Conservative Argument for Healthcare Reform: Part 3: St. Matthew is on our side.
St. Matthew and his friends are on our side. I like our odds.
You a Christian? I am a Christian. I am a recovering Catholic. Have you checked out the Gospels lately? Many conservatives know how to meld religion and politics very well. I like it when one of our guys turns the tables.
As I prepared these articles I didn’t expect the passing of Teddy Kennedy. Like a whole lot of bloggers, I put a piece out stating a slightly different facet of his passing.
What I really didn’t expect was how the Gospel reading at his funeral was a sharp stick in the eye of the Congresspeople sitting in the pews.
For those who aren’t Catholic, the Mass is divided into the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word has a number of set prayers wrapped around some variables; an Old Testament Reading, followed by a Psalm, followed by a reading from the New Testament from the Acts of the Apostles thru Revelation, to a Gospel Proclamation, to a reading from the Gospel (a selection from one of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) to a homily (a reflection by the priest of what was read).
The Liturgy of the Eucharist is essentially dinnertime (after all the reading and homilying); the priest prepares a dinner where the main course is actually Jesus Christ’s body and blood. Don’t make fun of this, this is my faith and I believe this part of my religion. I would never take a shot at what you believe.
The Christ I believe in is a tough guy. He has no problem calling out those in charge of the society for their high morals on ritual, but no room for the poor. He is the guy flipping out on the merchants’ tables in the Temple because there needs to be honor in God’s home. He calls out the rich, stating that it will be easier for a camel to pass thru the eye of a needle than to get to heaven. (The Eye of the Needle was a very narrow entrance to Jerusalem, not impossible, but extremely uncomfortable.) The Christ I believe in will call out an unproductive fig tree. Not a guy you want to cross (no pun intended).
The funeral’s New Testament reading from Romans was a great setup for the Gospel, “If God is with us who can be against us.” Catholics believe the Gospels are the actual words of Christ and therefore God. The passage reinforces what is to come.
The Gospel reading was Matthew 25:31-46. Kennedy picked out a really cool passage. He knew who would be attending his funeral; those on his side of the healthcare debate and those opposing it. The passage talks about Judgment Day and how we are to be defined by our actions. At the end of the day you are either a sheep or a goat. Sheep go to heaven and goats --- well you can read the passage yourself.
The sharp stick in the eye to those sitting there is the challenge of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and caring for the sick. Christ goes into what happens if you do as He says and what happens if you don’t. Teddy Kennedy knew what was doing with that passage by saying to those opposing healthcare, you are doing so at risk to your own soul.
If you are a conservative who shields yourself with your Bible, He is calling you out. He (and you can replace He with either Kennedy or Christ here) is saying in clear and no uncertain terms you are to care for the sick. That means all of the sick, not just some of the sick, not just the ones who were born here, or who have a green card. We are talking all the pre-conditioned, unemployed, unemployable, unenjoyable, poor, stinkin’, sweatin’ sick.
There is nothing wrong with quoting Matthew as we make our arguments to get healthcare for everyone.
If they don’t come around, they can enjoy their time with the goats.
<<<<<<<<<<<<
Goat alert - added after original posting!!!!
At a Healthcare Forum in Philly, you know -- the City of Brotherly Love -- Joe Sestak was on stage with about 5 - 6 other Congresspeople. He was questioned about tort reform. The example he used was a 6 year old quadriplegic being capped at $250,000 for life. He couldn't even get the words out before being drowned out by the boos of the mostly conservative crowd.
This is exactly what I am taking about. We need to hold the moral fire to these people's feet.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
See also:
Conservative Argument for Healthcare Reform: Part 1: Get Rid of Unsightly Unfunded Mandates
If you need some computer work done in the Philly area www.FindANerd.com .
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Here's a better way for government to help people help themselves.
http://64.203.97.61/SolutionsLab/Solution.aspx?Guid=2d50363e-00be-44e8-9251-9a6589ba820d
Teach a man to fish, etc, etc.
