Death Book Denied: End of Life Questions for Vets

By Maggie at Maggie's Notebook

Today on the news, the "Veteran Death Book" dominates. The Wall Street Journal put the information out there, with an article by Jim Towey. In the video below, you will hear a full discussion of the Death Book between Towey and Chris Wallace, and then Veterans Administration Secretary Tammy Duckworth and Wallace.

Tammy Duckworth - Veteran End of Life Questions

The controversy revolves around the book Your Life Your Choices. At one point it asks the question "What makes your life worth living?" You'll see the questions below but if you fit a certain category, you are referred to the Hemlock Society, with it's newly renamed moniker, Compassion and Choices. It is the only organization Veterans are referred to.

Along with the excellent discussion below, and Towey's WSJ article, Kimberly Morin of the Boston Conservative Independent Examiner has some of the best commentary I've seen today. Cutting to the chase before you watch the video, Morin downloaded 'Your Life, Your Choices' (the Veteran's Death Book) and here is a portion from from her article:

...there is a check list in the middle of the document that specifically asks questions about "What makes your life worth living?”. It is a checklist that doesn’t just include needing a feeding tube or being on permanent life support, the questions are absolutely, in my opinion, insane. These questions are being asked to all Veterans receiving treatment, including 20 year olds who have been severely wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan. I have listed all of the questions below so you can see for yourself:

a. I can no longer walk but get around in a wheelchair.
b. I can no longer get outside—I spend all day at home.
c. I can no longer contribute to my family's well being.
d. I am in severe pain most of the time.
e. I have severe discomfort most of the time (such as nausea, diarrhea, or shortness of breath).
f. I rely on a feeding tube to keep me alive.
g. I rely on a kidney dialysis machine to keep me alive.
h. I rely on a breathing machine to keep me alive.
i. I need someone to help take care of me all of time.
j. I can no longer control my bladder.
k. I can no longer control my bowels.
l. I live in a nursing home.
m. I can no longer think clearly-I am confused all the time.
n. I can no longer recognize family/friends
o. I can no longer talk and be understood by others.
p. My situation causes severe emotional burden for my family (such as feeling worried or stressed all the time).
q. I am a severe financial burden on my family.
r. I cannot seem to “shake the blues.”

These questions are followed by the questions below:

“If you checked "worth living, but just barely" for more than one factor, would a combination of these factors make your life "not worth living?" If so, which factors?

If you checked "not worth living," does this mean that you would rather die than be kept alive?

If you checked "can't answer now," what information or people do you need to help you decide?”

What the hell kind of questions are these to be asking Veterans who have just risked their lives to keep America safe from terrorists? What kind of person would ask a 20 year old quadriplegic if they would rather die than be in a wheelchair or a burden to his/her family or if they have the blues? Of course they would have the blues in this case and of course no one wants to be in a wheelchair and of course no one wants to be a burden on their family but to suggest to a Veteran that these answers possibly mean they would ‘rather die than be kept alive’ is atrocious, outrageous, disgusting, immoral, unethical and one of the most un-American things I have ever read in my entire life.

Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs appears in the second half of the video. Duckworth, a severly injured Iraq war aviator, tells Wallace the book is not available to veterans. Wallace points out that it has been available until this week. She denies it. Wallace has a screen grab to prove it. Wallace reads the following to Duckworth as content currently on the VA website:

In the VHA directive of July 2nd, 2009, it says the following on page 8, "Primary care practitioners are responsible for giving patients pertinent educational materials, e.g. refer patients to the 'Your Life, Your Choices' module." I mean, it's just there in black and white on the VHA directive of July 2nd.

Secretary Duckworth continues to deny it. Transcript of Wallace-Towey-Duckworth discussion here or in the video below:



Veteran End of Life Questions

Related:
Throwing Tammy Duckworth Under the Bus

Ghaddaffi's Son Says Britain Cut a Deal: Energy for Terrorist Megrahi

by Maggie at Maggie's Notebook

Saif al-Islam is the son of Muammar Ghaddafi, the leader of the Libyan people and head of the welcome wagon for convicted Libyan terrorist, known as the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi.

Locker Bomber Release Deal?

Saif al-Islam is praising the Brits for making an energy deal that allowed 57-year old Megrahi to come home to Tripoli. Colonel Gaddafi is praising Queen Elizabeth. The UK is a tad upset.

