Fr.Andrew

I'm unsure which forum to go with this. Here's a good example of the hatred and ignorance perpetuated by fundamentalist Christians.
"Focus on the Family" (spit!) has begun a crusade against Big Brothers and Big Sisters because they won't exclude qualified homosexuals from serving as mentors.
The notion that the orientation of homosexuals will somehow rub off on children is nonsense--as is the suggestion that gay people who want to work with children are pedophiles.
I know there's no law against being ignorant, but I wonder what would happen if someone sued James Dobson (hoark...spit!) for spreading hate?
There's been a refreshing move toward that in Canada (another good reason, other than the war, to relocate?).

christ-on-a-stick

James Dobson is a hateful and ignorant man. Angry now.

Loren Pechtel

Personally, I think their symbol should be a sniper scope. That's what they focus on the family.

dshimel

I lived in San Dimas when Dr. Dobson was in Pomonna (A stone's throw over Villa Verde down the 57). Then I moved to Colorado Springs and was shocked to learn he gotten there before me. I expect FotF to be showing up in PHX now that I'm here.

Sad thing is that he has some good ideas. Just enough to get people thining he makes sense. People should spend more quality time with their kids. Couples should spend more time talking and working on their relationship. A lot of good sound stuff you'd get in any family counselling session anywhere in the countyr.

Then he hits them with all the religion based ignorant, racist, sexist, anti-gay, anti-non-WASP crap. People just let it in becasue they trust him, and most of them are WASPs anyway.

I recently met a woman that tried to tell me that I don't know what an atheist or agnostic is. Hello, don't go telling me that I don't know what I believe and I won't go telling you what you believe.....

But, Dr. Dobson says that Atheists have just as much faith as Christians, they just have faith that they are God. You know, I wouldn't give a fiddlers fart to hear what Dr. Dobson says. I wouldn't give him the steam off my piss. (Sorry, I just finished reading Angela's Ashes. The last one makes sense in the context of peeing outside on a cold day. The steam is water, but not much and probably not real tasty. Not sure the significance of a Fiddler's Fart, but it certainly doesn't have much value.)

spurly

I've listened to Dobson a lot and I hve never picked up on his hatred for homosexuals. Does he hate the act of homosexuality? Yes. Just like he hates the act of adultery, the act of using drugs, the act of producing pornography, and the act of spiritual pride. But he has a genuine love for people who are enslaved by those acts.

How does his love play out? He knows that if they continue in their current lifestyle, they will end up in hell for eternity. And he doesn't want that to happen. So, out of love, he tries to lead them to a relationship with God. He is not motivated by hate, but instead is motivated by genuine love and concern for people who are lost.

Godless Dave

If that's the case, why does he oppose gays and lesbians working as Big Brothers/Big Sisters?

Totalitarianist

The fact is that 98 percent of the population is heterosexual. 10 percent of convicted pedophiles are homosexuals.

spurly

What I am writing below is just an opinion. I have not talked to him personally to see why he opposes it, but this is probably why he does, and why I do, as a follower of Christ.

He's a psychologist. He knows that children are extemely impressionable. Big Brothers and Big Sisters goal is to find good role models for children who do not have a father or mother actively involved in their life.

If the match the BB/BS sets up works, the child will look up to the person they have been matched with, and many children will think that their Big walks on water. They will want to be like him/her - to do what they do. That is the nature of role models.

Children are also very innocent. And it is important to protect that innocence. Thus why should a parent have to explain to a son/daughter what homosexuality is and ruin that innocence.

I have been both a big brother and I have sat on the board of directors for BB/BS where I used to live in NC. They screen potential Bigs very carefully. They don't want anyone who is going to have a negative influence on the child they are matched with. Thus people who are actively living a homosexual lifestyle are not the only people who BB/BS can/should screen out.

ybnormal

That's just fine...
...but they should obviously screen you out first. You sick folks will never cease to disgust me with your ignorance and your hate. You folks represent everything that is wrong with this tired old world.

Jamie_L

Explaining same-gender relationships does not have to entail a discussion of sex any more than explaining male-female relationships must entail a discussion of sex. Does BB/BS screen out married men/women to protect the innocence of the children? I mean, wouldn't parents have to explain about married couples having sex? Then the kids will want to have sex like their role models?

Talking about men prefering to go to dinner and the movies with other men doesn't have one whit to do with innocence.

And it's not like homosexuality is who these people are any more than heterosexuality is who I am. A kid who doesn't know much about sexual relationship isn't going to have a clue whether I'm straight or gay when they hang out with me.

Jamie