Voodoo healthcare! (With apologies to George H.W. Bush.)
I agree. (hello Zanti! Were you on vacation? I missed you!)
Please explain if you can.
God truly does want us to take care of the sick, poor and needy, and when we serve those in need, we are serving the Lord. I would not be opposed to government being involved if I thought that government would do a good job of it. As the President said in his inauguration speech: "government that works." The fact that I don't have faith in my government to take care of me and others doesn't make me a CINO. I truly believe that once the government gets involved the situation will be worse for more people than it is now. We need reform, and we all need to be involved, but having worked for the federal government (former soldier), I have great fears about a government option.
See Joe The Nerd Ferraro's Profile
There are people who believe that they are being served well by the government programs.
What is your direct experience that tells you that we can't manage this?
I don't believe that social security will be there when i retire, or if it is a mcdonalds cheeseburger will cost about $5. We need to manage the people for the here and now, the best we can do it.
The scale of we are talking about is astounding. Our country is about the third highest in population behind China and India. We need to use our own economy of scale to manage this. At this point we are looking at the marketplace to manage this. The marketplace is about profit, not healthcare.
Again, you want efficiency and low prices, here is is -
http://64.203.97.61/SolutionsLab/Solution.aspx?Guid=2d50363e-00be-44e8-9251-9a6589ba820d
It is about 25% of the cost of ObamaCare and a good 50% of the cost of single payer.
Tell me why I'm wrong. I dare you.
"The sharp stick in the eye to those sitting there is the challenge of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and caring for the sick. "
Except that the Healthcare Bill in congress doesn't feed the hungry, clothe the naked or actually care for the sick.... it takes money from people who may or may not have insurance to provide insurance for people who in many cases elected not to buy their own.
I'm all for taking care of people, I have insurance that is free but I can't afford to own a car... why do have to be forced to pay for insurance for someone who has a car, but chose not buy insurance?
I'm for real reform, the bills in Congress are a sham, reform in name only meant to please everybody but actually serving nobody. To make healthcare affordable and reasonable and available for all, start passing legislation that tackles one issue/one law at a time... insurance regulation, fix Medicare, fix big pharma, streamline medical records, coverage for the poor (through existing programs that will be better funded and managed) fix malpractice laws... each issue its own law. Why is that so bad? Many conservatives don't want to can the issue entirely, they want real reform.
See Joe The Nerd Ferraro's Profile
you've got a lot going on there dog...
the way our system is set up it is the insured who are the haves.
to make one well you need to be insured.
i don't get the car analogy.
i also don't get people who would not insure themselves if it were affordable. i call that irresponsible to their families and society.
i was in the market for affordable insurance as a small business guy and couldn't get it when i wanted to. the market didn't want my business. that means the government must step in in a capitalist system.
the republicans had the full shooting match for the better part of the last decade. they did everything they could to screw-up the system. they had the option to go one at a time and didn't
the dems are rightly worried that this has an expiration date. they are under a time constraint here before the gop can think of another made-up issue for their Waterloo strategy.
The gop left the room when they let the birthers and death panels in.
At this point, if Obama wants it in one bill, it gets done in one bill. If he wants 10 bills,he gets 10 bills. I trust this guy is playing it right.
It is a moral imperative to have this reform.
Actually, it is the people who get insurance that are irresponsible. They cause the cost of health care to quadruple for everyone. Those of us who refuse to by insurance pay cash, negotiate prices up front and pay dramatically less. Now, maybe when I'm 70, I'll have a heart attack and can't afford to live. Well, that's your fault because you drove the prices up.
WONDERFUL post. So many misguided shouts of: "I don't want to have to pay for YOUR health care!" -or- "Get a job!" -or- "What happened to personal responsibility?"
Republican politicians (again) riling that "certain segment" of their base, with buzz-words MEANT to appeal to their prejudices, purposely evoking in them images of WELFARE LINES instead of what this debate's TRULY about-- A nation of hard workers, many sick and suffering because they have no insurance, were refused coverage, or cannot afford the exorbitant premiums.
