Would Jesus support Healthcare Reform?

[tumbleweed41]

Would Jesus support Healthcare Reform?

If the Jesus of the Gospels were here on earth today, living as a mortal man in the United States of America. Do you think he would be marching with the Tea Partiers? Or standing up for the needs of those who could not afford private insurance?

• Luke 10:33-34 "..But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (34) He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him."
• Matthew 25:40 "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
• Matthew 10:1 "He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."
• Matthew 12:15 "Many followed him, and he healed all their sick."

Jesus taught that you should pay your taxes, help those in need, care for the weak and invalid, love your neighbors, and do unto others as you would have done to you. This should not only apply to stocking your Food Pantry at your church, but supporting efforts to alleviate suffering throughout your community and beyond.

And no, I am not a Christian, but I was one for over 29 yrs. I taught the youth in our church and was elected as a Deacon during my final 2 years at my church. So I am not ignorant of Christian theology. I am just amazed at the amount of selfishness displayed by many professing Christians today who would withhold care and prevention of death and disability to those less fortunate than themselves.

 

[enchanted_one1975]

I see most Christian churches as for-profit. Since the new healthcare plan puts for-profit dollars in the pockets of many already wealthy companies, I would guess Jesus would love the new bill.

 

[southdetroit]

I would certainly say yes. It astounds me that the religious right has attacked healthcare reform so viciously when all they need to do is open up the Bible to those same verses you mentioned. Socialized medicine is the most Christian thing to come out from the federal government in a while.

 

[KatNotKathy]

Since when have conservatives cared what Jesus said?

 

[Walkntune]

I would certainly say yes. It astounds me that the religious right has attacked healthcare reform so viciously when all they need to do is open up the Bible to those same verses you mentioned. Socialized medicine is the most Christian thing to come out from the federal government in a while.

Jesus was about giving out of the heart. Not stealing from the rich to give to the poor. I think you have him confused with Robinhood!
I don't personally have a problem with the poor being helped but i believe that is just a carrot on a stick. We have seen how the government has done so well with medicare and with social security. Will they do this well with health care????

 

[christallen]

Jesus was about giving out of the heart. Not stealing from the rich to give to the poor. I think you have him confused with Robinhood!
I don't personally have a problem with the poor being helped but i believe that is just a carrot on a stick. We have seen how the government has done so well with medicare and with social security. Will they do this well with health care????

I don't believe Jesus ever had a good thing to say about rich people.

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." - Mark 10:25 (Jerusalem Bible)

 

[no-body]

I can't imagine the total mental disconnect it must take to be conservative and Christian.

Isaiah 10:

1 Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, 2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,
making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. 3 What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?

Proverbs 22:
16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

Jesus was about giving out of the heart. Not stealing from the rich to give to the poor. I think you have him confused with Robinhood!
I don't personally have a problem with the poor being helped but i believe that is just a carrot on a stick. We have seen how the government has done so well with medicare and with social security. Will they do this well with health care????

How does this legislation steal from the rich? It reinstates a 4% Medicare tax on unearned capital gains that was removed during the Cheney proconsulship. By what divine right is Wall Street exempt from paying the same taxes as everyone else? Imagine how much we could reduce the deficit, or how many poor people could get health coverage, just from Warren Buffett paying the same tax the middle class pays on his income, which happens to be dominated by capital gains.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

I see most Christian churches as for-profit.

In fairness, I don't see any evidence that most of the "established" churches (Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic), with their fixed wages for ministers and so forth, can be compared to the money-hoarding "non-denominational" preacher-entrepreneurs. It's not like your local archbishop is raking in the big bucks.

 

[enchanted_one1975]

I would certainly say yes. It astounds me that the religious right has attacked healthcare reform so viciously when all they need to do is open up the Bible to those same verses you mentioned. Socialized medicine is the most Christian thing to come out from the federal government in a while.

This bill is not socialized medicine. It is a reimbursement to private insurance companies, with private American dollars, for contributions previously made to Obama. Socialized medicine would not involve private insurers making a steep profit.

 

[tumbleweed41]

This bill is not socialized medicine. It is a reimbursement to private insurance companies, with private American dollars, for contributions previously made to Obama. Socialized medicine would not involve private insurers making a steep profit.

I agree. And as the late Senator Kennedy said. "the fight for civil rights is never over."
Single payer and/or public option should be the next step. Another option is to go the route of the Swiss and make all insurance companies non-profit entities. The Swiss insurance companies are actually doing better than they did before by putting all excess profits back into the companies. And the "haves" have the option of purchasing extra coverage for "luxury" insurance. (Private rooms, elective surgeries such as plastic surgery and other non-essential coverages.)

