Influential evangelical leader James Dobson, who declared war on same-sex marriage and abortion, has died, his namesake family institute announced in a post on social media on Thursday. He was 89.
“He went home to be with the Lord peacefully, following a brief illness,” the statement reads.
Dobson, who used to host a popular radio show advising Christian parents on how to raise their children, in 1977 founded Focus on the Family, an organization that evolved into an $140 million empire, according to The New York Times. He used it as a platform to advocate against gay rights, including same-sex marriage.
During an appearance on CNN’s “Larry King Live” in March 2002, Dobson suggested that legalizing same-sex marriage would pave the way for polygamy.
“Well, homosexuals want to, first of all, change the definition of marriage, which is a major problem for us. The family was designed for a purpose. And if you go to tampering with it, the whole thing crumbles,” he said.
