Lol I agree with keeping religion out of government but I think some of Obama's true feelings regarding Christianity are probably coming through. I feel sorry for people that have fallen for this empty con man.

Mike in IL… are you crazy. Sinking?!? Not so much. Have you seen polls lately.

Obama is just too logical for Dobson. I am always amazed at the lack of tact and civility from paranoid people who profess to know more about God and the bible than everybody else. If you are going to go after Obama you need to bring your "A" game and drop the name calling. This round goes to Obama.

Obama is a politician and not a theologian. The Bible is supposed to be interpreted as a whole, not in bits and pieces. He should probably leave this argument alone.

Mike in IL, please take a look at the polls!

Obama rising!

We love Obama, but more than that we love the inspiration that he instills in us therefore making these typical attacks from the right…unsuccessful! I can't believe I used to be a registered Republican!

Mike in IL

You are an idiot. Try thinking before you open your mouth.

Sorry, finding it hard to believe a man who stayed with a racist church for over 20 years and didn't leave it till he needed more votes!
I guess he will "come up" with reasons for his remarks that will pacify you hard-core fans. Not me, still staying at home election day..I refuse to vote for this man!

James Dobson is a good leader but too call Obama's remark as a fruitcake interpretation, to me is ridiculous. There is something we conservatives have got to realize and realize fast, COMPROMISE in certain issues. So in that comment I don't see anything that is distorting of the bible .

This debate will never end. Dobson was right about the twisting of the scriptures, but Obama was right about choosing the right ones to govern by.

Our Founding Fathers discussed this over 200 years ago, and answered it. The only one's who don't think that we should use religious ideals to influence our decisions are the 14% of Americans who complain about the Pledge. The rest of us 86% need to tell them to sit down, shut up, and TAKE IT

This is not the full speech! Thanks for taking a convenient excerpt that makes Obama look evil. He clearly was trying to say that you cannot take the Bible literally and that it is up for interpretation hence the piece on slavery and eating shellfish. Come on people the real fruitcake is Dobson and all other religious out there who constantly take the Bible at face value and don't "apply" it to modern life.

Obama '08

Perhaps this is why we continue to need the separation of church and state in this country.

Wright, Hauge, Dobson, the Catholic priest (can't remember his name) are simply showing their own radicalism, whether it is right-leaning or left. I'm not voting for a minister, I'm choosing a president - they are not one in the same.

We'd be much better off if we stopped giving the religious zealots their 15 minutes of fame.

Those right wing idiots will do and say anthing to win….they still believe the American people who voted for the C-grade student Bush is still ignorant and uninformed…..they will realize how wrong they are in November!

Go Obama!

These kind of tactics against Obama don't surprise me at all. When you can't beat someone on issues, all the phonies like Dobson can to is try sleaze tactics.

Ask yourselves this question . Does Dodson's criticism of Obama violate one of the ten commanments: "Thou shalt not bear false witness"?

Good for Obama. I am a Christian and Dobson certainly doesn't speak for me.

Dobson knows full well what he is doing. He is distorting what Obama is saying, and quite frankly, for a man who claims to be so religious, he is acting very dubisou, and very unreligous, its a shame!

LEAVE RELIGION OUT OF POLITICS!

Obama's comment clearly shows that he has a lack of understanding of what it means to be a Christian. When Christ came into the world - he fulfilled what was considered "old law" established by the Jewish faith. Old testament rule or law was replaced by a new covenant covering sin and salvation.

You can’t just pick and choose portions of the Bible and draw conclusions. You must study it within the full context of what was written.

Obama may be a man of faith. My question is what faith does he follow?

James Dobson, Pat Roberson, John Hagee, etc. are the biggest purveyors of hate in the U.S.

Last time I read my Bible…I vaugely remember something about loving your neighbor and not hating others…but I suppose James Dobson would tell me I am interpreting it all wrong.

Obama…

Tell me what YOU have done… and not always just the perfection that you WILL do- and not always attacking others.

Dobson is out of touch with modern society. I am not an Obama supporter but this is just another manufactured drama by the main stream media, Obama was speaking the common sense truth and shouldn't have to waste time addressing partisan, personal attacks. Thanks for giving this so much attention CNN, you guys are doing a great job!

So does Dobson believe that any interpretation of the bible that is not matching his line for line is "distorted?" What if someone believes that Dobson's view is "distorted" and that he uses a "fruitcake interpretation?" What would his reaction be? Not everyone who follows the Christian belief is a fundamentalist or an evangelical.

Obama's right when he says we don't use the bible to determine public policy. That view is not distorted. The founding fathers had a say in that a few hundred years ago.

James Dobson seems to preach a lot of hate. Very un-christian like.

Dobson preaches the Bible, but criticized Obama's faith?

Dobson was wrong to even make a comment or express judgment towards someone's faith.

Dobson just showed that he is distorted as a person, who doesn't know what he preaches. By criticizing, Dobson, I believe is missing the point of where he stands as a evangelical leader.

fr the article:

>…Sen. Barack Obama said Tuesday night evangelical leader James Dobson was “making stuff up,” when he accused the Illinois senator of distorting the Bible and taking a "fruitcake interpretation" of the U.S. Constitution.
…<

I agree with Senator Obama, and would like to know just which law school dobson graduated from. Answer: NONE.

Barack continues to amaze me. No presidential candidate that I can remember has taken on the “real” topics that are on the minds of so many Americans. He approached the issue of race with intelligence and now he is addressing religion as it relates to politics.

Far too long, the religious leaders have taken an elitist attitude towards non-clergy types. If you are not of the fold then you do not have a voice. Rarely have we seen so much focus on religious people as we see today. Rarely have we seen people, let alone presidential candidates, address any thing religious. The topic of religion puts fear in the hearts of many people because we do not know the Bible as well as we should, so we sit quietly and take what is being fed to us. It’s like listening to a tone deaf person singing Amazing Grace!” No one would dare say the performance was awful because of the religious content; religious leaders count on that mentality.

