Bethesda Presbyterian Church

Personal — Passionate — Progressive

Our Faith and Universal Health Care

Photo BPC Legislative Aide: "Are We Going to Let John Die?" -- Our Faith & Universal Health Care

Mina Addo, BPC deacon and lead legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator for health and education policy, shared a Moment for Mission with us during December 6 Worship. She framed the importance of universal health care in a Christian faith perspective. Her words below.


“Are We Going to Let John Die?”
Moment for Mission – Health Care
December 6, 2009

Before I get started I want to offer some context.  I work as a Legislative Assistant for a Senator, and I cover health and education issues.  
I would like to spend a few minutes talking about healthcare.

Some of you may have seen the opinion piece that ran in the New York Times last weekend entitled, “Are We Going to Let John Die?” 

The article tells the story of John Brodniak, a mill worker from Oregon.  

At age 23 John began experiencing mysterious symptoms.  One day he was walking in his backyard and he blacked out.  A series of tests revealed an abnormal growth of blood vessels that are leaking blood into his brain.

As a result of this condition, John has trouble walking and sometimes collapses.  He has developed spasms and memory problems.  

But the symptom that affects John the most is the pain.  According to the article, John suffers blinding, incapacitating headaches that have left him able to sleep only in short intervals.  He vomits each day when the pain surges.

He is unable to work.  His wife has left her job to care for him.  Though neighbors and friends have chipped in to help pay their rent, the bills are piling up.

Doctors have the ability to treat John’s condition.  He is told he needs surgery, but the main obstacle to John’s ability to receive treatment is his lack of health insurance.

Sadly, John’s situation is not unique.  People across this country and all over the world suffer – not because they are affected by an unknown illness that cannot be cured.  They suffer because they cannot afford health care.

Is health care a basic right?  I don’t know the answer to that question.

Should people needlessly suffer and even die because they do not have the means to pay for care?  My belief is no.

This country was founded on the principle of the separation of church and state, but faith has often played a role in public discourse.

Faith leaders including Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Reverend Carl Pritchett* were leaders in the fight for equal rights and justice.

Somewhere along the way, faith has become a “bad word” and as a result, people shy away from talking about their faith in public.

As I prepared to speak today I spent a lot of time thinking about the role of faith in public policy.  I believe there are a number of different ways Christians can play a role in public debate.

I believe our faith can help shape the tone of public discussion.

Somewhere along the way, civil discourse has been lost.  Various ads TV and radio ads are designed to incite people based on things that are not true.

For example, coverage of town hall meetings this summer featured angry people, shouting about death panels and euthanasia of seniors.  This distortion was a result of a proposal to encourage people to have a conversation with their physician about end of life care – something social workers and have been doing for years.

As Christians, I believe we should question those who make false claims.  We should demand of our public officials and those in the media that they base their arguments on the truth.

It seems debate is no longer about having an opinion or belief that is different from someone else’s.  Now it seems the goal is to discredit people who have opposing views.

Is it wrong to disagree with someone else’s point of view? I don’t believe so.  But I think it is wrong to paint someone with whom we disagree as a bad person, or someone with sinister motives.

As Christians, we should not tolerate these mean-spirited attacks.  We should also respect views that differ from our own.

Christians can play another important role in public policy – and this one is specific to the health care debate.  I believe Christians can make the moral case for health reform.  

Members of Congress are enmeshed in the details of legislation.  They are focused on how to craft a bill that will get a certain number of votes or not alienate certain groups.

By making the moral case for reform, I believe this task becomes simpler.

The question would not be whether or not we provide for those who don’t have access to health care. 

Our focus would instead be finding the best way to do so.

The New York Times piece I referenced earlier ends with the following sentence: “If a Senator strolled by indifferently as John retched [vomited] in pain, would we think that person pitiless?”

I believe we would.

As Christians we are called to be stewards of each other and to help those in need.

Whether it is John, the man described in the New York Times piece, the person we sit next to on the Metro, or a member of our own family.

I believe we should be fighting to see that everyone has access to care.

Members of Congress are entrusted with making good decisions and working towards the greater good.  We are responsible for helping them make decisions.

Members of Congress need to hear from us as their constituents.  But they should also hear from us as Christians.

We all have an opportunity to be part of this health care debate.  I encourage all Christians to speak out for the things they believe in.
Mina Addo

*The Rev. Dr. Carl Pritchett, an activist in the civil rights movement, served as Pastor of Bethesda Presbyterian Church from 1956 to 1975.

Last updated by Bethesda Presbyterian Feb 6, 2010.

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