Comments on: Puh-lease

By: djchuang's metablog

djchuang's metablog — Sun, 16 Jan 2005 03:03:22 +0000

influential people

Today I finished reading Blog : Understanding the Information Reformation That’s Changing Your World by Hugh Hewitt of http://www.hughhewitt.com, an A-list blogger depending on which A-list you reference. The book is a good read, and makes a compelling case f…

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 23:10:36 +0000

I think that James Dobson’s heyday as a person of influence has long since past and it happened about the moment he became so political.
Twenty years ago, when I first became a pastor, Dobson’s influence over families and parents was enormous. I would say that most of the young families in the congregation I served then knew who he was and what his ideas about parenting were.
Today, I would say that almost none of the families where I serve as pastor know of him. These are good, committed Christian people. But Dobson has rendered himself so irrelevant by playing politics within a sheltered Christian ghetto that he has shattered much of his influence.
When people’s hearts and wills are transformed by Christ, the transformation of politics will follow. The trail Dr. Dobson is following is the route of Pharisaic legalism. No transformation can or will come of it. It’s sad to see a man who once exercised such positive influence throw it away as Dobson has.

By: The Greatest Pursuits

The Greatest Pursuits — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 22:30:29 +0000

The Most Influential Private Citizen

Hugh Hewitt has started a debate in the blogosphere by naming Dr. Ja...

By: MD

MD — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 20:44:36 +0000

Dobson is invisible to the MSM because: 1. he is conservative, and 2. he is Christian, and, worst of all, 3. he applies Christian principles to families and child-rearing.
Why, the guy probably supports school vouchers and other neanderthal ideas.
Everyone knows the State raises the children, that the State knows best, and that the State does not appreciate competition from people like Dr. Dobson.
Large portions of our cultural life are invisible to the MSM; they simply don’t exist. If they rear their ugly head, and actually affect events or wield any practical influence, howls and the gnashing of teeth result (as occurred after our last election).

By: Eric Seymour

Eric Seymour — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 15:49:34 +0000

Is his advice unusual or groundbreaking, in some way?
It’s not radically different from other counselors’s advice per se. I’d say it’s traditional, pragmatic, and grounded in the Christian faith.
Concerning those election videos, is that legal?
I don’t know enough about them to say, but…
Also, are there more churches than I think that have televisions and VCRs?
Just about every evangelical church I’ve been to with a congregation of more than 100 or so has A/V capabilities at least comparable to a typical college lecture hall. Megachurches often have multiple giant video screens on which they display live video of the service.

By: Drew

Drew — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 15:15:31 +0000

Dr. Phil and Oprah jump from one fad to the next.

So do Americans.

By: Karl

Karl — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 14:25:05 +0000

I have heard of him, but as far as I know, I do not know people who listen to his radio show, or who try to apply what he says to their own lives, or who take his advice on raising children. (Is his advice unusual or groundbreaking, in some way? I would think it would have to be, for him to gain any kind of following in this area.) It is possible that I have met people who do these things, but I agree with the argument that more of us would be aware of the influence of a major figure in the media whose advice is followed by so many people, if he were actually the most influential American outside of government.
Concerning those election videos, is that legal? How did the churches use them? Also, are there more churches than I think that have televisions and VCRs?

By: David

David — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 11:57:57 +0000

In addition to all of the above re: Dobson is the most influential
1. Millions of Parents have or are right now raising children following Dobsons Advice, and have been for over 20 years.
2. Dobsons get out the vote effort for GWB is argueably what got Bushie elected. Thousands of US churches used his video’s and printed matter. In an election that was all about getting your base out, Dobson got everyone to turn out.

By: La Shawn Barber's Corner

La Shawn Barber's Corner — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 10:37:02 +0000

Thursday Linkage/Open Thread

Here’s a round-up of interesting links around the blogosphere:
— Buck has been busy. Check out his guide for web site creation for bloggers.
— Josh Clayborn and Hugh Hewitt discuss: “What American not in government has the most influence –…

By: Imperial Valley Christian Center

Imperial Valley Christian Center — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 03:48:08 +0000

Dobsonanity?

Hugh Hewitt and Josh Clayborn are having a small argument as to whether or not James Dobson is,