40 Days for Health Reform
Today faith leaders from across America kicked off "40 Days for Health Reform" - a massive effort to ensure that Congress passes reform legislation that extends quality, affordable health care to every American family. The campaign involves a variety of actions and a broad range of participants. President Obama has accepted the faith community's invitation to participate in a nationwide call in and audio webcast on health care reform with faith leaders from across America on August 19. This is an especially energizing development for religious advocates who've been working hard for health care reform, and between now and then people of faith are mounting numerous efforts on the airwaves and across the country.
Starting today, a new national television ad featuring local evangelical, Catholic, and mainline pastors and people of faith -- real folks testifying to the urgent need to repair our broken system -- will begin airing on cable tv. View it here:
Starting tomorrow, in-district prayer rallies and events reaching 100 Members of Congress will take place across the nation. These events are a critical component of the faith-based health care reform movement. Members of Congress are under intense pressure from anti-reform special interests who are funding and organizing hostile mobs in an effort to bluff and intimidate them into opposing reform. Members need to know that their constituents consider quality, affordable health care for all a moral issue and an urgent political priority, and these events drive the point home. Complementing these efforts, there will be a nationwide Sermon Weekend later this month, in which clergy of diverse faiths will carry the faith-inspired message for healthcare reform to thousands of congregations.
Such an exciting day for people of faith who support reform! Plenty more to come.
Comments
Excellent effort! Don't let the right-wing hijack the debate. Remember 9-11: the PEOPLE on flight 93 were the real heroes that day! They communicated, discussed, and acted! Let's Roll!
Profits vs. People is the issue! Do we serve the corporations, or do they serve us, the PEOPLE, endowed BY THEIR CREATOR with inalienable rights: life, liberty, pursuit of happiness. No act of Congress or Supreme Court decision can grant a corporation a right to life, or take away its body--its health!
Posted by: Leslie Scales | August 12, 2009 1:11 PM
I am so glad to see people of faith making organized, positive efforts to effect change.
Posted by: Marta | August 12, 2009 3:33 PM
Such a movement, including the "40 days" reference, might be uncomfortable for those Christians who have become more political than religious. This seems to be a common practice: fit my religion into my political views.
Using the "40 days" reference shines light on the question of What would Jesus say about health care for all? Only for those who work for the government or large corporations and/or are retired? Surely, the gospel teaches us that that would not be true.
Accessibility, affordability and accountability is what the debate is all about, the accountability including the accountability for Christians to walk the talk.
Posted by: George Fulmore | August 15, 2009 5:23 PM