Of course, he will be criticized and in some cases the criticisms are valid, but there is no doubt that Senator Barack Obama is opening up the floor for dialogue, intelligent dialogue.
Dex in Tex

Good for Barack Obama! It is about time that public officials running for public office "take on" the Dobson's of the world, as they are not mainstream and continue to spread their hateful messages and distort any Christian message!

Hopefully Barack Obama will be elected and in doing so, will bring a large majority of American's together after eight year's of division!

I agree with Obama. It sounds to me that Rev. Dobson just wants to have something to say, because if you listen to what Obama said, he made very good sense. It’s very hard to mix religion and politics together, where do you draw the line; that was Obama's point. I guess that’s why the issue of separation of church and state is still relevant.

Anyone who actually listened to what Dobson actually said is aware that Dobson's argument was illogical, used selected facts, and used selected interpretations of scripture and of the Constitution. Dobson is a right-wing politician who will say whatever he has to say to defeat his ideological demons. The man is not worth paying attention to, he's irrelevant to serious political and civic conversation, and this is my request that we all ignore him for the balance of his time on Earth.

So James Dobson is the voice of the evangelical church? Dobson is also at the forefront of orthodox Christianity and Constitutional law? I think not!

I'm a Christian, and for your information I believe what Jesus says in John 14:6. James Dobson gives me a feeling of uneasy, and I've attempted so many times to listen to his show.

Why won't James Dobson and all his glory meet with Obama and engage him in dialogue, rather than hiding behind his microphone, on his show, with his listeners. He appears to be a coward who talks trash as long as the authorities are present to put distance between him and the peroson(s) he’s attacking, but he is afraid to go toe to toe with the people whom he so strongly criticize.

Man up Dobson!! Meet with Obama and McCain in an in dept discussion on faith in our society. Unless you scared?

I think you scared. Yeah, I've been waiting on this…. bring it on Dobson! Let the world see how you have distorted the word of God to fulfill your personal agenda.

As an evangelical Christian myself for over 30 years and one who has often appreciated the teachings of James Dobson, I am also a supporter of Barack's perspective of trying to find the consensus on the true underpinnings of life for Americans, the way to bring the essence of American values back to the common person of our great nation, more closely to the American dream fro all people. Many issues today get back to the need to make real some pretty basic principles of faith, such as honoring marriage (e.g. fathers present in the home as Barack spoke of on Father's day) and educating our children ( "turn off tv", as Barack has so often said). I have read Barack's Christian testimony in his books and I believe he is grounded in his faith, that it is quite obviously evident in his values and choices. I believe he is a leader in the arena of family values. I hope many Christians see this.

Obama should not fall into this debate with this man. What he should to is point out roman Chapter 14. We are not to judge each other on the basis of our faith and how we practice sich faith. it is a lesson that Dobson has forgotten. then he should end it neatly that we whould all pray for each other to have a better understand of gods teachings.

Although Dobson is a respected man of faith, he misunderstood the content of what Obama said. Obama is a constitutional lawyer and knows the justice system will not stand up on the Bible alone. Which brings to thought that so many Court Buildings have removed the Bible from their doorstep.

There is the Kingdom of God which knows no bounds and then ther is human civilization which is bounded and in which people, who are imperfect creatures, must work out disagreements collaboratively.

God allows man to determine how to administer earthly matters including political structures and systems in accordance with his true word.

James Dobson, God does not immediately smite every offender one of the 10 commandments. If and when he does, the literal, dogmatic interpretation of his true word will be very clear to you and everyone else.

Neither I nor most of America believe in that the "Old Testament" God trumps the "New Testament" God

Dobson represents the radical religous right that supported Bush
and are basically bible toting hate mongers…. They will say and do
anything to seize control of this country……This time friends, the
truth will prevail and hopefully set us all free !

I resent Dobson's criticism Obama's for citing the Old Testament, instead of the New Testament.

Sorry, Dobson. Lots of us still rely on the Old Testament. And lots of us do not eat shellfish. Perhaps the word "kosher" comes to mind.

Unlike Dobson, however, we do not seek to impose our own predilictions on the rest of the nation.

What obama said was the ‘sermon on the mount’, i.e the golden rule and blessed are the peacemakers, is more words-to-live-by than the Leviticus laws. He was right and anyone who is being honest knows it. Great .Now lets move onto the issues. We don’t need these zealots bringing up the non existent boogie man to distract us from the 5 dollar gas and the war and poverty.

The republicans should worry about idiots like Dobson talking in the news with this kind of bs because all it does is make independants and level headed americans run to the democrats as fast as they can. It feels so good that it finally feels like guys like Dobson have FINALLY lost the power they once had in this country.

Obama's ship is all ready sinking… his support is weak and now he is breaking promises… all of you are about to see what Chicago Politics is all about!!!

Before reading about Dr. Dobson's comment, quotes from the speech were heard on another radio station and I thought the same thing as Dr. Dobson that the quotes were out of context and the scriptures and examples Mr. Obama tried to use from the Bible were out of context and that he was using them only to try to show that he has read the Bible. Mr. Obama has read the Bible, however proving he knows it is something different. Hearing that another person heard and concluded to the same thought as I did must also show that others also feel the same way.

People like Dobson are self-righteous busy-bodies who, unable to make a rational argument for everyone else to live their lives according to their prejudices, fall back on the absurd "authority" of their bibles to try to compel compliance.

For two thousand years, cherry-picking from the Christian bible has provided endless excuses and rationalisations for every imaginable evil. The document contains everything and nothing. It supports and opposes both sides of every argument. It has been used to justify and defend every conceivable act by legions of scoundrels.

The only people for whom I have more contempt than those who abuse the "authority" of the Christian bible are those who allow themselves to be abused. Wake up, people! A two thousand year old compendium of mythology, superstition, propaganda, and absurd cosmology makes a truly lousy basis for the conduct of your lives.

Obama's an expert at making stuff up, so I guess he should know now shouldn't he?

