462px-james_dobson_1Considered by many to be the nation’s most influential evangelical leader, Focus on the Family’s James Dobson is stepping down after founding the organization more than 30 years ago. The Associated Press learned on Friday that Dobson would be relinquishing his spot as chairman of the evangelical Christian organization, based in Colorado Springs, Colo. Dobson will continue to host his “traditional values” radio program.

His resignation has prompted a flurry of press releases from church-state-separation groups and LGBT advocacy organizations.

The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State:

James Dobson’s decision to resign as chairman of Focus on the Family is unlikely to make much of a difference in the day-to-day operations of that organization. … For years, FOF has been the leading voice of religious extremism and intolerance in America. It has led the attack on the legal rights of gay and lesbian Americans, worked assiduously to undermine reproductive rights, assaulted the religious neutrality of public schools and labored to replace science with far-right, fundamentalist dogma.

Despite my differences with him, if Dobson were truly retiring, I would wish him well. But I know that Dobson and so many other leaders of the Religious Right intend to remain active, working to force their exclusionary worldview onto the rest of us.

Focus on the Family is merely rearranging the deck chairs on its big, intolerant ship.

People For the American Way President Kathryn Kolbert:

James Dobson may be stepping down, but he’s not stepping off the field. Dobson will continue hosting his national radio show and pushing his far right agenda under the cover of folksy advice.

Dobson has built an audience for himself in the millions and a series of organizations that pull in tens of millions of dollars each year. He presents himself as an expert on raising kids, but his real passion is for enacting the policies of the Religious Right.

Dobson and Focus on the Family fervently support failed abstinence-only sex ed programs, destructive bans on same-sex marriage and adoption, and efforts to undermine fundamental constitutional rights like privacy and church-state separation. Regardless of where Dobson appears on the organizational chart, he and Focus on the Family will continue their assault on Americans’ liberties.

Neil Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation:

“For more than 20 years, James Dobson has used his expansive, well-funded media platform to promote defamatory and false information about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” said Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “As Dobson resigns from his role as chairman, it is important to remember his history of false and defamatory claims about our community. GLAAD urges the media to not allow Dobson to turn today’s news into yet another media platform for him to advance his intolerant divisive attacks on gay and lesbian Americans and their families.