hypocrites"? They responded that they consider the Sermon on the Mount to be a "minor teaching" and blocked me.

ChicagoTeamster

(9 posts)
63. Who's left of religious right leaders?
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 01:07 PM
Thursday

So who is left? Falwell and Robertson are dead although their sons took over but they're also in their sixties. Fred Phelps died after being disfellowshipped because his adult children left after their kids (the toddlers that used to hold the god hates fags signs at Phelps protests) quit when they became young adults and were done with the bullshit.

To be an elder in a christian church all of your adult children must be baptized church members. When Phelps grandkids quit, his children were no longer elders and couldn't control finances, (among other things but the primary reason for evangelical churches) so they quit and then Phelps lost his position as leader of the Westboro Baptist Church and some other leaders took over the business of protesting to provoke a response and then suing. Fred became a minister and started the church after he was disbarred as an attorney for a series of defamatory and misogynistic attacks against female witnesses against cases he was pursuing.

They're such idiots. Moms for Liberty founder and her husband (Fla Republican Part chairman) were accused of rape after having a three way with a woman who wasn't told the husband would join in. Guess they were having a three way after the book burning. Turning Point USA founder has been sued for sexual assault by multiple young men and settled out of court. Students for Trump founder Ryan Fournier was arrested for assaulting a woman with a firearm. Family Research Council founder George Rekers was caught at Miami airport with a 20 year old gay escort. MegaChurch pastor Ted Haggard was brought down by a 2006 scandal involving drugs (meth) and sex with a gay escort . He was president of the American evangelical association.

The christian coalition was started out of Pat Robertson's failed 1988 presidential campaign. So many millenials and GenZ are non religious that I wonder how long before the current leaders either die off or go down in scandal and this bullshit will end. Hopefully it won't take another 20 years.

twodogsbarking

(15,216 posts)
65. Freddi was fabulous. They name a planet after him.
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 01:57 PM
Thursday

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust (yeah)
Hey, I'm gonna get you, too
Another one bites the dust

Hekate

(99,057 posts)
74. Wasn't he the one who, on 9/12/2001 with the buildings still smoking, blamed the attacks on lesbians?
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 05:00 PM
Thursday

Something like: lesbians, homosexuals, witches — it was charming.

May he receive everything he so richly deserves.

Wild blueberry

(7,848 posts)
75. One of the best send-offs
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 05:03 PM
Thursday

"Some tasty food for worms was delivered on Thursday. One of the most truly horrible humans ever inflicted on this country has ceased to be, and all say, “Amen” and “about goddamn time.”
the great Charles P. Pierce

eringer

(472 posts)
81. Bye Bye
Thu Aug 21, 2025, 09:28 PM
Thursday

Thank you Lord for taking this scum off the planet before the convicted felon awarded him the Medal of Freedom.

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