Dear Friend,
I am writing this letter days after our former president, Donald J. Trump, was the target of an attempted assassination. In God's divine providence, the bullets that were fired at President Trump narrowly missed their mark. Tragically, one bullet struck an attendee, Corey Comperatore, as he courageously shielded his wife and two daughters from the assassin's assault. He died heroically, protecting his loved ones. Two other bystanders were also seriously injured in the attack. Words cannot fully express the emotions that I felt as I watched this horrific scene unfold.
The natural responses to such a wicked act of violence are anger and grief; I experienced both. Yet, amid these emotions, one promise of our Savior immediately brought me a sense of peace: He said that He will never leave or forsake us. Jesus Christ is our rock and fortress in times of trial and suffering. More than ever, now is the time for the people of America to turn their hearts and minds to the Lord. That is precisely why JDFI exists—to share the gospel and the fullness of God's truth and grace as we seek to uplift and preserve the institution of the family and our nation's founding liberties.
Yet, the task is daunting. I know that you share our concern that the foundational moral and governing framework in America is crumbling. We have an opportunity to put a stop to this destruction by making our voices heard on Tuesday, November 5th. The upcoming election is another historic test for our great Republic, and we want to ensure Christians do their part to defend the values and freedoms that made this country a shining city on a hill.
I have asked Gary Bauer, JDFI's senior vice president of public policy, to write about an important upcoming JDFI initiative, having to do with this great cause. So now, I will pass it on to my colleague, Mr. Bauer.
The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute is launching a "Countdown to Decision 2024" effort to mobilize Christians across America as we near one of the most crucial elections in American history. During this critical season for our country, we ask you to partner with us by praying, mobilizing, and voting.
Throughout this undertaking, we will provide daily reasons why every Christian must exercise their God-given liberties by praying and lifting their voices for others to hear. Our Founding Fathers wisely enshrined those freedoms in the Bill of Rights. Generation upon generation of Americans, often at pronounced cost and sacrifice, have stood up boldly to safeguard those precious rights, including the freedom of worship, speech, and assembly.
Radical secularists, the abortion lobby, LGBTQ ideologues, and neo-Marxists in our government, universities, and corrupted media are attacking those liberties. Unfortunately, time is running out, and we must put our faith into action. However, this task will not be easy—saving liberty never is. We need courage and a firm reliance on God. But we must also act, and we must act now.
The radical Left has labeled Americans who love Jesus and our country as a threat to liberty and democracy. They refer to us as "Christian Nationalists" to try to intimidate us into silence.1 Just recently, a disturbing report has surfaced on an anti-terrorism course at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg). U.S. Army soldiers were shown a presentation describing various terrorist groups and their tactics—groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS). But immediately following the slide on ISIS, our soldiers were told that pro-life organizations were also "terrorist groups."2 Just weeks ago, the current administration's DOJ imprisoned a pro-life grandmother for her peaceful demonstration against abortion.3 This cannot be happening in our sweet land of liberty—but it is.
The Left knows that if American Christians retreat and fail to vote to defend faith, family and freedom, the neo-Marxist Left will have won. The nation our Founders intended to be a "shining city upon a hill" will become a secular, socialist, big-government nightmare. If this happens, we will betray our Founders and condemn our children and grandchildren to lesser lives. Lord, forgive us if we let this happen on our watch.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist minister, led the civil rights movement, which was built on the Christian truth that all of us are made in the image of God and should enjoy equal protection under the law. In addition, our reliance on the Lord allowed us to not only defeat Nazi Germany, but to triumph over atheistic communism. Christianity has been woven into the framing fabric of our nation throughout its entire history.
During the "Countdown to Decision 2024" leading up to the November election, JDFI will help you cut through the lies and distortions that are infecting American politics. We will bring you biblical truths on addressing why we are called to be active Christian citizens. We will help you make the case for the sanctity of life, save our children from classroom indoctrination, and defend your freedom of religion. Our goal is simple: to strongly encourage every Christian to vote and protect America—one nation under God. We ask that you share our initiative with family and friends.
A few weeks ago, we sent an open letter to President Joe Biden, listing eleven critical policy issues that are "irrevocably damaging our country." Thousands of people have signed the letter along with us, and we encourage you to add your name, too. Most importantly, I implore you to pray fervently for America in these pivotal days, and also to act!
Scripture tells us that there is a "great cloud of witnesses" who are watching us from above. Since its origin, American Christians have rescued and sustained our country through many trials and tribulations. God chose us to be born in this age, in this nation, for this purpose. Join me in awakening a sleeping church to march, by the millions, to polling sites all across America to save our country and to influence others to do the same.
Gary's words are incredibly timely. He is a good friend, and I can't thank him enough for his leadership for such a time as this. Our nation's future is at stake, and the church must act now to impact this unparalleled crisis.
Before I conclude, I need to share a significant JDFI need. Throughout my forty-seven years of ministry, I have rarely made urgent requests for financial contributions. In the few instances where financial needs became imperative, I explained our circumstances to those who seemed to want to know, and then left it to our friends to decide what to do. Currently, JDFI is facing a financial predicament as our revenue during the summer months has fallen considerably below budget requirements. If you are in a position to give, your support will allow us to continue our expanded ministry efforts during this critical time in America's history. Thank you for considering this request.
In closing, I'm reminded of a quote from one of my favorite presidents, Abraham Lincoln: "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."
May this be our primary concern as well in all that we endeavor to do for our Lord, the institution of the family, and our country.
God's blessings to you and your family. Thank you for standing with us and our country in this time of great need.
Founder Chairman
Dr. James Dobson Family Institute
1 Closson, David (March 4, 2021) Thinking Biblically About “Christian Nationalism,” Family Research Council, Web.
2 Creitz, Charles (July 12, 2024) Lawmakers rip Army brass over training slides suggesting pro-life groups could be tied to terrorism, Fox News, Web.
3 di Fiore, Bettina (June 1, 2024) Elderly pro-lifer’s husband begs court for mercy as judge sentences ailing wife to prison, Live Action News, Web.
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