an open letter to a Christian Radio Station re:healthcare

***this post is a letter to the producers of WBFJ (a local Christian station) written by our dear friend and community member Katie. Katie describes what she heard on the radio as

"a discussion on the healthcare bill. They had a Republican representative claiming that the biggest downfall of the bill was that it was costing those with private health insurance more money while providing freeloaders with insurance at little or no cost. The representative also said that these are people who do not want to work and will "buy" insurance only when they need it and never actually pay for it."

I for one am very proud of Katie. Around our community we are certainly engaged in politics, but Katie has written a really important reflection on how removed from the legislation Christians are because we are far more interested in the actual people of society, both rich and poor, affected by anything our government, economy, or society does or experiences. Please read and absorb this letter, remembering that all Americans are entitled to a political stance, but all Christians are enlisted to see the child of God in each person.
***


3.23.2010

Hello,

I am a new college graduate from Wake Forest University and occasionally listen to your station, as I did on my way to work this morning. I was somewhat disappointed and slightly angered by the one-sided presentation and discussion of the newly-passed healthcare bill this morning. Each person is entitled to his or her own opinion, but I must say that the shear obviousness that the station was taking a fiscally conservative stance on this news was a let down.

To be clear I have no issue with an individual holding a political view that is different from me, but I do not think that a station which claims to represent Christ to a community should be so evidently aligned with a political party as was apparent this morning; it should be aligned with Christ. While there are valid reasons to oppose the healthcare bill- the self-centered and individualistic reasons given this morning are not in line with Jesus' teachings.

That being said, Christ was always a representative of the oppressed, the outcasts, and those who saw themselves as undeserving of His grace. Unfortunately the blatant implications made by the political representative this morning cast the very people that Jesus chose to spend time with as "unwilling to work" and as freeloaders on a system. This was the biggest upset for me. The United States is currently in an economic depression with the unemployment rate being higher than ever. Still, Americanism tells us that our value is to be found in our economic contribution and our ability to support ourselves and to work a consistent job. How sad! This is not the gospel message. Jesus taught us the opposite of the American standard- to give away our riches, to be unjudging, to value ourselves by the way God values us.

I would love to take this opportunity to invite anyone from your station and especially the political representative (I am sorry I couldn't recall her name) to join me and my friends who spend time with the impoverished and homeless of Winston-Salem- fellow brothers and sisters in Christ- every Saturday. These are people who would love to have jobs, pay for their own health insurance, and put food in front of their families every day. These are the prayer requests we receive every week. See the faces of those who acknowledge that they do not live up to the American standard, but are struggling to accept God's grace anyway. Let us not become so obsessed with our freedom as Americans that we fail to see God's desire for freedom for every person in the world. When we cease to be concerned with what we deserve and start to look for God's work for us we can begin healing the problems in our country.

Thank you for reading and considering these words. If you would like to join us any Saturday we would love to have you! You can contact me by phone or email.

Prayers and peace,
Katie Luedecke
luedecke.katie@gmail.com
peacemakerrevolution.org

Psalm 82: 2- 4 How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the causes of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.