I Hate James Dobson

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Rating
4.7
from
221 reviews
This podcast has
55 episodes
Language
Publisher
Explicit
Yes
Date created
2024/03/17
Latest episode
2026/02/02
Average duration
77 min.
Release period
14 days

Description

Dr. James Dobson is a clinical psychologist, founder of Christian media empire Focus on the Family, a spiritual advisor to every Republican President since Reagan, and a paragon in the Evangelical Christian movement. And he's a massive dick. Join therapists Jake (a former Evangelical) and Brooke (who knows almost nothing about Evangelical culture) as they read and tear apart Dobson's works. Get ready to laugh, cry, and rip your hair out as we explore the very many reasons why I Hate James Dobson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Check latest episodes from I Hate James Dobson podcast


Episode 50: You Don't Hate the ADF Enough
2026/02/02
Put on your best Elle Woods cosplay, readers, because today Jake and Brooke discuss the legal organization called the Alliance Defending Freedom. This Dobson creation continues to wreak havoc on all of our lives in big and small ways. Even if you've seen the John Oliver segment on it, you still don't hate them enough. References: Bragman, W. (2026, Jan 5). Experts Warn U.S. in Early Stages of Genocide Against Trans Americans. ImportantContext.com. https://www.importantcontext.news/p/experts-warn-us-in-early-stages-of Last Week Tonight. (2025, May 12). Alliance Defending Freedom [Video]. HBO & YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCAuHH5EYnE LIttlefield, A. (2021, November 30). The Christian Legal Army Behind the Ban on Abortion in Mississippi. The Nation. https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/alliance-defending-freedom-dobbs/ Ward, I. (2024, march 25). The Group Behind Dobbs Does Not Want to Talk About What Comes Next. Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/03/25/head-of-alliance-defending-freedom-Kristen-Waggoner-speaks-on-mifepristone-00148565 Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 49: Sex, Lies & ... The Truth
2026/01/19
Put on some scrunchies and hairspray with CFCs because today Jake and Brooke time travel back to 1993 to talk about a VHS classic: "Sex, Lies & ... The Truth!". You'll be shocked to hear that this film is full of lies. Misleading? I prefer to think of it as irony. Mostly because that makes me feel better about humanity. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 48: Focus on My Family
2026/01/05
On this very special start to 2026, Jake is joined by their parents to talk about healing and reconciliation. Eat your heart out, Esther Perel (We love you, Esther Perel). Stick around til the end for a special word from Tyler. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 47: Holly Bone Secular Christmas Spectacular
2025/12/22
Merry Secular Holidays, readers! Today, Brooke is in charge and we actually get to have fun! Join us for some Q&A, some gift giving, some surprise guests, and plans for 2026 :) Check out our friends! The Worst of All Possible Worlds Lessons from the Couch Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 46: Love Must Be Tough
2025/12/08
Thank goodness we don't care about being demonitized because this episode goes places advertisers wouldn't go anywhere near. Jake and Brooke talk about the toxic sludge that is Love Must Be Tough, another book that defines his legacy. At least you can hear Brooke's cat purring at points - that counts for something! Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/get-that-thing License code: CJC8J8D177SDPEA3 https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 45: Jesus Camp
2025/11/24
Step into the imagination station and rewind all the way back to 2006 to join Jake and Brooke as they talk about the definitional documentary "Jesus Camp" - as well as the legacy of it now almost 20 years later. If you're playing IHJD Bingo at home, I think this episode gets you a full run. References: Fundie Fridays. (2021, May 14). Jesus Camp | A Post 9/11 Evangelical Fever Dream [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gam6PfrW4ZA&t=1s Hesse, J. (2016, July 6). The kids of Jesus Camp, 10 years later: 'Was it child abuse? Yes and no'. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jul/06/jesus-camp-christian-documentary-kids-10-years-later JeGaysus - THE Gay Jesus. (2023, November 5). Jesus Camp Where Are They Now? | Levi from Documentary - Interview [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF2SqG8aQQI&t=5s Samuel Young. (2012, June 4). Jesus Camp -- Levi five years later [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoLUSK_hrAI Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 44: Dare 2 Share
2025/11/10
