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Children at Risk
In this hard-hitting and empowering book, James Dobson and Gary Bauer expose the cultural forces endangering today's children and show what you can do to defend your family, your faith and your traditional values. A national bestseller revised and expanded for even more knowledge to protect your most precious gift-your children.
291 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 9, 2017
If you ever wanted proof that we live in a scary, broken world this book will give it to you. I didn't like it because it was so depressing, but what else could I have expected? The whole premise of the book is to show that kids in this present age are being attacked from every side.
October 19, 2018
This was decent, very informative book. Though it was written in 1990, a lot of the things written about are still putting children at risk today like drugs, sex, political policies, and a failing education system. I really enjoyed the chapter on motherhood. I recommend this to anyone who wants to become a more informed parent.
April 2, 2014
Dr. Dobson and Mr. Bauer present their perspective on the change in culture in America with an unabashed and unapologetic paradigm of a Christian parent. What is truly amazing to me is that it is as poignant today in 2014 as it was 24 years ago when it was first published in 1990. Their criticisms of "modern" thinking is simply more dire as society continues to embrace agendas that are not anchored by traditional family values.
Children at Risk argues the old paradigm of family life is being systematically eradicated to be replaced with a pluralist and secular agenda devoid of judgmental concepts such as "virtue" or even right versus wrong. Dobson and Bauer explain how Washington has been transformed and seemingly fundamental concepts, such as the definition of "family", is all relative. They continued with the effect education, the media, and entertainment can have on the impressions of youths and adults alike and how in every facet of public life, the constant stream of ideas are already challenging the decisions, behaviors, and values in private life. I can only imagine what the Dobson and Bauer would write about the Internet. The authors criticize the violation of our nation's founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. They provide an explanation of the true intention of separation of Church and State and site numerous examples of our first and more recent leaders inciting spiritual reasons for decisions and policy.
Their argument is persuasive even if I'm biased for it. But, alas even I see that some of their arguments will fall hopelessly lame against the liberals of today. Their prediction that Christians would continue to be denounced simply based on their proclaimed Christianity is ubiquitous. You simply cannot frame an effective argument with religion unless you are speaking to a congregation of believers.
The idea of religion in policy is extremely interesting to me. When I think of it, I have to accept that in a democratic republic, the will of the people may not be my own. I have to accept that the if the majority of people convert to Islam then we may start adopting policies that are adapted for Islamic culture. But America is not more Islamic, it is simply less Christian. Furthermore, that isn't even the debate! Dobson and Bauer are not claiming that Americans must be Christian. They are claiming that the basis of our government will only survive if society adopts and values the moral code of the Judeo-Christian tradition. It's a bit eerie to see that so much of what was once considered private affairs are turning into public (i.e., government) domain. Daycare, welfare, medicine, housing are all, to differing degrees, under governmental control. The government even challenges the impact religion can have even in its own organizations. Dobson and Bauer are simply observing the decline of social morality and correlate it to the decline of religious conviction. Corruption in government is said to be at all-time highs. Satisfaction of Congress and the Presidency is abysmal and there is no suggestion that it will get better anytime soon, in fact, quite the contrary. Is this a result of a nation that has forgotten God? I'm unwilling to say a firm yes, but I think it equally foolish to say it has nothing to do with it.
This was the first Dobson book I've read and I knew I would likely agree with him. I was not disappointed. So now I need to really challenge myself and read something from the other perspective. I have no idea what book that will be but it'll be interesting to see how I handle it. I noticed a few times how Dobson and Bauer cited polls and studies which I feel is probably necessary but ultimately ineffectual for argument...it feels like they're cherry-picking even if they're not. I'm guessing I'll be much more critical of a book written against religion and traditional family values.
Children at Risk argues the old paradigm of family life is being systematically eradicated to be replaced with a pluralist and secular agenda devoid of judgmental concepts such as "virtue" or even right versus wrong. Dobson and Bauer explain how Washington has been transformed and seemingly fundamental concepts, such as the definition of "family", is all relative. They continued with the effect education, the media, and entertainment can have on the impressions of youths and adults alike and how in every facet of public life, the constant stream of ideas are already challenging the decisions, behaviors, and values in private life. I can only imagine what the Dobson and Bauer would write about the Internet. The authors criticize the violation of our nation's founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. They provide an explanation of the true intention of separation of Church and State and site numerous examples of our first and more recent leaders inciting spiritual reasons for decisions and policy.
