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Nurses Spirituality

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For the first time in 27 years of nursing, I met a person who said "I am an atheist" My heart did a 20 beat run of V-tach!! Yikes! I wonder if God has placed this person in my path for a reason. I will love her like I've never loved anyone!!!! I have a few more months with her and my heart is broken into a zillion pieces for her.

Specializes in MDS/ UR.

Wow, you sound scary and quite frankly arrogant.

You actually think you will 'love someone like you have never loved' for what purpose other than your own personal agenda.

Is that your place to do?

I am just aghast that a hospice nurse would verbal this.

I would rather die without services than have that kind of intent around me.

Shameful

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Specializes in Critical Care; Recovery.

It's interesting to me that nurses who are supposed to care for the spiritual needs of their patients are so disturbed when a Christian speaks of loving an atheist. Since this is the example of Christ (hence the term Christian). I agree she may need to dial it back a bit, but if a person sincerely believes that another will spend eternity in hell while rejecting a God they claim does not exist, it is sinful and hypocritical for us not to warn that person. We do so with genuine care for the person. The message is simple that Jesus was God in the flesh who died for the sins of the world so that anyone who will humble themselves before a holy God and admit to having sinned against God may receive forgiveness of sins. This is not arrogant, it is the truth. The reality is that the atheist who declares that "there is no God", is like the blind man who declares "there is no sun". His inability to perceive the creator does not cause the creator to cease to exist. Nor will his inability to detect evidence for the existence of God, excuse him of sinning against the conscience that God has placed in him on the day of judgement. Unbelief of course, is only one of the sins that separates us from God. The scripture declares that even liars will be cast into the lake of fire in Revelation 21:8. God is serious about sin to the point that he sacrificed his own son. Anyone who repents and trusts Jesus to be their savior will have everlasting life. If I'm being consistent with my worldview, wouldn't you expect me to have enough love and concern to warn you of sin, righteousness, and judgement to come? It seems to me that you should expect this from a Christian who has the love of God in them. Would you rather me simply be silent while I see you marching happily into hell saying "there is no God". Obviously I'm aware that we keep it professional with patients and coworkers and I will usually wait until they start the conversation to discuss these issues, unless God leads me otherwise, but tolerance works both ways people.

Unabashed follower of Christ

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It's interesting to me that nurses who are supposed to care for the spiritual needs of their patients are so disturbed when a Christian speaks of loving an atheist. Since this is the example of Christ (hence the term Christian). I agree she may need to dial it back a bit, but if a person sincerely believes that another will spend eternity in hell while rejecting a God they claim does not exist, it is sinful and hypocritical for us not to warn that person. We do so with genuine care for the person. The message is simple that Jesus was God in the flesh who died for the sins of the world so that anyone who will humble themselves before a holy God and admit to having sinned against God may receive forgiveness of sins. This is not arrogant, it is the truth. The reality is that the atheist who declares that "there is no God", is like the blind man who declares "there is no sun". His inability to perceive the creator does not cause the creator to cease to exist. Nor will his inability to detect evidence for the existence of God, excuse him of sinning against the conscience that God has placed in him on the day of judgement. Unbelief of course, is only one of the sins that separates us from God. The scripture declares that even liars will be cast into the lake of fire in Revelation 21:8. God is serious about sin to the point that he sacrificed his own son. Anyone who repents and trusts Jesus to be their savior will have everlasting life. If I'm being consistent with my worldview, wouldn't you expect me to have enough love and concern to warn you of sin, righteousness, and judgement to come? It seems to me that you should expect this from a Christian who has the love of God in them. Would you rather me simply be silent while I see you marching happily into hell saying "there is no God". Obviously I'm aware that we keep it professional with patients and coworkers and I will usually wait until they start the conversation to discuss these issues, unless God leads me otherwise, but tolerance works both ways people.

Unabashed follower of Christ

Except the sun is real.