Pan Am flight 103 exploded over the town of Lockerbie on December 21, 1988, killing 270 people, including 11 on the ground. Megrahi is reported to have lived in relative luxury for a few of his short 8 years in prison, while housed in the Barlinnie prison in Glasgow:

Megrahi was segregated in a high-security area dubbed "Gaddafi's Cafe", where there was said to be a "sitting room" and kitchen where Halal food was specially prepared.

His wife and children are said to have moved to the "outskirts of Glasgow so they could visit him.
Makes one wonder how they got back to Tripoli. We saw Meghrai in his Nike hat and jog suit walk the stairs to board Ghaddafi's personal airplane, but no family was in sight. The Lockerbie victims arrived home in caskets.

Saif is the second oldest of Ghaddafi's seven sons. He is fluent in English, German and French. This report says he has a PhD:

"in governance and international relations from the London School of Economics and is also said to be an architect with his own agency in Tripoli, having studied architecture in Vienna.

UK Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is in the spotlight. Sources say he met with Saif al-Islam one week before Megrahi was released. Mendelson says there was only a "fleeting conversation about the prisoner," but Ghaddafi upped the tension:

Mr Gaddafi told Libyan TV his case was raised during talks over oil and gas and reportedly claimed that the issue had been raised repeatedly by Britain's former prime minister Tony Blair.

"In all commercial contracts, for oil and gas with Britain, (Megrahi) was always on the negotiating table," Mr Gaddafi told Libya's Al Mutawassit channel.

The U.S. was very quiet about Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber's release. There were no strong statements from the Oval Office until the deed was done and the celebrations began - the hugs, the hand kissing, the cheering crowds. President Obama was "disturbed." It would be unbearable to find that America cut a deal of any kind.

As Jihad Watch points out, this is one more reason for the urgent need for energy independence.

Marine Veteran at Rep. Baird's Townhall

by Maggie at Maggie's Notebook

David Hedrick is a Marine Vet who had an important lesson for Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) at his recent Townhall gathering. This is the lesson for politicians of both parties. See video below.

Brian Baird

God bless David Hedrick for serving our country and explaining the commitment to the U.S. Constitution to those privileged to serve us in Congress, in this case, Brian Baird.

Watch as Conservatives cheer, but many, many Liberals remain seated. What is it that they did not get from David's message. How ignorant can a voter be?

For an explanation of Brian Baird's "brown shirt" comment, see below the video.

David Hedrick, Marine Vet at Brian Baird Townhall (Video)

Via The Astute Bloggers Via The Lonely Conservative

From Clark County Conservative by Lew Waters, August 6, 2009:

Articles in multiple news sources today quote Baird’s expression of fear as he states, “extremists would have the chance to shout and make YouTube videos.”

In that regard, Baird then said, “What we’re seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics. I mean that very seriously.”

Brown shirts, I’m sure you recall were a paramilitary organization of Germany’s Nazi Party that played a key role in Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s.

Instead of addressing constituents real and honest concerns over the proposed healthcare reform, he labels us Nazi’s, then ducks and hides.

Did we elect him for this? No!

In announcing a “secret schedule” for a telephone conference in lieu of a Town hall, should you be fortunate enough to be invited and actually be by your phone if called, Baird said, “There is this national movement in blogs and on the Internet to go to town hall meetings solely to attack people. One colleague of mine recently was hung in effigy at a town hall meeting. Others needed police escorts.”

Seems I recall no concerns over protesters who disrupted Town halls of Republicans around the country and liberals even applauded an Iraqi throwing a shoe at President Bush at a news conference there.

Brian, if it didn’t cross your mind, voters can hang you in effigy any time. We don’t need a town hall for that. That is what effigy is, an expression of opposition without causing any harm to the individual.

Then again, wasn’t hanging Sarah Palin in effigy during last years campaign an “expression of free speech?”

Transcript of video coming later today.

Where Did The Anti-War Movement Go?

Cross-posted by Gary Fouse
fousesquawk



Cindy Sheehan

"Enough already"- Charles Gibson


If you haven't heard much about the anti-war movement in the past seven months, there is a good reason. No, it's not because President Obama ended our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan; he hasn't. It's because Barack Obama-not George Bush is our president. The media is not reporting the activities of the war protesters though they are still out there.

Since coming into office, President Obama has beefed up our effort in Afghanistan. American troops still remain in Iraq. As a result, folks like Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink have soured on Obama. They are still out there, but they are not getting the press coverage they received when Bush was in the White House.

Next week, while President Obama is vacationing in Martha's Vineyard, Cindy Sheehan plans to go and protest, same as she did in Crawford, Texas when Bush was president. This time, she won't have the battery of news reporters and photographers covering her every move and recording her every wacky comment. Why is that?