Before I even read Dobson's remarks I read Obama's. I agreed with Obama right away, he said that if you have an argument to make, frame it in something other than religion so you can argue it universally rather than just in the context of your faith, which isn't necessarily universal.

If I am going to argue a case against homosexuality I am not going to say it is because God said it is wrong, I may look for a sociological or legal reason.

He also said that we can't run the country by Christianity even if the country had nothing but Christians in it, because there are MANY different types of Christianity.

Dobson is full of it, and is making an argument where there is none.

James Dobson has already said he could not vote for John McCain because McCain does not measure up to what Mr.Dobson considers a conservative. He even faulted McCain for conceding that Hillary Clinton would make a good president. Now Dobson has derided Barack Obama because Obama does not measure up to what Mr.Dobson considers a bible-believing Christian.
Give us a break. We are not electing a Theologian-in-Chief; we are electing a president. Perfection is reserved for the Almighty, not withstanding Mr. Dobson’s seeming claim to inerrancy.

I have decided to make donations to Mr. Dobson organization after these attacks by Senator Obama.
My advise to Obama, stay away from these type of problems because it will cost him the election.

no matter what you say about this empty suit, he will say just the opposite, let us see 57 states, he said in his church for 20 years listening to wright, and then he booted him when he started running for president, he said he would take public money but flips on that, give me a boat full of flipping and flopping fish, and he will out do them also, go ahead and vote for this man, and you will pay dearly in taxes, lost freedoms, etc. Mccain is the only answer now.

Of course Dobson was making stuff up. That is his job as a religious leader in this country. Dobson won't vote for McCain but he will go out of his way to bash Obama proving he is in the pocket of the Republican camp. Dobson will be critical of a speech by Barack, but won't even mention that McCain sinned then then abandoned his wife in a move that made it easy for him to jump into politics in Arizona. Dobson is a phony and his focus on the family group has received my cancel notice effective yesterday.

If Jesus were alive today, he would sweep the temple of jerks like Dobson and his lying breed of vipers.

Obama supporters, don't beat yourself up once you stop believing Obama's empty rhetoric. It only means you're getting smarter.

Contrary to Dobson's Christian beliefs, there are many Christians that still follow words of the old testament like Seventh Day Adventist. In that respect Obama is correct in that even among Christians there is a vast divide as to what the believe. Just think, if we didn't differ so much we wouldn't have so many flavors "Protestants".

If I were to think that anyone would be guilty of twisting the Bible for ones own purpose, it would be Dobson.

Barack is on the latest Rolling Stones Mag. Can't wait to buy my copy.

Obama made stuff up about HRC:

PAINTED HER AS:
a racist
warmonger
waffling on NAFTA
and wh would obliterate IRAN.

So Obama should know all about making stuff up- and outright lying to trash his opponent out of the race.

If he had qualifications and merits, Obama would not need to denigrate his opponents in order to "win"

Obama's comment on Bible shows his opinion on the Bible. If he is confused, he could have better kept quiet. Irresponsible comments will bring criticism. Also, it is irresponsible to tell his followers that Bible is old fashioned and irrelevant. So it is the duty of someone who believe in tha Bible to point out its relevance even today and tell Obama not to distort it. I dare Obama to challenge Koran's relevance!
People may become irrelevant and not the Bible.

TAX THE RICH PAY OFF HILLARYS DEBT.

My grandma used to make me listen to this guy on the radio when I was little. Without biased opinion: Dobson and others like him are starting to expose themselves for what they really are! Dobson is scared to have dialogue with Obama b/c he fears his congregation will like what they are hearing. That is a threat to him (control-power-influence) and others like him (Conservative Leaders). Obama's speech was dead on about the bible.

I am Christian and I completely agree with Obama on this one.
As Jesus stated …Give to Cesar (Government) what is for Cesar and to God what it is for God”. The religion is for believers and the politics is for all Citizens independently of their religion.

The respect of the constitution is the absolute requirement in politics and helps to solidify the nation. In religion the Faith is the absolute requirement and helps to solidify our relationship with the Lord. The confusion of both is very dangerous and doesn’t have anything to do with the so claim of “protecting our values”. Our Bible and our constitution are essential maybe in different way to strength our values and protect the unity of the nation. The lack of this fundamental belief created religious wars in Europe between Catholics and Protestants.

As matter of fact, a politician who understands how to bring those two elements to the political sphere and at the same time keep us as whole and as nation can realize something very big.
I think a smart, religious and intelligent person like Barrack O. can be very effective of understanding how to bring his Christian values to the politics without alienating others faith such Jews, Muslim, others faiths and atheists.

The thing with Barack Obama's speech is that he is mentioning things that are in the Old Testament that have no relation to how Christianity operates or functions. The book he brought up, Leviticus, is a book written to the JEWISH people on how they were to be distinct and set apart from the rest of the world and cultures of their day. Christ fullfilled those laws and put to death the sins of breaking the laws. Christians don't have to worry about shellfish or stoning their child or slavery for that matter.

Bringing up slavery (the type in the Bible by the way is NOT in any way like the type practiced before the Civil War here in America) is a FAMOUS liberal attack on evangelical Christians. Bringing up also the question of which Christianity should be followed Dobson's or Sharpton's is also another way of twisting the arguement. Christianity has teachings that are quite easy to read and understand.

There doesn't need to be an interpretation on "feeding the poor" clothing the naked" visiting those in prison" etc.. A correct biblical reading of the text is essential to understanding where, what and why Christianity believes what it does. Barack Obama clearly hasn't the time to do some reading as to what Christ did for him and the world to see that his speech was purely rediculous and should have not be read to the crowd. It showed a shallow, ignorant understanding of what Jesus Christ did.

Dr. Dobson is the one with a fruitcake interpretation of the Bible - declaring himself the arbiter of which parts of the Bible are applicable and which parts aren't. There are versus which allow slavery, ban shellfish, call for the stoning of women and children. Dobson accuses Obama of doing what he himself does - deciding what verses should be the basis of our lives and which ones shouldn't. Yet Dobson claims that public policy should be based on the Bible - only his narrow view of it. Please do not run anymore stories about Dr. Dobson, he is not worth our breath.

