I am completely unschooled when it comes to medical care and the current healthcare debacle.   I am somewhat neutral amid the propogation and opposition of Obama’s healthcare plan.   His plan, inasmuch as it’s portrayed in mainstream media (and who can trust mainstream media about anything anymore?) makes it sound largely like socialized medicine.  You have your camps that say that’s a good thing: “Canada’s a paradise!” a la folks like Michael Moore, and then you have your folks that say the socialized medicine approach that Obama is taking is a bad thing: “Canada is terrible! That’s why tons of ‘em flock down to the US for surgery!”  a la my good friend Mark.

We talk about the waiting lines, the killing off of elderly folks, etc.

Well, I don’t know about all that.  Like I said, I’m neutral, right now.  And I don’t really see myself getting too deep into the game.  All I know is: our current medical system is off the charts in how messed up it is.  I’ve lived the majority of my life uninsured.  And this stuff’s expensive.  And it is not getting cheaper.

Pharmaceutical companies are selling their products like pills are the equivalent of fast food burgers, with flashy advertising and promotion of smiley outdoor events.

Something’s wrong with this picture.

But, I’m saying all this to sort of lay the groundwork on a topic that’s *not* about the healthcare system.

I’ve been hearing an argument in this larger debate on healthcare, that goes something like this:

“If healthcare is socialized (or any other buzzword you want to put there), then the doctors will quit (or protest, etc.), because they paid so much money to get through medical school.  They *have* to repay their loans somehow.”

It’s an odd argument:  SINCE medical school costs are absurd and outrageous, THEN healthcare should cost a lot of money and doctors should MAKE a lot of money.

I’ve heard that argument a lot in my social circles and on the news.

Then I applied this argument to the religious sphere:

“SINCE seminary costs so much money, and really only trains pastors for one job, leaving them without many options, THEN they will keep promoting the same old institution and system, even though they may KNOW that some things about the religious system need serious reforming.”

But since such serious reforming would cost dearly (in the short term) in the area of church rosters and membership, the paid pastors keep towing the party line, so to speak, because it’s the only way they can 1. provide for their family and 2. pay for the ridiculously expensive and tediously redundant education they had to receive in order for the community to recognize their calling to preach the Gospel.

What kind of reform am I talking about?  I’ll save that for a later day.

What I’m saying now is, there are preachers in pulpits who do not believe what they preach, whose experience of God is not reflected in the way they live, act, or speak.  And that the reason for this is to maintain their employment.

Not all of them can be successful authors or speakers.  Some are at the mercy of their congregation, and can only go so far into their own relationship with God as the expectations and prejudices of their flock allows.

What is in the heart, however, is another matter entirely