James Dobson's War on America

by Gil Alexander-Moegerle

Former Dobson aide and Focus on the Family co-founder Gil Alexander-Moegerle offers an insightful and detailed expos? of this religious power-broker and his strong-arm corporation. Religious author and White House Family Conference task force member James Dobson formed the Focus on the Family corporation in 1977, a group that currently boasts plenty of political clout on the religious right, a $100 million budget, and a membership three times the size of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. This psychologist-turned-family-values-guru has a personal agenda so ambitious that Forest Sawyer of ABC News called him, "one of the most powerful men in America," while John Hockenberry of ABC noted, "On Capitol Hill, he's treated like some kind of powerful lobbyist." Although he may not be as well known as Jerry Falwell, Jim and Tammy Bakker, or Jimmy Swaggart, Dobson commands loyal legions who will do his bidding without question. And, like many moralists who call themselves "God's chosen," James Dobson has plenty to hide.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Religion

314 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 1997

Reviews

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I often struggled to determine who exactly the author was writing to. At times it felt like he was trying to soothe a frightened conservative audience (who I cannot imagine would ever believe or read this to begin with) and at others I felt as if he were trying to reach a bit further out. As is usually the case when you try to please multiple parties, I don't feel like he did either very well.

Particularly after having just read The Jesus Machine (which was amazing and if anyone has any interest in this sort of topic, toss this book immediately and go read that), this just felt so petty and unsourced. While I have no trouble believing that the author went through a great deal at the hands of Dobson and his organization, putting it in book format feels like an angry child seeking validation. It makes it hard to know how much of what he says to actually believe or take seriously.

There were a few interesting tidbits in it, but probably only for someone who has spent as much time studying this nonsense as I have. Otherwise, I cannot imagine anyone finding it worth the time. Also, it is kind-of funny 20 years later to imagine the idea of Dobson making a run for President. I seriously doubt that was ever on the table given what I've seen of him.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moegerle’s smear piece contains many nuggets of wisdom and good information about the existential threat Dobson and his ideology had and continues to have on American government and culture. I felt especially compelled by the thorough dissection of the Focus on the Family brand which greatly harmed myself and many I grew up with.

Yet, those salient points are undermined by some of the most repetitive, circular, tangential, anecdote fueled, petty writing I have ever read. The author fixates on the more minute aspects of Dobson’s narcissism at the expense of the much more compelling broad analysis of his impact. I wanted to know more about Dobson’s political involvement, more specific quotations from his books and to have a better understanding of how his harmful literature affected people’s lives and thinking.

It is compelling to see the roots of Project 2025 and Trumpism in Dobson’s views and values. He is largely to blame for the extremism we face in modern America. But far better works have been written addressing those systemic and societal phenomena.

[Hannah Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a read. This was truly a wild ride. It confirmed some things I already knew and illuminated other areas about James Dobson's dealings that I had no idea existed. Even though this book was written in the 90s, there are some eerie predictions about the future of America including, at the end of the chapter on extremist views, "the danger we all face is that one day an extremists like Dobson may become powerful enough to throw a monkey wrench of intolerance into the machinery of consensus building and threaten the entire system by which we confront issues like abortion and move forward as a society." - eek.

I'll be totally honest - I stopped reading when the author began discussing his personal life and Dobson's involvement in his divorce - it just felt too gross and personal.

A truly wild piece of history about the man that all of my religious and childhood trauma can be traced back to. Gotta love it.

[Darrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is a bit dated, it is well worth reading to see how the inside of Dobson's organization works. This is a scary book and, unfortunately, all Alexander-Moegerle discusses and predicts has happened with a vengance. Remember, this book was written before George Bush was elected. Dobson and the religious right have taken over far more of America since then.

[columbialion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening account of the social/cultural religious war of the Republican right wing religious zealotry.