James Dobson's War on America: Book Review

James Dobson's
War on America
by Gil Alexander-Moegerle
(Prometheus Books)
Order this book from Amazon.com

Other Reviews:

Jesus, CEO,
by Laurie Beth Jones

Stealing Jesus: How Fundamentalism
Betrays Christianity
by Bruce Bawer

Ron Hogan interviews:

Ron Hogan interviews
Chris Bull and John Gallagher
authors of

James Dobson's War on America, by Gil Alexander-Moegerle
Reviewed by Ron Hogan

The public best knows James Dobson as the head of Focus on the Family, a group that promotes 'Christian family values' through its publications and popular syndicated radio show, in which Dobson dispenses advice to troubled families. But he's also a highly influential political lobbyist, orchestrating the political clout of Focus on the Family's members to pressure lawmakers into voting his value system into law. Paranoically concerned with his 'image,' he shuns any media appearances he can't completely control; when he does consent to meet the press, he consistently downplays his religious background in an attempt to distance himself from scandal-ridden televangelists. He attracts a greater audience than just about every comparable conservative Christian figure, yet many Americans know nothing about him.

Gil Alexander-Moegerle, Dobson's former right-hand man and cohost of the radio show during its first decade, hopes to change that with his combination of behind-the-scenes memoir and critical political commentary. Much of the general information he reveals is not entirely surprising; it comes as no great shock to discover that Dobson is a fundamentalist with sexist, racist, and homophobic attitudes. Similarly, I expected to find out that the 'religious' Focus on the Family organization is run like a tight business, with a strict eye on the bottom line -- the specific details are interesting, but like much of the book, merely confirm what I'd suspected of Dobson from the beginning.

When Alexander-Moegerle discusses his personal history with Dobson, however, the dark side of Dobson's soul comes into much sharper focus. It's one thing for a religious leader to control his 'church' with an iron grip, quite another when he interferes in the lives of his employees and colleagues. The author goes over in excruciating detail how, as his marriage was faltering, his employer and so-called friend would talk to his wife and then confront him at the office on her behalf, regularly met with the marriage counselor he'd recommended to the couple to discuss their case and confront Gil at work afterwards, and eventually booted Gil from the radio show after his divorce in order to avoid any potential negative feedback from having a divorced man on a family counseling show. Later, when Gil met and fell in love with a fellow Focus on the Family employee, Dobson coerced them both to resign, even though he knew that their romance had nothing to do with the earlier divorce, on the off-chance that 'people might talk.' Finally, after the Alexander-Moegerles had worked up the courage to take Dobson and Focus on the Family to court for wrongful termination and invasion of privacy, he got most of the charges dismissed by asserting that he was exempt as the head of a religious organization.

Because of this story, it's somewhat difficult to take the author at face value when he claims that, despite wanting to make the public aware of Dobson's shadowy political intentions, he also wants to call due attention to Dobson's work as a family counselor. This certainly doesn't sound like the kind of man I'd trust to save a family. Christians (or, for that matter, any Americans) who believe in openness and tolerance should be very wary of James Dobson. James Dobson's War on America is one of the best resources available for educating yourself about what he and his organization are up to.

- Ron Hogan
of Beatrice
grifter@primenet.com