MilleniumHand

ronpaulproblems: echalegalleta: littleoutsider: WHY DO WE...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:06:34 -0500

ronpaulproblems: echalegalleta: littleoutsider: WHY DO WE...:

Mayor cat!

"The only way you can beat the lawyers is to die with nothing."

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:04:31 -0500

"The only way you can beat the lawyers is to die with nothing.":

I’m ahead of the game!

Obamacare violates freedom of religion

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:37:22 -0500

April 21, 2013

To Whom it May Concern:

I’m writing today to try to explain how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act burdens my free exercise of religion. This burden does not only negatively affect myself and fellow church members, but the lack of freedom of choice negatively impacts the liberty of every American to seek the most effective method of healthcare.

The individual mandate burdens the free exercise of religion because when we are required to purchase health insurance, we are forced to financially support a modality of healthcare that contradicts the Christian Science practice of seeing man in the true image and likeness of God. In Christian Science we are taught that:

“Man is not matter; he is not made up of brain, blood, bones, and other material elements. The Scriptures inform us that man is made in the image and likeness of God… Man is spiritual and perfect; and because he is spiritual and perfect, he must be so understood in Christian Science.” (From pg. 475 of the Christian Science textbook: Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of our church.)

How do we practice understanding man as spiritual and perfect? We guard our thoughts:

“The physical affirmation of disease should always be met with the mental negation… Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, pg. 392.)

So any thought or belief of disease or injury must be met with the thought that disease and injury are no part of spiritual and perfect man. This practice applies to the fear of the possibility of disease and injury. The very purpose of health insurance is to protect us in case of injury or disease. If I think that disease or injury is possible, then I am already failing to guard my thought. Therefore, requiring me to purchase insurance is requiring me to think that disease and injury are real possibilities, which is contrary to the instructions in the textbook. For this reason, many Christian Scientists prefer not to go to the doctor to be diagnosed. I have been healed of a broken ankle and of a fainting problem without a medical practitioner ever looking at me. Instead, I called a Christian Science nurse to help me with my ankle. She had been trained to provide Christian Science care. I called my Christian Science Teacher to treat the fainting problem, and her prayer effectively kept me awake so that I could pray for my own healing.

Even if Christian Science care is covered in an insurance plan, we will be bound by insurance law. It’s possible we won’t be able to claim a payment made to a practitioner in another state or country. Prayer, and healing through prayer, is not limited by state lines. If I need to call my Christian Science Teacher, I should be able to ask her for a treatment. She knows my spiritual progress best (second to God, of course), despite the fact that her practice is in New York and I am in Texas. The same goes for any American who chooses a doctor. If a patient trusts a particular doctor who knows her medical history, why should she be forced to go to another doctor if he isn’t covered by her insurance plan? She should be free to purchase a plan that does work with her doctor, or pay out of pocket. She should not be forced to pay for an insurance plan that doesn’t meet her needs. Patient choice — not government mandate— is the key to encouraging people to pursue health. Christian Science has taught me that healing comes when I have a personal relationship with God. State regulations and insurance requirements interpose other people in the individual’s search for health, because they regulate who can accept me as a patient and what kinds of treatments are “valid” treatments.

A couple of months ago, I wrote to a Senior Fellow at the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard for her interpretation of the religious exemption in the Obamacare language. I wanted to know if my branch church by-law would allow us to claim an exemption from the individual mandate. The by-law in question states that an applicant for membership must:

“Have demonstrated freedom from the use of medicine, tobacco, drugs, and intoxicants, and from that which is morally inconsistent with the teachings of Christian Science.”

In her opinion (and she made it clear that I should submit an inquiry to Health and Human Services when the healthcare exchange is set up and not simply take her word for it), that our church would have to prohibit all members from accepting ANY social security, disability or retirement benefits. The religious exemption only applies to members of churches who completely separate themselves from government-subsidized entitlements (e.g. the Amish). This example illustrates the problem of government interference in our choices for healthcare and religion. The Christian Science church does a wonderful job of holding high standards and providing support for members to attain those standards. Our church does not expel members for using medicine— nor should it. Each person progresses in a different way to learn how to practice Christian Science. Mary Baker Eddy quotes several times in Science and Health the verse to “work out your own salvation” (Philippians 2:12). She wrote:

“If patients fail to experience the healing power of Christian Science, and think they can be benefited by certain ordinary physical methods of medical treatment, then the Mind-physician should give up such cases, and leave invalids free to resort to whatever other systems they fancy will afford relief… If Christian Scientists ever fail to receive aid from other Scientists… God will still guide them into the right use of temporary and eternal means. Step by step will those who trust Him find that ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, pg. 443 & 444).