I HOPE CNN POST THIS-

BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN A SHAME TO BE A DEMOCRAT- LIKE I AM NOW–

PLEASE VOTE YOUR PARTY-

PLEASE DO NOT VOTE IN 4 MORE YEARS OF BUSH- WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE NOW-

DO NOT LET HATE CONTROL YOUR FUTURE!!!

IF MCSAME WIN- THOSE SAME PEOPLE WILL BE BLOGGING AND COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WAR, GAS, THEIR HOMES AND THEIR JOBS… WHEN THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE A CHANGE…

WE OWN OTHER COUNTRIES TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS….

THIS WORLD IS SO FULL OF HATE AND IT SADDEN ME…USA THE NEW 3rd WORLD, THE POOREST COUNTRY– IF MCBUSH GET IN THERE- SO BE PREPARED BECAUSE YOU DID IT!

VOTE UNDER YOUR PARTY- IF YOU REALLY CARE - IF NOT YOU ARE IN OUR PRAYERS….AND THE US

Exactly. It's ok for the religious right to use the old testament to argue against gay marriage but when Obama quotes it, he's a fruitcake?

How about some accountability and accuracy?

This is rich. A conservative mocking someone for "distorting" the constitution. I didn't realize we still had one.

Obama, listen to James Dobson please. If you rise up against God's servant definitely you will be fighting against God. I don´t want to sound upbit about this issue. The Black Christian Leaders should speak up on this issue NOW. Let not the desire to have a "BROTHER" in the White house blind us on the issue of reckless abuse of biblical truths. I am shamefully suprised that the Black Christians are "cool" with Barack's Christianity.

For God's sake. James Dobson is right!! Obama and the crowd around him is scary to every true Jesus follower. I am not saying that God can't use him in some way. But his radical liberal affirmations are really scary.

Wake up dear "Brothers" and speak out on what is going on.

James Dobson redefines the word "fruitcake" with his holier-than-thou interpretation of the Gospel. Typical right-wing blowhard tactic: Discredit anyone with a differing opinion especially when it comes to the B-I-B-L-E.

dobson is an outdated CRACKPOT. ignore him!

I am happily surprised at the comments thus far on this thread as I have been in Christian groups where Dobson is revered almost more than Jesus.

Yet Dobson has a history of this kind of distortion. I have heard and read Focus on the Family in several instances strongly imply (but never state explicitly) that Roe vs. Wade legalizes abortion at any point in a pregnancy, up to the moment of birth, when that simply is not true. One does not have to believe in abortion to condemn twisting the facts about it. This kind of distorting, I believe, fundamentally holds his audience in contempt, treating them not as people to be informed but as objects to be manipulated. This strategy has worked very successfully for him in the past, and I am grateful he is finally being called on it.

The only fruitcake doing the talking is Dobson. As a Democrat however, I say, let people like Dobson go ahead and talk - talk all he wants. Because the more these types of people open their mouths, the more the American people see right through them. They are so not "in" right now! Thank God!

Anyone who claims we should take our moral lessons from the Bible hasn't read it. I think Jimmy needs to go back and it read it before calling Obama's claim a "distortion". One can find plenty of morally offensive and repugnant dictates in the Bible. Luckily most of them are illegal, and the ones that aren't (e.g. letting angels rape your daughters) should be.

At one time we did live our lives by the dictates of the Bible. It was called the "Dark Ages" and I'm glad I missed out.

Bring on the Age of Reason and Science. Ol' James would have loved the good ol' days of witch drownings, inquisitions, and subjugating women I'm sure.

Barack was right on target with his analysis of the perils of literal biblical interpretation. For Dobson to attempt to rally the red meat evangelical wing of Christianity against such a protagonist for change, is a clear indication of the desperate straights the conservative movement is in. Those of us who are proud liberal mainstream Protestants, from a wide range of denominations, will not cower in the face of the flawed theology that the Dobsons, Hagees, Parsleys, and Robertsons perpetuate.

Kudos to Barack for speaking truth to a declining political power, whose time has come to have the light shined on it.

Obama is the biggest liar of them all:

Starting with… The Clintons are racists… right.

I am Christian and I completely agree with Obama on this one.
As Jesus stated …Give to Cesar (Government) what is for Cesar and to God what it is for God”. The religion is for believers and the politics is for all Citizens independently of their religion.

The respect of the constitution is the absolute requirement in politics and helps to solidify the nation. In religion the Faith is the absolute requirement and helps to solidify our relationship with the Lord. The confusion of both is very dangerous and doesn’t have anything to do with the so claim of “protecting our values”. Our Bible and our constitution are essential maybe in different way to strength our values and protect the unity of the nation. The lack of this fundamental belief creates religious wars in Europe between Catholics and Protestants.

As matter of fact, a politician who understands how to bring those two elements to the political sphere and at the same time keep us as whole and as nation can realize something very big.
I think a smart, religious and intelligent person like Barrack O. can be very effective of understanding how to bring his Christian values to the politics without alienating others faith such Jews, Muslim, others faiths and atheists.

Dobson is a made up character, so making things up comes so naturally to him.

I heard Obama's speech and find nothing wrong with it. I have a problem with Dobson. He calls himself a Christian? I know that Obama reached out to Dobson and other evangelicals. Obama had a discussion with a group of them. Dobson declined.
The scriptures tell us that if a man has grieved you in some way, that while at the alter (or in this case, at your home looking for an excuse to attack somebody), you are to go to that person in private and tell them why you feel the way you do.

Dobson went out of his way to search for a 2 year old speech. hy did Dobson not want to met with Obama? The others did? I think Dobson feels he is loosing his control an power and wanted to stop Obama in his tracks. It won't work.

The bible….is translated by man, The consitution is writen by man.

These two are used widely by man and are often mis-understood

You make me sick, Obama.

