Jesus Is Their Health Care: Why Conservative Christians Oppose Real Reform

[marmar]

via AlterNet:



Jesus Is Their Health Care: Why Conservative Christians Oppose Real Reform

By Angelia Wilson, Comment Is Free. Posted October 5, 2009.

Christian conservatives support health care co-operatives -- but only for other Christians. Sounds like something Jesus would approve of.



Why do conservative Christians in the US favor healthcare co-operatives? Speakers at the Family Research Council's values voters summit this month unanimously opposed any government-run options, which they believe may lead to "European socialism". But they endorsed collectivism in another guise: health co-operatives. This differentiation is the logical outcome of crass, Christian right exclusivity.

Manchester, my adopted home, is the birthplace of the British co-operative movement – a place, at the coalface of the industrial revolution, that experienced extreme inner city poverty and depravation. A place where working-class people, struggling with a multitude of 19th-century problems in health and housing, collectively sought to help each other in times of crisis.

Co-operatives enabled those of like minds and similar situations to weather storms in which, through no fault of their own, good working men and women simply needed a little assistance: an illness that temporarily lowered the family income, the expense of healthcare and even funeral costs. Co-operatives were a common-sense solution to the occasional crisis of the common man.

In a similar fashion, co-operatives seem one common-sense solution in America's healthcare debate. They offer an alternative to individually purchased private health insurance or to limited employee schemes with high deductibles, both of which are costly for the average citizen. Healthcare co-operatives could bring together individuals, increasing their purchasing power and driving down the cost of health insurance. It isn't the glorious NHS, but it's a good idea with a solid history. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/143070/jesus_is_their_health_care%3A_why_conservative_christians_oppose_real_reform

[zbdent]

1. "send money (charitable donations) ... we'll pray for your speedy recovery."

that's about it ...

[Tutankhamun]

2. Nonbelievers need to die soon so they can burn in hell with Satan.

You gotta love that Jesus.

[Joanne98]

3. They just like to kill people.