[spc0506]

I remember Dean Dobon well...we had "coffee and donuts" once or twice to dicuss some personal behavior modification. (yea, I got into a little trouble) I rember students soming through the dorm once a week collecting "pennie for the dean" in order to get money for the car. It was indeed a kit that assembled into an MG that he drove around proudly. I will never forget him crying at the preentation. I wonder if he till ha that car or what ever happened to it.

[Jim DuBois]

Both "Eds", Dobson and Hinson made for some awesome chapels in the 70's.

[Sly Fox]

Wait until you check this out ...

Could you live like Jesus for a year? This pastor tried

By Charles Honey, Religion News Service



GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Rev. Ed Dobson has spent most of his life following Jesus. But only now does he realize how hard it is to live like him.

The retired megachurch pastor and one-time architect of the religious right has spent the last year trying to eat, pray, talk and even vote as Jesus would. His revelation: Being Jesus is tough.

"I've concluded that I am a follower, but I'm not a very good one," Dobson said. "If you get serious about the Bible, it will really mess you up."

Click Here for Full Story

Anybody else find it funny that soccer was the one thing that made it difficult for him to keep the Sabbath? He still has it in his blood. And you know the BJU crowd is still doing whatever it can to distance themselves from this alum.

[JeanW]

Very interesting! Thanks, Sly, for sharing the article. And, yes, that's funny about him and soccer.

[4everfsu]

I was ok until he voted for obama, cannot get past the part he is for abortion. I wonder how Ed gets pass the part where Jesus said suffer not the little children.

[Hold My Own]

Is this him?

[Sly Fox]

It certainly is. It looks just like him back in the day with some added wrinkles and flowing beard.

I get why he voted for Obama and you get the strong feeling it was not his personal preference.

The year certainly was an interesting exercise. I'll bet the book will be fascinating when it comes out. I am just glad to see Ed is doing so well this far into the ALS process. Most folks I have been around that have had Gehrig's have been nearly non-functional after having the disease this long. He certainly is well beyond that point.

[Cider Jim]

I wonder what the BJU crowd thinks about this quote:

The normally teetotaling Dobson also allowed himself an occasional drink, noting Jesus was accused by critics of being a "glutton and a drunkard" who partied with pagans.

"If I'm at a party with a bunch of people who don't know the Lord and they offer me a beer, I'll take it," said Dobson, adding, "People at bars are wide open to talk about anything, including God."

[flameshaw]

They excommunicated him and Gordon Luff as soon as they stepped foot in Lynchburg. I am sure both of them didn't lose any sleep over it. Gotta remember, BJ Jr. I believe called Jerry the 'Most dangerous man in America". LOL, Jerry's only crime was to start a real Christian University instead of a robot factory.

[Baldspot]

I like listening to Ed's sermon's online. Here's a link to sermons from his former church.

http://calvary-church.net/sermons/

[Sly Fox]

ABC Story on Ed's Year

[scuzdriver]

Good for him, but I doubt Jesus would have sought the media attention or recognition for living the life. Makes me wonder about his motivation. Is it to sell a book later on? hmmmm

[Sly Fox]

Facing one's own mortality encourages what would otherwise be considered odd behavior. I honestly believe his motivations were to use the experience as a sounding board. Unfortunately he hasn't utilized the pedestal the way most of us would've preferred. But then again Ed has never worried much about what everybody else thinks.

[Baldspot]

I am currently reading Ed's book about his struggles with mortality and his current condition. I highly recommend it and think it will be a classic for people in similar situations long after Ed is gone.

Anyway, I doubt he trying to get a big cash payment right before he dies.

[scuzdriver]

I'm sure he had only pure motivation. I was just playing devils advocate. Question, why did he just eat kosher? I'm thinking Jesus ate whatever he wanted. Did Ed follow Jewish law and tradition or what Christ tried to do? Again, God bless him for doing it, I wouldn't.

[RagingTireFire]

I'm thinking Jesus ate whatever he wanted.

I doubt that. Until He died, the Mosaic Law was the covenant between God and man. Eating whatever he wanted would have violated that and would have been, at that time, sin.

[Baldspot]

and Jesus got in trouble for "working" on the Sabbath so I'm thinking a soccer game would be okay.

[paradox]

As promised Dean Dobson and his new "car" - a gift from the students in 1979.

