We are in a critical stage in the health care reform debate and religious people should be weighing in by providing a moral argument in favor of, or against health care reform. Religious leaders should be talking about health care in small groups and in their weekly services in an effort to translate what their sacred texts and inherited traditions say about the issues which confront us in the debate on health care.
From my perspective I cannot think of one religiously based argument against reforming America's health care system. Health care reform is fundamentally about keeping health care costs affordable for those who already have some kind of insurance, and making it available for the millions who do not have it.
Care of our basic well-being is an essential element of religious concern. In my own tradition of Christianity, Jesus was in the practice of healing those who were sick (the roots of the word salvation is connected to healing), and he mandated his disciples to go about the business of healing the sick and providing for the poor. Christians alive today are meant to continue the work of Jesus and be the body of Christ. While we may not have miraculous healing powers ourselves, we do have the ability to make sure that the miraculous healing ability of medicine is available to all who need it.
I honestly hope that someone will correct me about this, but it seems to me that the objections to health care reform always come down to selfishness. People who enjoy good health care are worried that their own care might suffer if it were extended to a wider group, or else they resent that they might have to pay a bit more to allow for health care for the poor. Putting aside the fact that those with money will always be able to buy superior health care, and that insurance companies continue to raise costs on health care annually -- with reform or without it -- the religious objection to these arguments is that they are grounded in making self interest the priority at the expense of the well-being of others. This selfishness is the antithesis of the religious impulse.
Those whom we identify as truly religious are those who live their lives not thinking how they can best arrange the world to serve their own interests, but who instead see the world through the lens of compassion and attempt to live in service to others. Again, speaking for the Christian tradition, it is clear that Jesus is especially concerned with those who were living in poverty, who were outcasts, or who were sick. Jesus never mandated his followers to seek the best they could for themselves, it was always through the lens of the 'least of these.' If we conveniently forget the plight of the millions who live without health care and who face the decision between paying for an operation or keeping a home, then we are not really considering the religious perspective on health care. It becomes a classic case of the powerful protecting their own interests while the weak suffer -- an equation that must be repugnant to the religious sensibility.
The two objections to health care that have taken on a religious flavor are death panels and abortion. On the question of abortion, while I am pro-choice I do respect the pro-life position enough to understand why they want to keep this bill abortion neutral. I agree with that effort and I encourage people of good will on both sides to continue to work together to make sure that this bill is acceptable to those on the pro-life side without being used as a tool to roll back abortion rights.
On the other hand, I have no patience for the death panels fear tactic. It stemmed from the proposal that patients might be given the ability to consult with a doctor about end of life issues. Anyone who hasn't considered what they want to happen when they are at the end of life -- the kind of care they want, and what measures they want taken to be kept alive is not living responsibly in my mind. And if you don't think there are death panels now -- then talk to one of the many people for whom the insurance agencies have denied an operation, or not given coverage to begin with because of an existing conditions! The death panels are in existence right now and they are administered by the insurance companies whose bottom line continues to earn them billions in profits while the poor and the weak suffer.
Health care reform provides a moral test of our country and holds up the mirror to ask what kind of nation we want to be. I cannot think of one religious argument that does not support fundamental health care reform -- can you? If you can, then please comment below, I look forward to reading them. If you agree with me that health care reform demands support of religious communties, then now is the time to mobilize and ensure that our policies reflect our convictions.
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Conservatism was founded and continues today to be for restoring the monarchy and their poor ignorant fearful religious serfs.
The Founding fathers were into the Enlightenment of the people, which obviously require public education
". Jefferson believed educating people was a good way to establish an organized society, and felt schools should be paid for by the general public, so less wealthy people could obtain student membership as well.[37]" wiki.
And needs at least room and board, now health care for those working to find enlightenment.
You cannot both be a conservative follower and a true christian.
You can be a Conservative leader, out to dominate the serfs, and a fake christian, working to get the serfs to accept serfdom.
And who is "the government" if not you and me and every one of us contributing through our taxes for the common good? It isn't that this country can't afford to take care of its own. Yes, there are parts of the health care plan I do not endorse, but for the wealthiest country in the world to callously let people suffer needlessly and die because they can't afford to buy insurance is just Wrong. How could our elected representatives-- many of whom take great pride in bleating publicly about how Christian they are--possibly vote against the health care bill and continue to rail against it after it became law? You're right, we ARE in trouble here, but not for the reasons you cite.
I am very curious to find out of the passage of this bill will be a steps towards promoting empathy in this country. We have a severe shortage of care and concern. Every day we hear common phrases like, "Sucks to be you," or "Too bad, so sad," and "It's not my problem." Will we Americans finally be able to give a damn? I thank God we are running out of excuses not to care about our neighbors.
Religion should have no place in deciding public policy.
It is often said that government cannot and should not legislate morality. Why, then, should we put our faith in government to promote social justice in a Christian sense? Morality is not a matter of laws and regulations, but of internal character and moral fiber. Government can do much about the former, but next to nothing about the latter. Why expect anything different in the realm of health care?
I know you see that as legislated morality, but I see it as enforcing basic ethical standards on insurance companies (who have been running monopolies). If we did not fail those who needed help, if we had done something instead of nothing all these years, there wouldn't even be a debate.
#1. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
#2. If it IS broke, AND YOU KNOW it is broke, BUT you make money at it, or it keeps you popular with like-minded people,... scream as loud as you can: "IT AIN'T BROKE! IT"S THE BEST IN THE WORLD!"
#3. If it MIGHT be broke, and you just DON'T LIKE the people who want to fix it, and you don't have any idea how to fix it yourself, by all means at your disposal,... make every effort to scare others into stopping the people who seem to know how to fix it.
#4. If it DOES get fixed to some extent, be sure to use whatever it is as much as you can, take every advantage allowed,... (but if you were AGAINST the fix, also do your damnedest to spoil it for others, just out of spite. (AFTER ALL, YOU'VE GOT YOUR PRINCIPLES.)
In the meantime, I totally agree that those who are against health care reform are doing so for selfish reasons or simply because they are against Obama being president.
They also are so mad about it ( or manipulated), they are working against their own self-interest. The height of stupidity.
Many people, or as you say "liberals" are extremely spirtual. Many of us, however, do not ascribe to the manmade silly rules of an organized religious institution. I am fascinated and continue to study all religions including those that you mentioned. We like the intellectual pursuit of reconciling religion and science, spirituality and inner moral compass. The question of ethics and religion is one that will continue to be pursued long after we are gone.
This religious indoctrination has literally destroyed their mind, turned them ignorant, hateful, and fully justified in being so.
Yes, sounds religious to me. Oh and for those of you who don’t eat fish, replace fish with becoming self-sufficient. All we have rewarded is sloth, and greed.
To use your own analogy, by Christ's attempts to teach people to fish, it would be necessary for all to have equal access to the sea, let alone the tools to accomplish it. Wouldn't that better parallel that which was brought about by this Health-Care legislation? Plus, if you remember, there was the parable of "Loaves and Fishes", whereby Christ fed the multitude. Was he then a Communist; Socialist? What was he? Republican? Democrat? Independent?
The curse of the Evangelical movement is that any tin horn theist can determine for themselves what the Scriptures mean and can thereby contort them to mean anything they want, no matter whether it adheres to Christian precepts, or not.
Conflate on. The entertainment of personal ignorance and self-righteousness, will be the death of the Rethuglican Party. Or,at least, one can hope.
Today is a good day for the poor, widows, and orphans and all the others.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.