I don't particularly like Dr. Dobson, but I have to say that he brings up something that might be legitimate. I would have to see Obama's speech for my own judgement, but it is true that bringing out sections of the old testament that don't apply to christianity (which is based on the New Testament) and using that as a way of dismissing the sections of the bible that DO apply to here and now, is an old and over-used trick that is common among politicians. For example, they say "hey, we eat shellfish, so clearly what Paul said about homosexuality is not relevant." It simply doesn't follow.

At the very least this indicates an ignorance of the bible.

How does one "make stuff up" if you are just repeating exactly what is said in the Bible? The Old Testament says a lot of things we don't currently follow or believe - I think Obama's point was valid. Everyone takes different things from their faith.

none story

I am not at all a fan of Mr. Obama, but I immediately came to his defense after I heard the ill-considered remarks of Mr. Dobson! Oh! Ted said it best: “While I would tend to agree more with Dobson than Obama on most issues, I just cannot support misrepresentation.”

If we stood on the whole Word of God this nation would be in a lot less trouble than it is now, Mr. Obama. You are skilled at taking things out of context.

Woe to the nation whose Lord is not God!

If we stood on the whole Word of God this nation would be in a lot less trouble than it is now, Mr. Obama. You are skilled at taking things out of context.

Woe to the nation whose Lord is not God!

I was disturbed by Dobson’s misrepresentation of Obama myself. Just because Obama has certain ideas and platforms that do not cohere with the Scriptures does not mean that taking him out of context is acceptable. Nothing hardens the heart towards a person or movement more than hard-headed nearsightedness. It makes Christians look like they are out for the sake of fighting and not for truth or love. There are too many reasons to be suspicious of any politician–too many, in fact, that it strikes me silly that Dobson would feel that he needs to distort words and context. While I would tend to agree more with Dobson than Obama on most issues, I just cannot support misrepresentation.

I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, INCLUDING MY FELLOW EVANGELICALS, TO LISTEN TO WHAT OBAMA SAID IN THE SPEECH. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND BY YOURSELF HOW DISGRACEFUL AND LOW JAMES DOBSON IS BY DISTORTING OBAMA'S COMMENTS . I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO DOBSON 'S FOF PROGRAM MAN FOR YEARS . I STOPPED A YEAR AGO WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT GOD WAS FAR FROM BEING HIS MAIN MOTIVATION.
FELLOW EVANGELICALS, I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO VOTE FOR OBAMA, LET ME BE CLEAR. BUT LISTEN TO HIS COMMENTS AND MAKE YOUR OWN OPINION ABOUT DOBSON. DO NOT FOLLOW THIS MAN ( DOBSON)AS A GURU. HE IS NOT TRUTHFUL!!!
"MY PEOPLE DIE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE"

Obama is right. Dobson is full of BS

Of course he is because Dobson wants to be relevant, and right now he is outside of the GOP favor, which means he's irrelevant.

Obama will become the next president and Dobson will continue to be hot air.

People will have to judge for themselves on all this. The people who reguarly listen and are influenced by James Dobson are not going to get into all of that, I suspect, but evangelicals who begin to do so are going to have some problems, I’m afraid, with James Dobson.

Dobson is just a pawn for the GOP. It’s all just "spam" used by them to distract from the real issues, which the current administration is severely deficient in addressing.

The best person to confront a misogynistic man is another man.

The best person to confront the Ku Klux Klan is a white person

The best people to confront an instigating, scripture-parsing, politic- spouting pastor is team of logical, clear thinking pastors.

Men ( an women) of the cloth, if you have an opinion, please prepare to weigh in.

I wasn't aware that anyone cared what james dobson says. but maybe some will think of his public words as legitimate now that cnn has put him front and center.

Give us a break. It's Obama that's making stuff up.

Dobson is the very essence of what is wrong with Christianity and really any religion that injects itself to this election process. It only creates divisions. Really wish religion wouldn't be an issue during elections. The person voted in is to represent all people no matter their religion, race, or background.

Fruitcakes like James Dobson is the main reason the forefathers were wise enough to seperate church and state.

Dobson is trying to defend his church from going down if people start to read their bible and try to understand it themselves, by not letting people like Dobson interpret for them, Peple like Dobson are there for their own benefit the more members they have the more money they make so they will try to interpret the bible they way they want to compute with other churches, Obama is right guy read your bible so you can challege Conservative(false Christians) who has been expoiting bible for years.

Finally, a politican with a practical view toward governing the country. No two people can ever have the exact same interpretation of the Bible nor should we govern the country using the Bible as the guide.

You're dag-on right he's making stuff up. His whole life is centered on made-up stuff, so who's surprised?
I'm gonna go give Barack 50 more bucks.
Obama 08!

Barack was right on target with his analysis of the perils of literal biblical interpretation. For Dobson to attempt to rally the red meat evangelical wing of Christianity against such a protagonist for change, is a clear indication of the desperate straights the conservative movement is in. Those of us who are proud liberal mainstream Protestants, from a wide range of denominations, will not cower in the face of the flawed theology that the Dobsons, Hagees, Parsleys, and Robertsons perpetuate.

Kudos to Barack for speaking truth to a declining political power, whose time has come to have the light shined on it.

We’ve got to be able to talk about religion in public life, including our beloved version of Christianity, without demonizing those grappling with pluralistic society. I am sorry Dr. Dobson appeared to try to score points at Senator Obama’s expense.

We need to keep church and state separate. That concept was correctly intended to protect each entity from the other and to respect our religious freedoms in this country.

Would Dobson want his organization's tax-exempt status revoked?

Sometimes I feel like I live in a foreign country where religion still divides nations. I think Obama makes a very good point - that it is time for us to honor the fact that we do, in fact, have freedom of religion and that should include everyone - not solely the views of evangelicals. They have become paramount in dividing our country because they have successfully managed to support the GOP in legislatiing morality as they see it. I believe Obama was just trying to make a point that we can't govern on the literal translation of scripture but we need to give people the right to believe as they wish - and respect those beliefs. Once again, Dobson won't tolerate any such notion that he is not the absolute authority on religious theology, morality and truth. His arrogance and divisiveness are anything but Godly.