Charles Gibson, anchor of the ABC Evening News, gave it all away this week while being interviewed by colleague, Don Wade, in Chicago. In response to a question about Sheehan from his chuckling news pal, Gibson, while dutifully sounding sympathetic to the mother who lost her son, pretty much dismissed Sheehan's continuing campaign and ended by saying, "enough already". Here is the full text:

"It's such a sad story. Martha Raddatz [of ABC News] wrote a terrific book about one battle that took place in Iraq, and it was the battle in which Cindy's son was killed. And you look at somebody like that and you think here's somebody who's just trying to find some meaning in her son's death. And you have to be sympathetic to her. Anybody who has given a son to this country has made an enormous sacrifice, and you have to be sympathetic. But enough already."

-Charles Gibson in WLS interview with Don Wade, August 18, 2009.

Now contrast that statement with what Gibson had to say on August 9, 2005, when he had an on-air interview with Sheehan as she was camped outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, TX.:

“Cindy Sheehan is her name,” Gibson began. “She says she's not moving until the President meets with her, and I had a chance to speak with her a few minutes ago. Cindy Sheehan, bottom line, what do you hope to accomplish with all this?”

During the ensuing days, Gibson and ABC continued to give coverage to Sheehan. On August 17, 2005, when Sheehan finally departed Crawford, Gibson reported, “We're going to turn next to the standoff that is playing out near President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. Cindy Sheehan, you know, the mother who lost a son in Iraq, is now on the move, but she's still standing her ground. ABC's Geoff Morrell is in Crawford with the details…” On August 18, Gibson stated on ABC News, “All across the country last night, people held candlelight vigils in support of Cindy Sheehan…”

So now that Obama is president, Cindy Sheehan is a wacko. When Bush was president, she was a compelling voice. Do you see the hypocrisy? (For the record, I also consider Sheehan a wacko, but I have always considered her a wacko, who has not only attacked President Bush, but her own country as well.) What has happened to push Sheehan off the news pages in the last several months even though American troops are still in Iraq and Afghanistan? The difference is that Bush is no longer president. Obama is now the president; that's what happened.

The obvious reason that the media has ignored the anti-war forces for the past seven months is simply because they do not want to call negative attention to the current president-completely opposite to their agenda when Bush was president.

It's called hypocrisy. There is absolutely no other possible explanation.

J Street Deception

by Ben with commentary by Maggie at Maggie's Notebook

The following article is by our friend, Ben. You have probably read his work before, and you know he has a long history of studying Islam. He backs up his work by quoting the words considered "holy" by Muslims.

"J Street" claims it "represents Americans."

J Street At Obama's Table

J Street's stated goal is to put an end to Arab-Israeli conflicts, and to accomplish that goal, they support President Obama's plan for Israel to, among other things, surrender land serving as a barrier to Palestinian and Hamas aggressions.

J Street is the political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement. We seek to change the direction of American policy in the Middle East and to broaden the public and policy debate in the U.S. about the Middle East. We support strong American leadership to end the Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts peacefully and diplomatically...

The photograph above, bears the same title I have above. A caption to this photo reads:

I just left an extraordinary meeting with President Barack Obama, which he called to meet with the leadership of the American Jewish community. ~ Jeremy Ben-Ami

As you read Ben's article, keep this quote in mind because, this was the first time Obama met with Jewish leaders - some 7 months after taking office, and when the invitation was finally issued, it did not include the largest and oldest pro-Israel group, the Zionists Organization of America (ZOA). The J Street lobby has said:

Surrogates and right-wing political operatives in our community stopped at nothing in their efforts to sway Jewish voters against Obama."

Obviously, conservative "operatives" failed because 77 percent of the Jewish vote went to Barack Obama.

Ben writes for Freedom Ain't Free & Take Our Country Back. Here is his important message:

J Street posted a petition at Care2 petitionsite, seeking support for President Obama’s Anti-Israel foreign policy. Their supporting text is reproduced below, in block quote format and Ariel type face, interspersed with my comments.

The status quo in the Middle East is unsustainable – for Israel, for the Palestinians, and for the United States. Yet some in Congress are trying to undermine President Obama’s balanced approach to solving the region’s problems.

The status quo is constant, low level warfare periodically interrupted by extremely intense warfare, punctuated by constant threats. President Obama’s approach is not balanced, it leans to the Islamic side, letting the aggressors do as they please while constantly carping at Israel and making unreasonable demands for suicidal actions and policies.

