Wise Words, Debate, and Music

I received an email yesterday with some constructive thoughts on the Health Care debate:

"I was fascinated by this analysis of the logic - or illogic* - of the health-care "debate". It reminded me so much of the research that underlies the Marriage Enrichment Weekend put on each year. "12 Hours to a Great Marriage" comes out of the PREP research by the team at the University of Denver.

In essence, what they found was that as long as our marriage arguments remain at the "heat" but no "light" stage, we destroy our oneness, piece by piece. It is only when we stop to hear each other; stop to listen intently; stop to learn the stories and convictions that underlie the intensity that we exhibit - only then - when we truly feel heard and understood do we have the sense of safety to seek a satisfactory solution.

When it comes to the health-care debate, obviously that is not going to happen for everyone, and the openness and honesty needed to make this happen will remain buried under the emotions.

However, the final paragraph in the article is right in line with the PREP research:

"I think strategically it's important that the Obama administration and advocates of a health care plan really pay attention to how people feel and the symbolism they are seeing, and not just the nuts and bolts of the policy," Perrin said. "People don't reason with pure facts and logic alone."

Now if we can just do that on a personal level when people speak about their fears - FEARS - about the OBAMA health-care proposal!"

Then, on my way to drop my boys at school this morning I heard this song, Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath.** It just seemed to fit the topic and mood that were on my mind:




*This article does give an example using a study of Republican's emotional response, but it does say that all of us, including Democrats, do the same thing. So, I hope I don't seem too biased.

**This link is for the official video, but I like the images in the fan made video better!

Words from Ted Kennedy

You will be missed!

Prayer and Fasting

I wonder if the Robo Call I received on Friday was influenced by Wednesday's " star-studded “teletownhall” meeting to discuss health-care reform" that 350,000 people apparently listened in to. During this phone conference:

Michelle Bachmann repeated the myth, adopted early by Sarah Palin, that the health-care plans being debated in Congress would set up “death panels” to determine which old folks are entitled to health care. “Thank God that Sarah Palin said that,” she told the callers. “These are true.”

In response to a caller from Minnesota who wanted to know if there was a plan afoot in Washington to require all medical doctors to perform abortions, Bachmann didn’t exactly shoot the suggestion down.

“Unless we explicitly restrict these items, I think we can fully expect that these radical pro-abortion individuals could very likely make those decisions,” she told the caller. “All of us who have labored tirelessly in the pro-life cause for years and years and years, we know what these people are capable of. That’s why they have to be tied down by restrictions explicitly in law.”

....“That’s really where this battle will be won — on our knees in prayer and fasting,” she told the listeners. “Remember: faith without works is dead. So we’re asking you to do all of it: pray, fast, believe, trust the Lord, but also act.”

I really liked the comment after the article by:

Mill
Comment posted August 24, 2009 @ 7:32 pm

Praying so some Americans won’t get any health care insurance?

Does Mrs. Bachmann’s God accept such petitions?

It reminded me of a passage from Isiah:

¹⁵ When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even if you offer many prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood;

¹⁶ wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong,

¹⁷ learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.