The current Bill is just a step in a longer journey for Universal Health. The simple fact that it has passed makes further efforts for reform closer to becoming reality.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Would Jesus support Healthcare Reform?

.

No, Jesus hated the poor and unwashed..

he spat on whores, tax collectors, fishermen and carpet fitters

We all know Jesus loved the rich, wanted everyone to have a car and was all about not paying taxes

God bless America

 

[Mr Cheese]

I see most Christian churches as for-profit. Since the new healthcare plan puts for-profit dollars in the pockets of many already wealthy companies, I would guess Jesus would love the new bill.

Here here....

Jesus JEsus he's our man
If no one can collect tax dollars
the he can

 

[ChrisP]

I think he'd support it, but to have him comment on one social policy and omit others makes my mind do an afroninja.

I think the first thing he would do would be to call a press conference and give a stern global reminder of his turn the other cheek policy...

 

[tumbleweed41]

Jesus was about giving out of the heart. Not stealing from the rich to give to the poor. I think you have him confused with Robinhood!
I don't personally have a problem with the poor being helped but i believe that is just a carrot on a stick. We have seen how the government has done so well with medicare and with social security. Will they do this well with health care????

So, are you saying Jesus would be among the protesters? That he would not support more equatable taxation? That the thousands who die due to lack of coverage would not weigh on his conscience?

 

[Walkntune]

So, are you saying Jesus would be among the protesters? That he would not support more equatable taxation? That the thousands who die due to lack of coverage would not weigh on his conscience?

Like I said he wouldnt be fooled by the foolishness of the carrot on the stick. He would already know the true political reasons and the agenda of the lobbyist who are really in control of the country and he would see how well(yeah right) the government has done with medicare and medicaid and how miserably they are failing with social security and see passed the twistedness of those who try to manipulate it into being about the human heart.Isn't it the politicians job to make lobbyist proposals look good in public opinion?

And one other thing, tell me the difference between an anti-war rally and a pro-peace rally and then you will understand where Jesus would probably take a stance as far as rallying is concerned?

 

[Baydwin]

I can't imagine the total mental disconnect it must take to be conservative and Christian.

As an outsider, I think the problem Christian Americans struggle with is that fact that the extreme capitalism of your country isn't compatible with Christ's actual teachings.
I've never met a people so capitalistic in their thinking as Americans, it's actually a little difficult to get your head around (as a non-American).
I can only imagine it must be very difficult for an American Christian to integrate what they read of Jesus in the Bible, with how they perceive the world around them. Saying that, it does a lot to help explain the phenomena of televangelists and the business that Christendom has become in general in the States.

 

[Mr Cheese]

As an outsider, I think the problem Christian Americans struggle with is that fact that the extreme capitalism of your country isn't compatible with Christ's actual teachings.
I've never met a people so capitalistic in their thinking as Americans, it's actually a little difficult to get your head around (as a non-American).
I can only imagine it must be very difficult for an American Christian to integrate what they read of Jesus in the Bible, with how they perceive the world around them. Saying that, it does a lot to help explain the phenomena of televangelists and the business that Christendom has become in general in the States.

well many right wing christians follow the argument that

"God helps those who help themselves"

Ironically, its not even a part of the bible

plus theres the whole, "Its the end of days" insanity

 

[no-body]

Like I said he wouldnt be fooled by the foolishness of the carrot on the stick. He would already know the true political reasons and the agenda of the lobbyist who are really in control of the country and he would see how well(yeah right) the government has done with medicare and medicaid and how miserably they are failing with social security and see passed the twistedness of those who try to manipulate it into being about the human heart.Isn't it the politicians job to make lobbyist proposals look good in public opinion?

And one other thing, tell me the difference between an anti-war rally and a pro-peace rally and then you will understand where Jesus would probably take a stance as far as rallying is concerned?

I love how mainstream Christianity is all about finding technicalities to bypass the spirit of God's word.

Because Christ when he was on earth was totally political. He was all about bringing down Rome and telling the Jews who followed him to be revolutionary. What was that quote again? "Give not unto Cesar and elect a capitalist government where you will render unto God what is God's"

 

[Mr Cheese]

Like I said he wouldnt be fooled by the foolishness of the carrot on the stick. He would already know the true political reasons and the agenda of the lobbyist who are really in control of the country and he would see how well(yeah right) the government has done with medicare and medicaid and how miserably they are failing with social security and see passed the twistedness of those who try to manipulate it into being about the human heart.Isn't it the politicians job to make lobbyist proposals look good in public opinion?

And one other thing, tell me the difference between an anti-war rally and a pro-peace rally and then you will understand where Jesus would probably take a stance as far as rallying is concerned?

funny...this administration had nothign to do with the handling of the above issues...

are you saying you dont trust ANY government?

Are you part of a militia christian group?