Monday, July 2, 2012

Please, Explain


I live in a red state, generally vote Republican, and am a theologically conservative Christian. But I was shocked when yesterday's sermon began with a 10-minute diatribe against the Affordable Health Care act, and against the government's increasing presence in our lives.

I didn't get it.

The college's telephone guy just stopped in to set up a time for a minor office re-route. I don't even remember what precipitated it, but as he was leaving he made a joke about Obamacare. He wasn't prepared for my puzzled reaction.

I still don't get it.

I have the most wonderful group of friends and family, of all political persuasions, and these people are smart and loving and compassionate, and as divided on this issue as on any issue I've ever seen.

Please, explain it to me. Explain it in a way that makes me say "Oh, I get it! That makes sense now."

How can Christians so vehemently oppose this bill, when the One they follow was a healer? When He was the one who sent His disciples (even before sending them on mission trips) to heal the sick? Who told them "you have been treated generously, so live generously"? (Matthew 10:5-8)  I get that the new health care bill pays for abortions, and while I personally oppose abortion, I weigh that against the children who now will have decent health care and can't bring myself to sacrifice the actual breathing human beings who will benefit.

Is it the creeping government interference in our lives, as the telephone guy indicated, or the additional cost? The government "interferes" in our lives already every time we obey the speed limit, or send our children to public school, or give equal opportunity in hiring to different races and genders. And the use of emergency rooms as primary care is already being shared by everyone who has insurance; migrating these patients to less expensive options can only be a positive move.

I realize the can of worms I am opening here, on a corner of the internet where you expect to find nothing weightier than the latest report on my tomatoes, but I know I have thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate readers. Please, in a way that respects all involved, tell me what I'm missing that is causing my big-hearted friends and family to oppose this new law so passionately.

I don't get it.

2 comments:

  1. Personally, I have very mixed feelings on the issue. I'm extremely sad that the government HAS to have the Affordable Healthcare Act, because that is an implication that the church is NOT doing what they should be doing. As you mentioned, we worship THE HEALER, and we should be meeting the needs of others.

    On another matter, it is rather disturbing to have the leader of a "free" country tell you that you must buy insurance or you will be penalized....my insurance (at the largest corporation in the US) has already gone up, and as of 2013 will no longer be offered to persons of part-time status (which probably accounts to over one half of their employees). So, where will these people get insurance? Yes, I understand that there will be greater opportunity for being able to "shop" for insurance, but at what cost?

    Yes, healthcare is extremely important. Going into the healthcare profession, I think it will be a wonderful relief to be able to give people the treatment they deserve without feeling like the main goal is to "treat 'em and street 'em" (although, I'm sure there will still be those). So many people are turned away daily from the treatment I took for granted not so long ago, and the fact that that does not have to happen any longer is wonderful....BUT it still makes me sad that the government is doing the church's job!

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  2. Sara, I am sorry if I did not make sense with where I was coming from in my sermon. You may listen to it again at our church website www.cornerstonecbf.org. I hope the following makes sense to you, and I would be happy to dialogue with you further on this. The recently passed healthcare program forces all our nations citizens to spend our own tax money, whether we like it or not, to fund and pay for abortions and abortion causing drugs, and it puts further runaway debt on American families and future generations. To believe that people have the right to be protected to murder human beings, made in the image of God, while still in the womb, is bad enough, but to be forced to pay for someone else's doing such a dasterdly deed is beyond the pale. Take this provision out of the healthcare act and I would be more open to it, but I would still think it to be unwise, as it is so costly and will send our country down the tubes finacially. Jesus said we will always have the poor among us. Only in heaven will that change. Each of us individually needs to make a difference in helping the poor. The commands of God's word is for individual people, not governments, to respond to.
    Blessings in Jesus,
    Scott

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