A man who for many months had been suffering from an illness went one day to see a doctor. The doctor told him, "this is what you must do: return to your town, find your neighbor, and kill him. Then your disease will subside and you will be able to return to work."
The man returned to his home, found his neighbor, and killed him. Soon after, just as the doctor had predicted, his fever subsided and he was able to return to work.
I ask you: When was the man more ill, before or after visiting the doctor?
------------------ This parable came to me just now as I was thinking about people I know who support Obama. Obama argues that a woman's health must come first, even before the health of her baby. This parable destroys that argument. It would make the Obama-supporters I know hopping mad if I told it to them.
I feel a little strange having written my own parable. But, as I said, the story came to me. Christ's parables are so simple and direct. They seem designed to tell the truth. Of course they are not "designed" to tell the truth. They simply are the truth. And have you ever noticed how they grow with us? They become more and more meaningful as we grow older.
Comments
nice parable Ben. However,
nice parable Ben.
However, on the political front, I would just like to note that both McCain and Obama have been generally silent on pro-life v. pro-choice into their political agendas (besides their personal endorsement and/or the basis for appointing supreme court judges). Generally and historically, McCain does not support the typical conservative platform on moral issues, such as pro-life, although in the most recent debates he did say he was proudly pro-life.
And with the economy and foreign policy issues being what they are, I generally believe that there are other more pressing issues for them to debate.
More in keeping with home-schooling, McCain does endorse a pro school-choice platform, including homeschooling, in his education plan. (Not that Obama is against school choice; he sees the role of the government to improve public schools and generally remains silent on the home-schooling issue).
I generally agree more the Obama's health plan. I enjoyed reading this fairly unbiased of both candidates health plans:
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_…
Christina, I would agree
Christina,
I would agree that in today's imperfect world, you really can't be a one-issue voter. However, in that line of thinking, I have come to see McCain as the lesser of two evils.
Most of this is because of the fact that Obama, on the whole, is for stronger government, and a stronger government means a weaker people. Most of Obama's policies are part of a social philosophy called "The War on Poverty" (Socialism).
Since the War on Poverty began, however, our government has spent trillions of dollars to improve the situation of poor people in this country. Only, the situation hasn't improved at all. That's because when people receive everything that they need for life without working for it, they don't see a reason to attempt a change from their situation. It's physiological: in trying to help them, the government actually causes many of them to resign themselves to their fates as poor/jobless/insuranceless people.
Obama's health plan is like this. Obama looked and saw that people were suffering because they didn't have insurance. So, nobly, he came up with a plan to provide insurance to everyone. But the money for this plan isn't going to come from nowhere. It is going to come out of the American economy - money that could have gone into job creation, education, investment, or the housing market. So in essence, Obama's plan would dig one hole in order to fill another.
That is the folly behind trying to use the government to eradicate suffering. Suffering and struggling are facts of human life - so much so that they are necessary for growth of character. When you attempt to remove them, you get a country like the Roman Empire in the years before it fell - powerful because of its history, but with an essentially worthless population.
"There are no great men of God. There are only pitiful, sorry men whose God is great beyond measure." - Paul Washer [originally Jonathan Edwards]
I totally agree. Frankly,
I totally agree. Frankly, Obama just scares me. Especially concerning his beliefs on abortion.
**********
"Weddings? I love weddings! Drinks all around!" -Jack Sparrow
I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. --The Book Thief
So...
Good parable, Ben. Obama is a scary guy to be sure!
Everyone else...um, if McCain's the "lesser of two evils" wouldn't it be better to not vote for an evil? There are other candidates (try Chuck Baldwin and Alan Keyes, both conservatives) so it's technically not a two-person choice.
I can't seem to stay out of political discussions this year...
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The successful writer of a Fairy Story makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter
~JRR Tolkien
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And now our hearts will beat in time/You say I am yours and you are mine...
