What did Dobson advocate in his book Tough Love for a rebellious son?
In Tough Love, Dobson advocated taking steps and exercising tough love with a rebellious son. Parents should not keep feeding him, paying him, or helping him out of tight places. Instead, they must deal with the situation. The scriptural context contrasts this with Israel's far harsher penalty of stoning such a son.
Les explains that Deuteronomy 21:18 describes a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or mother and will not hearken even after they chasten him. Les says such a son is a glutton and a drunkard, and notes that many have heard of families who have one. He connects this to Dobson, whom he believes wrote a book titled Tough Love. Les explains Dobson's advocacy: with this kind of individual, you have to take steps and exercise tough love. You cannot just keep feeding him, paying him, and helping him out of his tight places; you have got to deal with it. Les then notes that Israel did this, only far worse than Dobson would have ever suggested: all the men of his city were to stone him with stones, that he die, and so put away evil from among them.