Today I read this story, “Two Reasons Why Obama Thinks Religious Freedom does not Apply to Business” from Catholic Online. Here’s the link to the story:
http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=49151
I remember the time when almost all employers provided “free”/no extra cost health care coverage to employees. It was a “given.” Then something changed.
Health care costs began to sky-rocket and some employers began to charge fees to employees for health care coverage. Discussion and debate about why health care costs sky rocketed and why employers became the “middle men” for providing health care would really be informative in helping us to shape health care insurance and the provision of health care in the U.S. Unfortunately, the process became partisan politics and the experts/policy wonks in D.C. hijacked the entire process. We seem to have short memories in this country.
Please don’t think that I am reminiscing about the “good ole days” and how things used to be and should be now. No, that’s not my point. Instead, when I read about a company like Hobby Lobby who pays for their employees’ health care and decides that they want to customize their health care plan the way they see fit, I see clearly the ways that government being in charge of health care and many other life decision-making options in our lives leads us down a dangerous path.
I equate this to the “no tolerance” policies of many Boards of Education in cities and counties across this country that have children expelled for having any type of medication in their possession or for bringing a toy gun to school or any other “no tolerance” decision that leaves out discernment and wisdom in decision-making. When we decide to allow government, policy experts/wonks, and politicians who are not statesmen and stateswomen to make decisions based on “no tolerance” and strict legislation, we are going down a dangerous pathway. Gun control laws and lack thereof fall into this category as far as I’m concerned.
My Christian faith reminds me that Christ gives us freedom. That freedom is not cheap, and it requires critical thinking , discernment and wisdom.
I long for the day when we could have the freedom that bears on the really difficult discussions that need to take place that could bring light and solution to the problems behind sky rocketing health care, people who use guns to murder, and using the resources we have in ways that solve problems instead of adding to and creating more problems. I have not yet seen any solutions from D.C. and our political leaders that I resemble this kind of decision-making.
Freedom is costly. Most of us refuse to pay the price of freedom. We want someone else to be responsible for solving our problems. May God help us to be truly free.
Susan Says 