My One and Only Post on Health Care

Wow. Talk about a lot of debate and argument. A lot of lies, half truths, kind of truths, and mostly truths. One thing for sure, it is an incredible complex issue and though there are sources of information that try to simplify it, I'm not sure that's possible. It's a perfect environment for the fear mongers.

The current debate seems to be about the public option. This is key because it flies directly in the face of those who say that a competitive marketplace creates the best and most efficient system. On the other side are those who believe that a government run system has been proven effective in other countries and is the way to go here. Public option proponents claim that the current system isn't as competitive as we think. But instead of fixing it they propose the public option that, despite what they claim, will become a single payer system for all intents and purposes. But it is also obvious that the current system isn't working either. I have a hard time even listening to Republican counter-proposals in light of their failure to address the issue during the last 8 years.

I am also surprised at fellow Christians who imply that to not support the proposed universal health care system is anti-Christian. I'm sure there are so called Christians with all sorts of different motivations for their opinions. But like most issues there are perfectly good reasons for Christians to oppose it and those views should be accepted gracefully. Some fear that UHC will limit the amount of money spent of research. I personally think that will not be the case but I understand the concern. (Free market systems can actually stifle innovation too. And this doesn't include the loss of innovative capacity in unrelated fields due to innovator's not being in the right situation due to fears of losing health coverage.)

I have my own concerns about the proposal. I don't want to do something that could have a net negative impact on poor people. In other words, it wouldn't do a lot of good to have UHC if it created an economic environment where the same poor could no longer afford to eat due to an adverse reaction by the job market. I also think it is important to consider all poor people and not just Americans. I know that's not popular but I'm a Christian first. So what happens if drug companies don't make as much profit in the US as they do now? Will they still make drugs available to third world countries at reduced cost? Just how much does our current health care system indirectly support health care in poor countries?

When it comes down to it, the worse part of the proposal is that it ends up in the hands of politicians. I'm cynical enough to have this be a major factor. I think I'm right to be concerned because instead of building and improving on a system (like Massachusetts) that has had at least a degree of success they jumped right to what will give them the most control. Go figure.

It will be interesting to see what happens. I am saddened by the allegations with regard to what is the Christian response from both sides. I believe it is possible to have legitimate points on both side of the issue.

Conqueror

Lion heart
Brave
Courageous
True

Ferocious
Muscular
Strong
Fierce

Victor
Champion
Conquering
King

The Character of the Christ
The Lion of Judah
King of Kings
Lord of Lords

And yet He conquers
As a Lamb
A Slain lamb
A Crucified Lamb

Such is the mystery
His secret way
Upside down
Inside out

His character
The Lion
Who Conquers
Like a Lamb

Nationalistic

Admittedly, I haven't researched this post very well as I'm sure their are a ton of ideas written on both sides of the issue. I know there are several books about it as well and I haven't read any of them. And now that I've verified that this post is garbage, here it is.

I don't think most Christians I know would really want to live in a Christian nation.

Have you ever thought about what a truly Christian nation would look like? For one thing I think it would blush at the idea of being called a nation at all. No nationalism here. The height of Israel's glory is usually considered to be during the time of kings David and Solomon. But remember, that was a result of their rejection of God's idea of a nation. Can you imagine the USA governed like Israel in the time of the judges? No flag to wave? No president to rally around? No 4th of July celebration?

It would be far from the wealthiest nation on earth, not because God wouldn't bless it, but because it would give it's wealth away to those in need. It wouldn't seek to be the world's leader. It would seek to be the world's servant. There would be a high possibility that it would be in servitude to another country and they would probably see that servitude transfer among several countries, which ever one happened to be ruling the world at the time.

Some argue that God led Israel to conquer other peoples as proof that a Christian nation today would do the same. But that was all part of God's redemptive plan for the world and it wasn't a pattern he would continue for all time. That's what the Jews were looking for in Jesus' day. They were looking for someone to save them from Roman servitude and lead them to military dominance. But God's plan was the way of the cross. Following through with military victory would have been exactly what Satan would have wanted and was apparently expecting.

So I think a true Christian nation would really struggle with the whole idea of war. It would be severely distressed over the thought of war and deeply troubled about it. There certainly wouldn't be victory parades and we would feel the pain of war just as much as the other side.

How dare I write a post like this while enjoying the freedom of this nation. Don't get me wrong, I love my country. It certainly has it's faults but it has many good qualities too. I have no problem waving a flag or celebrating it's independence. But I don't consider it a Christian nation either. It certainly has drawn on Christian influences to varying degrees over the years and that is a good thing, as long as those ideas are truly from God. But in the end it is a secular nation. It happens to be the nation that I was born in so it is my country. God saw fit that in all the world this is where I should be placed. So this is where I live out his redemptive mission.

Torture

I found the results of this survey by Pew Research disgusting. What part of "...love your enemies, do good to those who hate you..." (Jesus in Luke 6:27) don't Christians understand? Is that too radical of an idea? Well, here's a news flash. Jesus is radical. Following Jesus is radical.

Library

My wife is wonderful. She is cataloging my library for me so I can search and find what I'm looking for. There is no way I could do it because it is just way too tedious for me. So far she has done a little over 1500 books and I think she might be just about half way done but that's just a guess. A lot of the books were in boxes so I'm going to need to buy more book shelves. That's had a ripple effect as we are now looking at re-organizing the basement to accommodate them better.

She has thought about the possibility of turning it into a business. You'd need a lot of wealthy people willing to have their books cataloged in order to make it work and I'm just not sure you'd find that many. Some would say it is costing me a lot but I think I'm getting a bargain.

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/datema

Beck

My birthday was several months ago but I was given some cash instead of a gift to go buy a book or some music. I knew what I wanted but it didn't get released until late March. The wait was hard but I am now the proud owner of "Jeff Beck: performing this week...Live at Ronnie Scott's" the DVD. It is 2 hours and 35 minutes of pure heaven.

It is basically the set he has been playing for a year or two now with a few guest appearances from Jos Stone, Imogen Heap, and Eric Clapton. Jeff, Vinnie, Tal, and Jason make a few changes to account for the small venue but I like it just as much as what I've heard in the past. All three guests compliment the rest of the set beautifully. In other words, you aren't watching and wondering what they are doing there, or thinking that they were just thrown in for the star appeal. (If you are after star appeal just watch the audience.) They combine with Jeff's style but take it somewhere it wouldn't go without their own unique talents.

Even Clapton does a great job with this. I'm all for watching Clapton and Beck play together but it would easy for that combination to be very predictable. But Clapton playing Little Brown Bird and You Need Love with Jeff messing around with the bottle neck is great.

Imogen is the most interesting of the three guests though. She brings her own unique style to Blanket and Rollin' and Tumblin' and sounds like a Stratocaster all by herself.

All in all I would say this is one of the best music purchases I've ever made. Time to sit back and enjoy some more.