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*Wendy Murray Zoba is to be commended for her article on James Dobson and the ministry of Focus on the Family [Mar. 1]. I enjoy CT's well-balanced articles and appreciate that they do not focus only on an individual's mistakes or positive contributions.

Dobson is a believer who makes mistakes, but our Lord uses him in spite of his flaws (sounds like most believers I know!). As Zoba writes, "[Dobson] has a lot to say about today's America. He doesn't always say it right, and sometimes he confuses his roles. But Focus on the Family is having a life-giving effect in a soul-sick nation."

Joe Feest
Union Grove, Wis.

* I believe your article understated the important impact Dobson's ministry has had on men by drawing so much attention to its impact on "millions of struggling moms." As a husband, father, and adult male in contemporary society, I treasure Dobson's insight into how to fill those roles more successfully and believe his voice speaks to men just as powerfully as to women.

Garth Rieman
Arlington, Va.

* I was intrigued by Zoba's observation that "It could be argued that Dobson did not move into the realm of politics so much as politics moved into his domain: morality." One of the interesting myths that has grown up around Dobson's formidable political legacy is that he has been a reluctant, involuntary warrior. It is a myth fueled by Jim's constant disclaimers to the press that political activism is a very small part of his interest and work.

I was a senior executive at Focus on the Family in the late seventies when he added politics to the organization's original two-part mission statement (to help parents raise their kids and to help husbands and wives stay married). Whether you agree or disagree with his agenda and tactics, of one thing I can assure you—his foray into big-time politics was deliberate and calculated.

Gil Alexander-Moegerle
San Dimas, Calif.

Did the Dobson cover story receive the seal of approval from Focus on the Family before it was published?

During the past 20 years I have conducted journalism seminars in Washing ton, D.C., and New York City for college and graduate students from Christian schools. Sometimes Christian editors and reporters at secular publications expressed their frustration in covering Dobson and other evangelical leaders. The most well-known religious personalities often insisted that they see any article about them or photograph of them prior to publication. That overly defensive policy can easily be regarded as arrogance by secular media people, even by those who agree with a particular Christian leader.

About two years ago the staff of a campus newspaper at a Christian college wrestled with the Focus media policies. The student editors never were able to work out an arrangement with the FOF headquarters for publishing a statement from Dr. Dobson. They finally gave up and never published the piece.

It would be informative to know if CT had to get approval before publishing the recent article on Dr. Dobson.

Glenn F. Arnold
Wheaton, Ill.

Focus on the Family did not ask CT to review the article before publication, nor did CT ask Focus to do so. We appreciate the more trusting approach Focus on the Family has adopted in facilitating this article. —Eds.

* I just read your article on James Dobson and am thinking the following must be a typo, yes? "Partial-birth abortion, explains Dobson, 'is profoundly moral . …' " If I know Dr. Dobson, he said "profoundly immoral."

Name withheld

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April 26 1999, Vol. 43, No. 5