Defenders of the unworkable status quo are whispering to the White House and Congress that supporting the President’s thoughtful and balanced approach to the Middle East could hurt them politically.

Supporting President Obama’s demand that Israel surrender will eventually contribute to the loss of their sinecures because a growing number of voters are becoming informed of the Islamic agenda which is being promoted by left wingers including President Obama.

Jewish-Americans, as well as Americans more broadly, must stand up to support President Obama’s sensible pro-Israel policy in the Middle East.

Now is the time to be Americans, to reject identity politics and the inevitable Balkanization to which it leads. Our national interest is exactly the same as that of Israel: complete, total and permanent defeat of Islamic aggression wheresoever dispersed over the face of the earth.

They’re saying that President Obama should only press the Palestinians or Arab States. Of course, Palestinians and Arab states should do more for peace – but so should Israel, specifically by heeding his Administration’s call to stop building settlements.

Only the aggressor can make peace without exterminating the aggressor. Israel can only make peace by removing Islam from all territory within rocket range. Islam can make peace by permanently abandoning Jihad. If Israel is to walk the path to peace, it must terminate in the Muslim Cemetery. Settlements are not an obstacle to peace. “Occupation” of “disputed territories” is not an obstacle to peace. Islamic doctrine is the obstacle to peace.

J Street, a new Jewish-led pro-Israel, pro-peace lobby, supports President Obama’s balanced and strong American leadership to achieve a two-state solution, because that’s the only way to secure Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic homeland and to create a homeland for the Palestinian people. A two-state solution is also a vital American interest.

The only possible solution is a one state solution: Israel alone in the Levant. While there is an Islamic state within rocket range, there will be no peace. Arab pride as well as Islamic doctrine make peace absolutely impossible.

Your representatives in Congress need to hear from the majority of Jewish Americans and Americans generally who support Israel and the President’s balanced approach, including his call for a complete freeze on Israeli settlements.

Congress must hear from Americans who understand Islamic doctrine & practice and recognize the fatal fact that Islam is inimical to peace in all places, at all times.

“Jewish Americans”, “Muslim Americans”, “African Americans”, Mexican Americans” etc. need to decide if they are Americans or not. There is no place in our nation for Balkanization. United we stand, divided we fall. If you are not American, then go home, where you belong.

President Obama’s demand for termination of settlements, stopping all growth & development, removing check points and other security measures while sending money to the enemy and training & arming their militias is the peak of suicidal damnfoolery; it is imbalanced on the wrong side, and it must come to a halt!

I shall now proceed to show you exactly why America and Israel can never obtain peace by any other means than making Islam extinct.

• 8:39. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allâh) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allâh Alone [in the whole of the world ]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allâh), then certainly, Allâh is All-Seer of what they do.
• 9:29. Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allâh, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allâh and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islâm) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Muslims are commanded by their demon to fight atheists and pagans until all resistance ceases and only Allah is worshiped. Muslims are commanded to fight Jews, Christians & Zoroastrians until they are subjugated and extorted. Muslims who do not join or rigorously support the Jihad go to Hell. Muslims who go to war go to Paradise.

Because the bigots reading this are in denial, swearing that the cited ayat are mis-interpreted, mis-translated, mis-understood or anachronistic, I present confirmation from the hadith: codified Islamic oral tradition.

• Sahih Muslim Book 041, Number 6985:
  Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.

The Muslims must hunt down and kill the last Jew before they can obtain admission to the celestial bordello. But, of course, that is anachronistic, not applicable in modern times. Of course, there is a vacant space between your ears.

• Sunan Abu Dawud Book 14, Number 2526

  Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

  The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, “There is no god but Allah” and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist). The tyranny of any tyrant and the justice of any just (ruler) will not invalidate it. One must have faith in Divine decree.

Jihad is the original religion of Muslims; abandoning it in favor of productive pursuits will subject them to a curse which will not be lifted until they return to Jihad.

• Sunan Abu Dawud Book 23, Number 3455:
  

  Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:

  I heard the Apostle of Allah, (peace_be_upon_him) say: When you enter into the inah transaction, hold the tails of oxen, are pleased with agriculture, and give up conducting jihad (struggle in the way of Allah). Allah will make disgrace prevail over you, and will not withdraw it until you return to your original religion.

Please copy the url of this blog post, go to http://www.congress.org, enter your Zip Code and click the Federal Officials link. Paste the url of this blog post into your email.

End article.