We've read the book, now it's time to look at the world around Dare 2 Share. In this episode, Brooke and Jake talk about Greg Stier, Dare 2 Share events, Promise Keepers, Skillet, and (as a treat) Propaganda. Trigger Warning for depictions of hell 31:00 - 33:15 Check out Propaganda's work: @prophiphop on social media and wherever you get your music References: Anthony, D. & Reynolds, G. (2020, August 4). 441 - Promise Keepers [Audio Podcast]. Onmy Studio. Ashely, F. Interrogating Gender-Exploratory Therapy. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2023 Mar;18(2):472-481. doi: 10.1177/17456916221102325. Epub 2022 Sep 6. 36068009; PMCID: PMC10018052 Dare 2 Share Ministries. (2021, April 27). The Greg Stier Ministry Podcast - The Power of the Gospel with Skillet's John Cooper. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3EUm-F2XcI&t=790s Focus on the Family. (2022, November 16). How a Dysfunctional Street Kid Became a Radical Disciple of Jesus (Part 1) - Greg Stier. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GFh2h6pgUg Graham, R. (2024, August 11). The All-Male Christian Group Seeking a Resurrection in the Trump Era. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/11/us/promise-keepers-evangelical-christians.html Matt Clayberg Ministries. (2013, August 24th). A Letter from Hell. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oGXPRjk1HI&t=325s Nameless Christian. (2013, October 19). Dare2Share 2013. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0SavotwEZ0&t=33s n.a. (2023). Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). https://archive.org/details/httpsstore.samhsa.govsitesdefaultfilespep22-03-12-001/page/n21/mode/2up Petty, J. (2021, May 21). ALLOW ME TO REINTRODUCE MYSELF [Audio Podcast]. Cool Zone Media Stier, G. (2016, September 1). 25 milestones during 25 years of Dare 2 Share. GregStier.com. https://gregstier.org/25-milestones-during-25-years-of-dare-2-share Stier, G. (2024, July 23). The Power of the Gospel and the Potential of Teens. Dare2Share.org. https://www.dare2share.org/blog/the-power-of-the-gospel-and-the-potential-of-teens Widaman, D. (2020, August 29). Skillet lead singer John Cooper armed self to protect family against Kenosha rioters. Metro Voice News. https://metrovoicenews.com/skillet-lead-singer-john-cooper-armed-self-to-protect-family-against-kenosha-rioters Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 43: Dare 2 Share
2025/10/27
Strap in, friends, we've got a live one on our hands today. Coming at you straight from 2006/Jake's personal trauma: "Dare 2 Share" by Greg Stier. This episode, Jake and Brooke dissect the book's... imaginative uses of the English language and discuss its potential impact on a young person's relationship to Wellbutrin. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 42: The 5 Love Languages
2025/10/13
This episode is about the 5 love languages! Get ready to hear Jake nerd out about couples therapy and why this book is... fine. Jake and Brooke made this gift as an act of service to spend some quality time with you, readers, so be sure to give them words of affirmation in the reviews. I wasn't able to make "physical touch" fit in this joke. References: Cook, M., Pasley, J., Pellarin, E., Medow, K., Baltz, M., & Buhman-Wiggs, A. (2013). Construct validation of the five love languages. Journal of Psychological Inquiry, 18(2), 50-61. Egbert, N., & Polk, D. (2006). Speaking the language of relational maintenance: A validity test of Chapman's Five Love Languages. Communication Research Reports, 23(1), 19-26. Eisen, K. (2025, July 16). Is The Origin of Love Languages Problematic? Coveteur.com. https://coveteur.com/love-languages Flicker, S. M., Sancier‐Barbosa, F., Clemons‐Castanos, C., Field, S., Jackson‐Zambon, S., Phelan, M., & Impett, E. A. (2025). How Many Love Languages Are There? Examining Chapman's Five Love Languages Using a Bottom‐Up Approach. Journal of marital and family therapy, 51(4), e70072. Impett, E. A., Park, H. G., & Muise, A. (2024). Popular psychology through a scientific lens: Evaluating love languages from a relationship science perspective. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 33(2), 87-92. Surijah, E. A., & Kirana, C. T. (2020). Five love languages scale factor analysis. Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia, 24(1), 56-72. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 41: James Dobson Isn't The (Only) Problem
2025/09/29
Oh boy there's nothing I love more on a Monday morning than a heaping helping of context! On this episode, Jake and Brooke take a journey through the forces that are bigger than Dobson, to focus on the real problem. Spoilers, it's capitalism again. References: Lakhani, N. et al., (2021, July 14). Revealed: the true extent of America’s food monopolies, and who pays the price. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2021/jul/14/food-monopoly-meals-profits-data-investigation n.a. (n.d.) National Christian Charitable Foundation. SourceWatch. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/national-christian-charitable-foundation/ Stein, C. (2025, September 11). Charlie Kirk in his own words. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/11/charlie-kirk-quotes-beliefs Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/bingo-crazy License code: XRE0PJJK46DUNEK6 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 40: Dungeons & Dragons
2025/09/15
Make a constitution saving throw, readers, or else you might take some psychic damage as Jake, Brooke, and Boyfriend talk about Dungeons and Dragons! Focus on the Family made a very special episode of Adventures and Odyssey that Jake forces their loved ones to experience and talk about why people were so bothered about Dungeons and Dragons. It gets nerdy. Read David Griffin's Blog "The Prodigal" here: https://davegriffin.me/2022/05/the-prodigal/ References: 60 Minutes. (1985, September 15). Dungeons and Dragons [Video]. CBS News. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm_2S8E_UOI&t=2s Jones, S. (2022, Spring). Castles & Capitalists. Dissent Magazine. https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/castles-capitalists/ McCusker, P. (1990, August 4). Castles and Cauldrons, Part 1. [Radio Broadcast]. Focus on the Family. McCusker, P. (1990, August 11). Castles and Cauldrons, Part 2. [Radio Broadcast]. Focus on the Family. n.a. (2014, April 11). The great 1980s Dungeons & Dragons panic. BBC.com. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26328105 Nowakowski, T. (2023, March 31). 14 Fun Facts About Dungeons & Dragons. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/14-fun-facts-about-dungeons-dragons-180981905/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 39: Life on the Edge
