Seventh Day Adventist and working on Sabbath???

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I was curious, I am a Seventh-Day Adventist and am struggling with the concept of working on Sabbath when your job, whether it be being a cop, firefighter, or someone else who is saving a life. The Bible is not always black and white and even though the Ten Commandments DO say to rest on the seventh day from all your labors, there are other instances in the Bible where helping others during time of rest are the right thing to do. What about those Nicu babies??? What about those who need constant care??? I would like input from a spiritual standpoint on how you all respect your Sabbaths and do it as a nurse.

Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.
I was curious, I am a Seventh-Day Adventist and am struggling with the concept of working on Sabbath when your job, whether it be being a cop, firefighter, or someone else who is saving a life. The Bible is not always black and white and even though the Ten Commandments DO say to rest on the seventh day from all your labors, there are other instances in the Bible where helping others during time of rest are the right thing to do. What about those Nicu babies??? What about those who need constant care??? I would like input from a spiritual standpoint on how you all respect your Sabbaths and do it as a nurse.

I don't believe the Bible was meant to be taken literally, I really don't. There is no way that God meant he wanted us to sit around and not lift a finger on the Sabbath even at the expense of others, so I have never had an issue working on Sunday, Christmas or Easter.

You could always tithe your earnings for that day so that it's not really "work".

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I respect your opinions. I've made my decision. I do take the bible literally. However, I apply it in a WWJD sense now. Being a nurse is a calling for me.

God Bless!

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Matthew 12 5:13

5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I respect your opinions. I've made my decision. I do take the bible literally. However, I apply it in a WWJD sense now. Being a nurse is a calling for me.

God Bless!

You take the Bible literally? All of it? Seriously?

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This is an interesting predicament. I think most major religions allow exceptions to certain practices in emergency cases, and for me that would be inclusive of serving the urgent healthcare needs of others.

I think the idea of honoring time for rest and contemplation another day would be a lovely compromise.

Best wishes in discerning this question!

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Some have questions regarding Judaism. I work 6 days a week. I work Friday morning and Saturday is my "family day", I found ways to celebrate Shabbat even while I am on call. Sunday I work full time.Judaism teaches that every human being is sacred and created in the image of God, b'tzelem e-lohim. As a result, we cannot stand idly by the blood of our neighbor” (Leviticus 19:16) and must get involved when our actions would lead to saving a life. However, the Jewish people are also obligated to remember, protect and celebrate Shabbat. Throughout history, many rabbis have made it clear that saving a life supersedes the observance of Shabbat and even criticize those who, out of religious piety, chose not to get involved when a life is at stake. However, the injunction to save a life” does not give doctors, EMTs or other health care professionals carte blanche to freely ignore Shabbat. Remember, the permission to dishonor” Shabbat comes from knowing that your actions will save a life.

The ideal solution, if possible, would be to try to trade shifts with other medical providers, who are not required to observe Shabbat and work on Sunday. However, if no one else is available, and indeed, your presence will improve the care and likelihood of patient survival, then you are permitted to take the shifts.

Reb Moshe Feinstein, arguably the most authoritative decider of Jewish Law in the 20th century, permitted doctors who worked on Shabbat and were summoned by phone or pager while on call to pick up the phone, even if it was most likely not a life and death emergency, on the off chance that it could have been. What's more, Reb Moshe permitted doctors to use elevators and to write lest using the stairs or committing patient details to memory would negatively affect their patient's care. Reb Moshe even ruled that doctors could drive to the hospital to take care of a patient and then drive back home (even though there was no medical emergency) lest the doctor would not want to go to the hospital in the first place (because he would then have to spend the rest of Shabbat at the hospital).

It is important to remember that Judaism is not an all-or-nothing religion.

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SDA is a religion and should not dabble with business like owning hospitals. Business corrupts and degrades religion.

Sabbath is called a day of rest for a reason, rest from work and business.