What's not OK is driving around in a fancy city-slickin' sports car. I don't care if it was a gift or not. It only leads to greater sins and the more unpardonable transgressions, such as long beards, beer-drinkin', Obama-lovin', and quotations from the so-called "new" king james version. Worse yet, rumor has it that he's a diehard Notre Dame football fan and that he was spotted in the front row of a Frankie Valli concert. It's a slippery slope my friend, and it all started when he eyed-up that shiney sports car


That thing there is the most dangerous vehicle in America. Well, maybe a close second to jazzed-up urban-like Hummer or that fancy-schmancy Surburban owned by another well-known dangerous individual from Lynchburg.

[Sly Fox]

[Sly Fox]

From an email passed on to me by my dad ...

From Dr. Joseph Stowell, president:

Dear colleagues,

Over the past few days many of us have had some interesting discussions, both among ourselves and with people outside our community, about the media coverage of Dr. Ed Dobson, our friend and colleague who just completed a year-long effort to live like Jesus so that he could more deeply understand what it means to be a devoted follower of Jesus. Needless to say this is a situation that has some challenging dimensions both in terms of policy and public perception. On the policy front, some of you may not be aware that Ed is a volunteer at Cornerstone and was not asked to sign the lifestyle statement. Had he signed it, I am confident that he would have abided by it. On the political front, we support the right of Dr. Dobson or any person in our community to vote their conscience without censure or exclusion.

Personally, I applaud Ed’s passionate pursuit of Jesus. I long for that heart to be in each of us! And any conversation that Ed’s journey sparks on our campus should remind us that living in Jesus’ way is a worthy goal that is often risky and sometimes radical.

This has been a learning experience for all of us. Let’s move forward arm in arm keeping our eyes and hearts fixed on what God has in store for us as a university. I believe we are poised for greatness for his glory. So, let’s remain undistracted in our personal pursuit of Jesus and the vision he has given us for our work to empower men and women to excel as influencers in our world for Christ.

Of his own volition, Ed has written a response to this situation. I have included it below. I am thankful for Ed and the valuable things that he has brought to Cornerstone. He is our brother and friend.

After reading his response, if you have comments or questions for Ed, please know that he is very open to talking with you. He will soon be leaving campus for a planned vacation to warmer places but will be back on campus in the second semester.

From Dr. Ed Dobson, senior vice president for spiritual formation:

I know that my comments in the Grand Rapids Press, USA Today and on the Good Morning America Weekend show have created some discussion and controversy. Unfortunately, the main focus of my journey this year was lost=2 0– namely, to better understand the teachings of Jesus. I come away from the experience with a deeper appreciation for the life, teachings, sufferings, death and resurrection of Jesus. I wanted to take a few moments to react to two of the issues that are causing the most controversy: my vote for President-elect Obama and the issue of alcohol use.

I have always been and will continue to be pro-life. So why in the world did I vote the way I did? I am pro-life before birth and pro-life after birth. I am equally concerned with the violence on our streets, with people who are dying of HIV-AIDS, people=2 0who are suffering genocide in various places in the world, children who are growing up without adequate health care, etc. For me, being pro-life includes not only the protection of the unborn but also how we treat people who are already born. I felt that Mr. Obama was closer to the essence of Jesus’ teachings – compassion for the poor and the oppressed, being a peacemaker, loving your enemies and other issues. I have also said, though it never was printed, that I have little faith in politicians of either party. The real work of reducing abortions and extending love and compassion to the poor and oppressed should be done by those of us who are devoted followers of Jesus.

Now, to the alcohol issue. Jesus himself was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard. Obviously, he was neither! But he did eat food, and he did drink wine. He did frequent parties with t ax collectors and sinners. So part of my journey was to try and emulate Jesus in this way. I know that this is not in sync with the Cornerstone lifestyle statement. However, I am not an employee. I do not get paid. I am a volunteer. I was not asked to sign the statement. Had I signed the statement, I would have followed that commitment because I have always strived to be a person of my word.

I regret any controversy that I may have caused our community at Cornerstone University. I love our students, personnel and the mission of the school, and I do not want to distract from the great things th at God is doing on our campus. I look forward to sharing with you more of the things that God has taught me during the course of the past year.

Serving alongside you at Cornerstone,

Ed Dobson

[71FLAME]

I didn't think my respect for Ed Dobson could be any greater...but it has only grown with his latest exploration in faith. Sometimes I'm afraid my biography could be titled: The Life Not Lived