"For the Religious and Evangelical Left, Obamacare is just one more opportunity for coercion and eradication of private initiative." -- Mark Tooley, IRD President
Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 /Christian Newswire/ -- New legislation introduced today in the House of Representatives that creates a new government health insurance system is being met with cheers by the old Religious Left and new Evangelical Left.
Evangelical/Religious Left activists such as Sojourners leader Jim Wallis have led a "40 Days for Health Reform" campaign that began in August. The group represents a coalition of both the new Evangelical Left and the old Social Gospel Religious Left, all in favor of President Obama's proposed government dominated overhaul of U.S. health care.
Wallis has strongly denounced opponents of Obamacare, which creates a government insurance system that critics warn could ultimately overwhelm private insurance. Visitors to Wallis' Sojourners website are encouraged to sign a health care creed and letters of protest to opponents of the proposals. Some Religious Left opponents have accused Obamacare skeptics of racism and greed.
IRD President Mark Tooley commented:
"The old Religious Left and new Evangelical Left have oscillated between praising a government expansion into the health sector as both moral and prophetic, while angrily lashing out at those who dare question their worship at the altar of Big Government.
"Wallis says there is no one 'right' religious position on how health care should be provided, but the principles on which he evaluates legislative proposals always seem to lead to an expansion of state power.
"For the Religious and Evangelical Left, Obamacare is just one more opportunity for coercion and eradication of private initiative."
The Institute on Religion and Democracy, founded in 1981, is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches' social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad.
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