On health care

by clay on March 22, 2010

As many of you know, the US Congress has passed a massive health care reform bill. I’m honestly of two minds about the bill.

I don’t like it. It’s too big, expands government powers too much, and forces people to purchase something that they may not want to purchase. A 28 year old single man might not want to carry a full medical insurance policy, but with this plan he has to have one or else pay a penalty to the government. In addition, I’d love to someone to give me an example of a government program that is well-run, efficient, and does exactly and only what it is supposed to do. Instead, we have a history of the TSA, the Post Office, Amtrak, Medicare, Social Security, and so on.

On the other hand, as a Christian I think it’s important that all people are provided for. Whether it be food, water, shelter, or medical care, we have the resources to provide those needs for each person in the country. I think we spend too much money on weapons technologies in this country. We can find hundreds of ways to kill someone but can’t put that same energy into saving people. The defense apportionment is the largest portion of the budget in our country.

So, how do I reconcile this? I don’t like the spending. The country doesn’t have the money to pay for it without additional taxes on the citizens. This economy is not going to be able to handle much more spending of this kind, especially with the stimulus package passed last year still hanging over our heads. I also don’t like that we as Christians seem to have abdicated our responsibilities to take care of those around us to the government. Jesus charged us with doing that, not politicians. Seeing as how we seem to have failed at it makes me wonder if the church is truly relevant to those who are hurting anymore.

What are your thoughts on this? Am I off my nut here?

  • http://http Phil

    Clay there is a strange tension with scripture and the passing of this bill. You hit on some of the key points for Christians. Most of this is a question of legality, constitution, and the American way. All of that is underpinned with a Christian influence that screams for the right to care for those the Government is trying to protect. Truth be told, the church has failed as well as the government. This is not just the fault of gov’t intruding, but the church not advancing. I feel as though there is enough blame to go around in both camps. Most will not see it this way. I agree the cost is too high…I fear for my kids future in America; that it might look vastly different from what I knew in my lifetime. I pray I am wrong…I really do. I guess we will wait and see.

  • http://www.felinidelarosa.blogspot.com Cynda

    Sounds to me like you made a case for the government replacing the church. Perhaps, our apathy as a church has forced the government to step up and do what we should be doing as a community and a church.

    When I was in high school, we had a family in our hometown, the dad went through a liver transplant and eventually died of a brain tumor. They had no insurance and sky high medical bills. We pulled together as a community, held fundraisers, and paid off the debt, AND purchased a new vehicle for them because theirs had died from all the treks to the hospital. That’s what the church is all about. They didn’t need the government to step in and give them insurance. We, their neighbors, were their insurance.

  • http://www.mezzamorphis.com clay

    Cynda, that’s a great example on a local level. I think one of our problems has been that as of late, the Western Church has been more interested in gathering political power on a national level and focusing on a few issues to the detriment of the whole. How do we translate that generosity of your hometown church onto a national level?

  • http://www.mezzamorphis.com clay

    This is a vast overreach by those currently in power, that is true. I don’t really blame them for it, as this is something that those who are more liberal have wanted for a great while. The cost is far too high. My children’s children will be paying for this and probably get little benefit from it, much like is going to happen to us with Social Security.

  • http://www.mezzamorphis.com clay

    By the way, Phil and Cynda, thanks for your comments.

  • Amy

    If I believed that this bill would actually help everyone–or even the majority of people, I’d be in favor of it. However, I firmly believe that it will do the exact opposite!
    I’m not satisfied with what’s being done to help the weak, sick, and/or helpless. I think there is a lot of positive reform that the government could do to improve things. I think there is a lot that the church could do to improve things. But I believe that a government take-over will, in the end, diminish the value of human life and strip very basic personal freedoms.
    I still hope with all my heart that it fails to become law, whether by miracle in the Senate or by court challenge.

  • http://www.reachouthonduras.org Laura

    Totally agree here… not sure what happened that has turned our churches into a playground for believers. It breaks my heart and spins my head in so many ways.

    Cynda’s example is how the church functions in other parts of the world where prosperity is wholly absent. Wondering what God will say to the American church when we did not see Christ’s face in the face of those in need?

  • http://www.mezzamorphis.com clay

    Unfortunately Amy, I think you’re right. It won’t do as much to help those in need, but it will provide another LARGE opportunity for government waste and graft. Thanks for your comment!

  • http://www.mezzamorphis.com clay

    A playground for believers. That’s good. I love your perspective on this. The Western church in general doesn’t really suffer the way those in other countries do. The things we complain about are probably minor annoyances or non-existent to other cultures. When did we get away from community in our churches?

    Thanks, Laura!

  • http://donnalawson.blogspot.com/ Donna

    Clay, I think you wrote this well and it’s a thoughtful reaction to what we’re dealing with. I’m mostly wrestling with the same things you are wrestling with…with the exception of defense. There are very real people wishing to do us very real harm and we must be on guard. Maybe I should wrestle with it, but I don’t. This healthcare bill is a travesty and the way it was passed is shameful.

    I grew up in a church where we took care of our people and as much of the community as possible. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a small rural town, but every church in town was the same way. Often we worked together. My Granny told me that when she was younger, and there was no welfare, everyone was at least churchgoing and the church did it’s dead level best to take care of everyone because it’s a COMMAND (not request) from God’s Word. Doctors were often paid in food. By “the church,” she meant Christians as well as the institution. She felt that when the government instituted programs to do what she felt was the church’s job, it changed the need for Jesus for some people. They felt they needed the government to save them, not a Savior. Until the day she died, she always had food for at least one extra and loved to find a needy person or family to come share her small meal and whatever else they needed. If she had it and you needed it, it was yours. She considered evrything she owned God’s blessing…but not hers. Something to thing about.

    I know many churches who have had benevolent hearts. I attended a church in Albuquerque with an amazing homeless ministry. I am also aware of a few where lunch programs for needy children came under government scrutiny and were shut down. Sadly…I’ve also seen a church where benevolence is unheard of and your tithe dollars go to pay some mighty big mortgages, but none is set aside to help you keep heat in the winter in case of emergency. I’ve even seen a church that will tell the whole body if they help you so everyone will know you’re a burden on the church. I think for many of us, we’ve lost our way. We spend money on matching tshirts so everyone will recognize our church, but we forget to save a bit for the single mom who has children to feed.

    I believe God gave us a clear directive to take care of “the least of these” and you’re right. We have the means. No person in America should have to go untreated…and they don’t have to. Emergency care is available to everyone regardless of means to pay. I also think everyone should have the ability to get antibiotics as well as food for their families. I just don’t think Obamacare is the answer.

  • http://www.mezzamorphis.com clay

    Thanks for the compliment Donna, but thank you more for the reply.

    I’m not saying that all defense money is a waste, and maybe I should have phrased that better. However, the fact that it is such a large part of our budget disturbs me a little bit, when I’m sure no small part of that is wasted.

    I grew up in a similar way. The small community church that I grew up in was always there for those in the community, and I’ve read that they’ve raised a metric tonne of money for food in Haiti in the months since the earthquake as well. They still get it. They still help out regardless of the size of government or the size of the need. When I was three, our house burned down and we lost everything. I don’t remember much about it, but I do remember having a bedroom overfull of toys when we moved into a new house. I remember the community taking care of us and enveloping us in God’s love. That’s just what they did, and obviously still do. My fear is that the attitude of those people will die because as you said, people are replacing Jesus with Government. The government will supply all their needs. Breaks my heart.

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