Focus on the Family admits they are losing the fight against gay marriage

Focus on the Family President Jim Daly has told an interviewer that social conservatives have "probably lost" the fight against marriage equality for same-sex couples. "We're losing on that one, especially among the 20- and 30-somethings: 65 to 70 percent of them favor same-sex marriage. I don't know if that's going to change with a little more age -- demographers would say probably not," said Daly, speaking to World Magazine's Marvin Olasky.

Focus on Family tones down anti-gay rhetoric?

Conservative group Focus on the Family, under its new leader, Jim Daly (left), has stopped being involved directly in so-called "reparative therapy," as part of a general move away from its most extreme, anti-gay positions.

Although the group is still against marriage equality, Daly said he is "not going to demean human beings" as part its activism.

Focus on the Family lays off even more workers

Last year Focus on the Family eliminated 200 jobs and just a few days ago they announced that they laying off an additional 75 people due to a decline in donations.

Is it just due the dismal state of the economy?

Or could it be an indication of America's increasing acceptance of gays?

Either way, it's good news.

Whoo-hoo!

James Dobson of Focus on the Family, "We have lost"

James Dobson concedes defeat in the culture wars.

Junior Dobson goes into the 'Family' business

And make no mistake, these corporate, industrial "churches" like Focus on the Family make millions and millions of dollars by peddling fear and falsehoods. Anyway, sounds like Ryan Dobson will be taking over for his father, James Dobson and he insists that he really believes "all this (Christian) stuff." I guess we'll have to wait and see what that means. Focus has lost so much of its following, at least in Colorado, that it may be time for the organization to look into some changes.

Hope springs eternal

Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out hopes that James Dobson's departure from Focus on the Family will change the group for the better, but I'm not gonna hold my breath. Hate and fear-mongering are the lifeblood of groups like FoF. Anti-gay hysteria means big bucks for these kinds of religious organizations.

Never mind that the bible says, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."

People like Ted Haggard, James Dobson, Jimmy Swaggart, and Jim Bakker are always willing to take that chance.

James Dobson resigns

AP is reporting that James Dobson has resigned as chairman of Focus on the Family.

His resignation comes only a couple of months after extensive layoffs at the conservative and anti-gay Christian group.

In a statement, Dobson said he was resigning in part to allow the next generation to prepare for "executive authority."

Perhaps Focus on the Family's declining influence in their home state of Colorado and in the nearby state of Wyoming also had something to do with Dobson's departure.

Whatever the reason for his resignation, Dobson's legacy is one of hatred, fear, and misinformation.

James Dobson resigns from Focus on the Family; GLAAD responds

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today responded to the resignation of James Dobson, head of the anti-gay Focus on the Family ministry.

"For more than 20 years, James Dobson has used his expansive, well-funded media platform to promote defamatory and false information about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people," said Neil G. Giuliano, President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). "As Dobson resigns from his role as chairman, it is important to remember his history of false and defamatory claims about our community. GLAAD urges the media to not allow Dobson to turn today's news into yet another media platform for him to advance his intolerant divisive attacks on gay and lesbian Americans and their families."

Did the laid off Focus on the Family workers work themselves right out of jobs?

Recently released reports show that Colorado's Focus on the Family spent nearly $700,000 in 2008 to support California's gay marriage ban Prop. 8.

Wanna know what else they did in 2008?

Laid off hundreds of their workers, right before Christmas.

Now, losing a job in this economy is no laughing matter but I have to wonder; did those employees of Focus on the Family work themselves right out of jobs by being so gung-ho to fund and fight the battle against gay rights in California?

Could they have stood up to the powers that be at Focus on the Family and demanded they spend less time and money trying to repress the rights of GLBT citizens and put more money towards keeping them on the payroll? Focusing on their families, so to speak?

Do you think they wish they had?

Focus on the Family turns their attention to Wyoming

A gay marriage ban has been introduced in Wyoming. And of course, Focus on the Family has their dirty little hands in it. Not surprising. As they lose their power in Colorado, they have to struggle to maintain it elsewhere. Thank goodness for groups like Wyoming Equality who are fighting against the ban. Be sure to support them any way you can. - via Philadelphia Gay News

Seems like Focus on the Family actually does just the opposite

Focus on the Family may have some clout, as this 365gay.com editorial on same-sex adoption points out, but NOT IN COLORADO! Gay and lesbian singles can adopt here, and we also have second-parent adoption, meaning that a same-sex partner can adopt his or her partner's child if there is no other legal second parent.

But as the battle over gay and lesbian adoption continues in many other states, it proves one thing about the conservative Christian agenda: it is not family focused, it is not child friendly, it would rather see kids sit in foster care or institutions without a parent than allow a loving parents to adopt. Children, who have no say in the matter, are being used and abused to promote a conservative agenda.

Focus on the Family foiled?

Will Focus on the Family's dire (for them)predictions of what will happen with an Obama White House come true? Paul Varnell says Dobson and crew don't have to be worried--for the nonce.

More bathroom hysteria

This is exactly what Focus on the Family and other Colorado right-wing groups said when Gov. Ritter signed Colorado's public accommodations law. So far, I haven't heard a peep about predatory men following little girls into public restrooms, and I haven't heard of any child molestation that could be attributed to the public accommodations law.

But ya know what?

