Thoughts of a Black Conservative…

Jerome Hudson is a sophomore at Tallahassee Community College with plans to transfer to Florida A&M University in the fall.

While attending a black fraternity party, I recently learned it’s a bad idea to profess one’s affinity for Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity. Worse, according to current polls, it appears I may be the only black 22 year old in America who will be voting for Sen. John McCain. It’s not that I was unaware that being a black conservative Republican puts me in the ultimate “minority.” After all, Shelby Steele’s classic article “ The Loneliness of the Black Conservative” has become an article of faith that I’ve all but committed to memory. But I guess I had made the mistake of buying into all that liberal yammering about being “open minded” and supporting “diversity” that I’d deluded myself into believing that a civil, discussion about the herd-like ideological mentality of so many of my contemporaries suffer from was possible. Boy, was I wrong. Big time! My official “Negro” card got stripped away. I instantly lost my “blackness.” And now, consequently, I now am greeted with this: “Hey, y’all, here comes The Black Republican.” And that’s when I think to myself, Hmmm…so this is how it feels to be an “Uncle Tom.” Still, being labeled “The Black Republican” is undoubtedly a promotion from: “Hey, why are you dressed so nice? You got a job interview or something?” Or, worse, “Man, why are you talking like that? You sound white? Who do you think you are? A conservative Kanye West?” But my path to ideological emancipation began where all the most important things always begin—with my father and mother. Growing up, my Army drill sergeant father was a firm believer in tough love. My parents instilled in us Christian values. But I believe that first part—having an involved mother and father—was critical. With 70% of all black babies being born out-of-wedlock, it’s no wonder black poverty remains entrenched, welfare has become a way of life, and that many of my fellow young black male counterparts choose gangsta life over college. But it wasn’t until college that I realized I had been ensnared in what John McWhorter calls the “Cult of Victimology.” One of my professor’s pointed me toward a world of literature I’d never been introduced to: Thomas Sowell, John McWhorter, Shelby Steele, Star Parker, Angela McGlowan, Larry Elder, Walter Williams—they obliterated the Leftist foolishness that floods my community. It was then that my eyes were opened to the truth, a truth that my father was willing to give his life for, a truth that hundreds of thousands of American soldiers have paid the ultimate price to pass on to future generations. And that truth is this: America remains the greatest country that God gave to man. So imagine me, a member of various organizations that largely consist of young black Americans, most of whom are womb to the tomb Democrats and liberals, speaking openly about the many opportunities and blessings we enjoy in our great nation and refuting Michelle Obama’s supposition that America is a “downright mean place..” Can you say…..social suicide? “So Jerome,” the partygoers asked, “you’re REALLY a Republican?!” Duh! Of course I’m a Republican! And your great grandparents were too! Yes, I’m a member of the Anti-Slavery Party, the party responsible for: the 13th (abolished slavery), 14th (gave former slaves full citizenship rights), the 15th Amendment (gave slaves voting rights), the Civil Rights Act of 1871(protecting southern blacks from the Ku Klux Klan), the Reconstruction Acts, and the 1866, 1875, 1957, 1960, and 1964 Civil Rights Acts. And no, my brothers and sisters, yesterday’s southern Democrats are NOT today’s Republicans! If so, former Klansman, Sen. Robert Byrd—the highest ranking senate Democrat and President Pro-Tempore of the Senate—apparently didn’t get the memo and forgot to switch parties. But it’s more than just the history. I’m proud to stand for self-empowerment, personal responsibility, strong family values, small government, low taxes, free markets, a strong military, and individual achievement etc. And don’t even get me started on which side stands up for the precious 1.4 million unborn children (32% of whom are black), who will be casualties in the war inside the womb. When I see these so-called “black leaders” bashing conservatives for “racist policies,” I wonder how they justify cheering on the political team who proudly defends the annihilation of 13 million black children since 1973. And conservatives don’t care about black people? I don’t think so! No, I think I’ll ride with the team who says enough with the welfare cancer that has destroyed people’s innate desire to achieve. Yes, I’ll ride with the folks who respect me enough to consider me their equal and not insult me with Affirmative Action racism. Yeah, I’ll ride with the gang who would rather create effective policies than emotional “feel good” symbolism that robs individuals of their desire to aspire. So while it may take a little getting used to walking into college parties where I’m known as “The Black Republican,” I now realize I am a newly inducted member of a rich tradition of ideologically emancipated black conservatives. And guess what? I’m more than cool with that. I’m proud, actually. “The conservative Kanye West”? Hmmm…. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

 

Top 5 Best and Worst of Disney

As you might know, my family and I frequent Walt Disney World in Orlando. We aren’t the pin-trading, costume-wearing weirdos, but we’re pretty close. I would say, on average, we spend about a month out of every year at least entering a Disney theme park.  Anyway, as you learn the ropes at any said park, you begin to discover common scenes that quickly make you laugh or bring you to a place of disgust.  As a quick tribute to this past weekend at The Magic Kingdom (where we met up with Amy Paul), I have assembled the top 5 best and worst things any visitor is likely to encounter.

Best:

5.  The Utopian City – Yes, it’s overcrowded, but it’s always clean, there is always happy music playing and if you stand there long enough, a parade will go by right in front of you.

4. Pecos Bill’s – Tucked away in the corner of The Magic Kingdom in front of Splash Mountain is a ridiculously good hamburger joint called Pecos Bill’s.  The food is very good, but it’s not the reason it made the top 5.  What makes this place so amazing is their condiment bar, which includes sauteed mushrooms and onions, hot cheese sauce and banana peppers.  I know, I know…  it doesn’t sound that special, but add all of those onto your burger and fries and it just might change your life.

3. Baby Swap – I, too, once thought that the Fast Pass was the best invention of all time.  That is, until I discovered Baby Swap.  You see, with a Fast Pass, you have to wait until the designated time to return and ride the atraction.  Often times, they will run out of Fast Pass Vouchers before noon on some rides.  Not so with a Baby Swap…  they never run out and you can use the Fast Pass line right away.  It’s pretty much worth having, adopting or stealing a  young child.

2.  Dole Whip – Yes, I know it’s another food item, but back off!  I have yet to find Dole Whip anywhere else on the planet!  Right near the pointless and painfully boring tree house is a small counter service establishment that serves Pineapple Dole Whip floats.  They are amazing…  no, actually better than that.  It’s a super creamy soft serve pineapple dessert, similar to ice cream, but better.  You can get it swirled with vanilla and then covered with fresh pineapple juice.  Mine generally lasts about 32 seconds.

1.  Content Kids – By content, I mean utterly exhausted beyond the capability to function.  Yeah, walking to the car isn’t that fun, but the hyper non-stop activity that you experienced on the way in is far gone.  They are asleep before you can back out of the parking space!

Worst:

5.  People Who Stop Walking - That might sound odd, but when there are 473 billion people in one park, you cannot just decide to stop and tie your shoe wherever you want.  I decided that I was going to push my stroller forward in the pathway, and if the brilliant person in front of me needed to consult their map without stepping out of the way of traffic…  oh well.

4.  Pointless Bag Checks – I am aware that we live in a ‘post-911′ world, but if you are going to make me stop at a bag check, at least check my bag.  It has never happened…  as we were entering, the “security guard” (I use that term loosely) asked us, “What’s in the diaper bag?”  Really?

3.  People Who Yell at Their Kids – I mean, come on, we are at Walt Disney World for crying out loud!  Is it really necessary to publically belittle and humiliate your children (and your spouse, as it sometimes happens)?  You are at the happiest place on earth, cut them some slack!

2. Dole Whip Closes – Yes, sometimes it closes at sundown, which is a travesty.

1.  Turkey Legs – Have you seen these things?  They are basically like ripping a hock off my 4 year old and chowing down on it for three hours as you walk through the park.  They smell nasty and you look down-right barbaric ripping through the tendons of a giant chunk of meat as you board ‘It’s a Small World.’  I just can’t handle it… it literally nauseates me every time I see one!  For me, it is, by far, the worst part of a day at The Magic Kingdom.

 

Five-Minute Ice Cream Cake

We had a friend over for dinner Sunday night and I needed to whip up an impressive dessert quickly.  I decided on an easy favorite, Ice Cream Cake… try it sometime.

Ingredients:

• Ready Made Angel Food Cake from Grocery Story
• A Tub of Your Favorite Ice Cream
• A Tub of Cool Whip
• Miscellaneous Toppings/Fillings

Start by cutting the angel food cake in half horizontally.  Place the lower section on your cake plate.  Then, slice the ice cream into 1-inch thick layers.  Place the layers onto the bottom section of the cake.  If you wish, you can drizzle fudge or caramel in there as well.  Place the top layer of the cake over the ice cream.  Now, use the Cool Whip to frost the cake.  Finally, use sprinkles, chocolate chips or anything else to decorate the outside.  Place the cake in the freezer for at least an hour.

It’ll take you five minutes to make, but everyone will swear you are a gourmet chef!   The best part is, you can make this over and over again, but change the ice cream and toppings for a whole new dessert.  Enjoy!!!

 

A Purpose-Driven Union

There has been much talk lately about the Constitution, and I believe rightly so.  While I think reiterating the content of our Constitution is definitely of grave importance, I thought it might be interesting to simply go back to its purpose.  Sometimes, we think so much about what the document does or how it needs to be modified that we overlook or ignore the reason for its very existence.  With a manuscript of such monumental importance as our Constitution, one cannot separate its content from its context.  This ‘statement of purpose,’ found in the Preamble, is a defining factor that must be considered and understood. 

 

The Preamble to the Constitution:

 

We the People of the United States

• in Order to form a more perfect Union
• establish Justice
• insure domestic Tranquility
• provide for the common defence (yes, that is how it is spelled in the manuscript)
• promote the general Welfare
• secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity

do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

 

The purposes of this document are so clearly laid out that one would have to make great efforts to distort them.  These intentions should be remembered and referred to often when interpreting the whole of our Constitution.  From the very brief, bulleted statement above, we can deduce the follow about the authors’ intentions and goals:

 

• Unity is paramount.  The intention was never for division among “we the people.”  Those men were in sync with one another when the penned these words.  We must strive for unity, and like our forefathers, it must be centered on the vision laid out in our Constitution.
• Of utmost importance were honesty, integrity and transparency for all, regardless of financial status or governmental ranking.  Justice always results in general peace, as only those who would wrongfully benefit from ‘injustice’ complain.
• The principles that follow the Preamble were written with peace and harmony in mind.  There was an inherent sense in which these values would ensure that, at least within the borders of our nation, individuals would care for themselves and seek to better one another, without an attitude of entitlement.
• Government was charged with the task of defending this union, its people and their God-given, immutable rights.  This is a responsibility that leant to the administration by the people of whom it consisted.
• The people of this nation would be given the opportunity to succeed.  The word ‘welfare’ has been taken grossly out of context, but the statement literally means that the government is to endorse or encourage all people to strive towards success.  The mentality that ‘welfare’ means mandatorily removing earned wealth from those who are monetarily successful and giving it to those who are not, without any repercussions, is simply not within the purposes of the Constitution.
• Freedom is recognized as a ‘blessing,’ something strongly desired.  It is crucial that this be protected, not only for our brothers and sisters today, but for generations yet to be born.  The authors recognized that the responsibility of ensuring freedom for our children, freedom from tyranny in all forms, rested on each present generation.

I encourage you to think often of the Preamble of our Constitution.  With every national decision that is made, we must ask ourselves if this was what our forefathers had envisioned.  We must hold their wisdom and vision in the highest regards and seek always to defend and honor the product of their faithful dedication and sacrifice.

 

 

 

 

 

Encouraged by the Mistakes of the Faithful

Do you ever feel as if you have done something to mess up God’s plans? I have had many conversations lately with regards to the way human choice affects the sovereign will and plans of the Lord. While I certainly do not have this one all figured out, I have been encouraged while reading through Genesis. It’s always reassuring to see the “Heroes of the Bible” make significant blunders, all the while knowing they still managed to make it into the infamous narrative. While reading about Abraham, I caught something that has never really sunk in before. You may be familiar with the part in Genesis 12 where Abram and Sarai (whose names where later changed to Abraham and Sarah) have to go to Egypt because of the famine. Abram is worried that the Egyptians will kill him and take Sarai (I am assuming that was a big compliment to her), so he instructs her to tell them that she is his sister, which was technically half true. Regardless, it is clear that they compromised their integrity and showed a lack of trust in God and his providence. Amazingly, God continues to unfold His plan in their lives. Later, in Genesis 20, Abraham and Sarah went to see Abimelech, King of Gerar. Again, Abraham calls Sarah his sister and she, likewise, says that Abraham is her brother. Immediately after this lapse of judgment and God continues to move… God tells Abimelech that Abraham is a prophet and that his prayers will heal him and his kingdom. God protects Abraham and Sarah from their own sin! Wow… How many times must God have stood in the gap for me, pleading for my well being in the midst of my choice not to trust Him!? That is the character of a holy, yet gracious, God. As a father, there is one more part of this progression that really hits home. In Genesis 26, Abraham’s son Isaac is with his wife Rebekah living in Gerar. He had been commanded by the Lord not to go to Egypt. God reminded Isaac of the covenant He had made with his father and his commitment to prosper and multiply their lineage. In the midst of God’s promises, Isaac’s faith falters. While he is living in Gerar, King Abimelech took notice of Rebekah. Isaac cowered and, out of fear, told the king that she was his sister… the same compromise his father had made. Could this be a generational sin of fear? Is there something to be said of the son following the example of his father? I’m not sure. I do know that Abraham made his two compromises prior to Isaac’s birth and that Abraham was dead when Isaac showed his lack of faith. However, this probably had less to do with the specific incident than it did with a deeper heart issue. If that is the case, it is not difficult for me to imagine that such a trait could easily be passed from one generation to another. So what do I take from this? 1. Known your blind spots. Learn where you tend to compromise your values. Someone very wise once told me that the only difference between a “blind spot” and a “weakness” is the fact that you know it’s there. When we know our weaknesses, we can proactively fight to keep them strong. When these things remain blind spots, though, we do not even realize that we are being deceived. 2. Be honest about your mistakes, especially with your kids. I know I make a lot of poor choices and many of them happen right in front of my children. While these are generally the moments I regret, there is always an occasion to teach your kids “what to do now.” They will make mistakes too. Why not use your errors as opportunities to teach them about humility, apologies, forgiveness and setting up safeguards. Through these things, maybe the Lord will be gracious enough to heal generational sins before they have a chance to get passed to your kids. 3. God is sovereign. I realized that God used Abraham, not because he was perfect or always obeyed or never doubted. God used Abraham because that is what God wanted to do. God’s plans do not fail. The called of God are His alone. While there are certainly consequences for sin, my righteousness is attained not because of me, but in spite of me. God has written His name upon me and called me His own. He is the purchaser and He is the owner of me. If He wills it, it will be so. I can trust that He will finish what He starts, even the slow-moving progress He is working through in my own life.

 

Top 10 FB Status Updates from American Idol – Tuesday, March 17

With Amy Paul out of commission for a few more weeks, I figured it was critical that someone temporarily take over her responsibilities in this area.  While I know the updates were a bit weak last night, much of that was due to Chad, Amy and Matt not participating – shame on you all!  Consequently, I had to throw in a few of my own updates to get the number up to ten.  Enjoy!

 

10.  Adam James Stephens – he’s making “Adams” look creepy!

 

9.  Isom Rigell - i wish randy travis would have drop kicked adam and his nailpolish

 

8.  Jimmie Kolkana – the blind guy kinda makes me wanna kill myself.

 

7.  Chris Harding – I’m Lebanese

 

6.  Joshua Coburn Kolkana – ‘i had fun’ is american idol lingo for ‘i know it was awful’

 

5.  Kami Kolkana – danny can drive my car anytime.

 

4.  Geneveve Gort Steinman – holy tight pants AdamLambert. Not really sure what to think!

 

3.  Joshua Coburn Kolkana at – I think he is great, but tonight was not a great performance… Plus, with all you cougars voting for him, he will be fine without my vote

 

2.  Kami Kolkana – He reminds me of you. Don’t know if its the jeans or the make-up

 

1.  Jimmie Kolkana – I’m votin’ for the red dot or maybe the chick that needs a spankin’.

 

Judge Not… or Maybe Just Sometimes…

Over the past few months, I have received some criticism over “judgemental” comments I have made, mostly in “stream of consciousness” facebook status updates, political in nature.  These rebukes were very troubling to me, and I found myself analyzing much of the particular situations and questioning my own heart.  Here are some of the thoughts that have arisen as a result:

Disclaimer: as I begin to write this blog, I would be remiss if I failed to wholeheartedly admit that I am a hyper-critical person.  I make no excuses for such behavior and, quite honestly, I beg God’s grace and mercy to continue his work in this specific area of my life.  I do struggle with being judgemental, both in word and thought,  and the commentary contained herein is in no way intended to justify this behavior.

1.  We all sin and we all judge…  whether we have learned to better control our tongues or not (which is to be desired), we each have thoughts that arrive in our heads as a direct result of another person’s choice of behavior.  We are completely responsible for what we do with those thoughts, but we would be less-than-human if our capacity to think did not intersect with our external experiences.

2.  Judgement is necessary for life…  you and I both make judgement calls just about every second of the day.  This is essential for successful living.  Your daughter has new friends at school and you have a bad feeling about her spending too much time with them, so you ask her not to.  Is that being judgement or being a wise parent?  You are walking alone to your car at night and notice a suspicious-looking character near your vehicle.  If you decide to go back into the store and wait for the person to leave, are you making an accusation or showing discernment.  You judge when you choose who to ask to join you for lunch, when you vote in an election or even when you choose what song to listen to on the radio.  Making judgement calls is necessary and beneficial to life…  if you refuse to make a call, do not complain when you are forced to do something that contradicts what you say you believe.

3.  To judge is NOT to condemn…  when you make a tough call about what is right for your life, you are not saying that everyone who makes a different decision is wrong.  You might question others’ decisions, you might even try to convince someone else to make the choice you thought was the wisest one.  When you “weigh the options” in judgement, you are comparing a particular choice with what you consider to be paramount in life.  In that process, you make every effort to “judge” what is the wisest choice. 

4.  “Judge not, lest you be judged” is not a Trump Card…  Often times, people like to throw Matthew 7 at this subject.  While I believe the Bible to be of ultimate authority, I also believe that it’s users strip it of power when they take it out of context.  In this chapter, we are warned to be vigilant about having the same demands on ourselves that we do on others.  Without a recognition of our own helpless state without Christ, we are in no place to condemn (or help) others.  Interestingly, though, if you keep reading in this same chapter, believers are actually commanded to judge…  verses 15-20 actually tell us to use the fruit, or life-evidence, of others as an indicator of their heart and genuine motives.  We must make judgement calls about others or else we will be deceived! 

Much of this “judging” nonsense is rooted in the very liberal “Politically Correct” movement, not in scripture.  We have been drilled not to do or say anything that might offend someone or question any “commonly accepted” truth.  I reject that.  Truth is truth, regardless of whether or not someone is offended by it, and must be discerned, publicized and defended.  When I see someone making a choice that I believe to be selfish, unwise or unjust, you better believe I am going to speak up… and if you ever see me doing the same, you better speak up too!  It is this controlling fear of offending that Americans have that will be the catalyst for our destruction…  the force of domination that will allow a loud minority to manipulate and control the silent majority.

Make the commitment to stand up and speak out for what you believe…  in doing so, you are ensuring that the things you hold to be self-evident do not slip into some poorly-lit corner of history.

 

We Surround Them – March 13, 2009

If you are like me, you are absolutely disgusted at the places our country is going…  I am not speaking about Democrats or Republicans, but about Right and Wrong, American and, definitionally, Un-American.  Read the simple statements below…  do you agree?  It’s simple, Constitutional stuff…  the heart of every true American… 

Stand up – send your picture to wesurroundthem@foxnews.com…  then watch Glenn Beck on Fox News at 5pm on Friday, March 13!!!

The Nine Principles

1. America is good.

2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.

4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.

6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.

9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

12 Values

• Honesty
• Reverence
• Hope
• Thrift
• Humility
• Charity
• Sincerity
• Moderation
• Hard Work
• Courage
• Personal Responsibility
• Friendship

You Are Not Alone

If you agree with at least seven of those principles, then you are not alone. Please send a digital version of your picture to: wesurroundthem@foxnews.com and then stay tuned to the radio and television shows over the coming weeks to see how we intend to pull back the curtain.

 

Back on Uncle Sam’s Plantation – By Star Parker

This is a phenomenal article by a syndicated columnist…  what truth!?  Can be seen at http://townhall.com/columnists/StarParker/2009/02/09/back_on_uncle_sams_plantation?page=full&comments=true

Six years ago I wrote a book called Uncle Sam’s Plantation. I wrote the book to tell my own story of what I saw living inside the welfare state and my own transformation out of it.

I said in that book that indeed there are two Americas — a poor America on socialism and a wealthy America on capitalism.

I talked about government programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS), Emergency Assistance to Needy Families with Children (EANF), Section 8 Housing, and Food Stamps.

A vast sea of perhaps well-intentioned government programs, all initially set into motion in the 1960s, that were going to lift the nation’s poor out of poverty.

A benevolent Uncle Sam welcomed mostly poor black Americans onto the government plantation. Those who accepted the invitation switched mindsets from “How do I take care of myself?” to “What do I have to do to stay on the plantation?”

Instead of solving economic problems, government welfare socialism created monstrous moral and spiritual problems — the kind of problems that are inevitable when individuals turn responsibility for their lives over to others.

The legacy of American socialism is our blighted inner cities, dysfunctional inner city schools, and broken black families.

Through God’s grace, I found my way out. It was then that I understood what freedom meant and how great this country is.

I had the privilege of working on welfare reform in 1996, passed by a Republican Congress and signed 50 percent.

I thought we were on the road to moving socialism out of our poor black communities and replacing it with wealth-producing American capitalism.

But, incredibly, we are going in the opposite direction.

Instead of poor America on socialism becoming more like rich American on capitalism, rich America on capitalism is becoming like poor America on socialism.

Uncle Sam has welcomed our banks onto the plantation and they have said, “Thank you, Suh.”

Now, instead of thinking about what creative things need to be done to serve customers, they are thinking about what they have to tell Massah in order to get their cash.

There is some kind of irony that this is all happening under our first black president on the 200th anniversary of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln.

Worse, socialism seems to be the element of our new young president. And maybe even more troubling, our corporate executives seem happy to move onto the plantation.

In an op-ed on the opinion page of the Washington Post, Mr. Obama is clear that the goal of his trillion dollar spending plan is much more than short term economic stimulus.

“This plan is more than a prescription for short-term spending — it’s a strategy for America ’s long-term growth and opportunity in areas such as renewable energy, healthcare, and education.”

Perhaps more incredibly, Obama seems to think that government taking over an economy is a new idea. Or that massive growth in government can take place “with unprecedented transparency and accountability.”

Yes, sir, we heard it from Jimmy Carter when he created the Department of Energy, the Synfuels Corporation, and the Department of Education.

Or how about the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 — The War on Poverty — which President Johnson said “…does not merely expand old programs or improve what is already being done. It charts a new course. It strikes at the causes, not just the consequences of poverty.”

Trillions of dollars later, black poverty is the same. But black families are not, with triple the incidence of single-parent homes and out-of-wedlock births.

It’s not complicated. Americans can accept Barack Obama’s invitation to move onto the plantation. Or they can choose personal responsibility and freedom.

Does anyone really need to think about what the choice should be?

 

Socialized Health Care is the “Christian” Thing to Do?? What??

With BHO ushering in the somewhat inevitable Socialized/Universal Healthcare Program, I have been inundated with responses and comments all but equating this plan with the Christian’s duty to his neighbor. I have heard people say things like, “How could a Christian say it’s not his duty to ensure that everyone has healthcare. That definitely is a right of all people!” or “Jesus would certainly want everyone to have healthcare.”
While I think those statements are so invalid that they should not even require a rebuttal, the increasing frequency of such comments has led me to respond in a more formal manner. There is no doubt that the spreading of such propaganda began with the far left, and as with any subtle deception, has spread without people really noticing that to which they are subscribing.
To say that Christian beliefs, or even the question “What Would Jesus Do,” are a valid reason for Universal Healthcare is a bit absurd. To assert such a proposition completely neglects an inherent and foundational tenant of Christianity, that of personally responsibility. From the creation of man, the Lord prepared and called man to care for and cultivate the land. There was and has always been an intrinsic, God-ordained necessity for man to take responsibility for himself and to invest in the world around him so as to reap his own well being. Only after God created for six days, a time described as “work,” did He rest, setting a clear example for us. Genesis 2:15 tells us that “God took the man and put him in the garden to tend (cultivate) and keep it.” Work and responsibility have been part of what man was created to do from the beginning of time.
Much later in the New Testament, Paul warns the believers at the church in Thessalonica to guard against idleness. He had made a personal commitment not to take food free of charge. He continued in the third chapter of his second letter to admonish his hearers not to expect to eat if they were unwilling to work. Familiarity with Paul’s other writings confirms that he was not being harsh with his listeners. Rather, he was keeping God’s original plans and principles in practice.
I believe that most of the difficulty with this topic comes from a misunderstanding of how personal responsibility intersects and interacts with compassion for others. The heart and motive behind most proponents of Universal Healthcare is probably very well-intentioned. Their minds might wonder to a friend or family member who battles health issues and cannot seem to get the coverage for the necessary remedies. Their frustration and sympathy over such a case is pure and appropriate. Then, they remember how Jesus healed the sick and befriended the impoverished. He genuinely loved and cared for people. I do not, however, see any direct route from such demonstrated concern to the requirement of the governing bodies to provide care for all people.
I would assert that a great majority of health concerns ailing individual’s today are a direct result of poor choices and a lack of responsibility. If someone chooses to eat poorly, live a stagnant lifestyle or partake in activities that cause harm to their bodies, then I see no lack of compassion in requiring them to take responsibility for the consequences of their action. It seems ludicrous that if I make wise choices about my and my family’s health, and therefore require little or no doctors’ visits or medication, I am still required, by way of my governing body, to use the fruits of my labor to fund the medical needs of someone who has made poor decisions about their health. That is called socialism. An adherence to such a philosophy would only perpetuate the epidemic of overpriced and poor quality health care this national currently experiences in addition to encouraging citizens to continue their detrimental decisions, as someone else will always be there to “bail them out.”
(There is an entirely different conversation that needs to be had in regards the effects of regulation, law suits, insurance and the like have on our nation’s health care system. I will not address any such issues in this post.)
It is at this point that I suspect many readers are already calculating their rebuttal, raising concerns about who will care for those who haven’t made a poor choice, yet still suffer from health concerns… like the foster child or individual who suffers from a disease that seems totally uncharacteristic to their lifestyle. Should the government of a people take care of those people who really cannot take care of themselves? As a last resort, I do not necessarily have a problem with that. It should be the exception, though, not the rule. If the insurance and healthcare industry were less regulated, less supplemented and basically, left alone to an extent, the cost of healthcare would go down. Consequently, more people would be able to afford it on their own. Add to that the learned behavior of individual’s making better decisions about their health so as to avoid the expense of additional doctor visits or medication. It just makes sense. When people feel the proper burden and responsibility for their own health, they will make better decisions.
I believe that the Bible teaches and advocates a “reap and sow” philosophy about life. (For those of you that want to take that too far with the subject of salvation by grace, remember that because of the gospel, believers reap what Christ has sown.) God calls all people to be accountable for their decisions, in all areas of life. History has proven that doing this always benefits both the individual and the people group. Socialized Universal Healthcare does not make sense politically, practically or scripturally. I believe that our nation can do much better, and if we are to remain strong both individually and corporately, we must do better.