Religion's Place in Nursing

[CHIRN]

I often read Billy Graham's column and thought today's was particulary pertinent to our profession. I'm just curious as to your own personal thoughts and feelings on the matter. (Please, no screaming at one another...this is not a debate.)

Dear Dr. Graham,

I'd like to be a Christian, but I have a hard time believing that Jesus rose from the dead. You see, I'm an intensive care nurse, and I know that once a person dies, that's the end. Maybe you can help me get past these doubts. -- Mrs. K.W.

Dear Mrs. K.W.:

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the most important event in all history -- and yes, incredible as it may seem, it really did happen.

In fact, it might interest you to know that one of the Gospels was written by a medical doctor (Luke). Like you, he knew that death is final and irreversible -- and yet he also gave us one of the most extensive accounts of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Why? Because he had thoroughly investigated the evidence for Jesus' resurrection for himself and he knew only one conclusion was possible: Jesus had come back from the dead.

Why is the resurrection important? Why did God raise Jesus from the dead? One reason was to prove that Jesus was who He said He was: the divine Son of God, sent from heaven to save us from our sins. The Bible says that He "was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:4). The resurrection sets Jesus apart from every other person who has ever lived.

But the resurrection points to an even greater truth: Death has now been conquered! The grave is not the end, but heaven's doors are now open! Jesus is alive, and He wants to come into your life today. Why not discover this great truth for yourself by turning to Christ today?

Edited to remove the dead link that stretched things past the edge of the screen - hope it makes it easier to read :)! - Ratched

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I'm not evangelical myself, but I understand that some people feel that they are doing the right thing by evangelizing to others. I try to understand that and remember that they are only doing what they think and know is right. Helps a bit.

Shel

Actually really only alienates us more.

(where is the beating head against wall or beating a dead horse smiley when you need one?)

[eltrip]

I dunno...the evangelizers frequently alienate me too...and i'm a Christian.

I thoroughly agree w/ what St. Francis said "Preach continuously. When necessary, use words." (probably not exact but the meaning is the same). If my life doesn't show the difference that my faith has made, who will care to know about this faith?

[susanna]

I wish more people would just leave their religion at the door. I am not religious, but I respect other people's beliefs. How ever we have a few at our nursing home who feel its their job to save the world. I got sucked into a discussion with one girl on my lunch break who unded up waving her fork at me while preaching hellfire and brimstone. It upset me a bit because I've never been rude to her have always had respect for her beliefs so when she's standing their telling me, "You'll be really sorry when you end up in hell..."

I believe this is how wars have been started LOL

This upsets me. I wanted to become a Christian but couldnt bring myself to do it after I actually met alot of Christians and didnt like how they defined what to give faith to someone was. Christians have tried, both in covert and overt ways, to make me feel scared that if I did not join, I would never feel accepted by them(I already felt accepted by a higher power).

Here's my take on all the "You're going to Hell" people:

Anyone who tries to sway you in to joining only their way of faith by making you first feel threatened, scared, or ashamed or ridiculed of your self, is manipulating you for their own means, not for the sake of giving faith. Faith does not try scare or make people feel more tortured than they already feel; it gives them hope and to keep trying to scare someone into accepting only one's own particular faith is like continuing to slap someone across the face until they accept your way. Playing with someone's emotions to make them feel scared so that they are cornered to turn only your way is manipulation.

Giving someone the carthatic means (whether that be suggesting a certain religion, spirituality, protection, or paying for tae kwon doe lessons for that person) to not feel scared and to feel accepted and safe where they are right now, is giving someone the gift of faith.

Thats my angered diversion. So, to answer the original question of shel-wny:Yes, I think faith or spirituality is simply a means of hope and the feeling of comfort, that everything is going to be okay for you in the world, in brief, a means of keeping your own sanity in what seems like a random and insane world. So, yes, christianity and spirituality are means of keeping one's self and sanity in stock. I guess what I wanted to say is that people also use them, whether they know it or not, as means for manipulation.

[ChrisA]

Exactly how is nursing supposed to be a way of "increasing the Kingdom of God"? I thought the idea was to, you know, help people get through illnesses. People aren't actually proselytizing to patients, are they? I take a dim view of the "are you saved" speeches. Francis supposedly said "Go and preach the Gospel. If necessary, use words." People who use too many words too soon are a little high-pressure, if you ask me.

Anyway, now, what do people consider the difference between religion and spirituality? And as for the chicken and egg thing, that's probably not black and white: I suspect that people come into nursing with a small measure of spiritual understanding, and then they see that there's a lot of "god talk" so they increase their own god talk. Who knows, though.