Men who want to follow little girls into public bathrooms will do it regardless of the law. They're pedophiles! Do you really think they care about a bathroom law when they're breaking a far more serious one by molesting a child?

Relax, Florida. It's gonna be okay.

Gay Guy Gift Guide

Holiday shopping made easy

Just shop at the places Focus on the Family DOESN'T recommend.

All I want for Christmas is a little less James Dobson in my life.

Hundreds protest Focus on the Family's James Dobson's inclusion in the Museum of Broadcast Communications

Press Pass Q's Michael K. Lavers writes:

An ad campaign that appeared in LGBT publications in Chicago helped draw an estimated 500 people to protest against the Museum of Broadcast Communications’ decision to honor Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.

The Chicago Free Press, Windy City Times, and Gay Chicago published ads that condemned the MBC’s decision to honor Dobson at a Nov. 8 banquet. Signatories included Equality Illinois, the Gay Liberation Network [GLN], former Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Wayne Besen, and local Parents, Friends, and Families of Lesbians and Gays chapters.

The campaign cost around $2,500. GLN spokesperson Andy Thayer said the ads were designed to organize LGBT Chicagoans against Dobson and the MBC’s decision to honor him. “We thought it was important to mobilize our community,” he said.

Besen, who is the founder and executive director of Truth Wins Out, co-organized the protest alongside GLN. He and other activists have repeatedly blasted Dobson for his distortions of research to support his opposition to homosexuality, marriage for same-sex couples, and other issues.

GLN member Bob Schwartz criticized the MBC’s decision. “It is unconscionable that any public institution would honor someone who has devoted his life to denying a whole section of the community legal equality, and promotes slander against that community,” he said. “Someone who does that is a hater, pure and simple, no matter how much they try to excuse their pro-discrimination rhetoric with so-called ‘Christian’ rationalizations.”

Thayer described the campaign as a success, and the museum’s reputation has suffered significantly. “The MBC’s reputation in the city has been tarnished … among media professionals,” Thayer said. “The stock of the MBC has been much diminished.”

Focus on the what, now? Or, who would Jesus lay off?

Anti-gay Christian ministry Focus on the Family just spent half a million dollars to push Proposition 8 in California, and now it is planning to lay off over 200 people --and right around the holidays!

Merry Christmas from James Dobson!

I'm really glad that you are focusing on the families of your dedicated workers. If you would have kept your money in Colorado, maybe these families that depend on your organization for their income wouldn't be left out in the cold. Dr. Dobson, this is shameful! You could have paid those workers' salaries with that money. You're so concerned about same-sex marriages breaking up families. How many families will you hurt with these layoffs?

All in the name of trying to prevent people who are different from you from trying to have families of their own.

Unbelievable.

It's absolutely contemptible for a so-called Christian organization to put political game-playing ahead of its own workers and then profess to be concerned about families.

Focus on the Family sucks

Want to know who donated money to pass Proposition 8?

While the only Colorado donor seems to be James Dobson (pictured) and Focus on the Family (big surprise), you should still check out the Dishonor Roll of individuals and businesses (most from California) that raised money to pass California's anti-gay marriage Prop. 8 and that you might NOT want to do business with now or in the future.

Meanwhile, Focus donated a whopping $539, 643!

How many school lunches would that have purchased for hungry kids in Colorado? How many computers and textbooks would that have bought for poor schools in Colorado? How many mortgage payments would that have made to keep suffering Colorado families in their homes? How many prescriptions would that have paid for Colorado senior citizens who can't afford their medication?

But at least now gays can't get married in California.

For another year or two.

Mighty Christian of ya, Dr. Dobson

Wayne Besen talks Sarah Palin, Focus on the Family

Colorado always makes the gay news for all the wrong reasons.

Focus on the Family and Sarah Palin--two big reasons to vote on Tuesday.

Colorado is a battleground state

John McCain and Sarah Palin will be bringing their campaign to Colorado Springs (of course it had to be Colorado Springs) tomorrow. Colorado is considered a battleground state for the Presidential election.








Maybe they can drop by Focus on the Family while they're in town and Palin can fill out an application to be their new publicist. It would be a much more appropriate position for her than Vice-President of the United States.

I'm sorry, but somebody - anybody - with five young children, including a special-needs infant and a pregnant teenager, simply does not have the time or resources to be an effective Vice-President and a decent parent. And anybody who would think otherwise isn't fit to be either.

GLAAD responds to Focus on the Family's James Dobson being named to the Radio Hall of Fame

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) recently responded to the announcement that the anti-gay Focus on the Family ministry, headed by James Dobson, has been voted into the Radio Hall of Fame.

The National Radio Hall of Fame (RHOF) and Museum is part of the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, Ill. Inductees to the museum are nominated by the National Radio Hall of Fame & Museum Steering Committee (RHOFSC), which includes radio executives, academicians, trade journalists and others interested in radio's history. James Dobson and Focus on the Family ministry won in the category of "a broadcaster who has made at least a 20-year contribution to the radio industry and has distinguished him/herself at the local and/or regional level."

"For 20 years James Dobson has used his expansive, well funded media platform to perpetuate false and misleading information which contribute to putting gay and lesbian families in harms way," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "GLAAD urges the media to scrutinize and shed light on Dobson's record of inaccurate claims about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and include an in-depth analysis of his distorted and defamatory statements."

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org.