Christianizing the Health Care Debate

It is time to Christianize the health care debate. Ok, before the radical atheists come at me with their blazing keyboards let me explain the reference. A hundred years ago my great grandfather Walter Rauschenbusch wrote a book called Christianizing the Social Order which called for the reorganization of society that reflected the economic and social justice preached by Jesus in the Gospel with a special emphasis on the needs and concerns of the working poor being crushed by the industrial revolution.

When I say Christianize the health care system I mean that we should change the vantage point from where we hold this debate. Whether talking about a single payer plan, or an additional national government plan the loudest objections are coming from those who have excellent health care such as members of congress, lobbying groups, and the wealthy. The impetus for our need to correct our health care system is not that it is failing the rich -- it is that it is failing the poor, the fifty million or so Americans who have no or little health care and for whom getting sick requires deciding whether or not to risk bankruptcy to get healthy. Christianizing the health care debate would give the concerns of poorest of our society equal weight to the concerns of the wealthy.

In the past few decades Christians have too often thrown their lot in with free market Darwinism emphasizing personal free will over collective responsibility. This has led to the ridiculous prosperity preachers and dangerous missionary mercenaries. But if we look back a bit further we can see the important role that Christians had in the civil rights movement, the Great Society and the New Deal. Christianizing the health care debate means applying the inspiring power of religion to promote self sacrifice and compassion in one of the most pressing issues of our time.

Christians should join with people of compassion from all religious traditions including secular ones and put pressure on our elected officials to serve the needs of those whom Jesus loved best and who are the most vulnerable of our society.

Comments

[formlessness]

While you're at it, would you mind christianizing the christians. Considering that very few of them practice what they preach, I'm not sure that making public health care all christiany is the answer.

[temashana]

Separation of chuch and state.

[Zanti]

Yes. We have it.

No state church. Freedom to worship as we please.

We're in compliance with the First Amendment in that regard. Is that what you meant?

[RoloTomassi]

Well Paul, I cautiously agree; even though I am a confirmed agnostic [with strong atheist leanings], I was raised in a christian environment and understand thoroughly the point you make.

I say I agree cautiously because at hearing the notion of organized christianity participation my mind automatically summons the vision of TV evangelists spouting nonsense about god opposing government involvement in US healthcare....

[elmerfude]

"Free market Darwinism!" Another example of Darwin being misused by "Christians." Darwin did not promulgate a theory of markets. It turns out that there are a number of relationships in nature including symbiosis, commensalism and social organisms from bees to slime molds that are built on cooperative arrangements. Altruism is a strong presence in many species.

[RoloTomassi]

No, it's not misuse on the author's part; he's simply referring to the well-known misuse of Darwin by conservatives in the notion of "Social Darwinism."

That's not one you can pin on the author--but I do agree the original misuse was a complete misappropriation.

[Zanti]

Mr. Raushenbush is a Christian--without the quotes. And he's referring to the popular definition of "Darwinism"--i.e., survival of the fittest. As popularly defined.

So, did you happen to agree with the main point of the article--that we should focus on the needs of the most needy?

[Sir681]

A lot of those people who call themselves Christians don't event make a pretentious effort at following the teachings of Christ, who, throughout the Gospels, was a huge advocate for the poor and the downtrodden.

[alphonsegaston]

Excellent. Yes. It is unfortunate that so many Christians do not feel the need to "Christianize" their lives in such ways. I have excellent insurance yet am willing to pay tax on it, or do whatever it takes to expand coverage to the entire nation.