Thoughts On The HealthCare Forum In Asheboro That I Did Not Attend: Leviticus And Luke

My "ex" begged me to go. He pleaded - just for the sheer entertainment value of watching blood pressures rise. But for a world of reasons, it just seemed like sorting my sock drawer might be better use of my time (it's an inside joke).

Anyway, afterwards I got a report. And it was much more in-depth report than was offered by Bob Williams/The Courier Tribune.

But before I even get started on that, there is a scene from the TV series West Wing that underlines my great respect for anyone who knows - really knows - their Bible . . . especially what we Christians call the Old Testament.

Such people are not to be trifled with.



(Can I just say again that Martin Sheen is an AMAZING actor?)

And the reason I bring that up is because the speaker at Bob's forum cherry-picked a passage from Leviticus (23:22) to back up the need for healthcare reform, Obama style.

"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God."

That immediately brought back memories of sacred assemblies.

I read Bob William's "story" in the Courier Tribune the following morning and it was hard not to choke on the uber-delicious-homemade-chocolate-cupcake-left-over-from-a-First-Baptist-function-my-Mama-gave-me that I was having with my morning coffee.

(Did I mention the cupcake was uber-delicious? Those Baptist church-ladies can cook!)

I saw nothing about Leviticus in William's piece. I did see a lot of clap-trap about leveraging community spirit and leaders demanding data (presumably from the past we're supposed to "move on" along from) in order to transform our way to a brighter future.

Yeah right. The data might be "available". But like Bob & "the right people" (you know the ones who put Asheboro on life support in the first place) are EVER going to do that.

(Wait. Spirits? Transformation? I thought that's what the booze was for!?!)

For the reader's edification, I'm linking a site that posts lots of Biblical goodies on our responsibilities to the poor from Leviticus . . . and Exodus . . . and Deuteronomy . . . and Isaiah . . . and Psalms . . . and Proverbs . . . and Ezekiel . . . and Jeremiah . . . well, you get the drift.

It even crosses over into the New Testament.

There's a lot to think about. Some of it downright contradictory and confusing. God doesn't make it easy.

I particularly like this New Testament verse (Luke 20:46-47):

"Beware of the teachers of the law . . . They devour your widows' houses . . . Such men will be punished severely."

Luke was a physician, you know;)

And/so it's just amazing to me. Even when Jesus Christ walked this earth over 2000 years ago, doctors hated lawyers.

Alas, I'm still waiting for Luke's promise to be fulfilled. Meanwhile, on temporary furlough from tending to the poor & under-served down East (instead of in my hometown) . . . the folks down East (and the institution that currently signs my checks) taking care of the poor so much better than anyone in the Piedmont, I'm sorting socks on the sidelines of a debate that I've lived for twelve years and watch the local bumpkin newspaper force-feed the gullible-purposely-kept-in-the-dark-mill-town-masses the "wisdom" of the very men who devoured my house parading themselves as examples of stalwart community leadership and virtue.

Since we're quoting, here's another passage from Leviticus (19:15) I like:

"Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."

Call me "scary" but I think that probably precludes lying under Oath in Court proceeding.

I digress. The thing about all of those Bible verses is that I was under the impression that God was speaking through the writers to individuals and/or churches, not earthly governments. And we're to ponder these things in our hearts and make use of them in our daily lives.

Faith, hope, love, charity . . . it's all there.

And I'm thinking what a much nicer/safer/cleaner world we would have if everyone (including the poor) just listened to God . . . and paid heed to his instructions for a good/meaningful/productive life . . . instead of indulging their every impulse and shirking even their most basic responsibilities as human beings and citizens.

Having given it quite a bit of thought, I'm also thinking that governments are for governing . . . and taking care of the really big picture . . . not being everyone's sugar-Daddy when our inalienable (dare I say God-given?) right to pursue happiness does not make us happy.

What I'm saying is (in a very big picture way), how's about we NOT change the rules? How's about we actually play by the ones we've had for centuries . . . rules literally carved in stone?

And how's about we CAN some of the over-paid/over-rated community "leaders" who spat on the rules for their own gain/selfish ends (instead of giving them more print-love in the newspaper)?

So, with regards to the use of Leviticus in the context of Bob Morrison's healthcare forum, let me share with you an e-mail exchange between a good friend-formerly-of-Asheboro-born-with-a-really-good-old-Asheboro-name and myself the day after the forum and the "reporting" of it:

Mary . . . seriously . . . after reading today's Housecalls . . . does Asheboro even have a newspaper? Really, I mean they ran an article that said absolutely nothing new, or relevant, or that hasn't already been trotted out a dozen times across the country in various other venues.

How do they stay in business? I'm stunned. I can only surmise that used car advertising is their bread and butter.

An (edited/expounded upon) excerpt from my response:

It never ceases to amaze how the government will kick God out of the schools and the Courtrooms, but when you want to justify a fiscally-stupid/thoughtless/irresponsible/fundamentally-unjust social policy, let's pull out the Old Testament.

I'd like to bring this post to a close with an observation from someone else who was there (paraphrasing and removing expletives . . . Why IS it that Randolph County drives so many people to curse and spit?):

Based on the way they've behaved as community leaders - and treated/used good folks, some of the people on that podium probably have never picked up a Bible as anything more than a prop.

Yep. That brings back a memory too . . . from back in the RMA days . . . when Bob & Steve wanted to offer incentives to physicians for going to church (community involvement brings in the bacon, dontchaknow).

And those, ladies & gents, are my thoughts on Leviticus and Luke and Bob Morrison's healthcare forum (or, as I like to call it, "a meeting of Asheboro's ignorant tight-ass club" - with no offense intended to those who attended the event as opposed to sitting on its panel).

I have several stories to tell this week. But I must pace myself.

You-all have a nice day.