Republicans are a filthy bunch. They will do anything to win.

Even sell their mama!

Here we go again! These right wing nuts distorting every word that come out of Obama's mouth.

I haven’t re-read Obama’s speech, but I did read it a few months ago and was overwhelmed by its clarity and general level of religious discourse for a politician and lawyer.

The quality of Obama’s address has not changed in the intervening years, but the level of discourse has. Dobson has brought the discussion down to his level, more about misleading than having folks decide for themselves. It worries me that we’ve arrived here as a country. The question remains where we the conversation.

I think so too…. but I don't think he is doing it on purpose. He actually believes Obama is distorting the bible whereas Obama's intention or purpose is not that.

But then again, the accusations of this sort are so common. IT only matters to the people who blindly follow that particular individual, Dobson in this case.

Please! His comments illustrate the differences in reading the Bible and understanding the Bible. Implying the Old Testament be used as governing rules has been invalid since Christ died giving us the new deal, the New Testament. I guess his lack of understanding comes from 20 years (?) of listening to Rev Wright' shameful.

It seems to me that Obama's critical interpretation of the bible may owe more to writers of the West Wing than anything else. Am I the only one who thought that his references to Leviticus stank of President Jed Bartlett's smack down of Dr Jemma Jacobs, the biggoted but ficitional talk show host? Time to get real and original, Barack.

Barack Obama=Flip Flopper=Typical Politician=Panderer=Political Expediency. Now he needs the Clintons. He painted the Clintons as racist and Clinton era as a failed presidency.

James Dobson arguing that Obama, a constitutional scholar, is
using a "fruitcake Inturpretation" of the constittion is embarrasing .. to James Dobson!
Also, as a minister's daughter, Dobson's use of the Holy Bible as as weapon is dispicable. I do believer the good Doctor doth protest too much. Looks like he is fighting Mr. Obama's ability to talk to the young Evangelcals in their own language and is threatened.

Obama is a snake among snakes… so he is not one that can talk after all the blatent lies he has spun.

Ask HRC- He twisted everything around about her.

YOU CAN TELL SOMEONE IS A HILLARY SUPPORTER BECAUSE THEY SOUND DESPERATE AND TYPE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION SO THEY HAVE TO TYPE LIKE THIS.

Sen. Obama's perspective is right on. We have seen what distorted Christianity does to this country. No more!

Anyone who uses religion or God to pontificate hate does not understand God or the Bible. Dobson is not the authority on religion. Dobson is mean, caluculated, and the farthest thing from Christian that I know.

I think Obama had been reading his Bible he would have seen that Leviticus is a book of laws God gave to the Isrealites for their day and time. It is not intended to be the laws that govenr today. A person with faith in God and a commitment to reading and studying their Bible on a daily basis would know that.

Obama should read his Bible and stop talking like he knows anything about it.

-He has no problem with women killing their unborn children. Maybe Obama should read Jeremiah 1, Psalm 127, Psalm 139, the 6th Commandment etc…
-He is obviously ignorant of what the New Convenant means and how Jesus came to fulfill the law.
-Homosexuality is a sin. Yet doesn't Obama think that it is OK? Obama should read Matthew 19, 1 Cor. 6-7 and more to get in sync with what the Bible says on that issue.

Obama you are a hypocrite to tell others to read their Bible when your stances on issues are wicked. Repent and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Jesus will help you understand that Bible the way you're supposed to.

and doesn't it say in the bible that gluttony is a sin, Mr. Dobson is quite overweight…..can you so hypocracy

Obama distorts everything he says and touches. I can not in good faith vote for a man that is not qualified and a person I think was shoved down our throats by the media and the DNC.

People like Dobson are idiots, ever since the Radical Right took over this country during the Reagan election we have begun our descent into a third world nation. Like Rome, that fell, not when they accepted ALL religions, but when they mandated Christianity as the state religion, we are falling because we have lost the ability to see ourselves in others. Dobson ahs shown himself, during the bush selections, to be more concerned about politics than he is about religion and he does not have either of them right. He has twisted the words of both the Bible and the Constitution to support his radical rightwing agenda and ahs convinced his followers that he is correct by using their prejudices and fears. There is NO ONE who can show me anywhere in the Bible where Jesus said homosexuality is bad, I can show you where Jesus said that the old laws are gone that he is the new way, he has spoken out on MANY of the old sins still as sins but he NEVER mentioned homosexuality, the only references were made by Paul (as anyone who has studied their bible will know he was a VERY conservative Jew who was changed by meeting Jesus but never changed his deeply held beliefs in the "old traditions" ask your priest or pastor to see if I am not teling the truth) AFTER Jesus had died. So Dobson is WRONG about his stance there.

As for the Constitution DEobson points to the words "endowded by the creator with certain inalienable rights" as proof. I would point him to the WRITINGS of Jefferson (I care not if a man worships 1 God, 100 Gods or no God at all so long as he is a good man), Franklin, Washington, and the MANY others who made a point of pushing through the clause in the first admendment concerning the separation of Church and state. But then the radical right (muchg like the clintonistas) do no let such minor details as reality, thought and truth interfere with their beliefs as they try to force their agenda (or candidate) down our throats. I for one will not stand for it!

Thank God we have a candidate who is willing to stand up to these people. I did a happy dance when Falwell bit it, and I think it's about time for Mr. Dobson.

lol Obama accusing someone else of making stuff up. Thats like Bill Clinton accusing someone else of being an adulterer.

Sen. Barack Obama said Tuesday night evangelical leader James Dobson was “making stuff up,”

Hmm. Somehow I have a hard time believing Obama. I notice he likes to lie.

Could we please have a McKain article? Have you noticed all the articles are on Obama? Some of your readers really don't care about his campain.

I wonder which Law School the Reverand attended? For that matter, which Divinity School? He attended neither? I'm shocked!

james dobson is a slob and his opinion shouldn't matter in politics.

