In the history of the evangelical Christian family movement, one figure stands tall above the rest: a children's psychologist from Louisiana named James Dobson. For three decades, Dobson built up his media empire, Focus on the Family, on the back of his plain-spoken traditionalist approach to child rearing. Then, as the broader cultural tide shifted in favor of normalizing homosexual relationships, he got kicked out. This week, Josh and June take a look at why Dobson's approach resonated with so many parents in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, how his work institutionalized the natalist project among evangelical Christians, and how religious fundamentalism, no matter how polite, corrodes a healthy society.
SUPPLEMENTAL LISTENING:
<ul>
<li>Listen to I Hate James Dobson: <a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-hate-james-dobson/id1736366398'>Apple Podcasts</a> / <a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/5UqN5igoQL2E5QIv9Id08R?si=4e006b026b4045d2'>Spotify</a> / <a href='https://pocketcasts.com/podcasts/8092a8d0-d3f4-013c-5cf2-0acc26574db2'>Pocket Casts</a> / <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@IHateJamesDobson'>YouTube</a></li>
<li>Listen to The Worst of All Possible Worlds episode about the James Dobson/Ted Bundy interview: <a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-worst-of-all-possible-worlds/id1570782388?i=1000668694706'>Apple Podcasts</a> / <a href='https://open.spotify.com/episode/75Yv1J3iT91L8YTEmTrJ8G?si=2f182a584c5d4637'>Spotify</a> / <a href='https://pocketcasts.com/podcasts/771d87b0-ab6e-0139-c181-0acc26574db2/680a8ad0-3a52-4833-a4bf-265e86f39b66'>Pocket Casts</a> / <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p4gQl9w8-A'>YouTube</a></li>
</ul>
EPISODE ART: Focus on the Family <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dobson#/media/File:James_Dobson_1.jpg'>press photo</a> of James Dobson c. 2007
SOURCES:
<ul>
<li><a href='https://www.focusonthefamily.com/about/historical-timeline/'>Focus on the Family's official historical timeline</a></li>
<li><a href='https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/953188150'>Focus on the Family 2015 financial disclosures</a>, ProPublica</li>
<li><a href='https://web.archive.org/web/20030604181620/http://family.org/docstudy/newsletters/a0005936.html'>Dobson's 1999 announcement of the leadership succession plan</a></li>
<li><a href='https://web.archive.org/web/20030604095142/http://family.org/docstudy/newsletters/a0025678.html'>Dobson's 2003 announcement of Don Hodel's appointment as CEO</a></li>
<li><a href='https://web.archive.org/web/20021104074907/http://www.family.org/welcome/aboutfof/a0000078.cfm'>Focus on the Family's Guiding Principles</a> as enumerated on their website in November 2002</li>
<li><a href='https://www.focusonthefamily.com/about/foundational-values/#principles'>Focus on the Family's Guiding Principles</a> as enumerated on their website today</li>
<li><a href='https://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF23I19.pdf'>Family Research Council list of Family Policy Councils</a></li>
</ul>
AUDIO CLIPS:
<ul>
<li>33:52 - <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wurA3WAskPA'>James Dobson interviews Ted Bundy</a> on death row</li>
<li>1:00:24 - <a href='https://www.mediamatters.org/focus-family/dobson-same-sex-marriage-would-lead-marriage-between-daddies-and-little-girls-between'>James Dobson in a Focus on the Family Radio broadcast</a>, October 6, 2005</li>
<li>1:04:03 - Guy Raz interviews Jim Daly on <a href='https://www.npr.org/2012/02/12/146780113/focus-of-the-familys-president-on-groups-work'>NPR All Things Considered</a> (February 12, 2012)</li>
<li>1:11:16 - <a href='https://www.drjamesdobson.org/broadcasts/rise-of-the-servant-kings-2025/'>James Dobson interviews Ken Harrison</a>, former Promise Keepers chairman, on Family Talk Radio</li>
<li>1:15:38 - <a href='https://www.drjamesdobson.org/broadcasts/missing-children-the-high-cost-of-a-low-birth-rate-part-1/'>James Dobson talks about declining birth rates</a> on Family Talk Radio</li>
</ul>
FOLLOW THE SHOW:
<ul>
<li>Website: <a href='https://illconceivedpodcast.com'>illconceivedpodcast.com</a></li>
<li>Bluesky: ‪<a href='https://bsky.app/profile/illconceivedpodcast.com'>@illconceivedpodcast.com</a></li>
<li>Tumblr: <a href='https://www.tumblr.com/illconceivedpod'>@illconceivedpod</a></li>
</ul>
FOLLOW JOSH:
<ul>
<li>Website: <a href='https://joshboerman.com'>joshboerman.com</a></li>
<li>Bluesky: <a href='https://bsky.app/profile/bosh.worstpossible.world'>@bosh.worstpossible.world</a></li>
<li>Other podcast: <a href='https://www.worstpossible.world'>The Worst of All Possible Worlds</a></li>
<li>Stream: <a href='https://www.twitch.tv/traditional_scrench/'>Traditional Scrench</a></li>
</ul>
FOLLOW JUNE:
<ul>
<li>Bluesky: <a href='https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:mf5dzzqkp7fnmby6blfeljwj'>@junlper.beer</a></li>
<li>Other podcast: <a href='https://linktr.ee/westernkabuki'>Western Kabuki</a></li>
<li>Writing: <a href='https://junlper.substack.com'>June's Substack</a></li>
</ul>

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