Michelle Tumes, "There Goes My Love"
I am not so sure about
I am not so sure about McCain either, but at least he would do less harm than Obama... and he actually might do some good. If Obama is going to be our president, I'd like to trust his judgment. Unfortunately, Obama's judgment is flawed - quite flawed - because in his strength he will not defend the weakest members of his community.
......
I think this is a good parable, but I must beg to differ.
I may be newly 12, but I think that Obama would make a better president than McCain. McCain is awful sly, and I think that he wouldn't do much good for the economy. He seems quite uncomfortable with this particular subject-even though right now it is probably the most important subject there is! He also cheated on his previous wife, and I am afraid that I cannot trust him.
I am an Obama supporter. I like his health plan very much. And he also didn't go straight into politics. He went right out of college to help at a low paying job to help his community.
Once McCain married his current wife, he wanted to go directly into politics. His wife is a billionaire, so he bought a house in a district he had never lived in and ran in office for it. This was all said in the personal interviews with the canidates. I don't think that McCain is trustworthy. Vote for who you think is going to make a good president. This is merely my view. I think that McCain could pull it off, but I think that Obama would do a better job.
Great parable, Ben. I like it a lot.
-Falling Leaves
"If life gives you lemons, throw them back!" -Joe Jonas (I think, or it might be another one of the AWESOME Jonas Brothers)
"You were not meant to fit into a shallow box built by someone else." -J. Raymond
..
Falling Leaves,
I would just like to point out that one of the reasons I believe McCain is better than Obama is that McCain seems much more "pro-America", shall I say, than Obama. In fact, we don't even know if Obama IS REALLY a citizen of the USA. A Democrat has brought charges against Obama, ordering Obama to show birth certificates or some proof of his US citizenship; and Obama has failed to do so. Obama also claims to support our troops, but I don't think he actually does. McCain has sons in the army and also has served in the army himself. I honestly believe that Obama will just bring more evil to this country.
In any case, whoever becomes president/vice president deserves our respect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?...Morons."
-Vizzini
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." -Bilbo Baggins [The Lord of the Rings]
What?! That's ridiculous. He
What?! That's ridiculous. He was born in Hawaii and McCain born on a US military base in Panama.
Let's be frank people - both men are good, upstanding citizens. They both go to Christian churches on Sundays, they have great families, and generally good morals. They have both tried their hardest to serve their countries and both have been successful senators. I've always respected and admired both men. They might not be perfect, but no man is.
In all likelihood, both men would make good presidents. They differ on some key issues, but both men agree that the economy, health care, and public school systems need to be assisted by the government.
When it comes down to it, one just has to vote for whoever they believe will make a stronger leader and has better plans for fixing those key issues.
It's not about socialism - one aspect of the function of our government is to help those less fortunate. One can believe whatever you want about the democratic party or republican party, but it's a fact that health care (among other issues) *should* be an issue addressed by the government. I am ok paying taxes b/c I know that when I needed it, the government helped me (after my father died, my mother received SS to help raise three kids). Now that I make a little bit of money, I am more than happy to pay taxes and help with government plans that involve things like health care, school choice, and the economy.
Honestly, I don't know much
Honestly, I don't know much about either candidate. But too many unborn children are already dying due to abortion, and Obama plans to increase it. He even wants to deny medical attnetion to babies who have survived abortion. This scares me.
**********
"Weddings? I love weddings! Drinks all around!" -Jack Sparrow
I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. --The Book Thief
......
I agree with you, Christa. I do think that McCain could pull it off and do a fine job, but I think that he is shifty and that Obama would make a better president. That is just what I think. =D
-Falling Leaves
"If life gives you lemons, throw them back!" -Joe Jonas (I think, or it might be another one of the AWESOME Jonas Brothers)
"You were not meant to fit into a shallow box built by someone else." -J. Raymond
...
