The Lord works in mysterious ways ... and I'm down with that.

The loss of American jobs, ANY jobs, is terrible. Whether we agree with their politics or not, 202 more American families have lost their incomes and that can't be cause for celebration.

Bigotry isn't as profitable as it used to be.

Pride goeth before a fall.

Being an American patriot Dobson also outsourced 46 distribution jobs. I wonder if the new workers are Christians? I bet Dobson hasn't given up a thing.

Didn't the people in their Department of Prophecy see that coming?

Actually the story does point out something often overlooked. During times like these hardworking charities like the Salvation Army often see contributions go down while demand for services goes up. If you can, don't forget to give money to your favorite charity this year. If you can't give your time.

The loss of American jobs, ANY jobs, is terrible.

Eh. Here in Ohio we voted down the ability for payday lenders to charge 300% APR interest on short-term paycheck loans. The payday lending industry said that hundreds of jobs would be lost in the state if we forced them to charge a "reasonable" interest rate closer to 30% than 300%. And yet, I didn't feel badly at all for voting down the ability of loan sharks to prey on the stupid, despite the loss of jobs to the incidental folks who ran the counters and handed out the money.

I feel pretty much the same way here. I can't cry too much that Focus on the Family is both not finding donors and mismanaging their funds to the point where they have to downsize. I do feel bad for the people they laid off losing their jobs, but I can't help but feel uplifted that the organization itself doing poorly. They're a pimple on the rear end of the body politic, and our discourse would be so much healthier if Focus on the Family would just wither away.

Sounds like Focus on the Family is trying to blame teh Gay for job losses: 'We could have kept those jobs if it weren't for the gays trying to sully our fine institution of marriage'

"The word 'schadenfreude' keeps coming to mind."

Not to mention "poetic justice."

LOL, yeah, better to starve than allow strangers in another state to get married. The word "marriage" is more important than the health of my children.

Ease up on the schadenfreude, folks!

Odds are, this is Dobson's way of appealing for funds. Don't be surprised if within a few weeks FoF announces that millions of patriotic "Christians" have sent in tons of money to avoid the layoffs and actually hire more workers in the ever-ceasing fight against the gay peril.

Oh, and about the Salvation Army: Some of their money goes to lobbying against ever having to hire any of those dreaded gays for any jobs. So, for all the good work they might do for some people, my charitable bucks go to groups that hire and serve ALL people. And that won't be Sally Annie until they mend their ways.

I do feel bad for the people they laid off losing their jobs, but I can't help but feel uplifted that the organization itself doing poorly.

I don't really feel bad for people who lose their jobs, when they knew perfectly well that those jobs were dedicated to denying others their civil rights.

I don't feel bad for them at all. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving bunch of hateful bigots. These people aren't just folks working a job to get by, they're holier-than-thou ideologues who want to push this country back to the 12th century. I wouldn't give them moldy bread if they were on the side of the street and starving to death.

Would you want to be employed knowing that several hundred miles away, in another state, pairs of consenting adults that already have been living together, people whom you've never met and will never meet, were applying for state licenses (pieces of paper, really) that offered them some new tax and medical options??"

Sadly, for many of the people who lost their jobs, I suspect their answer to this question would be that they were just fine with losing their jobs if it hurt Teh Gays.

jobs, baby, jobs! Gonna be tough feeding the brats in the trailer now!

"Department of Prophecy" LOL!

In spite of dropping half a mil, Dobson never mentioned Prop 8 in announcing the job cuts. Instead he blamed the downturn in FOF's retail arm (they sell Bibles, relgious books, CDs and DVDs, same as anybody else) due to lowballing by WalMart and other online stores. In a "separate" announcement, FOF has announced its annual campaign targeting retailers who don't "respect" Christmas, calling for boycotts against, surprise, their major competitors. No hypocrisy here, just good ol' American business.

Considering the people who send him money for nothing, it's likely Dobson's regular fundraising is suffering too. Is it too much to hope...? See my post in the previous story on the fate of U.S. News. But he'll probably pull out with a dramatic AntiChrist alert.

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.Dobson's inability to work with and compromise with the Republican party has been a major cause for its current problems. While other leaders of the evangelical movement have been more realistic and pragmatic, Dobson just stands there with his arms folded and a frown on his face and says its my way or we don't vote. We miss the more sophisticated leaders like Ralph Reed,etc.To get back our place in the sun we need to dump people like Dobson who understand that we need to work together with one mind to defeat the democrats.

"Get back our place in the sun"

Problem, your folks were blocking the sun from many in this land. But, funny thing, there is, indeed, a Morning in America with a very bright sun shining, at last.

Ralphie Reed, more sophisticated? Such as backing Saxby "Football Knee" Chambliss? That passes for sophistication?

Far more money was poured into California by the Mormon Sect. Betcha they have not laid off anyone. Head westward Dobson. Join a ward.

