In the discussion of healthcare changes, one of the most often made arguments is that somehow God “hates” forced charity–despite the fact that the Old Testament Law specified quite a few taxes and Jesus said that we need to pay Caesar’s taxes without complaint–and that the Church is the one who ought to handle works of mercy. Well, let me give you a real-life example that is going on right now. I will not give you the name of the person, as that is not appropriate at this point, but I will tell you his story.
This Baptist pastor is known in certain circles. He has been interviewed or cited or linked by The Drudge Report, CNN, Glenn Beck, CBN, GetReligion, Out of Ur, Christianity Today, BBC Africa, Yahoo News, Andrew Sullivan, Daily Kos, Rod Dreher, National Review Online and Real Clear Politics, among many others. His blog has consistently been among the top twenty blogs in the Christian blogosphere. He has also been featured on Time Magazine, the Christian Science Monitor, and Modern Reformation. I have found his blog to be a very thoughtful blog from a good solid theologically conservative evangelical. And, he was employed by a Christian ministry.
Yes, that’s right, he was. Unfortunately, he became ill late last year. He was recently diagnosed with incurable cancer. It is too bad that this means that he was unable to fulfill his job responsibilities. He, uhm, lost his Christian job and his work-provided health insurance. He is now dependent on family, friends, and those who know him through his writings, to donate sufficient funds to his family to keep up some COBRA health insurance. Is this the time to mention that COBRA is one of those evil government-required benefits that was fought by the Right (including the Religious Right) when it was first proposed? And, even so, the Right managed to make it into a rather expensive program which cannot generally be afforded by those out of a job, which means it is generally useless except as a very short-term stopgap. Since he cannot really work and he has massive health expenses, he needs insurance coverage.
Fortunately, he is well-known enough to be receiving some donations, although a charity auction of some art is now being held. Can you imagine what his family would be going through if he were not somewhat known? They would be left to go bankrupt, without insurance, with massive health expenses, and with only occasional help from some friends and family. Most would simply shake their head about the sadness of the situation and do little to nothing.
In other words, we have a wonderful case example here of how useless the proclamations of those that claim that the Church needs to cover many of these areas. Doubtlessly some of you will claim that this is a specific bad example. No, it is not. While it is a specific example, it is the common way in which it actually works in this country. The Christian ministry may not have been able to afford to continue employing him, but to simply leave him without even health insurance? Would that family be better off with a public option? Yes, yes, and yes. At least, they would certainly be better off than trusting to the Church’s tender mercies (or actually lack of them). At least this man’s wife would not be facing both her beloved’s “sleep” and the possibility of imminent bankruptcy. And, I will repeat, it is not the case of a specific ministry. This same type of release from work would occur in many a church or other ministry.
You see, this is the real Religious Right. This is how it really works in the American Church, even if you are somewhat known, even if you have been an incredible example, even if you are liked. If something happens to you, you are not taken care of, you are simply discarded. As Saint James complained, he has simply been told “be warmed and be filled.” This is the Religious Right America that I oppose and that needs to change.
Fortunately, he is well-known enough to be receiving some donations, although a charity auction of some art is now being held. Can you imagine what his family would be going through if he were not somewhat known? They would be left to go bankrupt, without insurance, with massive health expenses, and with only occasional help from some friends and family. Most would simply shake their head about the sadness of the situation and do little to nothing.
No, they would piously say “I’ll Pray For You”, then leave the widow to eat out of dumpsters.
I am of more than one mind about the whole health care thing. Probably more than two–I am not sure what is being done is the right thing–but then I haven’t been able to read the whole thing–I wonder if it wouldn’t have been simpler to make something for those without health insurance–I pay a huge amount of my disability retirement for my health insurance and then another huge amount for what it does not cover and I deliberately picked the place of employment for the best available disability benefits as I was diagnosed with a progressive chronic illness rather young. The necessary health care still takes a huge chunk of my income. On the other hand, I am not thrilled with how medicare has been handled. It is rather a disaster. Some talk about how horrible the VA is, but in my experience, the VA has been given not enough funding or staff for its mission and still gives good total care to vets. being an Army brat, I was cared for in Army hospitals as a kid and young adult and was given excellent care. What all that adds up to, I am not sure. I am sure that with the correct system, some sort of universal health care could work. I am not sure we have come up with the correct system in this bill–if I knew what was REALLY in this bill. Alix
The same people that talk about health care reform in scandalized terms at my church are the most shocked to hear that my progressive neurological disease was undiagnosed and completely uncared for over a 6 year period. I transitioned from an able bodied person to a full time wheelchair user with only emergency medical care. They do practice what they preach, they have been solicitous and helpful in every way, but they can’t afford to really shoulder my medical bills, even after insurance.