James Dobson, influential founder of conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, has died

James Dobson, influential founder of conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, has died Updated 6 mins ago Dr. James Dobson, who founded the conservative ministry Focus on the Family and was long a campaigner against abortion and gay rights, has died. He was 89. His death was confirmed Thursday by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute. Dobson was a child psychologist who started Focus on the Family in 1977. The organization gave Dobson a platform to weigh in on legislation, advise White House panels and advocate against laws to ban conversion therapy to “cure” gay people. He became a force in the 1980s for pushing conservative Christian ideals in American politics alongside fundamentalist giants like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.