James Dobson On Discipline (And How Children Are Like Dogs)

[Father Heathen]

Yeah, yeah, the bible is bogus. You're coming in loud and clear.

Religion aside, I'm responsible for raising my children. I don't particularly enjoy discipline but it's part of the process and I don't think anyone has the right to judge my parenting skills, without knowing me.

I'm not questioning your parenting skills. I'm not even touching that. That's not my business. I just took issue with you citing a book that condones selling your own children into slavery as some sort of valid guide on parenting.

 

[Storm]

It's from Exodus, and sure, it might a few good things in it (which are hardly original or exclusive), but they don't redeem the whole. And if you're trying to cite the bible as a source of authority then you have to accept the whole thing. You can't just cherry pick what's convenient.

I mean come on, selling your own daughter into slavery? It amazes me that even in our modern, civilized world there are some people who actually consider the primitive, bronze age barbarism of the bible as virtuous and god ordained.

Well, you know that I don't think the Bible should be cited as an authority in the first place, but it does have value.

 

[Reverend Rick]

All I have to do is change the tone of my voice to get a dog to listen.

Children are much easier. I never spanked my children although I would in a heart beat if necessary. The key to raising children is being consistent, not beating the hell out of them.

James Dobson has issues.

 

[Falvlun]

I'm still confused about why he had to beat a 12 lb dog with a belt to get him out of the bathroom. It's not like that thing is going to do damage to a 200lb man... Why didn't he just pick the furball up?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Do you think, like James Dobson, that the disobedience of children might be due to original sin?

This is actually a pretty frightening question, as it acurately describes many peoples' approach to family relationships. Their poor social skills and understanding of basic psychology are replaced by a tool of rationalization giving them complete confidence in their authority and position to punish on a whim.

They're doing 'god's work' by beating, abusing, and/or demeaning their kids.

Is breaking the will of a child a great way to produce a kid who will grow up to be a follower, and neither someone who thinks for himself nor a leader?

For the most part, yes - but, isn't that pretty much the generation-to-generation legacy which has kept most religious/cultural beliefs alive over the centuries?

Is it rational to believe that a dog who does not want to go to bed at 11:00 sharp every night secretly believes he is the "captain" of the household?

If you have absolutely no understanding of dog behavior and learning, then you could think this is rational. Of course, in reality, this is the type of common anthropomorphization that most people apply to their pets which is completely inaccurate.

Is beating a 12lbs dog with a belt a pretty good training technique?

If you're training the dog to have massive behavioral issues including fear, aggression, anxiety, etc, then it is ideal.

Does James Dobson strike you as the sort of person who would more or less assume that anyone who disagreed with him was "rebellious" and "challenging his authority"?

Like most who don't understand or value reason, wisdom, and compassion, yes.

 

[blackout]

Dobson somewhere states that the goal is to break the will of the child, but not his spirit. I don't know what he means by that, however.

Well ***? Isn't Dobson exersizing HIS OWN WILL on both his dog and his children?
...as if HIS WILL is somehow "okayed" and theirs is not?
His will is "good" and theirs is "bad"/sin.
If NOBODY had any personal self WILL, who would do anything at all?

I listen to focus on the family every now and then in the car...
and ALWAYS wind up cringing.
Gawd my kids are lucky. :yes:

It is IMPOSSIBLE to break a person's "Will" without breaking their "Spirit".

 

[J Bryson]

Dobson strikes me as a somewhat charismatic sociopath who knows how to play on people's feelings of powerlessness and fear.

 

[painted wolf]

Not to mention expressing his own by his need for absolute control.

wa:do

 

[J Bryson]

Not to mention expressing his own by his need for absolute control.

wa:do

Agreed. That's a typical attribute of sociopaths.

 

[pegasus]

I think that's certainly part of it. Another part of it is the notion, which Dobson embraces, that people are born bad (original sin) and must be "disciplined" to conform with religious ideals of goodness, or else they will remain bad.

Better bad than like dobson. The only kid i WOuld spank with joy is a kid with the mindset of dobson and pearl. These people are as ****** up AS IT GETS

 

[Me Myself]

Do you think, like James Dobson, that the disobedience of children might be due to original sin?

Sure it might be.

Is breaking the will of a child a great way to produce a kid who will grow up to be a follower, and neither someone who thinks for himself nor a leader?

I don't know if breaking the will of anyone is a good thing.

Are people basically bad and need to have their wills broken?

No.

Is it rational to believe that a dog who does not want to go to bed at 11:00 sharp every night secretly believes he is the "captain" of the household?

No.

Is beating a 12lbs dog with a belt a pretty good training technique?

No. He should be investigated for animal abuse. Beating a dog is a crime, and it's his own fault that the dog doesn't obey.

Does James Dobson strike you as the sort of person who would more or less assume that anyone who disagreed with him was "rebellious" and "challenging his authority"?

Absolutely.

I agree with everything except the first. May depend on how we categorize original sin though, but according to mainstream interpretation, I dont buy original sin.