Is it as simple as sharing?
M. Ramsdell
September 2009
Those who have much are often greedy, those who have little always share. Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)
I recently was called naïve by a friend who opinion I genuinely value, the worst part is I suspect he is actually correct. I prefer to use the term idealist but this is just splitting hairs. What prompted the exchange and what has got me thinking, is if the world would be a better place if we truly practiced the ideals we were taught as children. Is this even really possible in today’s world? For the purposes of this discussion
I will focus on one of the simplest of values.
I will attempt to make a larger point on the ideal of sharing.
Can we “Jesus Up” the healthcare debate just a little bit?
This is meant with all due respect to both sides of the argument and with sincere respect to those in the healthcare industry desperately striving to help serve the greater good …
Politics is like sausage — it is best not to see it being made. ~ Otto von Bismarck 1869
I don’t know that I often agree with Bismarck, but it is usually really terrible watching American politics, even when it’s at its least contentious; the American political system usually either gives me a rash or leaves me needing a hug. Lately as a nation we are taking it to all new levels of insanity. The tone of American politics has devolved to a new low as terribly angry outbursts erupt in town halls across America not just over the usual budget battles or defense spending or even on whether to have a moment of silence for Michael Jackson. Now it’s gotten serious because we are going to decide how best to care for our sick our injured and diseased.
No better time for intolerance and hatred, and maybe just maybe even some good old American violence. It hasn’t been this exciting since the old civil rights days.
Nothing screams let’s take a gun to a town hall meeting more than a discussion on how to care for our nation’s sick people. Am I right?
No, this is not right — yet somehow it seems this is exactly where we find ourselves as a nation.
I suspect the current arguments are being driven more by the fears, needs, and greed of humans than by the hand of the holy sprit. At the risk of being insensitive towards other religions that I have a tremendous amount of respect for, I am going to focus on the Christians in the audience some of whom seem to be the most upset on how the government might address this issue. At the risk of being cliché I wonder what would Jesus do, or at least I wonder what would Jesus think?