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Ex-pastor And Punk-rocker Challenges The President’s Position On Healthcare Reform As A Moral Imperative

Jason T. Berggren, author of 10 Things I Hate About Christianity:Working Through the Frustrations of Faith, challenged President Obama’semphasis on morality in a recent conversation on healthcare reform withover 1,000 religious leaders

Atlanta, GA (Vocus/PRWEB) September 9, 2009 — Is healthcare reform a moral imperative? That’sthe stand President Obama has taken over the last few weeks in pushinghis plan for change. It is a question Jason T. Berggren, the outspokenauthor of the controversial book 10 Things I Hate About Christianity: Working Through the Frustrations of Faith,has been contemplating ever since the President’s recent conversationwith over 1,000 religious leaders. Berggren has his reservations overthe President’s words as he explains in a recent statement on hiswebsite entitled “How Dare the President!” 

“With all due respect, I am outraged,” Berggren delivers in response toObama’s tactics in promoting his healthcare legislation to the faithcommunity. The President further explained that expanding healthcarefulfills a “core moral and ethical obligation that we look out for oneanother …that I am my brother’s keeper, my sister’s keeper,” and “Weare partners with God in matters of life and death.” Al Gore and formerPresident Bill Clinton also came out with similar sentiments.

Berggren refers to this as invoking “the popular Jesus” in chapter 8 of his book: 
“We all know the popular Jesus–the one who said so many generous,patient, tolerant, and graceful things. Everyone loves the popularJesus. Everyone likes to quote him in speeches to support personalcauses. At Easter and Christmas, the popular Jesus helps sellmerchandise and fill churches. Many forward-thinking people quote thepopular Jesus to resolve problems. World leaders tackle current eventsrelying on the words of the popular Jesus.”
It is a tactic that Berggren questions and is angered by. Berggren reveals three basic reasons why in his recent statement:

1.   It implies that any lack of support for or hint of questioning of the current plan is immoral.
2.   The media is curiously quiet about the President’s approach. Thesame method from a candidate of the opposite political persuasion wouldbring accusations of attempting to destroy the separation betweenchurch and state.
3.   Most importantly, it is extremely inconsistent considering the President’s position on abortion.

In light of the President’s attempt to take the “moral high ground”while holding such a starkly inconsistent position on abortion,Berggren has become very suspicious of the actual content of thelegislation. Rather than a sincere moral imperative, it appears to bepolitics as usual–engaging the old tools of guilt, fear, andmanipulation to promote a weakening agenda. The author wonders, “Whereare the open C-SPAN debates? Or the informational websites for citizensto raise their concerns on that hold the attentive eye of the WhiteHouse, as promised during the campaign?”

To Berggren, a true moral imperative in the context of healthcarereform should raise the quality of care, increase the access, andreduce the cost. Like many concerned citizens, he has reviewedessential portions of the legislation and doubts it is able to deliveron any of these fundamentals.

Berggren typically focuses on matters of faith on his site. He alsodiscusses current events and real-life issues, since they oftenintersect with his faith and values. He says, “I am frequently fixatedon the idea of whether my worldview is affecting my faith or if myfaith is affecting my worldview.” His desire is to find the balancebetween the two.

To learn more about the author, his book, or his current discussions visit www.10thingsihate.com. 

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