Dobson making stuff up. What a shock. Dobson is news for what reason?

One can not confuse what these people are saying with seeking attention. Can you?
I hope he doesn't go to Obama's church this time around!

And when it comes to making stuff up…. Obama should know all about it.

Agree with Obama. Good on you for reaching out to religious voters, keep doing what you're doing.

Sen. Obama must be doing something right to receive such an angry reaction from Dobson.

He has been making it up as he goes along since last year……
Go McCain!

1. Separation of church and state is for a reason–it doesn't just protect those of us who don't want religion crammed down our throats–it also protects religion from being regulated by government. Why does no one realize this? Keep it separate! Shame on the media for even giving this guy any airtime when it pertains to politics. Respect the constitution.
2. Obama's right. Anyone who has read the bible knows that it indeed refers to stoning your neighbors, selling your daughters, and the proper treatment of your slaves. Is Dobson saying that he agrees with the literal word put forth by the bible? He has children–did he sell them? This guy is a disgrace to true religion.

Stop giving him airtime!

Dobson long ago showed himself to be a mouthpiece for corporate America. He has spouted anti-labor, anti-environmental and pro-neocon garbage for years now. I’m an evangelical and I told Focus (Target) on the Family to stop writing me years ago. Clowns like Dobson do not tell me how to practice my faith – or my politics.

Another reason to contribute to Obama to fight these kind of smears!

mattew25.org thats all i have to say not all christians interested in the political process are hateful conservitives who cant take look at a more liberal point of view…poor dr. dobson trying to stay relevant with his hateful rhetoric reminds me of old mccain….go obama and please every one check out matthew25.org for a different perspective and keep in mind its not ran by the obama campaign but endorses him……

It is interesting that Dobson would chastize Obama for quoting the Old Testament as opposed to the New. It is consistently the Old Testament that Dobson and the other Conservative right-wingers quote when bashing gays.

As for the constitutional argument. The point is that church and state are separate. Everyone is free to interpret scripture as they are inspired. That means Christian, Jewish, Muslim and any others! The constitution does not mandate or advocate for any particular religion - or any religion at all if that is one's personal choice.

Obama did not even have to respond to this bigot. Most people know what a joke this guy is, I hope he doesn't pander too much to the religious right like this. Just focus on what he can do, stay away from religion.

However, worship of Obama is permitted.

Since the bible is fiction anyway, anything taken out of it is "made up stuff". Anyone who would govern based on the bible is an idiot. This whole discussion is pointless.

All this hubbub with the religious right makes me wish for an atheist to run for president.

That will never happen, of course.

I wonder if Jews are offended that this 'preacher guy' totally discounts their 'Old' testament as rubbish?

The entire bible is hogwash, in my opinion. An archaic book of fairy tales does not have any place in modern politics.

I really wish CNN would ignore all these preachers.

Once again showing that the Dem nominee uses reason to inform his judgement and not a book written 1700 years ago by countless different people who had a political agenda. Bravo Obama.

Dobson might have picked from her namesake Dob Lou of cnn!

They all might be against Obama but we are with Obama all the way!

A man of faith, huh??? This is the man who favors partial birth abortion, supports a bill that allows babies born alive to die, is for gay marriage, is against the marriage protection plan, and sat in a church for 20 years listening to the preaching of hate. Exactly what faith is he???

Obama should agree to not distort the Bible in the future if Dobson will agree not to distort American politics in the future. I have more confidence in Obama to keep such an agreement than I do in the Pope of Colorado Springs.

Isn't Dobson one of McCain's "agents of intolerance," I mean, McCain supporters?

This Dobson fellow has already stated that he can not support / vote for either John McCain or Barack Obama.

We, as a nation, can no longer afford Dobson's brand of INTOLLERANT BICKERING. Right now, we've got too many BIG ISSUES on which we, as pragmatic citizens, primarily agree on. Now is not the time to get bogged down in the weeds over his pet peeves.

He's comming off as a fanatical crackpot that is not worthy of further discussion.

Now who's making things up? Really, now. Mr. Obama, I was being open minded in the coming general election, watching and listening closely to the candidates and wanting the best man for the job. However, now you have made my choice a little easier. To say that this country, which was establised under the authority of and belief in God Almighty(The true author of the bible) should not run under the rules set out in the 10 commandments is ludicrous. You are simply finding scripture from the old testament and trying to twist what Dr. Dobson was trying to convey.

You are no longer a candidate for this voter.

I guess it is only okay if Obama speaks out about religion…but when someone challenges him it is labeled as an attack on his character. If he had any character no one would have to challenge him!! Funny how Liberals only want to talk about religion when the bring it into the National arena….

Did he run to the teacher and complain as well when the kids didn't let him play kickball in recess on the schoolyard?!

What a joke….he keeps this up and the silent majority will rise. He is waking a sleeping giant….The Evangelical Christians who believe in Bible the mocks!!

McCain '08!!

What else is new. Dobson is just like the Republican party. A RACIST.

I still am amazed how this snake oil salesman (Obama) has gotten so many people lined up behind him. I am also amazed at how everyone who has anything negative to say about Obama is instantly labeled as racist. At least he has leadership. I just hope he is leading in the right direction…

Senator Obama's comments did not distort the Bible….they reflected the tradition of religious tolerance and religious liberties that have been at the core of American life since its founding.

It is unfortunate that Christian extremists like Dobson would ask that we use the Bible, not as a religious text for personal salvation but, rather, as a code for civil law. This is actually no different from how the Taliban have sought to use their interpretation of the Koran in Afghantistan. I would imagine that, if Dobson and his ilk were to be successful, the same type of civil liberties disaster would occur here as has happened in Afghanistan.

Parenthetically, I am a devout Christian who reads my Bible and prays daily. My faith is vital to me. However, as Roger Williams (founder of the Baptist movement in America) said, "Forced worship stinks in the nostrils of God." That sentiment applies both for government-mandated religion (as in Williams' day) as well as the effort to translate the Bible as a dictate to civil law (as Dobson advocates).

