Focus on Family Action or Focus on Fear?

Yesterday, an organization I once had great respect for went too far. Now I know the Action portion of Focus on the Family is "unrelated" to the pyschology/Christian service section, but what happened was wrong.

James Dobson and his organization released a fear-filled letter from 2012. Read here. This "letter" talks about America getting hit by 4 terrorist attacks, guns ownership being taken away from citizens, crazy "activist" judges making abortion much easier--and really, the only issue worthwhile in the court, same-sex marriage being mandated, churches losing tax-exemption status, the Boy Scouts of America disbanding, pornography being pushed in front of our children, banning homeschooling---all because of Barack Obama, and the young American Evangelicals not caring about the sanctity of life.

A good response can be found here. Jim Wallace, leader of Sojourners, gives a response to James Dobson's fear.

Let me make this clear: Christians will be voting both ways in this election, informed by their good faith, and based on their views of what are the best public policies and direction for America....

Fear is the clear motivator in the letter; especially fear that evangelical Christians might vote for Barack Obama. The letter was very revealing when it suggested that “younger Evangelicals” became the “swing vote” that elected Obama and the results were catastrophic.

You make a mistake when you assume that younger Christians don’t care as much as you about the sanctity of life. They do care...Both broader and deeper, it is inclusive of abortion, but also of the many other assaults on human life and dignity. For the new generation, poverty, hunger, and disease are also life issues; creation care is a life issue; genocide, torture, the death penalty, and human rights are life issues; war is a life issue. What happens to poor children after they are born is also a life issue.

The America you helped vote into power has lost its moral standing in the world, and even here at home... and a new generation of Christians believes expresses their best values and convictions.

Christians should be committed to the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of America, and the church is to live an alternative existence of love and justice, offering a prophetic witness to politics.

Get it Jim! It's good to hear a Christian voice opposition to the fear-mongering of other evangelicals in America.

Let's not focus on fear, lets look to get things done. Lets not scare people into voting for the "Christian Candidate," lets focus on what christian values we should focus on, and see which candidate most closely aligns with "a more consistant ethic of life" including reducing abortion, eliminating hunger, condemning genocide, supporting peace, and opposing torture and the death penalty.