Comments on Liberty Watchman: Health Care: WWJD?

To Wayne and Mark: I know where you are coming fr...

2009-08-22T02:40:46.369-05:00

To Wayne and Mark: I know where you are coming from. Truly, I do. But I suggest you keep this information 'Top Secret'. It's sort of like the old Catholic notion that "We have the secrets, but they are too complicated for you to deal with".

I realize that Protestants rebelled strongly against that notion (as well as against other notions), but upon analysis I think they might have been ill-advised to do so, at least in the case of fully explaining the doctrine.

The more you elucidate these beliefs, the more secular humanists you help to create, I think.

Yuki?

Staggered. Stunned. Absolutely overwhelmed, once the real meaning got through to her. I mean, she is agog, to put it mildly. And this is not the result of any prompting on my part.

This bit of Christian philosophy results in one of two things here in East Asia: rejection of the idea entirely, or modifying it to the point where it is no longer accepted as doctrinaire by "mainstream" evangelicals. (There is a third option, of course, which is total acceptance, but it is a very rare thing -- if you think your "Christian" churches in Korea, for example, would pass your muster, you are probably dreaming.)

I may have more later, but I am, on principle, disinclined to joust with those who claim divinely inspired ancient writings. We just get into a pissing contest that no one can possibly win.

Abigail, people have been debating this issue for ...

2009-08-21T22:12:31.550-05:00

Abigail, people have been debating this issue for decades, not weeks or months. Already forgot the ill-named "Hillarycare", did you?

I agree that careful consideration is due, but let's not pretend this is "all of a sudden". It's not.

Very insightful comments by both Mark and Abigail!...

2009-08-21T20:45:00.685-05:00

Very insightful comments by both Mark and Abigail!

I must say that I am appalled at the use of religi...

2009-08-21T20:23:36.170-05:00

I must say that I am appalled at the use of religion and morality by our President to try to appeal to Americans' conscience as a method in attracting their support of his health care plan. This is a man who supports late-term abortion, and who has voted against a bill in the Illinois state legislature that would allow medical care to babies who are aborted and are still alive after the abortion procedure.

This is also from a man who required Georgetown University to remove a cross that was behind a podium that he would be speaking from.

He has also told the world that the U.S. is not a Christian nation.

If we are not a Christian nation and he does not want to be associated with the cross, then why does he feel that it is okay now to bring religion and Bible passages into a political discussion?

It is immoral for him to do so. He is using God to advance his agenda, and I wonder if he is violating one of the 10 commandments, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."

On another vein, I am reminded of Jesus' statement that we would do even greater things than what He did (amazing!) and wonder if the Church really understands what that means and what our mission really is. Are we too afraid to pray for healing for people because it seems they just don't get healed? Why aren't they healed? Has anyone been able to really answer that question? Until we know the "secret formula" (which won't be until we finally see through a glass clearly, and not dimly as we do now) we shouldn't abandon praying for the sick.

Yet sometimes God chooses to use other methods to heal, and sometimes chooses not to heal at all. I believe that everyone SHOULD have equal access to healthcare. Should the government provide this care? A very difficult and complicated question for which I'm not sure I know the answer. But it's certainly a debate worth having, and certainly not rushing into in just a few weeks or even months.

And certainly not by arm twisting and conscience pricking by the President of the United States. Shameful. Classless. And beneath the dignity of the Office.

Wow. Talk about a broad perspective. Frankly, I ...

2009-08-21T06:25:49.568-05:00

Wow. Talk about a broad perspective. Frankly, I think you pretty much nailed it. The only thing I would add is a perspective on the impact of sin in human nature.

Although we don't usually express ourselves this way, the whole conservative position is an attempt to acknowledge human sin and limit it's consequences.

The founders set up a limited form of government with all kinds of checks and balances because they knew that no one could be trusted with too much power.

Government was set up to protect us from the sinful actions of our fellow citizens (crime). The problem is that the people in the government have the same flawed human nature as the criminals do.

If the government were being run by angels (of the unfallen variety) it might be safer to allow limited forms of socialism, becuase we could always trust the angels to be both wise and good. No intelligent person would look at either party and trust it to always be wise and good.

If we can't depend on altruism to get the job done, then what are we to do? This is where I believe God gifted our founding fathers with real genius. We set up a system in which both selfishness and altruism create benefits for the greatest number of people.

If I could design a better wheelchair, something that would be head and shoulders above what we have now, I would be doing greaat good in the world. But I would also create vast wealth for my family if I did that. I can do it with mixed motives; frankly, it doesn't matter why I do it. The end result is a benefit to my fellow man.

I live in the land of government regulations. In my business (taking care of disabled adults) the first question I must ask is not "what would the person I'm caring for want me to do," nor is it "what would Jesus want me to do." The first question is, "what will the government want me to do and what will they do to me if I guess wrong?"

So on the one hand we have a state in danger of bankruptcy and on the other hand I am regulated by people who will Monday morning quarterback every health related decision I make. So what do I do? I make what are mostly unneccessary trips to the emergency room with my people just so that I can keep my job. To put it another way, a nearly bankrupt state is forcing me, a conservative, to waste government money like a drunken sailor so that I can fulfill a function that is in fact a government mandate.

Are they trying to be good? I think so. Are they wise? I think not. In private industry, if you are not wise, you will soon be out of business. There are no such checks and balances for government regulators.

Frankly, I don't want these people deciding whether or not I qualify for a heart transplant some day.