It's about the opportunity to use a government option, which helps EVERYONE because the insurance monopoly would FINALLY have to COMPETE for our business.
If only the "shouters" would realize they're being USED.
Wendell Potter, 20year insurance insider&CIGNA Executive, recently interviewd by Bill Moyers, his CONSCIENCE PLAGUED after seeing hundreds of uninsured waiting in the rain for treatment--:
WENDELL POTTER: "The industry has always tried to make Americans think that government-run systems are the worst thing that could possibly happen to them, that if you even consider that, you're heading down on the slippery slope towards socialism. So they have used scare tactics for years and years and years, to keep that from happening. If there were a broader program like our Medicare program, it could potentially reduce the profits of these big companies. So that is their biggest concern. "
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html
THIS should be shown at EVERY "town hall meeting".
See Joe The Nerd Ferraro's Profile
thanks kj
So why is Obama delivering people by force to the insurance companies? We could do this instead -
http://64.203.97.61/SolutionsLab/Solution.aspx?Guid=2d50363e-00be-44e8-9251-9a6589ba820d
Which is optional, not that anyone would avoid it.
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1 Peter 2: 17 - Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the King.
The Biblical definition of love is to sacrifice of yourself without regret for the good of others. I think of healthcare reform as one way of loving my community.
See Joe The Nerd Ferraro's Profile
I want you on the front line, my friend. Keep talking!!!
The Biblical definition of love is to sacrifice of yourself
Exactly, then why force a Law if its self-sacrifice? A law is a political/ethical tool, not a moral one... if you don't believe that then why are criminals innocent until proven guilty?
I sacrifice a lot for other people. Its not so much a self sacrifice if its a government agent forcing my hand, that is dictatorial.
It depends on your view of the 2008 elections. My understanding is that Obama won the White House campaigning for healthcare reform, among other things. Democrats increased their seats in Congress while doing the same. That would seem to indicate that We the People support this change. Current polling indicates the same, despite all the noise coming from the right. Rule of the majority is not dictatorial, it's how our government works.
Furthermore, if a person supports legislation that would use their tax dollars for the benefit of someone else, instead of their own gain, I would define that as self-sacrifice. Abiding by legislation that you opposed, however, would not qualify as self-sacrifice, in my opinion. That's just being a good sport. :)
And no, supporting legislation such as this does not absolve a Christian of their individual duty to love and care for the poor (someone brought this up to me the other day, thought I might as well address it here).
Yeah, that's fine, but pointing a gun at someone's head and making them sacrifice is not love in any form.
Working together for the common good is part of what it means to be an American. And a good part of what it means to be an adult.
People who want the rules written to benefit themselves aren't doing a good job meeting that second requirement.
Nicely put Joe, thank you.
Unfortunately the GOPers opposing this are CINOs (christians in name only), so I'm sure the readings just went in one ear and out the other. Sigh
See Joe The Nerd Ferraro's Profile
I would like the CINOs to come face-to-face with what they are saying. Force the juncture point as a point of faith. We can convince at least some of them with their own faith.
What is Christian about forcing other people to participate in your charity?
might want to check out the book of Acts too..............hmmmmm - sounds a whole lot like socialism to me............those silly Christians............
See Joe The Nerd Ferraro's Profile
That "socialism" is what eventually led Constantine to realize that the Romans couldn't beat these guys, so he joined 'em.
Socialism is also how Caesar destroyed the Republic.
He realized that if he gave people what they wanted without having to do anything he could control them, and when he could control them, he could exercise control over the free thinkers... then he was able eliminate the rule of law and replaced it with himself as Dictator.
TopDog thinks that God is pleased when we take care of the sick.
See Joe The Nerd Ferraro's Profile
TopDog has a great deal of dog sense!
Show me in the bible where it says that forcing someone to care for the sick is a good idea. I think Jesus was all about being kind, not being totalitarian.
Good point. After all, if we do what's right because we HAVE to, then how can it be the right thing?
I remember when I used to think like that. I was about fifteen.
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