What would Jesus do – Tea Party
I attended the Health Care Tea Party downtown on Wednesday, Nov 4. Patricia McCarter of The Huntsville Times wrote “People protest against – and for – government-run health care”:
On the north side of Clinton Avenue stood 75 people protesting an expansion of government in health care.
On the south side of the street stood a dozen people protesting what those protesters were protesting about because they support an entirely government-run health insurance system.
On one side there were Conservatives and Patriots resisting un-Constitutional Government takeover of the health care industry, on the other side there were self-described Socialists (Linda Haynes) supporting Obamacare and Obamunism.
Some leftie Christian Socialists like to carry signs saying “What Would Jesus Do?” or using Bible quotes implying that Christians should support Government-run health care (remember that the ends justify the means for Marxists).
What Would Jesus Do? Christians know that God in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament healed multitudes of people. Jesus even gave healing power to his disciples. But He didn’t cure everybody, even though He could have (as an omnipotent supreme being).
What Would Jesus Do? In an extreme health-care-related example, Jesus raised the dead. But not all of them – even though He could have.
I don’t know why Jesus decided to heal some people and not others, or why He raised some dead people but not others. But what is clear is that Jesus didn’t practice a system of health care for all. To paraphase what he did say:
The poor you have with you always, now let Me enjoy my foot massage…
***
I spoke with a guy who is a long-time friend of Congressional candidate Les Phillip. He described Phillip as ‘a rusty bayonet shoved into the guts of Socialism’. Wow, I really enjoy meeting new people, if only to be able to pass along vivid expressions like that.
*le sigh* Have you considered C-namming flashpointlblog,com to mobrooksforcongress.com?
“Prof” Tom
Can you explain why they would do that? There was only one mention of either candidate and (correct me if I’m wrong Reactionary) that only mention was of someone complimenting Les Phillip.
I screwed up. I misread the byline and thought this was a post by Brian. I thought that the last sentence was mocking the metaphor and was basically saying, “Great! We want to rally around a rusty tool? Screw that!”
Perhaps I should register to get some Obama glasses so I can actually see the screen before I take to my keyboard.
Jonathan – right on. The guy was complimenting Les Phillip, and I would be proud to vote for a candidate known as ‘a rusty bayonet shoved into the guts of socialism’.
I think he meant it as a metaphor for this election being an effort by the people, who don’t have the resources or power to have a shiny bayonet, to take back the country. Speaking truth to power, as it were. Or I could be full of it… Regardless, I like the phrase.
Just think of the extra complications of being impaled by a rusty bayonet. Now imagine having to stand in line at your nearest Obamacare center to get a tetanus shot as well as emergency care for your wound.
Hope. Change!
Obama. Obama. Obama. Obama.
Prof Tom, be careful. Your sensitivity is showing.
Let me be frank. I like Les. I like Mo. I’m not going to bash either one without just cause. I’m certainly not going to run all over the internet like you and a few other Les supporters are doing and bash Mo. I’ll defend Mo against silly attacks and I’ll do the same for Les (not that either one needs my help). Your obsession with smearing Mo at every turn, though, is really off putting. Both candidates are good people and either one would be an improvement over Dr. Griffith. Rethink your perspective.
BTW, you think I’m a big time Mo supporter over Les. Not long ago someone accused me of being a secret Griffith supporter!
Your sensitivity is showing.
Meh. More like insensitivity. I think I’m a big enough boy to handle some sand throwing.
I’m certainly not going to run all over the internet like you and a few other Les supporters are doing and bash Mo.
Thats’ not my objective. Mo’s the gift that keeps on giving; a never-ending fountain of source-material, or as I like to call it, “fodder for the blog.” It’s like crack. I can’t help myself.
That having been said, I’m not on Les’ payroll and haven’t spoken to him in a good solid month now and couldn’t tell you what he’s doing.
***Edit by Reactionary – Tom, my mom reads this blog.
Both candidates are good people and either one would be an improvement over Dr. Griffith. Rethink your perspective.
The last time I checked, the Good Doctor™ wasn’t running on the Republican ticket, ergo, he’s not the current target. I’m simply living the philosophy that I proposed when discussing the Gubernatorial race.
you think I’m a big time Mo supporter over Les.
I do think that this site leans toward Mo, but I would expect that given that he’s one of the authors.
Not long ago someone accused me of being a secret Griffith supporter!
On the surface I’m neither shocked nor surprised…unless you the m00nbat was suggesting you worked for Griffith. That’d just be plain dumb.
FWIW, Mo was added to the roster of authors prior to his candidacy for AL-05.
I don’t think you’re on Les’ payroll. I just find you to be decidedly biased against Mo to the point that you don’t seem capable of honest or thoughtful dialog on the topic.
