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Christians are why we have health care! Date published: 10/9/2009
Christians are why we have health care!
Contrary to Bernie Hylton's recent letter ["Shouldn't Christians be for health care?" Sept. 11], the reason everyone actually gets medical care in the U.S. is the Judeo-Christian ethic that has governed us from the beginning. Even those who have broken our laws and have come here illegally are not refused care in emergency rooms. The fact that our world-class physicians do so much pro bono work (e.g., heart surgeon and former senator Bill Frist) is also a testimony to our religious and charitable heritage. Moreover, Americans give billions more personally for charitable (including medical) causes than they give through their government programs, both at home and overseas. How many hospitals in America are named St. Luke, St. Mary's, St. Elizabeth's, Good Samaritan, or Mount Sinai? I suspect Mr. Hylton would fault even Jesus because he didn't support a Roman Empire program to heal the sick, raise the dead, and make the lame whole. He just used his own resources to do all these things. Mr. Hylton clearly supports a government program for health care, much along the lines of the government retirement program (Social Security--going broke), and Medicare (costs going up, services going down), and uses support for such a program as his standard for true Christianity. I'll take my chances on a good report card at God's judgment by following what Jesus actually said and did, not Mr. Hylton's tired old big-government ideas. Penny White Stafford
it's one thing to call oneself a Christian, & quite another to live like one!! The first is very easy, as witnessed by how many Americans do so. The second ... let's just say anyone truly trying to do it knows it's much more difficult. And btw pinkphantom, kindness & generousity are NOT the exclusive domain of the Christian faith; any who say otherwise do not have a broad life experience.
If Christianity is such an altruistic motivator, then why does the US, who boasts one of the highest percentage of Christians per population have some of the highest crime rates, lowest life spans or provide less health care for its people than any industrialized nation? There are countries who provide healthcare to their citizens that do not have a majority of their population that are Christians.
Are we talking about the same Christians who believe that when they die they go to a wonderful, perfect place called Heaven? Those same Christians that want health care to keep them alive longer so they don't get to go to heaven and be with God as soon as possible? Say WHAT?
I've discovered the real reason Christians don't believe in evolution. It's because they didn't get to participate in it! Hey, there's tons of good cults out there. Christianity is just one of the better known ones.
and kindness started with their religion? Our founders were influenced by the Enlightenment, not the bible. All people, whether religious or not, are quite capable of kindness and giving. I wouldn't be caught dead following any religion and I help others and give to charity whenever I can.
mentioning how many current prison inmates have mental illness/substance abuse issues, & suggesting that universal health (esp. mental health) care might allow them to be treated, at less cost, outside the prison systems.
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