James Dobson's War on America [Hardcover]

Gil Alexander-Moegerle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1997

Former Dobson aide and Focus on the Family co-founder Gil Alexander-Moegerle offers an insightful and detailed expose 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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this often strident expose of James Dobson, founder and president of Focus on the Family, an ultraconservative Christian organization, former Focus vice-president Alexander-Moegerle issues a call to all politically concerned Americans to beware of Dobson's political agenda. It's no secret that Dobson, as Alexander-Moegerle writes, advocates "smaller government, larger defense, the elimination of the Department of Education and the NEA, and the barring of women and homosexuals from military service." Alexander-Moegerle relies on his more than 15 years of close contact with Dobson to paint a portrait of Dobson as an autocratic manager hungry for political power and recognition. According to the author, Dobson's Nazarene belief that he is sinless and morally perfect results in Dobson's stance that he is morally superior to others, even his employees. Such a stance, combined with Dobson's apparent sexism, racism and homophobia, and his ability to lobby Capitol Hill with "500,000 to 1 million phone calls and letters within hours," according to Alexander-Moegerle, seem to make Dobson a tremendous political threat to the pluralism and diversity of political views in America. Unfortunately, the second half of the book, in which Alexander-Moegerle chronicles his own lawsuit against the Dobson organization, mars the force of the rest of the book, since the text turns more toward personal vendetta than levelheaded critique. Even so, Alexander-Moegerle brings into the open some serious questions about Dobson and Focus on the Family that merit response.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Evangelical Christian psychologist James Dobson's strategy for combating contemporary cultural rot involves melding ultraconservative politics, tight corporate control of his Focus on the Family organization, and a personal understanding of God's word and marketing the antirot prescriptions he comes up with via the conservative Christian media. Curiously, the proceeds from many if not all of his cures seem to line Dobson's personal and corporate pockets. So former true-believer Alexander-Moegerle contends as he exposes the creature behind Dobson's smiling, fatherly persona and his questionable personal management style; from searching employees' offices to blackballing fellow authors with his publisher, Dobson is a Christian corporate octopus. As intriguing as Alexander-Moegerle's chilling depiction of how media soul-saving and moral crusading works is the bizarre credulity of Dobson's flock. Even Alexander-Moegerle confesses surprise when a performer on a TV church service tears up on cue; indeed, that kind of duplicity inspired him to expose the man he believes is a powerful and possibly dangerous media manipulator. Mike Tribby

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 306 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157392122X
• ISBN-13: 978-1573921220
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,525,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Confirmed some uneasiness I had about Dobson, April 24, 2004

By 

L. L Teuling "meloroze" (McAllen, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: James Dobson's War on America (Hardcover)

Because Dr. James Dobson is such a prominent Christian leader, it is hard to provide a critique of his ministry without getting into hot water in some circles. But Gil Alexander-Moeggerle has done his critique, and I found that this book has answered some uneasy feelings I had for a long time -- especially after Dobson became so deeply entrenched into right wing politics.

I will not re-hash the book here. Previous reviews have shown the outline of the book, the topics covered, etc., as well as being able to look inside parts of the book here on Amazon.

However, I will share some problems I began having as I followed his ministry more. When I first started reading Dobson's books, I appreciated his views on the development of children and some of his practical psychological wisdom. However, my misgivings began to crystalize into two categories.

1. Political involvement. Now please understand -- I have no problem with Christians being involved in politics. But I do have serious issues with the following:

a. Legislating so-called "Christian principles." As a religion, Christianity is to be accepted by individuals, not by imposing its principles into law by decree. The Christian faith cannot be spread by imposing it onto others.

b. Although I am pro-family, pro-business and pro-life, I don't believe that the "conservative" camp exclusively owns these issues.

c. Furthermore, you don't have to be politically conservative to be a Christian.

d. I am a straight married woman, but I don't think I have a right to interfere in the lives of the gay community. I don't see them as messengers of evil, and I have no vendetta against them, either political or religious.

d. I get the impression that Dobson doesn't have a clue as to how the poor live and the challenges they face.

2. His attitude towards women. Many women see Dobson as their friend, but he clearly upholds a hierarchical view of the male as the "head." While this doesn't necessarily need to be a problem (though it often ends up that way) he also puts women into a "Catch 22" situation:

a. He wants women to make their homes and families the center of their lives.

b. But then, he has critiqued the fact that women don't seem to talk about topics from as broad a base as men do -- and has even had programs that impress on women that they need to have something in their lives besides home and family. But he forgets that MANY women have made the home and family the center of their lives by listening to HIM.

I worked at a religious radio station for a while where Dobson's program was aired, and one time I had the poor judgment to express some of my problems with Dobson's ideas -- and I was treated like I had attacked God Himself!

I think that Dobson is trying to amass too much power (if it hasn't already happened) and is trying to speak for the Christian community as a whole. Well, Dobson does not represent all Christians.

The best way to "Christianize" a country is for Christians to non-coercively share Jesus Christ with their family, friends, colleagues, etc., and let them accept Christ on their own. If enough Christians will simply live their lives as Christ would have them live it and practice GENUINE Christian love (I Corinthians 13) then I believe that more people will become Christians than through any kinds of laws made by any kind of government.

39 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars James Dobson--Holier than some, but not all!, April 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: James Dobson's War on America (Hardcover)

Gil Alexander Moegerle's critical treatise on the personality, work, and ethics of Christian Right pop psychologist James Dobson reveals aspects of this popular evangelical leader that should long ago have been exposed to public scrutiny. Perhaps the most telling revelation of all is Moegerle's disclosure that Dobson subscribes to a doctrine--still popular in some evangelical circles--known as "entire sanctification" or the "second work of grace." This concept holods that a person saved by grace can mature to the point where he/she loses all will to sin, and thus can not fall prey to the temptations that less sanctified believers struggle with. If Moegerle's report is correct, then it is understandable how Dobson can be described as Moegerle describes him--an arrogant know-it-all who demands absolute loyalty and agreement by subordinates and attacks dissenters viciously. After reading Moegerle's book, I wrote to Dobson, asking if it was true that he held to the "entire sanctification" doctrine. I closed my letter by stating that if he sent no reply, I would assume that he did indeed embrace this concept of personal perfection. It has been two years and I have received no response.

23 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I respected James Dobson but felt uneasy about him., July 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: James Dobson's War on America (Hardcover)

I'm in my early 50's and remember when Dr. Dobson became prominent. I enjoyed a lot of his books but later on became a bit troubled. This was further compounded when I actually dared to mention this and was firmly put in my place for daring to criticize him.

But my problems remained. I felt that he put women in a "Catch-22" position -- on one hand, having married women stay home and care for their families, and on the other hand, complain about women who had nothing in their lives except their families, and how they needed to branch out more -- seemingly forgetting that a lot of these women were staying home and wrapping themselves up in their families as a result of listening to him! I was also troubled by what seemed to me as a hardening position on abortion (which, for the most part, I don't support, either) and the tacit idea that God is a Republican.

I have read this book through twice, and I don't find it nasty or mean-spirited. However, I do think that it's right down to the point. I do my best to apply my Christianity to my daily life, but I know that there are other people out there who believe differently than I do, and even if I don't agree with them, I still support their right to practice what they believe as long as it doesn't include such obvious things as murder, stealing, etc.

I enjoyed the book, and I don't think more or less of Dr. Dobson than I did when I started it. Some people portray him as a complete angel, others as a devil -- and neither of those extremes are true. I think that Gil Alexander-Moegerle has projected him exactly as he is -- a human being with all the strengths and weaknesses involved.

Good book -- worth reading!