An interesting observation

One of our theological professors was very fond of pushing us so that our theology was a logical progression of thought. His statement was, “Make sure that your theology is not a nonsequitur.” An interesting word which means: “an inference that does not follow from the premises.” One of his challenges was for us to listen to people talk about their faith to see if it held together. The observation of this listening theologian was that people’s belief systems were nothing more than a collection of random ideas that all too often are in conflict with their thought process.

It is this kind of reasoning discipline that I bring to the current debate over the health care proposal. Without getting into the pluses and minuses concerning the actual bill before congress what I find interesting is that those who oppose it often bring up the idea of socialism as to their reason for trying to defeat the bill. Interesting since all of them – and I mean all of them – approve of Medicare, public schools, police and fire departments, military, VA hospitals and clinics, social security, etc. Their thinking is a nonsequitur because the services mentioned, plus a huge truckload of more services offered by city, county, state and nationally are all prime examples of public funded programs and therefore are examples of socialism already being enjoyed by us. Can we really have it both ways, i.e. accepting social services in some aspects of our lives while opposing other social services? Or, is my thinking all screwed up?

The other driving force is a biblical mandate. I am convicted when I hear Jesus share; “As you have done it unto the least of these you have done it unto me.” How can I turn my back on over 30 million fellow Americans who do not have medical insurance? Aren’t they the “least of these”? I’ve been truly blessed in my life and am fortunate that my family and me are all covered by medical insurance. I don’t know what it would be like to be sick or injured and not have the freedom or security in reaching out for medical attention … and I don’t want to know! Further, ever since I took “Introduction to the New Testament” in seminary and found in the “Acts of the Apostles” where it states that, “they held everything in common” I have felt that as a Christian I have no alternative but to care for the least, the last and the lost … regardless of the personal cost – physical, emotional, or financial ... and regardless of the decisions that they might have made which causes them to be in their medical uninsured predicament.

At least that is my humble thoughts on the subject …

Quote for today: Amy Carmichael when criticized for her humanitarian work in India, responded, "One cannot save and then pitchfork souls into heaven...Souls are more or less securely fastened to bodies...and as you cannot get the souls out and deal with them separately, you have to take them both together."