The True Story About the Townhall Rosa Parks Matrons: Rosa Parks Sign Grabber

by Maggie at Maggie's Notebook

James Winfrey is the Rosa Parks arrested sign grabber. Maxine Johnson had the Rosa Parks sign. Mr. Winfrey, wearing a blue t-shirt with the word "volunteer" on the back, took a sign from the seat in front of the woman, Maxine Johnson, who is said to be a serial St. Louis Liberal activist. The forum took place at Jefferson College in Lebanon, MO and the College has a policy of "no signs." See the best video available of Maxine Johnson below.

Maxine Johnson

If the video is playing automatically, I apologize. I do not know how to turn it off until ready for viewing. In the video, you'll see three woman parade down the aisle with a sign picturing Rosa Parks plastered against their mid-sections. The meeting is already underway - McCaskill is already talking. The woman walk as though they are bridesmaids making their way to the alter. The crowd begins yelling "no signs, no signs." McCaskill must stop her presentation.

Mr. Winfrey is standing just across the aisle from the woman with the sign, in his "Volunteer." He crosses the aisle, grabs the paper, crumples it and throws it on the ground as he walks back to where he was standing.

The woman comes after him and others come after them both. Mr. Winfrey is arrested and she is escorted from the room.

The controversy was on.

CNN did their usual crack reporting and got it all wrong.

In an interview with CNN's Kirin Chetry, Maxine Johnson said this:

...the security guard said have your purse checked. We had the posters opened in front of our bodies and they were to pass at two other security officers. They checked our purses, and they saw the posters open wide on our bodies and they told us going into the gymnasium. You walk down the middle aisle and sit down on the floor, and then all of a sudden the crowd start saying hey put up your signs, put up your posters, put up your signs.

And I was just curious because I knew it was a Rosa Parks sign, the highway we just got off of was called Rosa Parks, and I couldn't understand the connection between the Rosa Parks sign and the hearing. It was no relation. And finally, I just told the senator yes, ma'am, senator, we will comply and I sat down in my seat, rolled the sign up, and a reporter asked to take a picture and the gentleman to my right in the bleachers suddenly leaped from the bleachers, ran to me.

Sometimes, when you want to believe you are in the middle of fracas, your mind works quickly, as did Ms. Johnson's daughter:

And it happened so quickly my daughter said he twist my arm, pushed me on to her, snatched the sign out of my hand and as he walked away I realized that he crumbling up my sign. And before I knew it, I leaped out of my seat to go retrieve my sign. And I snatched it from him and said don't you take my sign. And before I knew it, I had four or five officers on me and one on him.

The video clearly shows that Winfrey didn't touch her, let alone twist her arm or push her anywhere. When it is played back in slow motion, you can can see Winfrey's left hand on the chair in front of Johnson and he grabs the sign on the seat of that chair with his right hand. Once you see the video, it's clear that it was probably one of the two women with her that abused her arm.

Later in the conversation, Johnson said she was able to go to the emergency room to get her arm checked out (presumable the one that Winfrey "twisted,"). She was very proud of the fact that she has good health care and she wants it for everyone, and that's why she was at this forum. Chetry didn't have the guts to ask Johnson why she believes ObamaCare will provide insurance equal to what she has today.

You'll see the difference in her story and the video below. Chetry asks Johnson why she said there was a "racial element" to the incident:

Well, they looked at me and said can't you read? Can't you read? As we looked around the room, there were several people in the room that had other signs. There was a person that had a sign that says "Nigger, Obama." Obama's like Hitler. And you know, my point is, there were signs that were not allowed, why did the officers allow this in the room? And then we complied and there were other people with signs, they were not black.

There was about 3,000 people, about 30 African Americans and then I asked another and I said, what was the problem it was Rosa Parks, a historical figure. Why was it such a threat? A woman says it wasn't Rosa Parks. You were the threat, you are a black woman. (INAUDIBLE) the people who took our report, they say, ma'am, we cannot guarantee your protection. You must leave this town. We cannot protect you. You don't know these people. They're nasty. It was clearly racial.

There was some more conversation from Johnson, something like: "McCaskill, she's not black. She doesn't know the struggle that black[s] have to... (and the rest was inaudible).

I did find a video (not posted here) of three others in the crowd holding yellow "Don't tread on me" flags. The flags were held by each corner. They looked to be the size of a piece of notebook paper. I think one man was telling a police officer that the flag said the same thing the logo on his shirt said. There are numerous wide shots of the crowd and there are no sign of signs anywhere else in the audience, let alone signs with the "N-word."