To do good on the Sabbath like healing is allowed but not billing.

Besides, medical centers/hospitals provides medical treatment only not HEALING. We in the healthcare, we treat patients not heal them. We don't have powers to heal but only to treat.

Voltaire said "The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature heals itself" is very true.

Working for free in case of catastrophic emergencies or SDA hospitals giving medical care free of charge every Sabbath is ok.

Remember that Sabbath is the Sabbath of the Lord not a Sabbath of the Patients.

"You cannot serve God and money at the same time" in Matthew 6:24

Hope this helps.

Interesting perspective, considering that the religious community has been providing healthcare and operating hospitals as part of their religious mission for centuries. Do you feel the same about Catholic hospitals? Jewish hospitals? All the other faith-based hospitals?

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Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.
Some have questions regarding Judaism. I work 6 days a week. I work Friday morning and Saturday is my "family day", I found ways to celebrate Shabbat even while I am on call. Sunday I work full time.Judaism teaches that every human being is sacred and created in the image of God, b'tzelem e-lohim. As a result, we cannot stand idly by the blood of our neighbor” (Leviticus 19:16) and must get involved when our actions would lead to saving a life. However, the Jewish people are also obligated to remember, protect and celebrate Shabbat. Throughout history, many rabbis have made it clear that saving a life supersedes the observance of Shabbat and even criticize those who, out of religious piety, chose not to get involved when a life is at stake. However, the injunction to save a life” does not give doctors, EMTs or other health care professionals carte blanche to freely ignore Shabbat. Remember, the permission to dishonor” Shabbat comes from knowing that your actions will save a life.

The ideal solution, if possible, would be to try to trade shifts with other medical providers, who are not required to observe Shabbat and work on Sunday. However, if no one else is available, and indeed, your presence will improve the care and likelihood of patient survival, then you are permitted to take the shifts.

Reb Moshe Feinstein, arguably the most authoritative decider of Jewish Law in the 20th century, permitted doctors who worked on Shabbat and were summoned by phone or pager while on call to pick up the phone, even if it was most likely not a life and death emergency, on the off chance that it could have been. What's more, Reb Moshe permitted doctors to use elevators and to write lest using the stairs or committing patient details to memory would negatively affect their patient's care. Reb Moshe even ruled that doctors could drive to the hospital to take care of a patient and then drive back home (even though there was no medical emergency) lest the doctor would not want to go to the hospital in the first place (because he would then have to spend the rest of Shabbat at the hospital).

It is important to remember that Judaism is not an all-or-nothing religion.

Thank you for this lesson on Shabbat. I learned so much.

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You have received much good advice. You have to decide what YOU are willing to live with.

When I first became a nurse I attended church regularly. What I found is that I became invisible. Since I didn't attend EVERY Sunday, my daughter wasn't in the Christmas program. The minister visited a church member on our floor almost daily for months....but didn't acknowledge that I existed, either on the floor or at church. Down the line, new church...after five years of attendance, I was still being "welcomed" as a visitor, although individual parishioners recognized me. When my husband retired and we moved to our present location, I gave up and I no longer attend church. I've been a nurse 22 years.

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Specializes in ICU, Postpartum, Onc, PACU.
I was curious, I am a Seventh-Day Adventist and am struggling with the concept of working on Sabbath when your job, whether it be being a cop, firefighter, or someone else who is saving a life. The Bible is not always black and white and even though the Ten Commandments DO say to rest on the seventh day from all your labors, there are other instances in the Bible where helping others during time of rest are the right thing to do. What about those Nicu babies??? What about those who need constant care??? I would like input from a spiritual standpoint on how you all respect your Sabbaths and do it as a nurse.

I grew up SDA and haven't practiced in years, however I'm still involved in the college I went to when I can be--usually in the music department, which was my first love. I also have numerous friends who still attend church regularly and to each their own.

