(DISCLAIMER: This website has no interest in influencing your politics. I'm not writing this to oppose the health care bill or to tell you how to vote, because I believe that sort of thing is an abuse of my faith. This is only an exploration of how Christianity and politics interact - my readers are welcome to support any candidate or vote for any act of government.)
The Bible is quite clear in its teachings on love and social 
responsibility - we should take care of those around us as best we can. Widows and orphans are to be looked after the sick and suffering should not be left alone to die. Does that translate into unquestionable support of the current health care bill? That depends on your view of the bill.
If you are a Christian and you think that this bill will help people, than you will probably support it - and that support will fall in line with your faith.
However, another person in your church might think that the proposed bill will make things worse. There are many opinions on this controversial and large bill, and those who oppose it do not do so because they are trying to ignore hurting people. To many, this bill will create more health problems and, in keeping with their faith, they oppose this bill out of sympathy for the sick.
You might disagree with one of these two opinions, we are all entitled to our opinions, but it's not smart to announce that Jesus would vote for (or oppose) a certain act of congress just because you think it is good (or bad). Who do you think you are, that you know the transcendent mind of God so thoroughly?
Accusing fellow Christians of not being Christ-like for not supporting this bill is a logical fallacy; the problem is that the two of you see this bill in a different light. Don't try to put Jesus on your side of the political divide and further the divide of an already divided church.
5 comments:
Good clarification.
My principles actually push beyond that, however. I typically view Christian support for government welfare as a shirking of the Biblical mandate of care for the poor and sick: Not wanting to actually trouble one's self with the needy, one votes in welfare so that they can let society take care of it for them, and sleep easy at night.
There's some wiggle room, of course, depending on one's definition of charity and one's impression of the gov't programs (as your post so carefully explains). But I think most Christians would be hard-pressed to argue that God will commend them for the work the government did for them, rather than for the work they personally completed or directly contributed to.
I think, Jared, that anyone who decides to use welfare as an excuse to NOT help the poor, needy, and/or sick, is already looking for a way out. They're already trying to not do this task that Christians are called to do. The existence of welfare (or health care in this case) does not negate all of the needs that these people have. And, truthfully, we do shape our country's policies through the things we do or do not support. So, by supporting health care, I think we are actually acting in line with our calling to minister to the needs of the needy and poor. (needs which are both spiritual AND physical)
As for the idea that the health care bill (as proposed?) is going to be harmful, I would say this: If it's going to be harmful, we should be focusing on helping to make it as effective and non harmful as possible. What angers me is when I see my Christian brethren saying, "We don't support health care because we don't think it's right that the rich have to pay for the poor. The poor should have to work for that health care." It's a stance I have actually heard from several people's mouth, and they cite a verse like 2 Thessalonians 3:10 as the validation for their stance. It says, "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, he shall not eat.'" I don't think this is a rule against helping the poor and needy. It is, rather, a rule designed to encourage people to not be lazy. Yet, I hear this as validation for despise of welfare and healthcare all the time. There are plenty of poor people who need welfare and healthcare who do work, and plenty of not so poor people who work and need healthcare, too. (It's rather expensive)
So, I would say, in answer to your question in the title of the post: "Would Jesus Support the Health Care?", perhaps you should remove the definitive article "the" from the question and ask, "Would Jesus support health care?" If so, I think the answer would be a resounding, "YES!". Now, if the question is, "Are our representatives crafting good health care legislation?", the answer might very well be no. If so, I think our responsibility is not to oppose health care in general, but, rather, to make our voices heard in helping to shape GOOD and FAR REACHING health care that will really be beneficial.
Shalom.
I believe the original post implies that Christians should indeed make their voices heard in supporting "GOOD and FAR REACHING health care that will really be beneficial;" the problem, as it is posited here, is that not all Christians agree on the kind of political means (if any) that would be necessary to achieve that end.
Ditto Kelly. I must say I find this entire post kind of humorous, though, because most of the Christians I know tend to lean pretty far to the right and are thus opposed to health care reform (at least as it's currently being drafted). So a post that defends the Conservative views as still being Christian seems somewhat unnecessary in my world. I'm intrigued by your world where there are so many left-leaning Christians. I want to know this world and interact with said lefties. :)
Rachel and Kelly, please notice the disclaimer I placed on this blog entry. I did not intend to defend or attack any position, but to push for Christian unity. This blog is not interested in encouraging votes in any direction.
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