What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

[Anotherday]

I'll say it anyway. I live in the US. I live in a Christian country, so I'm told. I also live in a country that went and invaded an innocent country after 911 under the guise of weapons of mass destruction. See, I am going to have a very different spin on this and yet it's still what I believe.

I live in a country where half of the population doesn't want to see its fellow countrymen be cared for on the most fundamental level - health care. We fight over this. It's sad.

I don't know what it's going to take. America is a great nation. We've achieved so much. Yet we are still so backwards. And selfish. And small. And I'm sad.

Do I believe God can fix this? Well, I'm not given to prayer but I prayed that health reform would pass and it did - not just for me. I think about the small children blown up overseas in the name of liberty and I just don't know. But this isn't a political forum. But this is the place to say in what we believe. And if I believe that my spirituality and goodness have to be intertwined with caring about my fellow person living on this planet, and caring about him or her, then I guess I have to post this as I evolve.

[Boss.man]

What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

Good for you!

Frankly, health care reform is supported by 96% of Americans. It's just that the news media and corporate sponsors have been suppressing that by polling on loaded questions like "Do you believe in Obamacare". When actually polled on the true issues; like having insurance companies drop people for being sick, or pre-existing conditions, the nation has a coherent will, and coherent voice, and this voice was heard. Americans are not backward and selfish as much as our media and corporations are pushing an agenda which is hard to see the truth. Christ turned the tables in the temple, and stood up to the culture of his time. He stood up for equal rights, fairness and most importantly, kindness. People who claim political favor in his name, but without his wisdom, and who act unkindly to others, aren't being true to the word.

I BELIEVE: Goodness by itself is still intrinsic to our community and our country. Kindness and fairness to all will continue to guide our culture. Your only goal, and my goal, is to be true to ourselves, honest and fair. We are to be judged by ourselves today, and ultimately by our creator. All detractors can take a hike because all the lies in the world won't change the ultimate path of our country, or the collective will of honest taxpaying citizens. The events of 2010 show that to be true.

[Sunbeam]

What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

I was shocked by the violence that has occurred due to the passage of health care for all. A brick was thrown through the window of Louise Slaughter, one of the legislators that worked hard for this. Other legislators have received phone calls, threatening the lives of family members. I just can't understand this, and have difficulty interpreting this message. I know this could be expensive if the whole system isn't improved, but how is the violence going to help?

[Montana Mommy]

What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

I get really confused so I just try to follow 2 rules. One is to love God with all my heart mind and soul...and to love my neighbors (everyone I come in contact with) as myself. Beyond that is out of my control.

[fennel]

What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

I believe in healthcare reform, too. This latest bill wasn't nearly radical enough for me, as it had no public option or single payer option. As for blowing up innocent people overseas, I think that our occupation of Iraq is wrong. However, I'm mindful that there are religious extremists who carried out an extremely violent attack on our soil (911), and who want nothing more than for all Americans to perish. A violent attack was nearly carried out last week in NYC. How do the two issues meet for you (curious, not judging)?

[KateH1]

What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

Another Day.....I agree with you!
I do not agree with the Christian Right who claim that this is a country founded on Christianity.....we were actually founded on Religious Freedom, Freedom from any form of religious rule!

It is sad that the Healthcare Bill was slashed so much. Healthcare is a basic right to all humans, especially those that are working, so many such people simply cannot afford food, shelter and healthcare. We need to take national healthcare much farther than this bill!

[Determinator]

What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

sadly this healthcare reform has very little to do with actual healthcare and everything to do with control. If they really cared about the bill they wouldn't have allowed it to pass in it's mitigated form, but it doesn't matter as it's simply a foot in the door and that's good enough. Our morally decrepit "elite" inside the DC beltway strive for only one real agenda: their own expansion. We are suckers for continuing to beat each other down and do their dirty work by digging into our myopic "right vs left" trench warfare. Before Obama, Bush was the most effectively socialist leader in this nations history. My republican friends get mad when I bring that up, and so do my democratic friends. strike anyone as ironic? It is time we transcend this insanity entirely.

[JimBeam911]

What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

KateH1;850589 wrote: Another Day.....I agree with you!
I do not agree with the Christian Right who claim that this is a country founded on Christianity.....we were actually founded on Religious Freedom, Freedom from any form of religious rule!

Not only that, but there is ample evidence in personal accounts/biographical details of America's founding fathers that several were without any religious beliefs. Some of them may have claimed a vague deism due to the times, but this was likely just lip-service to appeal to a wide audience.

Not being an American myself, I can attest that the influence of the Christian Right in such an advanced, highly-industrialized country is baffling to many of us, especially since they do not comprise the majority of the US population. In Canada, we of course have our fair share of religious fundamentalists, and many of them are well-organized, but come election time they get kicked to the curb. In fact, one of the principal reasons why the current Canadian government can't win a majority of parliamentary seats is due to the latent religiosity of their political party. It seems that no matter how deep disagreement runs in political matters, Canadians can at least agree that Christian fundamentalism has no business governing a nation.

[SoFlo1]

What I believe...is it safe to say this here?

Anotherday;826908 wrote: And if I believe that my spirituality and goodness have to be intertwined with caring about my fellow person living on this planet, and caring about him or her, then I guess I have to post this as I evolve.

I know a Jewish carpenter friend that would agree completely - he is all about RADICAL social justice. There are some that still carry on those beliefs, but they are often drowned out by the shrill screams of "justified" hatred, unwarranted fear and just plain indifference.

Going in to the Memorial weekend here, if you you want a fresh look at America through an outsiders view - and a reformed alcoholic at that - I HIGHLY suggest Craig Ferguson's biography. He see both the good and the bad in our little experiment and but ultimately saw enough of the good to become a citizen.

Things are bad, yes, but they've almost always been so if you look back at the bumpy road that got us here. The difference is that I truly believe we have more opportunities here to help set things right than almost anywhere else. I just read that charitable giving has almost completely rebounded since the economic downturn - that's a lot of people putting their faith in a better tomorrow even if they don't have the jobs to back it up today.