In the video, you'll hear Johnson saying "there were no Blacks or African Americans in the crowd. You see at least about 8 Blacks in the video.

McCaskill apologizes for "two people" getting involved who should not have. A question for McCaskill: could Mr. Winfrey been charged with seeing to it that no signs were visible - after all he was a volunteer, apparently for Jefferson College because McCaskill said he was not on their team.

This video is from ConservativeTVOnline. I plan to go back often. Please take a few minutes to watch this video - stick with it to the end because there is plenty of misinformation that this video debunks. This real reporting - the kind that CNN doesn't have a clue about.

James Winfrey - Maxine Johnson

A note: The above photo of Ms. Johnson was allegedly taken at a Spring protest. Ms. Johnson's home is embroiled in an eminent domain battle. If what I have read is correct, her home is slated to be taken from her to make room for a "planned redevelopment project. If this is the case, I wish her the best because I am completely opposed to homes and businesses being snatched for any reason except for a national highway - and even then...

Obama Enlists Religious Left to Win Support for Healthcare Reform

by Barbara Sowell

Yesterday’s teleconference with President Obama, "40 Minutes for Health Reform," was organized by a network of religiously progressive faith-based organizations that support Obama’s plan to change our nation’s health-care system.

The 40 minute teleconference was the launch pad for a 40-day push to guilt-trip religiously naive Americans into accepting a public option for health care reform. It is no accident that proponents of Obamacare chose the symbolism of the number 40.

Jesus was tempted by the Devil after fasting for 40- days and nights in the desert. Appealing to pride, Satan challenged Christ to prove that He is the Son of God by jumping off the temple so that all can see the angels catch Him.

The Lord is tempted when He is in a weakened state, after fasting for over a month. Christ's fasting for 40 days and nights is also akin to the fasting of Moses (Ex. 34:28). God had promised that one would come after Moses who was like Moses (Deut 18:18). It may not be too much of a stretch to see this as pointing to the prophecy. In any case, we can expect that Satan will try His tricks when we are physically weak.

Jesus's scriptural response to Satan is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:16, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test."

The nation is in a weakened state. We are tired of well over 40 days and nights of fruitless health care-reform debate. Obama hasn’t fared well as all polls show that the majority of Americans don’t want a public option. Now Obama is going on the offensive. He is again reaching out to the very churches that got him elected. Can the religiously left turn the tide?

Here’s their simple strategy:

According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Obama, who joined the last few minutes of the teleconference, used religious references such as "I am my brother's keeper" and said that misinformation being spread about reform had "a lot of folks bearing false witness." . . .

The implication is clear. If you think you are your brother’s keeper and you don’t want to bear false witness, then you will jump into the arms of awaiting health-care reform angels.

But, is Obama’s public option going to save our brother or eventually destroy him? Is it bearing false witness to point out that under a public option, health care rationing is a distinct possibility, and that the Democrats have failed to put wording in the current house bill that will insure that we won’t eventually pull the plug on someone’s Grandma???

Many of the 30+ organizations that participated in the teleconference are members of Obama’s White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which President Obama established by executive order on February 5, 2009. The above link provides a partial list of members.

The following churches sponsored the “40 Minutes For Health Reform” teleconference:

CALL SPONSORS:

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH (AME)

CATHOLICS IN ALLIANCE FOR THE COMMON GOOD

CATHOLICS UNITED

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

DISCIPLES CENTER FOR PUBLIC WITNESS

DISCIPLES JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

FAITHFUL AMERICA

FAITHFUL REFORM IN HEALTH CARE

FAITH IN PUBLIC LIFE

GAMALIEL FOUNDATION

ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA

JEWISH COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS

JEWISH WOMEN INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, USA, INC.

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN CHRIST

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN

NETWORK, A NATIONAL CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE LOBBY

PICO NATIONAL NETWORK

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA), WASHINGTON OFFICE

PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION

RELIGIOUS ACTION CENTER OF REFORM JUDAISM

SAMUEL DEWITT PROCTOR CONFERENCE

SISTERS OF MERCY OF THE AMERICAS

SOJOURNERS

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

THE LATINO LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

THE NEW EVANGELICALS

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH GENERAL BOARD OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY

WASHINGTON OFFICE OF WOMEN’S DIVISIONS, GENERAL BOARD OF GLOBAL MINISTRIES, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Technorati Tags: faith-based organizations,Health Reform,teleconference,Healthcare,40- days,Religious Left,Obama,brother's keeper,bearing false witness,temptation,Jesus,Christ,fasting