I don't want to get TOO involved in this [politics are unhealthy], but according to the Democrat who brought charges against Obama, Obama's grandmother claims that Obama was born in Kenya; his half-sister claims that he was born in this one hospital in Hawaii; and Obama himself says he was born in another hospital in Hawaii. It's hard for me to explain, so here's the code to the video if you are interested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyspCRmJv7w
It is true, though, that McCain is not much better than Obama; but at least McCain doesn't vote against a bill that would give rights to babies surviving abortions.
PS. Marie, if you want to become a monthly writer, just email Ben. And I LOVE your quote. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?...Morons."
-Vizzini
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." -Bilbo Baggins [The Lord of the Rings]
Obama is smart guy, I'm not
Obama is smart guy, I'm not going to take that away from him. I hate to sound so cynical, but I do not believe that there is a politician to be trusted. they are all in it for their own gain. I think McCain is more then able to run the White House, don't let Obama's smooth talk fool you into thinking he's the better candidate. Is McCain perfect? NO! But he is in my opinion the lesser of two evils.
P.S. Good story Ben! Thanks Clare ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie
- Lord Of The Rings
In order to assist the
In order to assist the economy, the government must first take from it. This is akin to a person taking your wallet and then "helping you out" by purchasing what he thinks you should have. Of course you know better than him - he isn't you. In the same way, private persons will always be more effective at choosing better education, better health care, and better goods and services than the government ever will be. That's simple economics.
Christina,
The government had to help your family because it has usurped the roll of private charity. Our country used to run on private charity, but when government took that roll away, private charity faded into the background. I don't mean to be rude, but the tax imposed by the government in order to help your family probably broke several small businesses so that several people lost their jobs.
It used to be that communities came together to help those less fortunate. Then, people who could, gave, and people who couldn't, didn't. Although the government has been waging war on poverty for the past 60+ years, it has not made a dent.
This is why I will probably vote for either McCain or a third party - Obama's plan call for an increase in society's dependence on government more than any other candidate. And it takes a step closer to the socialism that our country has been moving toward ever since the end of the Second World War. If history teaches us any lesson, it’s that you can have either a strong government or a strong people, but you can’t have both.
But even having said all that, I can certainly see where you’re coming from. And in the end, I guess it’s not good to stress out to much about politics - it’s “not healthy”. So good luck on election day to everyone, regardless of your candidate choice.
Heather,
I didn’t know Keys was running. Is he an independent?
"There are no great men of God. There are only pitiful, sorry men whose God is great beyond measure." - Paul Washer [originally Jonathan Edwards]
I am also a McCain
I am also a McCain Supporter. It really saddens me to think that so many infant lives are lost to abortions. It was the parents choice to bring a child into the world, after that there are no more choices.
P.S. Could someone tell me how to become a monthly writer? I'm interested and really don't know where to start.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie
- Lord Of The Rings
I definitely agree that
I definitely agree that McCain would be the lesser of two evils. I can't abide Obama, not just because of where he stands with abortion and many other things besides, but he looks so smug, like he's already won the race, and people like that really bother me. Either way I think both candidates scare me a little bit.
In any case this election year has made me really glad that I'm too young to vote, and even if I could I'm pretty sure I wouldn't. It' all so messed up, I don't want anything to do with it.
Oh yeah, and good parable, Ben =)
......
I think that McCain likes to bring it back to a subject he is more comfortable with, which I think is rather unprofessional.
-Falling Leaves
"If life gives you lemons, throw them back!" -Joe Jonas (I think, or it might be another one of the AWESOME Jonas Brothers)
"You were not meant to fit into a shallow box built by someone else." -J. Raymond
gotta say something
just because you don't like mccain or obama doesn't mean you should not vote. becuz ppl will still vote for obama, becuz he's their democrat, but us republicans won't vote becuz we don't like our guy. by us not voting for mccain, we are actually giving votes to obama.
isn't each human life special? shouldn't each baby have a chance at life? abortion is wrong, and we need to vote for the one, not a minor-ruuning candidate, who supports life.
voting for a minor guy will not stop obama from becoming president, it'd increase his chances if we put our vote to a smaller guy instead of mccain.
i wish i could vote this year...
