Shabbos/Religious Observances

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2007

so what i am asking, is if a nurse/doctor goes to work, to help the sick and suffering, wouldn't this type of ministry be acceptable to any one God?
leslie

Obviously it's perfectly acceptable to the God you believe in.

Going to work might not be a "ministry" for someone whom might have other options, such as non-Jews working for them. Going to work as a nurse might not even be a ministry to the op. It certainly isn't for a lot of us.

Some of the "laws" of religion baffle me sometimes. Like the "no meat on Friday rule" that my ex-mother-in-law, as a practicing Catholic follows faithfully. It's Long John Silver for fish ever Friday for dinner. That just seems so odd to me. I also grew up around people whose religion forbade them to play cards, to dance, and wear make up, cut their hair (females), etc.

Sometimes I scracth my head as you are doing "surely God doesn't really care does he?

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Dec 3, 2007

actually the no meat on friday thing got changed at vatican 2. now you can only not eat meat on friday during lent...to 40 days leading up to easter.

Some of the "laws" of religion baffle me sometimes. Like the "no meat on Friday rule" that my ex-mother-in-law, as a practicing Catholic follows faithfully. It's Long John Silver for fish ever Friday for dinner. That just seems so odd to me. I also grew up around people whose religion forbade them to play cards, to dance, and wear make up, cut their hair (females), etc.
Sometimes I scracth my head as you are doing "surely God doesn't really care does he?

Trauma Columnist · Dec 3, 2007

I appreciate everyone's candor with this subject. SOmetimes we can inadvertently put our feet in our mouths and hurt someone's feelings. I think we are all adults and realize that we have a lot of variety in the people that comprise our membership.

It is important that we appreciate our diversity so that we can negotiate parameters for work/school that fit with our lifestyles and religious dictates.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2007

actually the no meat on friday thing got changed at vatican 2. now you can only not eat meat on friday during lent...to 40 days leading up to easter.

Maybe it is during Lent that I've noticed, or maybe she keeps it up during the entire year. I wasn't very close to her so I can't say.

Nonetheless it's still an odd practice....in my opinion.

texasmommy · Dec 3, 2007

Thank you to the OP for your explanation. It has helped a great deal.

You're welcome!:welcome:

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2007

Going to work might not be a "ministry" for someone whom might have other options, such as non-Jews working for them.

When my dad was a boy he used to earn a dime on Friday afternoons as a "shabbos goy" - he turned on the lights in the schul, or local temple. The money would be on a table so the beadle didn't have to touch it.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2007

actually the no meat on friday thing got changed at vatican 2. now you can only not eat meat on friday during lent...to 40 days leading up to easter.

AND if I ended up going to Mass with a Catholic girlfriend I didn't have to wear a Kleenex on my head.

texasmommy · Dec 3, 2007

A couple of people asked specific questions; I will hopefully answer those tonight or tomorrow morning! :)

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Dec 3, 2007

I never understood those restrictions either, Tweety, and I'm Catholic!:)

At least, I was..........nowadays, I guess I can't even call myself a Christian, since I don't practice any religion. I believe with every fiber of my being that there is a God and that His Son, Jesus, is my best friend as well as my Savior, but as I've aged, I've stopped believing that He can be confined to any one church or tradition. I also don't understand the religions that forbid dancing, movies, music, or other sources of pleasure, because the God I believe in loves to see His creatures happy! He loves to hear our songs and see the joy on our faces, because happy people are usually grateful people---at least, I am, and I'm grateful to Him as the source of all the good things in my life.

That said, I respect the right of every other human being to worship---or not---in the manner he or she chooses, and to be permitted to exercise freedom of religion without regard to the convenience of one's employer.

Just my two pence worth. :twocents:

morte, LPN, LVN · Dec 3, 2007

my (admittedly limited) understanding is that some of the food proscriptions had nothing to do with religion/spiritual things but were health related, and codified into the Bible....

texasmommy · Dec 3, 2007

my (admittedly limited) understanding is that some of the food proscriptions had nothing to do with religion/spiritual things but were health related, and codified into the bible....

that's a very common misconception - many people assume the prohibition against pork, for example, had to do with avoiding [color=#0000cc]trichinosis. the laws of kashrus are more spiritual than physical. they too, are complex and observed at a multitude of levels with varying interpretations.

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Dec 3, 2007

I also don't understand the religions that forbid dancing, movies, music, or other sources of pleasure, because the God I believe in loves to see His creatures happy! He loves to hear our songs and see the joy on our faces, because happy people are usually grateful people---at least, I am, and I'm grateful to Him as the source of all the good things in my life.

a bit of info here....if you are speaking of the nazarene denomination, which is the one i know of that did this, it has with in the past 5 or 10 years or so changed these rules.

I go to a nazarene college and they used to not be able to do these things and now we can i asked why and was told that these things changed in the docterine.