Calling FOF hateful is being VERY hypocritical just read the posts before this and see all the hateful speech.

first fof, then this.....cbs sports is reporting that nascar teams are starting massive layoffs....the governing agency is is trouble too with lower attendence, sponsorship and support from the big 3........kinda sad to see how "our" "culture" is suffering......

brooklyn,

You're wrong. I applaud and celebrate the loss of these jobs. Hate is not a commodity, and if you chose to trade in it as a career, then you have to live with the consequences. Today there will be less people peddling their awful world view for profit, and that makes the world a better place.

How sad that so many advocates of free speech hate Dr. Dobson and would stifle this right for him. He is being true to his spiritual beliefs. He has never voiced the kind of vitriol I have seen in some of these postings. Although he ardently disagrees with their position he does not hate the individual holding the position.

No dice, Karen N.

Free speech is one thing, hate speech quite different. He advocates discrimination, plain and simple. That should not be tolerated.

Ah, some concern trolling from Karen Nutty.

How sad that so many advocates of free speech hate Dr. Dobson and would stifle this right for him.

Point out, please, the postings calling for Dobson to lose his right of free speech.

To the contrary, the right of free speech carries no privilege against being mocked and derided for saying shameful, hateful or just plain nutty things.

He is being true to his spiritual beliefs.

So?

Being true to personal beliefs is one thing. Exercising political power to impose those beliefs on others is quite another. Francis of Assisi, he ain't.

He has never voiced the kind of vitriol I have seen in some of these postings.

Possibly true -- he voices a different kind of vitriol.

Although he ardently disagrees with their position he does not hate the individual holding the position.

And you know this, how...?

Better trolls, please.

Christians are used to sacrifice. If I had to sacrifice my job for Prop 8 I would have. My guess is those at FOTF feel the same way and understand.
Comfort without principle is defeat.

I'm no fan of Focus on the Family, but:

1. $539,000 works out to about $2,600 per worker terminated, so obviously that expenditure wasn't the difference between keeping someone employed or not.

2. Whether you agree with Focus' position, opposition to same-sex marriage is a large part of what they are all about, so there is nothing illogical about them spending money on the issues that matter to them.

3. As others have commented, there is nothing particularly satisfying in hearing about workers who are now without jobs.

To be human is to discriminate for the things we like and against the things we dislike.

Every time I speak with someone on the right I explain exactly how suicidal their obsession with "gay marriage" is for the future of their own children. But I don't use sappy, craptastic terms like "tolerance", but hard, empirically-based arguments.

Our species is equal parts hate and love. The absence of one means the absence of the other.

No word yet as to what personal sacrifices Mr. Dobson has made in his own lifestyle to share the burden with the workers he just kicked to the curb.

My guess: Few to none.

Whose hate is worse yours or what you call hate from FOF? I have never heard hate for FOF. But I sure see hate in these posts.

We can feel confident that Dobson and his cronies are being well taken care of. Their financial future has been secure for some time now, regardless of what happens to the Glorious Movement.

As for the more sophisticated Ralph Reed (whom I recently heard described as "Ralph Reed, Former Right Hand of God", hee hee) his dealings with Jack Abramoff were downright crude. Today's homily from the Book of Ralph: Emails have eternal life. Amen.

If you've never seen hate from FOF, you aren't looking hard enough.

Just one google search and I find this -- look it's a fundraising letter comparing Democratic candidates to Nazis, and rise to power of Obama to that of Hitler:

Dear Friend,

The spirit of Winston Churchill was alive and well on Tuesday night at Focus on the Family Action headquarters.

You may recall that in the most desperate days of World War II - when Great Britain was being pounded daily by Hitler's Luftwaffe ' that Winston Churchill called on his countrymen not to despair from danger but to rise to the challenge.
...
Our nation has never faced the kind of anti-family, pro-abortion assault that we're likely to see in the coming weeks and months. We don't have to guess what the Left will do now that they control Congress and the White House; they've told us.

There might be hate in these comments too but I'm certainly not saying it isn't deserved. In fact, I'll just flat out say it. I hate Focus on the Family, anybody who makes a living off their hate -- whether it be their CEO or their distributor -- and anybody who defends their right to hate. Speak to enough suicidal gay Christian teens who have yet to find a loving spiritual family and only know crap like this and find it driving them to taking their own life and you'll find the lite-hate in this post not nearly enough.

It's time to stop treating these people with kid gloves because of they drape their hate in religious beliefs. The First Amendment gives them freedom from the government interfering in their religious beliefs; it says nothing about the rest of us. They can practice and say all they want; that doesn't mean I'm not going to practice and say stuff louder. Hate doesn't deserve respect - end of discussion.

This needs to get out beyond this particular media outlet.

That will bring in more money to Dobson.

