It's Not "Just" Socialized Medicine

I know you've been waiting for me to say something now that the bill has passed, since I was so vocal about it before it passed. Not to dissappoint, I've just been... well... kind of flabberghasted really that this actually happened in MY lifetime. Depressed, dissappointed, scared, and then finally determined and trusting in God. I've come full ciurcle through a whole range of thoughts and emotions and I didn't want to post until I knew I had something to say that would actually make sense.
Lately among the small part of the population who was in favor of the bill, and among those from countries that already have socialized medicine, I've been noticing a theme. First of all they keep referring to it as "free" healthcare, and second of all they wonder what is so wrong with socialized medicine in the first place that has most of the US all riled up? Well here's my thoughts on that very thing...
It’s not JUST “socialized medicine” it’s so much worse than just a government that can’t handle their finances or their programs as they are taking on a HUGE private sector and thinking they are going to do a better job with it. And forcing individuals to purchase a product that they will later be fined for not purchasing if they cannot afford! Yes, it's is not "free" after all. Instead of giving healthcare to those who cannot afford it like some think, this bill simply forces everyone to obtain health insurance, and if you don't? They take it out of your tax return. So it's not free at all, and you WILL pay for every penny of it. For several years before you can even start to use it.
What’s worse than that is all the things that are in the bill that open doors for the government to gain future control of other things. Think about it. If they control who gets what treatment when and how much of it, then they will also control what types of treatments are even available. Perhaps they will decide that it's no longer your choice to vaccinate/circumcise or not, but that if you don't do what they "reccommend" then you are "abusing" or "neglecting" your child. Here comes CPS to take your kids because you obviously can't be trusted to do what Uncle Sam deems best for them. And what about Naturopathic Doctors? Midwives? Will home births become illegal? Will even Midwives themselves become illegal? Remember how much paperwork you had to fill out last time you went to the doctor or began prenatal care? It will look like nothing compared to the amount of nosey detailed information Uncle Sam is going to want from you every time you darken the door of a medical establishment.
But that is not even the main number one most awful and unbelievable thing about it. This country was founded with freedom and democracy in mind. The government is supposed to be a government OF the people, BY the people, and FOR the people. Well the government has become it’s own entity, an elite society, and it is definately not a government of We The People. It’s become They The Government. And not only that but now they have just drawn a line in passing this bill that declares they are no longer BY the people either. Our system is SUPPOSED to be that our laws reflect the majority will of We The People. Well the MAJORITY was crying out to be heard, peacefully protesting and signing petitions and writing to their representatives and instead of voting what the people they represent told them (begged them, demanded) that they vote, they completely ignored We The People and voted AGAINST the wishes of the people and against the Constitution which our country was founded on and has thrived on for so long. They voted this bill in against the people. They voted an illegal law into place illegally – and yet because they are now their own entity that doesn't care what we want, and they are so big and powerful, it’s going to take alot of peaceful and well-thought legal maneuvering for We The People to get our country back from the tyrants who have just stolen control with the illegal passing of this healthcare bill. As Glen Beck said, we can’t let them make us out to be the radicals. We can’t get mad or get even, we must get on our knees and get right with God! God’s favor once rested on this country and it can again if the hearts of We The People turn toward Him! Because God is bigger than They The Government.

Please excuse the typos... it's midnight and I haven't gotten much sleep lately with Z-Buggie teething and being pregnant and having insomnia issues to begin with! So my typing skills are definately suffering for it. ;)

Religion and Legalism

Legalism is a bit more complex than some people think I believe. What might seem legalistic to some might not be, or vice versa. Some might see me as a legalist because I now wear a headcovering, when that's just not so. It's something I struggled against and ignored and excused and took lightly at various stages of my life. Now for the Amish (most of them) I believe it is legalistic because they do it because that's the rules and they have their rules about what types of headgear are deemed headcoverings and what types are not deemed to be headcoverings... for instance the Bible says that a man should never pray with his head covered and a woman should always cover her head when praying- The Amish interpret that to mean that the woman must ALWAYS cover her head in readiness for prayer but there is a double standard. Amish men wear hats which the Amish have decided are not "headcoverings" by their customs! So for women the passage is taken literally and constantly but for men it is taken neither literally nor constantly -they made up new rules to suit themselves. Amish woment don't wear a headcovering or not wear it out of a heartfelt leading from The Lord, they wear it because those are the rules. That is legalistic. Again, I don't think that all of them are this way, just that alot, likely most, are because this is how they are raised. I'm sure some do what is right for God rather than because of the Ordnung. God bless them for it! It's very hard to find a right attitude about something you have been raised to do religiously or legalistically because you have some internal sense of pride in the fact that you always do it right. God looks at your motives though and if your motive is pride and/or habit- not good. (I wonder is it better to do the right thing for the wrong reason like the Amish or the wrong thing for the right reason... I don't know.) I wear a headcovering now because after all that running around it and toying with it for so long (putting my hands over my ears and making excuses as to why it didn't apply to me or to my time period or culture or...), I finally got into a deeper relationship with God and then it CLICKED that it wasn't about the rules (following all the rules just because they are the rules is called RELIGION and religion is legalism! I don't want Religion, I want a Relationship!), it was about something I do for my creator to say, "I love you and I respect you!" Just like you don't have to get hubby's opinion before you go places or buy things, but you do it because you want him to know that you respect and love him. If he were to force you to do that or you do it out of fear then that's like legalism, but when you do it from your heart it is not legalism, it's something truly beautiful - a sweet relationship!

In the Old Testament, they attained salvation by legalism. They followed the rules and made a sacrifice (another rule) to attone for any rule-breaking. In the New Testament, we were freed from legalism by the ultimate sacrifice of Love. The parallel in our personal lives; our relationship with HIM replaces legalism with Love. We're still following the same rules, but a right motive conveys love, a wrong one conveys pride. As a parent, which means more to you: when your kids do what you tell them just because it's the rules, or when you see that they are doing what is right because they love you?

PART 1: Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged
> PART 2: Religion and Legalism
PART 3: God Bless The Pioneers of New Ideas
PART 4: Incorrectly Politically Correct
PART 5: Feel-Good Theology
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