In other words, we are taught to support each other to find healing, and sometimes, if a Christian Scientist seeks relief in medicine, we should support the healing, and not condemn the method. The key is when she writes “step by step.” No one attains perfection in one great leap. We all learn step-by-step how to understand that man is spiritual and perfect. This means that some Christian Scientists do have health insurance. Many Scientists go to the dentist and opthamologist. Yes, teeth and eyes can be healed through prayer, but not every one of us is ready to prove that. The Affordable Care Act does not take into account this type of progress. It can’t take into account mercy, love, support, or forgiveness. The law cannot help us to attain health, it can only legislate actions. So if a Christian Scientist falters once to seek medical treatment, suddenly, in the eyes of the law, his entire religion is invalidated.

This lack of choice is just as detrimental to the Americans who do rely on medical care. A single man is forced to pay for contraceptive coverage. A single woman must pay for coverage for prostate exams. It is absurd for a government agency to tell each of us that we need all that coverage. It would be less expensive for each of us to only purchase the coverage we need.

I would be glad to speak to anyone at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to answer questions or testify in person. I want to be clear that I am not a spokeswoman for my church, I speak only for myself and my personal Christian Science practice.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my statement,

Carly Rose Jackson

ronpaulproblems: gdragoncheto: ♥ #StressReleaseSunday I want...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:16:56 -0500

ronpaulproblems:

gdragoncheto:

♥

#StressReleaseSunday

I want a puppy! #StressReliefSunday, because puppies aren’t stressful at all!

Protest CISPA!

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:25:43 -0500

Protest CISPA!

http://againstpower.tumblr.com/post/48400436451

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 07:45:15 -0500

http://againstpower.tumblr.com/post/48400436451:

Exactly!

Defending Christian Science against Obamacare

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:56:07 -0500

Dear friends,

I wanted to let you know about an opportunity to share how Christian Science has changed the way you think about healthcare with some people who might be able to acknowledge our experiences in the law. I’m sorry for the short notice, but I just found out about this myself:

The period for submitting public comments to the Department of Health and Human Services on the HHS mandate closed last week, but you can still submit comments on the mandate (and/or religious freedom generally) to the U.S.Commission on Civil Rights until April 21 by e-mailing them to publiccomments@usccr.gov.

Does the mandate burden your free exercise of religion?

From: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/345448/what-do-you-really-think-hhs-mandate-peter-kirsanow

I am going to write that the mandate does burden my free exercise of religion, because when we are required to purchase health insurance, as mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) we are forced to financially support a modality of healthcare that contradicts the Christian Science practice of seeing man in the true image and likeness of God. Even if Christian Science care is covered in an insurance plan, we will be bound by insurance law. It’s possible we won’t be able to claim a payment made to a practitioner in another state or country. Either the insurance company or the regulations will determine what qualifies as a treatment. Christian Science has taught me that healing comes when I have a personal relationship with God. State regulations and insurance requirements interpose other people in my search for health.

I wrote to a Senior Fellow at the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard for her interpretation of the religious exemption in the Obamacare language. I wanted to know if our church had specific language in our by-laws then we could claim an exemption from the individual mandate to purchase approved health insurance. In her opinion (and she made it clear that I should submit an inquiry to Health and Human Services when the healthcare exchange is set up), that our church would have to prohibit all members from accepting ANY social security benefits, disability or retirement benefits. The religious exemption only applies to members of churches who completely separate themselves from government-subsidized entitlements (e.g. the Amish). This example illustrates the problem of government interference in our choices for healthcare and religion. The Christian Science church does a wonderful job of holding high standards and providing for support for members to attain those standards. Our church does not expel members for using medicine—nor should it. But the law doesn’t understand mercy, love, support, forgiveness, chemicalization. It only understands black & white. The law cannot help us to attain health, because it cannot account for motives, or right-thinking. It can only divide our actions.

Carly Rose

Stop banning stuff!

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:55:46 -0500

Stop banning stuff!

http://ronpaulproblems.tumblr.com/post/47784511248

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:01:24 -0500

http://ronpaulproblems.tumblr.com/post/47784511248:

Bwahahaha!

