Okay, I'm Seeing the Light

... to a degree.

My pastor, Adam Hamilton, was asked to appear on Lou Dobbs' show to talk about health care. Adam has taught and written extensively on finding common ground in using civil discourse - emphasis on civil; look it up if you need to (and we all need to at times) - to address issues that face our world. His book on the topic is called, "Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White."

And, he tends to fall on what would be considered the liberal side - or at least the compassionate side - of most social issues. As an example, while he opposes abortion, he understands the plight of women facing the decision, having counseled many, and he treats the topic - and them - with compassion.

Anyway, this isn't really about him or his positions. After the CNN appearance, he was asked to follow up on three radio programs and another TV program. He appeared on Dobbs as the "proponent" in the typical "proponent-opponent" format, in spite of the fact that he is not in favor of the current plan as proposed. His agenda is merely to get people to discuss health care, in a civil manner, as he believes it is a moral issue.

And it is. While the people who say, "God wants health care reform" are speaking for God, and thus delusional at best, for those of us who believe in Him, it's a safe bet that God CARES about the issue, at the least. Jesus was, after all, a healer, among other things.

And that is Adam's entire point: health care is a moral issue. Here in Kansas City, all but one hospital that was started before 1950 was started by a church, and that was common in the US prior to the modern era.

So what's my point? Simple. After Adam appeared on Dobbs' show, stating his case that health care is a moral issue, and that we should address it as a people in a civil manner - even after stating that he wasn't in favor of the current bill as proposed - the e-mails started coming in.

From his own congregation.

Some thanked him for stating what they themselves believed. Some asked incredulously what he was thinking, even weighing in on such a divisive issue. (Like God wants us to not speak out on the divisive issues.)

And some said, "You can't be my pastor anymore - I'm leaving the church."

What??? Why?? Adam would never tell someone in the church with whom he disagreed, "I'm sorry, but you can't be my parishioner anymore - you have to leave the church."

And it occurred to me that maybe the people who've been saying that the people showing up at these town hall meetings, shouting down the Congresspersons there, are a bunch of loonies who just don't want to think and want the issue to go away, but don't even know why, may be right.

I didn't think it could be so, because I myself am opposed to government-run health care, and I don't consider myself a loony, and I'd never shout anyone down in a discussion on the matter, and I do know why I'm against it.

First, let me say I haven't read the bill. I know two people who claim to have. And in my opinion, they and only they have the right to carp about the actual bill, or to debate its merits. The rest of us are mere lemmings who have an opinion about something we haven't even seen. Shame on us for even giving it voice.

No, my beef is not with the bill, but with the concept. See, I don't believe that government can effectively and efficiently run anything - a railroad, a military, a retirement kitty ... a government. And yeah, the private sector's flawed. It's just not nearly AS flawed, and I have about $1.6 trillion reasons to believe that. So I really don't want them touching my health care.

And as I've stated before, I'm sick of them spending money we don't have, on bills they haven't read, because there's a mid-term election looming and the two-party system wants to maintain its power base. The Democrats and Republicans are in cahoots in that little venture.

I think it's telling that one Representative wrote an amendment stating that if there's to be a public option, all senators and representatives would be required to be covered under it. And all but two Democrats voted against the amendment. (I am not being partisan in picking on the Dems; it is they who clamored for a public option is all.) So if the very people calling for a public option want no part of it, why should I?

Anyway, back to Adam, civil discourse, and the town hall meetings. Okay, just because I'm a registered Republican, and labeled a conservative by some people who've never even met me and have no clue what I believe - in part because they're too busy stereotyping me for not being exactly like them to read what I actually have to say about what I believe - doesn't mean I'd be one of the people in the town hall meetings shouting people down.

So I stereotype, too. I assume that the people there are like me. Well, apparently, from Adam's experience, not all of them are. Apparently, the vocal minority are intolerant, partisan and loony. And that's unfortunate. That means both sides are uninformed and partisan, for the most part.

Adam has convened a number of local medical and insurance experts - big names in the local scene - to hold a civil (we hope) discussion at our church Tuesday night. I'm hoping he can pull it off; I fear it will get ugly. Info is here, including a link to a live webstream: http://www.cor.org/seasonal-special/health-care-forum/.

This is your opportunity to witness a discussion on this topic first-hand, not the bits and clips the media want you to see. As I said, I hope it remains civil.