I signed it.
A Christian Creed on Health-Care Reform
As one of God's children, I believe that protecting the health of each human being is a profoundly important personal and communal responsibility for people of faith.
I believe God created each person in the divine image to be spiritually and physically healthy. I feel the pain of sickness and disease in our broken world (Genesis 1:27, Romans 8:22).
I believe life and healing are core tenets of the Christian life. Christ's ministry included physical healing, and we are called to participate in God's new creation as instruments of healing and redemption (Matthew 4:23, Luke 9:1-6; Mark 7:32-35, Acts 10:38). Our nation should strive to ensure all people have access to life-giving treatments and care.
I believe, as taught by the Hebrew prophets and Jesus, that the measure of a society is seen in how it treats the most vulnerable. The current discussion about health-care reform is important for the United States to move toward a more just system of providing care to all people (Isaiah 1:16-17, Jeremiah 7:5-7, Matthew 25:31-45).
I believe that all people have a moral obligation to tell the truth. To serve the common good of our entire nation, all parties debating reform should tell the truth and refrain from distorting facts or using fear-based messaging (Leviticus 19:11; Ephesians 4:14-15, 25; Proverbs 6:16-19).
I believe that Christians should seek to bring health and well-being (shalom) to the society into which God has placed us, for a healthy society benefits all members (Jeremiah 29:7).
I believe in a time when all will live long and healthy lives, from infancy to old age (Isaiah 65:20), and "mourning and crying and pain will be no more" (Revelation 21:4). My heart breaks for my brothers and sisters who watch their loved ones suffer, or who suffer themselves, because they cannot afford a trip to the doctor. I stand with them in their suffering.
I believe health-care reform must rest on a foundation of values that affirm each and every life as a sacred gift from the Creator (Genesis 2:7).
Amen.
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H/t to Grandmere Mimi
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3 comments:
Obama is trying to sell his government takeover of health care by calling it moral and Christian. Exactly the opposite is true. See:
http://constitutionparti.blogspot.com/
Jay,
Would you please think about this statement for a little bit.
The argument of this letter is basically: I am member of XYZ religion, therefore I think we the government should do such-and-such.
Please think about that a little bit, and apply it to different situations:
I am a scientologist, therefore I ask the government to ban psychiatry.
I am a muslim, therefore I ask the government ban women from driving.
And to make it most clear to liberals: I am Mormon, therefore the government should ban same sex marriage.
Whether the underlying legislation is good or bad doesn't matter, do you really want to frame an argument this way? It's cool as long a benign Christianesque religion is the majority, but we do not know if this will always be the case.
It's astonishing to me to see liberal people who should know better get all giddy about this letter, after all the complaint they have had about the right mixing religion and politics.
DoW,
My first reaction to your comment was a certain level of resentment. It is presumptuous at best and arrogant at worst for you to assume that I have not "thought about this statement for a little bit".
As a person of faith my world view is and should be affected by that faith. Good, bad or indifferent.
As for your examples you're talking apples and oranges in my opinion. Each of these situations call for restrictions on access to rights or procedures by some designated group of the population. The position outlined in the letter is exactly the opposite. Let me note that I fully support the right of any of those groups to advocate for those positions as dictated by their belief system. I will oppose them in every case but they have every right in a democracy to advocate to their government for those positions.
Yes, I NEED to frame the argument this way (this is not my only argument in favor merely one of them) for the simple reasons that others want to make it appear that all people of faith believe otherwise. It is vitally important that the moderate and liberal portions of the Christian spectrum be heard. Our faith calls us, in fact I believe DEMANDS of us, that we care for the needy. This bill is perfectly in line with that calling.
In fact I'm NOT interested in a "benign Christianesque religion". I'm interested in a Christianity that truly lives out our call to care for one another, to forgive one another, to serve one another and to sacrifice for one another. The sooner we get there the better.
As a liberal my "complaint" about the mixing of religion and politics is when we attempt to force other people to behave in accordance to our religious belief system. Ah, you say, but aren't you doing exactly that? No, because this reform doesn't require any religious underpinning whatsoever. It is merely my faith that, in part, brings me to support it. My objection to the mixing of religion and politics is when politics is used as a weapon to oppress people, and to limit others freedoms beyond the immediate needs of a free society.
Beyond that this letter makes no demand upon the government to do anything ON THE BASIS OF MY FAITH. It merely points out my support of the legislation and that my support is based on my faith.
With all due respect DoW, I don't do giddy.
Peace
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