Mishapocalypse is the best thing that ever happened to Tumblr

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:34:04 -0500

mitchellsunf:

Couldn’t resist

ronpaulproblems: This was in our inbox. Who says you can’t be a...

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:09:15 -0500

ronpaulproblems:

This was in our inbox. Who says you can’t be a government employee AND be part of the liberty movement? There are several libertarians/Ron Paul supporters with jobs on Capitol Hill.

Yeah and I work for the state! I’m no traitor!

Strength

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 08:50:59 -0500

Samson believed his strength was in his hair. What false belief do you have about the source of your strength? Do you believe it comes from food or exercise?

Strong comes from God, the omnipotent, eternal source. If we believe otherwise, then e believe strength can be taken, as Delilah took Samson’s. We believe it can be taken by bad food or sickness or laziness. But God’s strength is eternal, when we reflect God, we reflect His strength & conquer the false bellied of weakness.

Oh you and your need for logical consistency!

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:48:32 -0500

Oh you and your need for logical consistency!

animalstalkinginallcaps: LINDA, HAVE YOU SEEN MY SHOWER GEL?...

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:48:07 -0500

animalstalkinginallcaps:

LINDA, HAVE YOU SEEN MY SHOWER GEL? WHAT ABOUT MY CINNAMON MANDIBLE PASTE?

WHY DO YOU ALWAYS ASK ME? CHERYL PROBABLY USED THEM BOTH LAST NIGHT.

DON’T EVEN TRY TO DRAG ME INTO THIS. THEY’RE PROBABLY STILL IN HER SUITCASE. I HATE CINNAMON, AND I USE AN EXFOLIATING CARAPACE SCRUB. YOU KNOW THAT.

WILL ONE OF YOU PLEASE GO CHECK? I DON’T WANT TO MISS THE CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST.

So cute!

Justin Raimondo on YAL's Generation of War project

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:28:03 -0500

Justin Raimondo on YAL's Generation of War project:

hipsterlibertarian:

This month, Young Americans for Liberty (my job) is organizing national protests of our aggressive foreign policy and its high costs in dollars, freedoms, and, most important, lives. It’s called Generation of War, and the tagline is “We’ve grown up with war. Now let’s end it.”

Justin Raimondo of Antiwar.com took notice and did a great write-up. Here’s an excerpt:

[S]uffice to say here that YAL isn’t just a group of young Republicans who want to legalize pot: they are real troublemakers…

YAL was all over CPAC the other day, with hundreds of young people #StandingwithRand as Sen. Paul addressed the conference. YAL seems to be everywhere these day: fighting for the restoration of our civil liberties at UC San Diego, sponsoring a nationwide speaking tour in defense of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights (featuring Jacob Hornberger and Glenn Greenwald), Young Americans for Liberty is posing a real challenge to both the left and the right with their principled stance on behalf of a non-interventionist foreign policy – and their dedicated activism.

For the first time, really, since the first Iraq war, the voice of a new antiwar movement is being raised on campuses across the country – and its tenor is distinctively (and, yes, radically) libertarian…

The movement created by Ron Paul has been the biggest boon to the faltering antiwar movement since the 1960s youth radicalization – but this time the focus is on ideas rather than any “cultural revolution,” and specifically the idea that human beings have a right to exist without being regimented, robbed, and/or murdered by the US government. The libertarian youth revolution is on the march, and YAL is its vanguard. All you college and high school students out there who want to do something for the cause of peace and liberty – go forth and join your fellow troublemakers.

So awesome.

Anti-war generation.

ronpaulproblems: Spongebob knows too much. Truth in art.

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:47:37 -0500

ronpaulproblems:

Spongebob knows too much.

Truth in art.

NOT!

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 17:04:57 -0500

NOT!

When previously anti-war liberals criticize the content of Rand Paul's filibuster

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:27:08 -0600

ronpaulproblems:

Anti-war liberals

"After four and a half intense and wonderful years as CEO of Groupon, I’ve decided that I’d like to..."

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:30:33 -0600

“After four and a half intense and wonderful years as CEO of Groupon, I’ve decided that I’d like to spend more time with my family. Just kidding - I was fired today.”

- Andrew Mason, in his letter to Groupon employees following his ouster. (Which he posted publicly because “it will leak anyway”.)

A brilliant and refreshingly straightforward way to exit.

(via parislemon)

Love it, wish more people in high places would embrace our open, Internet culture.

libertarianashley: lol bwahahahaha!

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:29:32 -0600

libertarianashley:

lol

bwahahahaha!