Dobson’s arrogance in this situation is shocking. I don’t mean his apparent hypocrisy in defending Romney against religious examination while turning it on Thompson. I mean his presumption to judge Thompson’s Christianity in the absence of evidence to the contrary.
In a follow-up phone conversation, Focus on the Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger stood by Dobson’s claim. He said that, while Dobson didn’t believe Thompson to be a member of a non-Christian faith, Dobson nevertheless “has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian-someone who talks openly about his faith.”
“We use that word-Christian-to refer to people who are evangelical Christians,” Schneeberger added. “Dr. Dobson wasn’t expressing a personal opinion about his reaction to a Thompson candidacy; he was trying to ‘read the tea leaves’ about such a possibility.”
What damns Thompson in Dobson’s eyes is that he doesn’t wear his Christianity on his sleeve. Perhaps Thompson feels called to live it as a good example, or witnessing to his close friends. Or perhaps he is not a committed Christian. Either way, Thompson’s failure to broadcast his Christianity, in a garish, public way, is not dispositive of his faith.
