Focus on the Family Chair Dobson Resigns

Texas evangelicals spurn hometown favorite Newt Gingrich

(AP) - Rick Santorum's quest to emerge as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney received a boost today from a group of evangelicals and others who voted to back his candidacy in a last-ditch effort to stop the front-runner's march to the nomination. About 150 social conservatives meeting in Texas sided with Santorum over a home-state favorite, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. More»

CBS refuses to yank Focus on Family spot

(NEWSER) - Furious women's groups are demanding that CBS yank a controversial anti-abortion Super Bowl ad by an ultra-conservative evangelical organization. It's the first time Focus on the Family, which battles gay marriage and abortion rights, is spending millions to deliver its message during the NFL's big game. "We urge you to immediately cancel this ad," states a letter from 31 women's groups. But CBS, which has long refused to accept advocacy ads, has changed its policy and will not refuse the ad, Reuters reports. More»

Shadowy 'Family' behind Stupak-Pitts abortion amendment

(NEWSER) - The US Council of Catholic Bishops is getting credit for the 11th-hour inclusion of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment in the House health bill last weekend, but the real force is the shadowy alliance of evangelicals and Democratic lawmakers called the Family, Jeff Sharlet writes on Salon. Though Stupak—a Dem and a Catholic—is coy about it, he lives in the infamous C Street house owned by the organization, and Pitt is a member, too. “The Democratic Party is now captive, just like the GOP, to Christian conservatism,” Sharlet argues. More»

(NEWSER) - An emotional ex-wife of an Arkansas evangelical sect leader testified yesterday that he forced underage girls to "marry" and have sex with him, reports the Telegraph. The woman, who said she herself was forced into her marriage at the age of 15, said she began having serious doubts about her situation when Tony Alamo, now 74, took as his latest "bride" an 8 year old, and boasted about fondling her as she held a stuffed animal. More»

She rejected devil and 'stood up for God' on gay marriage, Prejean tells Dobson

(NEWSER) - Miss California has told a Christian radio program that "Satan tried to tempt me" with the gay marriage pageant question that rocketed her into controversy. "I wanted to sound politically correct" and win the Miss USA pageant, Carrie Prejean told evangelical leader James Dobson yesterday. "Then God was in my heart saying, 'Do not compromise. You need to stand up for me.'" Prejean also slammed the pressure she's been under since presenting her "personal opinion" against gay marriage. More»