One might think I spend my time listening to Air America and watching MSNBC. However, I think it is much more constructive to listen to those you disagree with. As such I watch (although I don’t watch a lot of television at all) Fox News and when in the car I listen to KKLA, the christian radio station in Los Angeles.
Lately the hosts on KKLA’s talk shows (except for the mortgage and vitamin pill infomercials on the weekends) have been sounding the death panel drum on the devil’s healthcare (or President Obama as I call him). Today as I was driving home from work listening to KKLA when I heard a woman caller railing about how the government can’t take care of healthcare and how horrible the care would be if there were a public option. The host agreed “yup…yup…”
and cut to commercial:
“Have you been hurt? Has your claim been denied? The insurance companies don’t care about you! Call (name of law firm) today. Did the insurance company send you to a doctor that said you didn’t need treatment? The insurance company is looking out for themselves, let our team look out for YOU!”
next commercial:
“My friends, I have to tell you about (name of global charity organization), for just a dollar a day I sponsor my little guy in (impoverished third world country) giving him access to school, food and care. As Christians it is our duty to look out for those less fortunate than us. I implore you to be generous today and sign up to sponsor a child”
I was laughing out loud. All the commercials on this station are from “christian” organizations. The second commercial was recorded by the show host himself. So… on the show we’ll pretend that insurance companies are good, and then we’ll advertise a law firm that gets enough cases AGAINST INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT DENY CLAIMS that it is their sole source of business. On the show we’ll talk about how socialism is terrible and not everyone in the country has a “right” to healthcare… yet when the show is done we’ll go and record a spot for a charity organization trying to provide healthcare to children somewhere else… because apparently third world children deserve healthcare, but American children don’t. And it is a good christian’s duty to be generous to third world people, but not Americans.
The “christians” on this station also love to give the tax argument. I.e. “How dare Obama raise my taxes?!”
and I quote…Romans 13:6, This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
For more, see here.
and this brings it right on home for any Christian objecting to collecting taxes to pay for healthcare (or ANYTHING, really):
The most frequent objection to paying taxes is that the money is being misused by the government or even used for evil purposes by the government. That, however, is not our concern. When Jesus said, “Give to Caesar…” the Roman government was by no means a righteous government. When Paul instructed us to pay taxes, Nero, the most evil Roman emperor in history, was the head of the government. We are to pay our taxes even when the government is not God-honoring.
In case you’re not getting the message, Jesus said to let your government govern, even if you disagree. Although I don’t think a theistic argument proves or disproves any side of any issue, I find the current hypocrisy of the religious right hilarious. Even if you don’t want a “public option,” the majority of the religious right are screaming that they don’t really want anything changed at all. Under that system millions of Americans don’t have health care. So, the christian thing to do is say it is okay that millions don’t have healthcare? What? Would that pass the WWJD test? I don’t think so. By definition a purely capitalist healthcare market will not ever cover every person as it is not the most profitable to do so. (note that I said they are required to offer – the customer is not required to have a policy… there is a big difference in those scenarios)
If by definition a capitalist system gaurantees that not every person has coverage, endorsing this system means Americans without healthcare coverage is acceptable. Now, that position is fine for an Atheist. An atheist doesn’t HAVE to care about anybody else in the world. Christians, however, are supposed to. Charity, generosity and good will towards man are supposed to be the cornerstones of their faith (although the victims of the crusades or priest molestation might take issue).
In fact, I believe one of the reasons God destroyed Sodom wasn’t just that they had caused a lube shortage, but that they were so wealthy and did nothing to help the poor:
Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
So what is with the objection of Obama raising taxes on the rich to give to the poor? Isn’t this God’s will?
So what happened? Jesus doesn’t say “okay, if your government is Marxist/socialist/communist you don’t have to pay taxes.” He said “pay the F’ing taxes no matter who is the boss.” And I highly doubt he would also say “if it’ll cost you another $4 a month in income taxes, I’m okay with you denying healthcare to people – I mean you need that $4 more than they need to live!”
Many times I believe (correct me if I’m wrong) Jesus and the bible advise christians to steer clear of judging politics altogether.
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.”
I wonder how many at those tea parties considered themselves “good christians.”
Shouldn’t it cause them to ask a lot of questions about their faith? According to the above bible qoute God must like Obama (or have reason for him to be there at least) as Obama wouldn’t be in power without it being God’s will. And as such, a God fearing Christian wouldn’t question that authority…as it has been approved by God’s allowing it to prosper (whether for bad or good).
This makes any revolutionary in the history of the world one huge sinner.
Including our founding fathers, who rebelled against Britain’s authority and governance.
Chew on that for a while.
(of course some of us don’t need to because we know that the founding fathers weren’t really as enthusiastic about Christianity as the church claims)
