In the New Testament, the famous parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us a moral lesson about compassion, religiosity, and hypocrisy. Jesus' narrative relates an account of a man journeying from Jericho to Jerusalem who was bushwhacked by thieves and left for dead. While he lay stripped and wounded, a priest and a Levite passed him by without rendering assistance, while a Samaritan finally found him and provided caring succor.
Today, KSL.com reported a story about the ironically-named Samaritan Ministries, a faith-based healthcare cost-sharing organization which gave an ultimatum to a Latter-day Saint subscriber: abandon Mormonism or lose your healthcare plan. Perhaps you have heard the radio ads for these Christian medical cost-sharing plans. The idea works somewhat like the United Order (a latter-day saint concept in which people consecrate their means for the benefit of all), in that members pay a monthly premium to form a corpus of funds from which health expenses may be shared among group members, lightening the burden. The ads for these kinds of organizations tell you that they qualify as health plans under Obamacare and that they can save you up to $500 a month in health insurance premiums.
The requirement under the Affordable Care Act is that members share "a common set of religious beliefs." Members sign a document affirming belief that all people are sinners and that they rely upon the grace of Jesus Christ for salvation. Mormons believe this. However, latter-day saint Ryan Baker is being asked to "re-evaluate" his membership in the Church because Samaritan Ministries disputes that latter-day saints are Christians. They cite the common anti-Mormon tropes that Mormons don't believe in the Triune God and that we believe we have to "work" our way to heaven by keeping the commandments of God.
Heaven forbid you should teach people that Jesus isn't his own Father and that he is serious when he said the way to life is found in keeping the commandments (Mark 10:17-19)!
Therefore, if you are a latter-day saint, and you're sick and dying on the side of the road, don't expect Samaritan Ministries to give you any aid or comfort. You believe in "another Jesus" and you teach people to keep the commandments of God. No healthcare for you! Perhaps re-branding the ministry to "Pharisee Ministries" should be considered.
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