2025/09/01
On this episode, Jake and Brooke are joined by Boyfriend to discuss a smorgasbord of Dobsonisms as they discuss his book and video series "Life on the Edge". If you can't traumatize the ones you love for the sake of #content, you are a better person than I. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Bonus: Dead Dob Day
2025/08/22
Does the air smell a little sweeter today? Do you find yourself with a little extra pep in your step? Did every person you know text you about the death of an almost 90-year-old man? Yeah me too. In this bonus, emergency episode, Jake and Brooke are joined by Corina to process the news of the death of Dr. James Dobson. Not to speak ill of the dead, but thank goodness. What a jerk. Say hi to Ted for us, Dobby boy! Listen to "Lessons from the Couch" wherever you get your podcasts! Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 38: Creationism, Ken Ham, and Kevin
2025/08/18
It's a family affair on this episode of I Hate James Dobson, as Jake and Brooke are joined by Kevin - Jake's older brother, a rocket scientist*, and one cool guy. It's exciting! What's less exciting is that they are talking about creationism. Boo. A family that laughs about shared trauma together stays together? References: Answers in Genesis. (2014, February 4). Bill Nye Debates Ken Ham - HD (Official) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6kgvhG3AkI Boston, R. (2019, July 31). Ken Ham's Ark Park Floats On A Sea Of Taxpayer Subsidies. Americans United. https://www.au.org/the-latest/articles/ark-park-money Inspiring Philosophy. (2022, January 7). The Origins of Young Earth Creationism [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLcNTAi0Cw4 Lucke, J. (2023, October 26). Mike Johnson defended Noah's Ark attraction in Kentucky before becoming U.S. House speaker. Kentucky Lantern. https://kentuckylantern.com/briefs/mike-johnson-defended-noahs-ark-attraction-in-kentucky-before-becoming-u-s-house-speaker/#:~:text=By:%20Jamie%20Lucke%20-%20October%2026,U.S.%20Rep. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episode 37: Shiny Happy People Season 2
2025/08/04
This episode is a case study in going with the flow as both Jake and Brooke made last-minute pivots to cover the new season of Shiny Happy People. It's like a greatest hits of I Hate James Dobson - and Brooke learns the real reason for the season. Plus, the episode is just a vibe, really. Works Cited: Crist, O. et al. (Directors). (2025, July 23). Shiny Happy People Season 2: A Teenage Holy War. [Docuseries]. Amazon Prime Video. https://www.amazon.com/Shiny-Happy-People-Teenage-Holy/dp/B0FD3G7PP7 Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: 9OT2MTBHWWSRZP5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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4.7 out of 5
221 reviews
BeanWhutKnits 2026/01/12
The unintentional roadmap to my religious deconstruction
Finding this podcast during my grieving period after I lost a parent helped to fill in so many gaps regarding what happened to me growing up, and why....
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AA0529 2026/01/23
Yikes
As a counselor, you need more therapy. I’m not sure why I decided to listen…mainly bc I like a different POV. I’m not a staunch Dobson fan and was jus...
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mollypop1992 2026/01/06
Moving Episode!
I’ve enjoyed all of the episodes, but this one moved me the most. Keep up the good work. And by the way I HATE James Dobson!
MoonovrMissouri 2025/12/28
These folks are gold
I love the show and Jake and Brooke and boyfriend make this such a welcoming home for exvangelicals. My parents were tried in the blood dobsonnites an...
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BekahHopes 2025/12/26
Laugh out loud about religious trauma
** updating my review after the Holly Bones Secular Christmas Spectacular** y’all knocked it out of the park. It was hard not to laugh out loud in the...
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MarlenasFae 2025/11/26
Captivating, Cathartic, Comforting
These wonderful people continuously give me hope and solace by breaking down the trauma shared by those who grew up under the abusive teachings of Jam...
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Picasso2012x 2025/11/25
Excellent podcast and charming hosts
I’ve really been enjoying this podcast, which takes a thoughtful well- researched look at evangelicalism and its impact on today’s world. The dynamic ...
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austinwoods97 2025/11/12
Cannot recommend enough
Jake’s vulnerability and Brooke’s willingness to learn about these awful things make this such an amazing show!
CatTeMat 2025/10/28
Love this pod
Jake and Brooke are my favorite every other week tradition. I love this labor of love - spite - and I love the merch.
La petite grenouille 2025/10/14
Fantastic and Cathartic
Understanding can be such a key step in healing, and Jake and Brooke bring so much light to those niggly little evangelical brain worms that can be ha...
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