The Vomit Awards - Focus on the Family & James Dobson

Focus on the Family is a large Christian organization dedicated to supporting families. Over the years, Focus on the Family has been a source of positive assistance for families. The organization was pioneered by psychologist James Dobson. Focus on the Family and James Dobson are well known for taking a stand strongly opposed to gay relationships. Focus on the Family's strong position against same-sex relationships has long been a concern of many people in the gay community, including many gay Christians.

May 1, 2005 a group of several hundred people organized by Soulforce demonstrated outside the Colorado Springs, Colorado headquarters for Focus on the Family. Soulforce organizes peaceful protests, based on an approach to injustice pioneered by Ghandi.

A family, consisting of a mother, father and their gay son tried to deliver letters of concern to Focus on the Family. They were arrested and charged with trespassing. Information about the peaceful protest can be found on the Soulforce web site.

The sins of Sodom are outlined in Ezekiel Chapter 16, verse 49. This was your sister Sodom's crime: she and her daughters lived in pride, in plenty, and in careless ease; she never lent a hand to the weak and wretched. Same-gender sexual relations are not mentioned in the verse.

Many commentators, even many of the commentators who are opposed to same-gender sexual relationships, believe this verse is a condemnation of Sodom's lack of charity and hospitality. Adam Clarke says the sins of Sodom outlined in this verse are pride, luxury, idleness, and uncharitableness. He comments " . . . and these were sufficient to sink any city to the bottomless pit." Another very respected Bible commentary, the Keil and Delitzsch Commentary, describes the sins of Sodom as "haughtiness and harshness" and lack of charity.

There are two ironies in the events that took place at Focus on the Family. First, Focus on the Family is supposed to be a pro-family ministry. At a pro-family organization, a family that is only wanting to deliver letters is arrested and charged with a crime. So much for protecting and supporting the family! Secondly, Focus on the Family showed the sins of harshness and showed lack of charity toward the family that was arrested. Those who are harsh and do not show charity to the weak and poor are guilty of the sins of Sodom. One could say they are Sodomites. Focus on the Family, which has long criticized the gay life style responded to a peaceful protest in a way that could cause people to classify Focus on the Family as Sodomites.

Focus on the Family your harshness and lack of charity that day made Jesus sick. James Dobson, your ministry Focus on the Family, made Jesus Vomit. Because of the lack of hospitality, the lack of charity and the harsh response your ministry made, we award James Dobson and Focus on the Family with the "You Make Jesus Vomit Award."

We call on Focus on the Family to apologize to the family that was arrested, to ask that charges be dropped and to apologize to the gay community for what took place during the peaceful protest at Focus on the Family. We also call on you James Dobson to stop portraying gay people in a negative manner and to encourage gay people to live out their God-given sexuality in a godly way. We ask you to include gay families in a positive manner in your ministry, to start giving parents advice on how to raise their gay sons and daughters so those sons and daughters will grow up to be gay men and women of God.