you sure, jim?

Read something recently in The Week--which has become my source for respectable news coverage--about James Dobson. In general it was a hack job, a bit disappointing from a magazine that usually comes pretty close to presenting both sides equally. But it did get a couple of things right. He is very influential, perhaps more so than any other evangelical, and he has close ties to politics. But it pointed out one area where Dobson makes a spectacular departure from reality.

According to Jim himself, he was saved at age 3. Uhh...what!? Is he serious?? Well, in his words, "I recall crying and asking Jesus to forgive my sins" after his father gave an altar call. So he expects us to believe that at age 3 he had the mental capacity to understand such things as sin and forgiveness, and especially Christ's death. Further, a three-year-old can choose to sin or not to sin on a momentary basis. Even further, that three-year-old has the ability to make a lifelong commitment and hold to it. Ha! Fat freakin' chance. Now admittedly I'm no child psychologist like Dobson, but that one flunks the common sense test by a wide margin.

This reeks of someone knowing he is saved and placing his moment of receiving Christ as far back as he can remember professing allegiance. It makes for a cute story but doesn't do much more than that. To be saved, one must not only know of the salvation he is accepting but also what he is being saved from. The words must be genuine and supported by evidence of the indwelling Spirit. A simple emotional response doesn't do the trick. Dobson's "profession" sure sounds like one based on emotion, and if I may speculate it was probably after one of those heart-tugging appeals laden with loaded words but lacking details on what faith really means and implies.

Don't get me wrong, I still think Dobson's a great guy. He's certainly allowed a mistake here and there, as are all of us. But saved at 3? Give us a break.