Barney Frank Competes with Jesus Christ
This past week two of the most oft-used names among the talking heads of cable news shows were Congressman Barney Frank and Jesus Christ. I’m sure this is the first time Barney and Jesus have been mentioned on the same television show: Barney Frank for fighting back against his constituents who are angry about the prospect of government-run healthcare, and Jesus Christ because suddenly leftists want to use Jesus’ name to justify laws they think are moral obligations.
On Wednesday and Thursday Congressman Frank was featured on every show from Sean Hannity to Rachel Maddow and everyone in between. Of course he was vilified by those on the right and was made a conquering hero by those on the left for finally standing up to those “racist, Nazi, anti-American” people who are so bold as to ask questions about the cost of health-care. Keith Olbermann (when discussing Frank) went so far as to say on his “Worst Person in the World” segment Wednesday night, that if you compare Obama to socialist regimes of the past, then that makes you a supporter of Nazism and Hitler – oh yeah, and an anti-Semite. I’m not sure how to follow that logic.
Jesus was also all the talk on Ed Schultz, Bill O’Reilly, and Greta Van Sustern’s shows – among others. Why? Well, Wednesday President Obama did a conference call with 140,000 mostly left-leaning clergy (I was not invited). He reportedly was making a case that health care is a moral right that government must provide. He even jumped on the terminology of Rick Warren (made famous with his 40 Days of Purpose) by calling for “40 Days of Health Reform.†This conference call had many in the cable news media asking: What would Jesus do with health care reform?
Barney Frank and Jesus shared even more than just one-hour news-show time slots this week, though. They shared competing views on the role of government. When Congressman Frank was told at his town hall meeting that the government was bankrupting the country and will finish the job with health care reform, he had an interesting response. He claimed that we would have no financial problems in the world if we wouldn’t have sent our military into Iraq in 2003. His suggestion (and what I believe most on the left would agree with) is that if we would stop spending government money on defending our country with this war on terror, we could buy everyone their own doctor. He is basically arguing that government should stop focusing on defending us from frightening enemies and instead start dishing out free enemas.
Now what would Jesus say? Well, as a Christian I believe that all of Scripture is the word of God. God reveals Himself through Scripture. Jesus didn’t talk a lot about government, but there are a few key passages elsewhere in the New Testament about government. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 tells us that what we should want from “kings and all those in authority†is security “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives.â€Â Romans 13:1-7 says the reason we pay taxes and respect authority is because the job of government is to “bear the sword†and protect us from wrongdoers. In other words, while Jesus and the New Testament never once mention that the government’s job is to provide health care, the New Testament specifically declares that the job of our government is to protect us from terror.
When it comes down to the role of government, do we really want to start asking: What would Barney do?
I appreciated this article, but would a few things that I have seen left out of the “religious” debate over healthcare and Obama’s use of Scripture.
1) Obama routinaly quotes (both in the campagin and now in the phone call with the pastors) “I am my brothers keeper.” This is a misquote and out of context of scripture. Gen 4:9 states “Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (ESV). Note this is to Cain after he murdered Abel. So does Obama’s misquote really make since and is something he should scripturally base his argument on?
2) This point deals with all things of entitlement. Let’s look at 2 Thessalonians 3:10-11 “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.” This should tell us we do not give things to people simply because they are breathing, but because they are laboring/toiling for it. I will state, some can labor from “can to can’t” and still need assistance. To this I say “WHERE IS THE CHURCH?!” not the government.
3) To dovetail off of point 2, lets look at James 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Who is this written to, or shall I say applicable to? Christians not the governement. Or to state it differently – is our religion in God or in government? We as the body of Christ should be doing this, not the governement. So my question again is “WHERE IS THE CHURCH?!”
Part of our problem in this Nation is the Church, the Body of Christ has abdicated her responsiblities to the government and sold her soul to secularism rather that to Christ and Christ alone. I say this in general, not to individual people or churches.
Obama has it backwards. Anyone who supports extorting or stealing money from people to finance health care is neither a Christian nor a Jew. They may claim to be, but they are not.
What I hear mostly from your Left in USA is demanding and demeaning statements that citizens must continue to give ever more money (taxes?) “for the children” and “the elderly” and all things that sound good on their face. But what is more inefficient than a government agency disbursing funds? I heard that one of your government agencies required $1.16 to distribute $1.00 to qualified persons. And yet if your people do not willingly pay these taxes they are villified and smeared by their representatives on TV. Amazing!
As for Mr. B. Frank (I don’t think he speaks English that I learned), there is something evil about a man who can bring down financial ruin on your country and still retain his power. Why are you not prosecuting him? I don’t understand you Americans. I don’t know a lot about him, but his communications are convoluted and he “double talks” constantly. How does he get back into power at each election?
Want some insight into Barney Frank google Craig Spence and Henry Vinson