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Although there are many subscribers to this website from all over the world, over 200 countries, I know the U.S. situation most intimately; however, I am sure there are areas of neglect that need to be addressed in each country.  Health care most likely is not one of them for it is universal in every industrialized country except the United States. 

  • And this is what concerns me.  Healthcare is being debated upon right now in Washington.  There are outcries that it will cost too much.  But I want to know as a Christian, how can we not afford to care for the uninsured? 

    The U.S. spends more on defense than almost the entire rest of the world combined, over 40%.  We have over 702 official U.S. installations all over the globe, more than 130 countries, with many others that are not part of the official count.  We can afford two wars.  We can build guns, tanks and bombs, but are not able to provide health care for the homeless, the unemployed, those employed who do not receive health insurance….those millions of our citizens. Who are we defending?  It is certainly not the poor of this country whose health care is an abomination.  Unbelievably, the U.S. ranks 37th in the quality of healthcare, just above Slavonia!  Do you realize if we stopped the money drain to the military industrial complex, we could pay for health care many times over!  Why do we need all those installations? 

     

How can any U.S. Christian sleep at night, facing their inevitable death, when the words of John the Baptist make it clear……we must provide health care for those who do not have it or pay the price in judgment. 

  • Some Christian denominations are concerned about abortion, and their cries are heard all over our land, but they seem not to be concerned about those who die needlessly because they can‘t afford to go to a doctor.  Don’t those people matter?  I don’t get it.  Does a fetus have more right to live than the poor among us?  I don’t think John or Jesus thought so. 
  •  Why aren't we pastors concerned? 

    • Why don't we stand up for what is right?  Does a fetus have more right to live than the thousands of young men and women in the armed forces. 
    • When all the mainline Christian denominations opposed the start of the war in Iraq, why didn’t the pastors cry out against it?  Why weren’t the representatives in the U.S. supporting the war refused communion by one of the denominations as those who supported the Right to Choose? 
    • Were the deaths of all those in the armed forces as well as the innocent men, women and children who died by the tens of thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan have any less right to live than the fetus? 
    • How can we spend all that money on war imperialistic goals and yet ignore some of our brothers and sisters who die from the lack of healthcare?

    Frankly, I do believe the insurance lobbyists and those politicians that are supported by the insurace companies are trying to use the abortion issue to defeat health care.  I think it should be a separate issue.  Who in their right mind supports the status quo?  Allowing the insurance companies to monitor health care is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house.  Why are the insurance companies spending BILLIONS of dollars on advertising false innuendos trying to defeat this bill. 

    I think every U.S. Christian needs to make their voices heard and support healthcare for all at a low, competitive cost! Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege of the wealthy!  I think we pastors need to preach about our responsibility to care for the uninsured ill!  I think we pastors need to preach about losing U.S. jobs to countries overseas because the healthcare from the insurance companies is too expensive.  I think it is the duty of each U.S. Christian to speak out in favor of this bill! 

    I believe this is a moral issue.  It is not political; it is what Jesus  would ask us to do.  “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”   And …….“whoever has healthcare must do likewise.” I am sure John the Baptist would add today. 

    I worry about our churches and where their interests lie.  Where is Joel Ostrum?  Where is Dobson?  Why are all the well known pastors of the Christian churches so silent on affordable healthcare for all citizens?   

    I wonder:  when was the last time you preached on what it really meant to be a Christian?  When have you preached on our moral obligation to take care of the sick?

“That tree that does not bear good fruit, will be cut down and thrown into the fire!”  I don’t think John would agree that an increase of taxes for the wealthiest among us should be a deterrent to passing health care.  Isn’t it our obligation to tell our congregations that they must be involved in advocating for healthcare for the poor and the middle class insured who are refused coverage when their expenses mount or because they have a preexisting condition?   

 

Our Christian church is on the decline.  Why?  I believe membership does not seem to stand for much more than an upbeat talk and a  pleasant social hour on Sunday morning .  The youth of this country can certainly see this lack of moral fiber.  And I beleive it is us, the pastors, who are at fault:  where is our concern for the "least of our brethren." 

When have you told your congregation that as Christians they are truly obligated to take care of the poor, the helpless, the widow, the ill and they will be judged on it?  That is what John the Baptist says this morning.....that is what Jesus taught!

Think About It!