I knew he was…didn’t he start writing for you last year sometime? I’m not accusing anyone of opening the site up specifically as a campaign extension. Rather, I was suggesting birds of a feather flock together and indeed expect there to be a bias towards your own guy running. (Unless, of course, generically you hate him, which specifically you don’t.)
Besides, if I’m too much heat for Mo, what is he going to do when he’s constantly barraged by Democrats in Washington?
I had this girlfriend once that would withdraw from the conversation every time I disagreed with her and we had a difference of opinions. It was very frustrating to attempt to have a conversation with her. So we went our own separate ways.
I don’t want to be reminded of her for two solid years.
Somebody school me please. How can government controlled health care be “un-Constitutional” and yet Medicare exists peacefully? I think we only need more regulation in the health insurance arena, but no one is proposing such.
Why is Social Security allowed for that matter? It’s taken us what? 69 years to have this discussion? For shame!
In regard to all the Les/Mo bantering – in a few months it will be a moot point. There will probably be five or six people in the Republican Primary and I don’t think either one of these gentleman will be the nominee. I very much appreciate their willingness to run, but both of them have been campaigning for a while now and I don’t think either one has really sparked any interest. I think the electorate is looking for a non-politician who is electable. In my opinion, neither fit the bill.
Mo is moving too far to the right dishing out the red meat all too often that we all know he will not be able to garner enough support to win the general election even if he could pull out the primary victory. Chances are good that some other local notables will toss their hats in the ring before this is over.
Is it possible for someone who is not from Huntsville to win this seat? Say, the Shoals or Decatur?
Lisa – I think someone from the Shoals or Decatur could win, but they’d be starting out at a general disadvantage. I can’t imagine someone else coming into the AL05 race on the GOP side who’s got a better chance than Mo or Les.
*** Why isn’t anyone discussing theology!!!***
I saved up some good counterpoints and this has devolved into a discussion of the rusty bayonet…
Sorry! The original post is quite an interesting perspective.
Thanks Brian. I think it’s theologically sound. Governments don’t go to Heaven – and people don’t get there by spending other people’s money.
BTW, the ointment used for Jesus’ foot massage was spikenard oil, estimated cost = one year’s wages per liter (including the alabaster jar). Think of that as roughly $3,000 per ounce. The bottom line is that it’s OK to spend your money however you want, especially on extravagant presents for a loved one, just be sure to personally help the poor.
I’m no bible scholar but it seems to me that Jesus did call for people to give of themselves for the sake of others. But I don’t recall him asking Caeser to force people to sacrifice for others. He didn’t complain about people’s selfishness but he did convict them of the block that wealth can be to one’s salvation. Some people responded to this conviction by giving their money to others. I don’t recall anyone giving their money to the government for the sake of others.
People should not be forced to do good because we think they should. Christians should call to each other to do good works and leave the rest of the world to live up to their own standards.
Back to theology: The poor will always be with us. Those were Jesus’ words. So how do we respond to that? By loving our neighbor as ourselves. By loving the poor in our community. How do we do that? Helping with their physical, emotional and spiritual needs – not leaving the “system” to take care of them. It goes way beyond health care. Jesus requires much more than “giving them health insurance”. He wants us to get involved in their lives. It is messy, it is time consuming, it is hard work. The liberals just want government to take care of everything so they can assuage their guilty conscience. If all the liberals who are so hyped up about health care reform would go help out in their community soup kitchens, clothes closets, homeless shelters, etc. this world would be a lot better place. Government is not the answer.
Lisa,
I think I can best respond to your remarks with a poem that Kipling wrote:
THE GODS OF THE COPYBOOK HEADINGS
by Rudyard Kipling
As I pass through my incarnations in every age and race,
I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.
We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn:
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.
We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place,
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.
With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch,
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch;
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings;
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things.
When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace.
They swore, if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “Stick to the Devil you know.”
On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life
(Which started by loving our neighbour and ended by loving his wife)
Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “The Wages of Sin is Death.”
In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “If you don’t work you die.”
Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.
As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began.
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool’s bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;
And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return
At the risk of being labeled pendantic, let me lend some explanation that makes the poem more enjoyable.
The “Gods of the Marketplace” is government.
A copybook is the English equivalent of our McGuffey reader. Children were required to copy the wise sayings in the copybook to practice penmanship and spelling. The wise sayings were the “copybook headings”.
So, government makes the same stupid mistakes over and over while the wisdom taught to children is timeless.
@elutheroi Indeed. Also, the beauty of the poem is that at the end after all the social experimentation, you return to where you began, i.e. the timeless wisdom, i.e. “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.”