In the religious right’s continuing attacks on health insurance reform efforts in Washington, yesterday the Texas-based Heritage Alliance blasted out an e-mail warning far-right activists not “to despair” over the possible passage of legislation intended to make sure every American has access to affordable health care. To give in to despair, the e-mail says, would be a sin:
“With two Republican U.S. Senators, Texans may feel tempted to despair over the upcoming Senate action on health care.
The people representing our values are doing all they can, but there aren’t enough of them, and Texas citizens can’t wield much influence on other states’ Senators.
But let this remind us that despair is a sin. Only the devil tells us we can’t help, and tempts us to do … nothing.
We are almost never helpless. Let’s put our prayers, minds, and hands to work.
So now Christians are sinning if they don’t try to stop health insurance reform?
The e-mail calls on activists to contact “any0ne you know who lives in a red state with a blue Senator” and ask them to urge their senators to oppose “any measure that expands the federal government’s role in health care.”
“We need market-based reforms that encourage free competition among insurance companies and providers — not public options or laws that require citizens to purchase insurance.”
We continue to be fascinated by how the religious right ties faith in God to blind faith in free markets, regardless of the issue. Of course, the religious right is really a political movement inextricably tied to the Republican Party and the GOP’s political agenda. Apparently, to oppose that agenda is to oppose God. Thus is the logic (such as it is) of far-right extremism today.
There are honest arguments for and against the current reform efforts in Washington, and we believe people of faith can disagree in good conscience. But we’re not surprised that extremists on the right continue to use faith as a weapon to divide people for political gain — even when it comes to something so important as health care.
Perhaps because they instinctively understand the Chronic Dependence of Popular Religiosity upon Dysfunctional Psychosociological Conditions, and consider societal reliance on God more important than any direct societal good?
It’s like considering the traditional struggle against alligators too important to allow draining the swamp.
Yes. We Christians must do everything we possibly can to insure that healthy people get sick, sick people don’t get well, and many sick people die—because—money is more important than people. I would sure like to know how they distill that piece of putrid crap out of my King James Bible?
Why, that’s the easy part, Charles. Just leave everything to Conservapedia. Their Conservative Bible Project will ensure that people finally wake up to the fact that unbridled free market capitalism was exactly what Jesus was promoting during his life.
Y’know, The Conservative Bible Project kinda scares me. Who’re they gonna plug in to speak for Jesus?
(‘Cause we all know he was this long-haired guy who wore what looks like a bathrobe, or maybe even a dress,
and didn’t get rich before he got killed, at least not here on earth. So, they can’t let Him speak for Himself,
’cause His message would be all completely contrary to everything they stand for.)
Sarah:
His mere presence next to them would melt both them and much of what they believe like Frosty the Snowman in a crematorium. Amen.