Save a life and vote prolife!
~All men were created equal, then some became Marines~
*Death smiles at everyone, Marines smile back*
gotta love the Marines!!
Some thoughts on Obama
McCain is certainly not perfect. And Falling Leaves, I agree with a lot of your insight on John McCain being shifty. I don't entirely trust him either. He was the last person I wanted to win the Republican nomination. And yes, he does seem to avoid economic issues because he's not strong on them. A conservative would be, like Ronald Reagan. John McCain is no economic conservative. If McCain understood economics properly, he would have opposed the Marxist bailout bill (that both he and Obama supported) where congress took 700 billion dollars of our money and bought part of the banking system of this country. Yes, John McCain is not to be trusted.
But that said, Obama is far worse. Far smoother, too, so it may be harder to notice. But Obama is a socialist, and he has been trying his best to hide that fact because it's not politically expedient. That means he's dishonest. He claims that 95\% of small businesses make less than $250,000 a year; this is not true. Most small businesses make much more than that. Which means Obama is either too ignorant to run this country, or he is a liar.
And, as my brother Ezra has pointed out, government sponsored health-care may look appealing, but it will hurt both those who have to pay for it and those who receive the benefits.
Obama is advocating class warfare and socialism. He keeps saying that the Bush administration has given billions of dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest corporations in America, and that it has run our economy down. Another half truth. Yes, the wealthy corporations got big tax breaks, because they pay the most taxes, as a matter of percentage! But do you know what happens when we raise taxes on wealthy corporations? They raise their prices! They lay off people that they employ! Suddenly, the grocery bills go up and people all across America loose their jobs. The rich people and the rich corporations are the biggest job creators.
It’s like Fred Thompson said at the Republican National Convention. “Obama doesn’t want to raise YOUR taxes, just the taxes of big business and big oil. Which means it won’t affect you unless you work for a big business, buy groceries or other items from a big business, or buy gasoline!” Oops.
There’s a lot more I could say about this economic issue, but I’ll end with a point about abortion. In the third presidential debate, Obama said that the only reason he voted against a ban on partial-birth abortion (when he was an Illinois State Senator) was because it did not have “an exception for the mother’s health and life.” But think about it. The only significant difference between Partial Birth Abortion and a normal birth is that the baby has his brains sucked out as soon as his head comes out. It does nothing to help save the life of a mother! For Obama to say he voted no on banning this practice because he was concerned for the mother’s health means that he’s either ignorant or dishonest. Take your pick.
<><~~~~~~~~~~~~><>
"The idea that we should approach science without a philosophy is itself a philosophy... and a bad one, because it is self-refuting." -- Dr. Jason Lisle
yeah...
Ezra: Yeah, Keyes is running as an independent. He didn't get the nomination for the Constitution party. My dad's planning to vote for him and I'm stuck between him and Chuck Baldwin, the guy who did get the Constitution party's nomination.
Everyone tells me that I shouldn't vote for a guy who's party is a third, smaller-supported party, and doesn't have national coverage, etc etc. Part of it is my stubbornness, part of it is that I refuse to vote Republican or Democrat because neither of those parties match what I want in government, and part because I'm sick of a two-party government.
And here's another thing: this bail-out of the banks. 73\% of Americans didn't want it. The government voted for it over our heads anyway, like just b/c they're in office means they have a higher IQ than us instead of voting to be a voice "for the people" like originally intended. That said, both Obama and McCain supported this bail-out. The last leaders to support something of this kind were men like Hitler and Stalin, who supported nationalizing the banks to create a healthier economy. We all know where they ended up. This bail-out is a socialistic movement. So basically, by association McCain and Obama are both socialists b/c they voted, over our heads, for a socialistic bail-out. Not the type of president I want for the next four years.