Their argument is persuasive even if I'm biased for it. But, alas even I see that some of their arguments will fall hopelessly lame against the liberals of today. Their prediction that Christians would continue to be denounced simply based on their proclaimed Christianity is ubiquitous. You simply cannot frame an effective argument with religion unless you are speaking to a congregation of believers.
The idea of religion in policy is extremely interesting to me. When I think of it, I have to accept that in a democratic republic, the will of the people may not be my own. I have to accept that the if the majority of people convert to Islam then we may start adopting policies that are adapted for Islamic culture. But America is not more Islamic, it is simply less Christian. Furthermore, that isn't even the debate! Dobson and Bauer are not claiming that Americans must be Christian. They are claiming that the basis of our government will only survive if society adopts and values the moral code of the Judeo-Christian tradition. It's a bit eerie to see that so much of what was once considered private affairs are turning into public (i.e., government) domain. Daycare, welfare, medicine, housing are all, to differing degrees, under governmental control. The government even challenges the impact religion can have even in its own organizations. Dobson and Bauer are simply observing the decline of social morality and correlate it to the decline of religious conviction. Corruption in government is said to be at all-time highs. Satisfaction of Congress and the Presidency is abysmal and there is no suggestion that it will get better anytime soon, in fact, quite the contrary. Is this a result of a nation that has forgotten God? I'm unwilling to say a firm yes, but I think it equally foolish to say it has nothing to do with it.
This was the first Dobson book I've read and I knew I would likely agree with him. I was not disappointed. So now I need to really challenge myself and read something from the other perspective. I have no idea what book that will be but it'll be interesting to see how I handle it. I noticed a few times how Dobson and Bauer cited polls and studies which I feel is probably necessary but ultimately ineffectual for argument...it feels like they're cherry-picking even if they're not. I'm guessing I'll be much more critical of a book written against religion and traditional family values.
June 16, 2016
Didn't technically finish, but didn't need to. It was rather alarmist and you can get just as much substance from Facebook renegades and discussion board trolls and renegades, mostly relating to the evils of the ACLU and the gay and lesbian agenda. While I do agree that some things about the ACLU as well as the government's intrusions into the family and the home and taxation practices and other axes Dobson and Bauer grind here are galling and do merit discussion, the tenor of the conversation has shifted in the 26 years since this book has been written. It's hard to read this after Orlando and look at the rather subhuman portrayal of LGBT folks the authors present here. As a father of three, I have not witnessed any attempt to "indoctrinate" my children or rip them out of my arms and acculturate them to some outlandish worldview. We home school our kids and have never encountered any opposition or obstacles to this. It is actually quite common among families in our region, and it isn't limited to the extremely conservative, either. I know several home school families who are quite left-leaning, and we are progressive in certain regards in our family as well. We do not just sit around practicing spelling, memorization of Old Testament Scripture, or arguments against an old earth. All that to say, I think parents have more control over how their children are educated and raised than Dobson had foreseen, and this isn't a privilege reserved for the rich. I make peanuts, but resourceful budgeting and taking on a minimum of freelance jobs keeps us up and running and doing fine. I had made it probably 150 pages into this book before I realized, "This isn't for us. This is for people back then, and that only because things seemed to be trending in a direction they weren't." As crazy as the world now is, it's still better than we thought it was going to be. It's only the aforementioned Facebook and discussion board warriors and trolls who think it isn't, and that usually because they ARE brainwashed by some venomous, extremist political point of view, whether it be right or left. Cultivate your own garden. Stay involved in your children's lives. You're going to be fine. The youth back then who are now raising their children are doing a fairly good job of it, from what I can see, although, granted, my perspective may be limited just to my area.
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December 18, 2008649 Dob
October 17, 2009
Only read about first 70 pages - very right wing - apparently other author added to this - way too much harping on premarital sex, abortion, teenage pregnancy - not enough Bilblical reference.
December 6, 2010
A great book (with an unfortunately mis-leading title) about all that Washington has done wrong in regard to the family.
August 9, 2012
Copyright 1990.... Old stats- not as current as I'd like.
May 4, 2015
GREAT EYE OPENER AND RESOURCE FOR THOSE CHOCKING FROM THE PUTRID SMELL COMING FROM THE SOCIETY'S DEGRADATION !!!
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April 17, 2009Children at risk: The battle for the hearts and minds of our kids by James C Dobson (?)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews