Although I have thought it a waste of time to enter the healthcare conversation, Mr. Darrell McKinney’s letter indicting the Rev. Howard Dial’s op-ed piece forced me off the bench to get into this little game of words. His concluding question — “What would Jesus do?” — spurred me to respond.
While I have no idea what Mr. McKinney’s credentials are, his viewpoint clearly indicates he has been drinking at the liberal Kool-Aid trough too long. All of his remarks are a verbatim rehash of every liberal presentation I’ve heard on ABC, CBS or CNN. He has nothing new to say.
While I did not read Howard Dial’s piece, I did attend his church and took some Bible classes under him many years ago. He is a well-studied, but very conservative evangelical preacher; some would see him as ultra dogmatic.
In response to Mr. McKinney’s question “What would Jesus do?”, I would answer this way.
There were two main groups of people who Jesus consistently condemned and castigated. The group called the Sadducees was the liberal wing of Judaism and the group called the Pharisees was the conservative wing.
If you read the four Gospels, you will find Jesus didn’t have many nice things to say about either group, so I have to think He would not be very kind to either of these men’s positions.
For me, the bottom line is simple and not particularly religious. The USA is clearly headed full-speed in a direction that is fiscally and morally irresponsible. Earlier presidents started the decline, President Bush accelerated it and President Obama has accelerated it to warp speed.
In addition, as a nation, we are confusing fundamental rights with privileges. I’m almost 60 years old and currently blessed with a good job, decent healthcare plan and relative good health for a man my age.
With the economy in the shape it is and the nation appearing to slide downhill daily, I know my situation can change in an instant, and I can join the ranks of the unemployed with no medical coverage.
While I do not know whether Dr. Dial’s church would help me in a time of need or even if the church I currently attend would be able to help — they have helped me during a difficult time in the past — I do know for sure that I DO NOT want the government determining my healthcare status — whether I am fit for help or whether I am too old to live any longer.
Don’t tell me that won’t happen because it is the only way socialized medicine can work.
Basically, I would rather die without coverage than to live in a nation where the government makes every decision for me.
As I recall, when faced with that decision, Jesus went to the cross; and that means I’m going to be all right, no matter what.
Tom May
Fayetteville, Ga.