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New Ads Use Book of Isaiah and Local Pastors to Sell Healthcare Reform

June 30, 2009 RSS Feed Print

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By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

A week after a left-leaning faith group enlisted a Franciscan sister to sell the climate bill on the Indiana radio waves, another progressive faith outfit is using the Bible's Book of Isaiah to sell healthcare reform in other red states.

What's novel about the new ad—which will air in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Nebraska, and North Carolina over Congress's Fourth of July break—is not that it uses Christian radio and messaging to push a mostly Democratic cause. In the past few years, that's become standard practice for the Dems.

What's novel is that the ad enlists local pastors in each market where it's airing to make a case for healthcare reform. It's the second such ad to do so for a liberal cause.

Harnessing the power of clergy's local circles of influence is a technique that the Bush campaign pioneered in 2004, to great effect. Now, the Democrats and their allies are following suit, even as the GOP and its friends appear to be doing less of that messaging.

Here's the script of the ad (this one's the North Carolina version) to be released later today:

It's a vision first proclaimed by Isaiah: No more shall there be an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime.

This is Rev. Joe Harvard from Durham, and we've got work to do.

In North Carolina, people are being denied the care they need because of their age or an illness they had years ago. Or getting sick because they can't afford preventive care.

This is not who we are as a nation. America can do better.

The challenge is great, but God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love. And our love must be a thing of action.

This Independence Day, join thousands of people of faith in asking Senators Hagan and Burr to rise to the challenge by supporting reform that makes quality health care choices affordable for all families.

Please add your voice, and learn more at www.coverallfamilies.org. Paid for by Faithful America.

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Tags:: health care reform,; health care,; religion

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Christopher (of Texas) made an interesting comment referring to words of Isaiah.
First of all, where are the verses that he is referring to?
Second, are those verses in the context of today's world or in the context of life after the Second Coming?
Third, what about John (of California) simply asking "Who is going to pay for this?" Isn't that using common sense?
Fourth, while it might seem wonderful if all lived beyond 90 years, isn't it wonderful that we were all born, that we all have a life on earth and that we all have the opportunity to have eternal life through salvation?
Fifth, in line with "fourth", there are many people that have lived over 80 years and have said "Life is meaningless." And there are many people who did not make it to age 30 that lived meaningful lives.
Sixth, we are called upon to provide donations. But, are we to have a federal government that has complete control of how we donate? (We are called upon to worship our Lord and Saviour. While an organization may be skilled at forcing us to act like we are worshiping, can it force us to truly worship? Read I Samuel 16:7.
And seventh (for completeness as we read in Scripture), I am not God and neither are you. We cannot "change" the world miraculously so that every person will receive all of the medical service that he or she requests. That would be talking about heaven in one fashion. I have not been surprised to hear more conservative Christians speak up at Town Hall meetings. I don't care whether the President is black or whie, male or female, rich or poor ... I just want a good President. But to hear our President, who is like many in knowing little about Scripture, claim that anyone who is against the Health Care Reform bill is against the Bible and is against God stirs me.

John T. Ward of MO 3:04AM August 28, 2009

Hey guys, let me point out that a sovereign God is not limited to either natural or supernatural means to heal someone. Read his word, sometimes Jesus walked on water, other times he calmed the storm--even when he walked on water he road in a ship for the last part of the journey. Both his walking and his sailing are miracles when pondered in light of the fact that God in the Flesh was in the boat, in addition to pondering sovereign Creating and Sustaining works of The Holy one of Israel. Luke was a doctor,and Paul told Timothy to,"Stop drinking only water, but take a little wine for your stomach." The court cases that fill this country as the result of your view's "...Zeal without knowledge..," tell of many children dead due to your unbalanced reading. God is the ultimate Sustainer and Healer, he uses both "natural" and "miraculous" means to heal people. He causes medicine to work, as much as he causes someone to be cleansed of cancer after prayer. Sometimes it is that person's time--that is what it means when He says, "I AM the LORD there is no other." God's Word commands use to use Wisdom--so use Wisdom in this matter.
As to the subject at hand...John is correct...I would add that the reason for this evil healthcare system is because of greed...The Greed of the people who should lend a hand, the covetousness (greed) of the poor who want something for free, and the deaf ears and tight pockets of those who fail to realize that these poor are in very real need. the Greed of the companies who would rather get your children and your parents hooked on prescription drugs, insurance companies that promise then make no delivery--they are no better than a street pusher, just in a lab cote with a fancy suit with a fat cat greedy lawyer.
Warning--someone stands to make money from the government healthcare industry that will be created,it just won't be you or me--The very laypeople who champion it will soon be its greatest victims if it comes to pass.

Christopher L. Park of TX 6:43PM July 01, 2009

I heard about the ad promoting "health care reform" on the news, and read the content of the ad on the web. I have a few questions that I am confused on. Who is going to pay for this? If it is the American people, are the funds to be paid with each person's voluntary donation? If it is going to be paid for with taxes, collected under the threat of force or imprisonment, where in the Bible is there justification for the forcible confiscation of one man's property to provide for another man's desires or needs? I know the ten commandments says that "Thou shall not steal". Is it moral if millions of people steal from one man, or a group of men, but immoral if one man steals from his neighbor for his desires or needs? Is it the size of one's mob that grants moral sanction to an activity? Tyrants and dictators have used that justification throughout the ages. I think by misrepresenting Christian values, and the Bible in fact, these people are putting themselves in a very unenviable position with the Creator, I would not wish to be in their shoes.

John of CA 5:48PM July 01, 2009

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