I grew up VERY strict (to the point where, and they've since apologized, my parents wouldn't buy us motrin if we had a fever, etc). My dad was a head elder for many years and that's as close as you can get to being a preacher's kid in my book :sarcastic:. My dad has always told his employers up front that Friday night through Saturday nights are off the table as far as work, but he busted his a** and made himself worth the gamble.

When I got to the point of having jobs and still lived at home, I wasn't allowed to work on the sabbath. However, when the nursing thing came up no one gave me a straight answer and now my mom works every other weekend (also hospital work) and he hasn't kicked her out :roflmao:

Most people I've met don't think anything of it, but if you're going to be strict about it (and preach it to others) I feel like giving half or all of the money you make that day would be something to be considered. I've had friends who do that and therefore don't mind working Saturdays, but even SDAs need money, so they usually opt to work other shifts that are less desirable.

I was always taught that if you weren't profiting from someone else on that day by working, you're certainly free to help others all you want. Things have changed though, and even some pastors I knew in college would go out to lunch after church or on Friday night. That's what bugs people about religion, I think... people either take the Bible literally or they don't (and I don't in any way mean that in a cruel way) and most people do except where it doesn't suit them.

I understood in the Old Testament that it was the exchanging of money was the issue and it doesn't matter if you actually got paid the day of your services or not. The helping people on your day of rest in the New Testament wasn't in exchange for money, from what I remember so maybe that's the rub.

You can most definitely choose to not work Friday/Saturday, but keep in mind that other people will be watching and some don't understand that the Sabbath has always referred to that time period (because it's awfully convenient for weekend activities).:sarcastic: Also, if you friend people on social media from work and they see if you go out and do things other than nature walks, the beach, drink, church, etc on those days/nights they will probably not take too kindly to that either.

Again, I will restate that it was the exchanging of money/currency on the Sabbath that was the issue, not helping people. Also, sundown is different nearly every weekend so while working Saturday night might work for most of Winter, it doesn't work in the Summer unless you do a 2300-0730 shift.

Good luck with everything. You'll sort it out.:yes:

xo

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Specializes in ICU, Postpartum, Onc, PACU.
Hello,

this is something else that confuses me a tad bit; I have done CNA training in the past and they told me in training that were are prohibited from speaking or expressing religious backgrounds from our standpoint. How does that work in an Adventist Hospital?

I worked at an Adventist hospital for awhile that was near the SDA college I attended and we weren't meant to talk about our personal beliefs constantly. However, when people go to a Catholic, SDA, or whatever hospital, they know what they're in for for the most part and I've seen nurses ask to pray with patients.

On the other hand, I've also been involved in prayer circles when asked by the patient or their family because I felt like it was the polite thing to do. In the initial questionnaire they even ask you (as a potential employee) if you would be comfortable praying with patients and what would you do if you were not?

You do have more freedom at those places than at, say, a county hospital or a Kaiser/Sutter situation.

xo

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I work for a faith-based hospital chain and I have never seen anyone denigrate another person for their religious views. I also have not seen anyone have any problems for choosing to work or not work on specific days for religious reasons. While I am not very religious myself, I do find it refreshing to work for a place that actively does ask about a patient's religious preferences does respect their choices. It's also very refreshing to be able to refer people to spiritual providers (Priests, chaplains, ministers, rabbis, etc) if I feel that it's appropriate for their particular situation and I will ask the patient if they've any religious beliefs beforehand. The reason I do this is sometimes a patient needs someone who can offer a different viewpoint, who is willing to listen, who isn't a medical provider nor a psychiatrist.

As far as working on the Sabbath, if I were more religious, I perhaps might have an issue with working then, however I might also view it as an exception because I'm working in a healing/helping profession. While I am compensated for my time at work, I could be simply a warm body that goes through the motions or I can be present and work toward helping/healing my patients. The "warm body" side of things does get paid, but I don't get any additional compensation for providing the care that I do.

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