Subject: Book Review Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 21:51:40 +0000 From: "John Koonz" <koonz@tenet.edu> To: GPhil@ix.netcom.com

Jerry,

I came across your web site recently, and noticed your call for writers. I had written up a book review for the Atheist Community of Austin web site. I have included it here. You may put this on your site, if you like.

I really like your website, by the way. Our ACA site is being fixed up. I think I'll mention your site to the fixers. John Koonz

Here it is:

James Dobson's War on America , by Gil Alexander-Moegerle, offers us a frightening, but fascinating, inside-look at one powerful faction of the Religious-Right. While many of us see the Christian Coalition as Americas biggest threat to civil liberties, Alexander-Moegerle makes a convincing case that James Dobson's Focus on the Family is actually the most dangerous of the Religious Right groups. In 1996, while the Christian Coalition raised 26 million dollars, Focus on the Family and its related Family Research Council, quietly raised over 125 million dollars.

As Dr. Dobsons right-hand man for ten years, Gil Alexander-Moegerle had been intimately involved in the exponential growth of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family. Towards the end of his book, Alexander-Moegerle explained the reason for his involuntary departure from the organization. Basically, Dobson was afraid that Alexander-Moegerle's divorce and re-marriage would hurt the image of Focus on the Family. Dobsons tactics in this matter seemed downright Orwellian. Having now become a victim of Christian dishonesty and hypocrisy himself, the author was able to see James Dobson in a new light. James Dobson's War on America represents a kind of penance for the authors compliance in various crimes against the democratic process.

A main theme involves contrasting Dobson's considerable political influence with his unwillingness to be held accountable to anyone. This may very well result from a rather disturbing aspect of James Dobson. He actually believes not only that he is free of sin, but that he is incapable of sinning at all. James Dobson is basically dishonest. He frequently distorts issues on his radio show in order to inflame his followers into action. According to the author, it is not uncommon for 500,000 to one million loyal followers to phone or fax Washington within hours of Dobson calling for support on some issue. When pressed on his activism, Dobson will hide behind his image of being just a family psychologist out to help families get along better.

I highly recommend this book. As distasteful as they are, it's important to keep an eye on the various evangelical groups that want to make America an official Christian theocracy. Published by Prometheus Books, Dobson's War on America is one of several books that expose Christian factions.

John Koonz

Thanks, John, for sharing this information with H.A.T.

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