I will pray for both Mr. Obama and Dr. Dobson.

Be careful Barack, you are walking a difficult road, talking rational and with intelligence about a topic that has been kept hostage for decades by some freaky right-wing evangelicals. Most of them won't even understand what you are talking about but some will probably cast their vote for you, if they listen well and start thinking.

You should all see the Dobson religious kooks on the FOX blogs claiming that Dobson is correct. LOL!

It's 2008 people. Keep the bible out of politics. Washington is backwards enough without tossing an ancient text into the mix.

This guy is so hatefull. Enough of this jerk. There is so much more going on in this economy and the wars we created to spend any air time on this idiot and what he says or doesn't say. CNN try and get some qualty content to your ratings. So far this morning, There is nothing to see here!

There is no "debate" on the bible…This Obama guy is so dangerous!! But I see now why the Bible states it will be so easy for the Antichrist to sway people…I have never seen people so "sucked" in by anyone…including the media…In this "American Idol" society we live in, it's not a wonder this guy with no credentials to be President is doing well…I doubt George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Truman or Roosevelt could get elected in the world we live in today…it's all about "charisma" now, nothing else…they would be "too boring"…

The media would be wise to scrutinize this guy more…I remember how they were in the tank for Bush..I was screaming my head off at the time, "why, why why? Also they never questioned the reasons for the war enough…look what happened. NOW they are in the tank for Obama…and will be wrong again…PEOPLE don't let the media pick our president please!!! It's not their job…these people are no longer journalists…they are shills for whatever agenda they are trying to push..

I will vote for the guy who loves this country the most and spent 5 1/2 years in a POW camp for this country…was allowed an early release and didn't take it…who has sons in the military and one in Iraq….can anyone IMAGINE the great Obama in a POW camp for 5 1/2 years? I know I can't….

I did not vote for Bush and could not wait for him to be out of office…But at least I have the sense not to go in the exact opposite extreme and vote for a far left liberal who our enemies are rooting for!!

Has anyone else noticed that, when the concept of modeling modern government on archaic religious texts is challenged, the response is "no, look…we changed it, it's culturally valid now." Dobson's response regarding the outdated information no longer having any bearing on modern-day life ignores the fact that the concepts that are still considered to be in effect are of the same stripe and vintage as the concepts that have been discarded as "outdated".

The only reason the Dobson objected to Obama's use of the Bible is because the Bible is supposed to be the conservatives' tool of misdirection. How dare a liberal point out the obvious flaws of governing a 21st century civilization using a 2nd century text?? Really, the nerve of some people.

It is hypocritical for Dobson to accuse Obama of cherry-picking verses from the Bible. Dobson bases his opposition to homosexuality on a verse from Leviticus, but he does not mention the much more frequent condemnation of pork-eating.

The current version of Christianity espoused by Dobson and his televangelical brethren is a new Christianity that was not found in America a century ago, or in Europe five centuries ago, or in Rome sixteen centuries ago. These fundamentalist leaders have cooked up a new theology by cherry picking verses.

They like bacon and ham so they ignore the prohibition of pork. They don't want to marry their dead brother's widow, so they ignore that and all other references to polygamy that permeate the Bible. They don't like homosexuality, so they hold up one verse prohibiting man with man - and then they extend it to a prohibition of lesbianism; something the Bible does not speak of at all.

Dobson does not hold the copyright on Christianity. It belongs to all Christians. Christianity is many faiths. All Christians say the same words, but the live very differently according to the rules they each have chosen.

The best Christians are in the pews. The man behind the pulpit is often not among them.

Dobson is a hack.

Obama '08

A "true man of faith" doesn't sit in a racist church for twenty years and give money to that "church."

Just because Obama says it doesn't make it so. Voters are catching on:

"Voters say McCain better suited to handle Iraq than Obama "
(AP Washington)

Here comes the kitchen sink from the right wings religious nuts! Utter nonsense.

Obama is right.

What is a distortion is the "NEW'/"OLD" testament. Jews believe that their is only ONE testament. Furthermore, Exodus 21:1-4 IS the Torah and does speak of slavery [Hebrews...], however, this is what Sen Obama is talking about. “[T]ry to translate our concerns in a universal language so that we can have open and vigorous debate.” This would include Judaism, Christian, Catholic, and Muslims. We all live in this country, but not all of us totally believe in the same rules. Therefore, we ALL have to find a common ground to have a reasonable debate on the matters. We have to be willing to except loses in order to gain…and its not all about the evangelicals….

Wow…so now that Dobson has exhausted any intelligent criticism of Obama, he's throwing out the "he's distorting the good book'" tirade. So sad, will someone please give Mr Dobson a hug and a cookie?

dont see a thing of distortion. only in his mind he sounds like he had to much holy wine.

I get so tired of religious zealots thinking that it is their place to interpret the bible for the rest of us. Let's be honest here, the bible has been bastardized for centuries by men with an agenda, men just like Dobson. Obama comes along and makes a reasonable and realistic statement and it is blown way out of proportion and completely twisted. Utterly ridiculous comments.

To Dobson: "Stop using my name to justify your hatred." ~ JC

DOBSON HAS A LONG HISTORY OF BIBLICAL HYPOCRISY.

BESIDES WE ARE ELECTING OBAMA TO SHORE

UP THE ECONOMY, NOT TRANSLATE THE BIBLE.

It makes me sick to think of the thousands of dollars I sent to Dobson's organization in the '90's-when i bought into and believed all his phony right wing crap. Dobson wouldn't know Jesus Christ if he walked in the front door. What about PEACE and love and respect of your fellow man and showing kindness, Mr. Dobson? Instead, you support narrow mindedness, war, greed and the "American" way.
"…your old road is rapidly aging/Please get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand/For the times they are a-changin'".

Obama could never be wrong. He is the savior and messiah that is written about in the bible. At least the one who will unite the arab world. I just love him. Shame on Mr. Dobson.

As usual the extreme conservatives who argue the Bible is the only absolute truth want to throw it into the face of someone who like C