So to sum up: people talk a lot of spiritual talk because spirituality is important to them and (they feel) makes them better nurses. People talk a lot of religion stuff on here because religion is the most organized way of expressing spirituality. People talk a lot of Christianity stuf on here because a) Christianity's very popular in the main countries represented on this site, and b) many types of Christianity encourage people to talk about their faith a whole lot to try to get people to come get born again.

[jyoung1950]

Just tell them that you are because you take to heart the words at John 3:16.

I am a Greek Orthodox Christian and it is part of who I am. I dont push my faith on other people. If they ask me a question I answer it (my Easter is almost always 2 weeks--5 weeks later than everyone elses so that usually starts a discussion in the workplace). :)

But the one thing that just irritates me is people coming up to me (particularly in this part of the country) and saying, "but do you know 100% that you are saved!?"

[shel_wny]

So to sum up: people talk a lot of spiritual talk because spirituality is important to them and (they feel) makes them better nurses. People talk a lot of religion stuff on here because religion is the most organized way of expressing spirituality. People talk a lot of Christianity stuf on here because a) Christianity's very popular in the main countries represented on this site, and b) many types of Christianity encourage people to talk about their faith a whole lot to try to get people to come get born again.

Very enlightening! That makes so much sense to me. Thanks a lot. :)

Shel

[WandaT]

:crying2:I only read a few of the comments because they made me so sad. It must be very difficult in the practice of nursing to be without hope for the future. Yes there is a future, even after death. Whether you believe it or not, accept it or not, hope for it or not. How do you cope with the loss of a loved one, patient, whether it be an adult or child? My hope and prayer for each of you is that you will truly seek answers (which, believe it or not I have done) not just rely on the retoric of the media, movies, books or men without hope to tell you what is truth.

[leslie :-D]

Actually really only alienates us more.

(where is the beating head against wall or beating a dead horse smiley when you need one?)

WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK. (it's not dead yet).

[tmiller027]

This upsets me. I wanted to become a Christian but couldnt bring myself to do it after I actually met alot of Christians and didnt like how they defined what to give faith to someone was. Christians have tried, both in covert and overt ways, to make me feel scared that if I did not join, I would never feel accepted by them(I already felt accepted by a higher power).

Here's my take on all the "You're going to Hell" people:

Anyone who tries to sway you in to joining only their way of faith by making you first feel threatened, scared, or ashamed or ridiculed of your self, is manipulating you for their own means, not for the sake of giving faith. Faith does not try scare or make people feel more tortured than they already feel; it gives them hope and to keep trying to scare someone into accepting only one's own particular faith is like continuing to slap someone across the face until they accept your way. Playing with someone's emotions to make them feel scared so that they are cornered to turn only your way is manipulation.

Giving someone the carthatic means (whether that be suggesting a certain religion, spirituality, protection, or paying for tae kwon doe lessons for that person) to not feel scared and to feel accepted and safe where they are right now, is giving someone the gift of faith.

Thats my angered diversion. So, to answer the original question of shel-wny:Yes, I think faith or spirituality is simply a means of hope and the feeling of comfort, that everything is going to be okay for you in the world, in brief, a means of keeping your own sanity in what seems like a random and insane world. So, yes, christianity and spirituality are means of keeping one's self and sanity in stock. I guess what I wanted to say is that people also use them, whether they know it or not, as means for manipulation.

I grew up baptist, so I've heard all the different tactics. Since I've been on my own, I've drawn my own conclusions and formed my own beliefs based on what I've learned and what I think, not what someone else tells me to think.

Ironically, the nursing school I'm going to is a Christian college, though they're pretty open so that shouldn't be an issue. I think the main difference is they offer chapel services for those who want to go. Anyway, I personally don't even think religious discussions are appropriate for the workplace, just because some people can't take a difference of opinion sitting down.

[fergus51]

I think nursing has very little to do with religion in most places. It only seems to in the US because there are more religious people there. In Canada, I have never heard nurses discussing their religion at work other than in passing. In the US people seem to be much more vocal about religion and spirituality. I mean, look at the president. I can't imagine a political leader in Canada being so open about their personal religious beliefs.

[nursemjb]

:crying2:I only read a few of the comments because they made me so sad. It must be very difficult in the practice of nursing to be without hope for the future. Yes there is a future, even after death. Whether you believe it or not, accept it or not, hope for it or not. How do you cope with the loss of a loved one, patient, whether it be an adult or child? My hope and prayer for each of you is that you will truly seek answers (which, believe it or not I have done) not just rely on the retoric of the media, movies, books or men without hope to tell you what is truth.

:) :balloons: What keeps coming to my mind are the words of a couple of hymns...."for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day...." and "Blessed assurance Jesus is mine, oh what a foretaste of glory divine......"

[ChrisA]

WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK. (it's not dead yet).

There, I attached one to this post