I highly doubt these jobs were supporting families and if you are employeed by Focus on Family, I highly doubt you are cost/benefiting Proposition 8, it is after all the lords work.

LogopolisMike

I see no hate there.

I guess you deserve not respect because of your hateful speech.

I have never heard hate for FOF. But I sure see hate in these posts.

I see no hate there.

I respectfully submit your blindness says a lot more about you than it does us, and nothing good at that.

And again -- regardless of one's deservedly low opinion of Dobson, no one exerts political pressure to deny Dobson or his ilk their rights. The same can't be said of Dobson. He's welcome to his opinion, but his actions make criticism of him, his motives and his methods absolutely fair game.

Take the beam (hate) out of your own eye before trying to take the speck out of Dobson's.

"Hate doesn't deserve respect - end of discussion." LogopolisMike

You're right -- my hate doesn't deserve respect. They and you need not respect me for it. And in the case of Dobson and crew, there are many other actions in my life that cause them to lose respect for me and judge me for my sodomy-filled lifestyle. Fortunately, their judgment doesn't matter when my time comes. I don't know if the Creator will dole out different judgments to a man who spreads hate to millions of people as a holy man who manipulates the faithful and says it's either God's way or social disintegration or the man who spreads hate against him. But I'll take my chances

And it is a huge beam.

Take the beam (hate) out of your own eye before trying to take the speck out of Dobson's.

Your analogy couldn't be more wrong. Dobson lobbies for policies that harm his fellow Americans. Regardless of whether one approves of homosexuality, there's no harm in a consensual relationship. As one who does harm to others, Dobson's sin is by far the greater.

Dobson heads an influential national organization and lobbies to deprive his fellow citizens of their rights, facts that apply to no one here. Dobson's actions, not his opinions, are at issue here.

I suggest you take your own advice.

Oh please, can your warped logic twist any tighter? The entire economy is in meltdown. Jobs are being cut and lost across the entirenation.

Furthermore, I suspect that the people at Focu consider it a temporary small sacrifice in a picture much bigger than themsleves.

A national tantrum by intolerant hateful children will NOT change the decision of the voters. Nor will celebrating the bad luck of your enemies.

Grow the hell up.

LogopolisMike you don't have to take any chances you can know your end. It sounds to me like you already know it as of now. That can change with giving your heart to Jesus and you can change the outcome of your end.

Might want to reserve your distaste of FOF for the millions of Californians that voted for the amendment. And note that a large number of them were Democratic "subgroups", aka minorities. Of course, no one in polite liberal politic wants to talk about that enormous elephant in the room.

Guess God said if that's how you are going to spend your money, condemning love among those I love, then you are going to lose some you love. Start firing. This was not what "God's money" was intended for. You could have been helping the poor and the sick, young and old but look at what you threw our money at. Shameful bigotry even for a so called psychologist pretending to be a minister.

How wrong you've all gone...building law schools rather than med schools, building golden bathrooms and buying jets, rather than helping the poor and downtrodden. Shame on you to dare say you speak for me. Focus on the Family was always Focus on the Dobson you hypocrite.

Funny how the author states "narrowly" won at the ballot box when describing this measure. The reality is that this measure won by the same margin as THE CHOSEN ONE. and then people wonder why the press is called biased.

"You could have been helping the poor and the sick, young and old but look at what you threw our money at."

What, and pay attention to the teachings of Jesus Christ?

If Dobson and FoF and their ilk actually behaved like Jesus asked them to, I would really admire them. The fact that they don't makes them base hypocrites.

WCS: "I see no hate there".

Right, (implicitly) comparing Obama and the Democratic congress to Hitler's air force...no hate to see here folks, move along. Dobson also once called Justice Anthony Kennedy "the most dangerous man in America". Another love-filled statement.

What's Narrow: "Funny how the author states 'narrowly' won at the ballot box when describing this measure".

That's because Prop 8 narrowly won at the ballot box.

"The reality is that this measure won by the same margin as THE CHOSEN ONE".

So, because Prop 8 passed by the same narrow margin as Obama's victory over MCain, that automatically means that Prop 8 did not pass by a narrow margin? Huh?

"and then people wonder why the press is called biased".

With press outlets that are essentially Republican Party mouthpieces such as the F(R)NC, the Washington Times the New York (Com)Post, and the Investors Business Daily, I am certainly not one of those people doing such wondering.

More non-hate from Dobson: In 2005, he compared the Supreme Court to the Ku Klux Klan (a particularly classy act considering the court has one African-American and two Jewish members).

Have you even once seen anyone save for Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter describe "The Choosen One's" victory as narrow? I've seen the words landslide, huge, unprecedented, massive not one narrow in the bunch. So how is it that a measure that garners as much support as the messiah a narrow victory?

"So how is it that a measure that garners as much support as the messiah a narrow victory"?

You crazy idiot, what "messiah" are you talking about?