Although I have to admit that I do like McCain for a couple of reasons; one specifically, he picked Sarah Palin, who despite some reservations about a woman leader, I like nonetheless.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The successful writer of a Fairy Story makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter
~JRR Tolkien
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And now our hearts will beat in time/You say I am yours and you are mine...
Michelle Tumes, "There Goes My Love"
Government Assistance?
Both Obama and McCain agree that Public Schools, Health Care, and the Economy need government assistance. This does not mean that both men would make good presidents. It means both men would make TERRIBLE presidents. McCain is a socialist. George W. Bush is also a socialist. However, they're only partial socialists. Barak Obama represents the far left wing of the Democrat Party. He is a total socialist. McCain's policy on the war is basically right. His policy on social issues is pretty good, though not as strong as I like. But McCain's economic policies are terrible, because they're half-socialist. Barack Obama is twice as bad, because he's a pure socialist on the economy, and he's wrong on all the other issues as well.
Perhaps it will be good for Obama to win the election. By 2012, his policies will have put our country in such a rotton condition that a true concervative like Ronald Reagan could easily beat him, and we won't have to put up with a squishy moderate (which means half-socialist) like McCain.
It's in God's hands; in spite of our voting, he's in control of the outcome.
<><~~~~~~~~~~~~><>
"The idea that we should approach science without a philosophy is itself a philosophy... and a bad one, because it is self-refuting." -- Dr. Jason Lisle
James, you are totally
James, you are totally right! there was really no choice in the election, it was like the last one four years ago, Bush or kerry. there is not much choice in this one.
The abortion thing really disgusts me, a person that could support the death of a young child must not have a conscious. The Hippocratic Oath says this: "I will not give a women a device to cause an abortion" when I read that, I laughed. How can doctors still take that oath?
I would also like to say that to the people who think that Bush really messed up the economy, that the Economy was fine while the REPUBLICANS were in charge, when the DEMOCRATS took over things.....really got out of hand.
To agree with Tam, I glad I can't vote.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie
- Lord Of The Rings
There is a choice, but it's not exciting.
I wouldn't say that their is no choice in this election. There is somewhat of a choice. President Bush has been good for the economy in as much as he has had respect for the private sector; he has been terrible in as much as he has had respect for government intervention. President Bush has had a relatively good tax policy, but a terrible spending policy. John McCain is a bit better on spending. But both McCain and Bush don't have much of a problem with government intervention. Sometimes they're for it, sometimes their against it. If McCain wins, government spending will reduce (hopefully); that's an improvement. I think he might handle the war effort a bit more wisely too. But when it comes to government intervention, he'll probably be a bit worse than president Bush. So a vote for McCain is a vote for continuing the situation -- some good things, some bad things.
Barak Obama, on the other hand, is a socialist, although he tries to hide it. He'll bring "change" all right -- a change for the worse. Every time he sees a problem, he'll try to fix it with higher taxes, more spending, and more beaurocracy. He sees more government as the solution to every problem.
So their is a choice. McCain will not really improve much of anything, and Obama will make it a ton worse.
I am voting for McCain. I don't like him very much, but I am convinced that this country cannot afford an Obama administration. He will break us. We have a choice between letting a socialist government take over our nation, or stopping it. A vote for a third party candidate isn't quite a vote for Obama, but it's close.
<><~~~~~~~~~~~~><>
"The idea that we should approach science without a philosophy is itself a philosophy... and a bad one, because it is self-refuting." -- Dr. Jason Lisle
I agree with you, James, for
I agree with you, James, for the most part. I'm glad I can't vote, but at the same time I wish I could. I don't like Obama's views on abortion, but I like his views on many other things-such as health plans. I don't know. Like I said, I think that either candidate could pull it off. I also agree with you, Marie!! No politician can really be trusted! Basically, they have all done something really low while they're in the government-sadly =[
-Falling Leaves
"If life gives you lemons, throw them back!" -Joe Jonas (I think, or it might be another one of the AWESOME Jonas Brothers)
"You were not meant to fit into a shallow box built by someone else." -J. Raymond
Obama's health care sounds
Obama's health care sounds good. That's it, from my take on it Obama is going to establish universal healthcare. That means that everyone including the people that have their own health care plans that they have selected based on their own needs. So it's really not a good change.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie
- Lord Of The Rings
This is what worries me.
Falling Leaves, I am glad that you do not like Obama's views on Abortion. I think Abortion and other social issues are the most important issues we face. But I think we social concervatives have made a huge mistake. We aren't addressing the other issues, particularly the dangerous error of government interventionism, essentially giving the economic issues into the hands of the leftists in this country. (I have many, many friends who have the same view as you -- social concervatives that don't have a problem with liberal economics.) Barak Obama sees the government as the answer to all our economic woes. He is telling the classic lie, "I will give you what you want and I will make someone else pay for it." And he is smooth at saying it. It seems most people believe him.
Who's going to pay for health care? The rich, of course. Rich people and rich corporations. (And I can't stress enough that Obama's definition of rich includes most small businesses, in spite of his rhetoric.) But in response they will raise their prices, stop expanding, and lay people off; jobs will become scarce. In other words, you'll end up paying more for your health care in the long run then you would if you paid for it yourself. Government sponsored health care is just the government digging one whole in our economy to fill another! Jimmy Carter tried it and almost destroyed our economy. Thankfully, Ronald Reagan came along and reversed most of Carter's mistakes. He knew that "in this crisis, government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem."
Redistributing wealth is what Barak Obama wants to do. He has said so many times, most recently to a man we know as "Joe the Plumber." When Obama says we're in the worst financial crisis since the great depression, he's lying. The worst crisis since the depression is still the crisis created by Jimmy Carter. And Obama's socialistic, class-warfare, "spread-the-wealth-around" policies will do the same thing Carter did. It will destroy the economy.
My point is, your like for Obama's "other policies" is a mistake, and I hope that by the time you can vote you will realize this.
<><~~~~~~~~~~~~><>
"The idea that we should approach science without a philosophy is itself a philosophy... and a bad one, because it is self-refuting." -- Dr. Jason Lisle
uh
I'm not going to read all of those comments wow long but lets say DONT VOTE OBAMA! for those of you that like obama. have you seen wut this dude stands for? wasn't he in a 'church' (ofcourse non christian) becuz they were like prejudice against america and white ppl! check it out on youtube what he stnads for. go to youtyoube type in 'what barack obama doesn't want you to know' barack obama and his pastor' and check out what his pastor believes!!!!!!!!!
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The Truth will set you free.
:)
Ben, I thoroughly enjoyed your parable. Superb.
It's so good to hear from you. :)
Blessings.
me
Hey, I am sooooo glad that
Hey, I am sooooo glad that you said that about Obama! You should write something more about how wrong his whole campaign is. It is against human principles and moral laws. I makes me so sad to know that the people in America are so uneducated and so selfish, that they would support this man! I wish that people would understand that life and fighting for peace and life, are much more important than the economy. If it were only for moral issues, than John McCain would still be the better of the two.
Alright, now that I've done my campaigning....Great story very well written.
"Inconceivable!!"-Vizzini
These comments got mixed up,
These comments got mixed up, and they are backwards. so think of the bottem one as the first one and the top one as the last one. Are you confused?
"Inconceivable!!"-Vizzini
...
Wow, Ben, this is so true!! [The parable is awesome, very much in the style of Christ Himself, btw.] Personally, I can't understand why any Christian would vote for Obama. I mean, God is pro-life, so if you say you believe in God and thus stand for what He stands for, shouldn't you be preventing anybody who is as anti-life as Obama from becoming president?
This of course has nothing to do with the fact that Obama is African-American, but the thought of Obama becoming our next president frightens me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?...Morons."
-Vizzini
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." -Bilbo Baggins [The Lord of the Rings]