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And I didn't mean to like that post unlike

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It's interesting to me that nurses who are supposed to care for the spiritual needs of their patients are so disturbed when a Christian speaks of loving an atheist. Since this is the example of Christ (hence the term Christian). I agree she may need to dial it back a bit, but if a person sincerely believes that another will spend eternity in hell while rejecting a God they claim does not exist, it is sinful and hypocritical for us not to warn that person. We do so with genuine care for the person. The message is simple that Jesus was God in the flesh who died for the sins of the world so that anyone who will humble themselves before a holy God and admit to having sinned against God may receive forgiveness of sins. This is not arrogant, it is the truth. The reality is that the atheist who declares that "there is no God", is like the blind man who declares "there is no sun". His inability to perceive the creator does not cause the creator to cease to exist. Nor will his inability to detect evidence for the existence of God, excuse him of sinning against the conscience that God has placed in him on the day of judgement. Unbelief of course, is only one of the sins that separates us from God. The scripture declares that even liars will be cast into the lake of fire in Revelation 21:8. God is serious about sin to the point that he sacrificed his own son. Anyone who repents and trusts Jesus to be their savior will have everlasting life. If I'm being consistent with my worldview, wouldn't you expect me to have enough love and concern to warn you of sin, righteousness, and judgement to come? It seems to me that you should expect this from a Christian who has the love of God in them. Would you rather me simply be silent while I see you marching happily into hell saying "there is no God". Obviously I'm aware that we keep it professional with patients and coworkers and I will usually wait until they start the conversation to discuss these issues, unless God leads me otherwise, but tolerance works both ways people.

Unabashed follower of Christ

I hear what you are saying and I understand where you are coming from. As to the question of hell everlasting, I'm not going to restate my thoughts but you can search my previous posts if you are interested.

I am also concerned that the person that the op plans on proselytizing may be a student and op the teacher. If the class is in an openly religious institution then not such a big deal, but if not, then there's an imbalance of power and the op 's attentions and attempts at converting this person are inappropriate. Perhaps the op should bring it up only after the class (this is my assumption) has ended.

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Well said Larry3373:)

I am amazed at those here who say they are Christian but will gladly watch someone head off to Hell just to be 'tolerant of others beliefs'. If they bring up the subject we must tell them . Then it's between them and God. That's not forcing a belief. Islam forces their beliefs with violence ...more than any Christian would. Nobody is up in arms over that

People only tend to say they are 'Christians' generically , meaning only that they are not Muslim or Jewish. They cannot be true Bible believing Christians if they don't believe that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ and non-believers will end up in Hell.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Except the sun is real.
To be respectful....God is real to the person who believes in God.
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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

This is why I could never get into religion. Why must you make others believe or see what you see? Let anyone who wants to believe in what they want. As long as it doesn't affect others ( ISIS ) then who really cares? Your mission is not to warn me of your perceived "punishments" of heaven and hell. Your mission is to live a good and fulfilling life.

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To be respectful....God is real to the person who believes in God.

And to be respectful god is not real to the person who doesn't believe. It goes both ways.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Well said Larry3373:)

I am amazed at those here who say they are Christian but will gladly watch someone head off to Hell just to be 'tolerant of others beliefs'. If they bring up the subject we must tell them . Then it's between them and God. That's not forcing a belief. Islam forces their beliefs with violence ...more than any Christian would. Nobody is up in arms over that

People only tend to say they are 'Christians' generically , meaning only that they are not Muslim or Jewish. They cannot be true Bible believing Christians if they don't believe that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ and non-believers will end up in Hell.

Just for argument...Christians...Catholics...and other religions have carried out many wars and violence over religion. Catholic or protestant...the IRA and terrorist bombings in England and Ireland. Killing and torturing people if they were not of the true faith...Catholic of course. The Crusades...The Holy Wars...The Spanish Inquisition. The Byzantines....ALL have committed violence in the name of religion.

As a nurse YOUR religious beliefs are NOT important nor should you impose your beliefs on your patient. If you want to pray for you patient do so quietly on your own time. The patients bedside is not a pulpit.

If the OP wants to pray for the patient they can...but they are not there to introduce them or bring the patient to God.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
And to be respectful god is not real to the person who doesn't believe. It goes both ways.

Yes it does...and this is a forum for discussions about spirituality and God. Many people believe different things are we as nurses need to be cognizant about those beliefs so we can best care for our patients....whether we believe it ourselves.

I have seen many people practice many different beliefs and rituals at the bedside for what they believe will help them. My personal beliefs have no bearing I am respectful and allow them to practice what makes them feel better.

If they beleive that the Voodoo Spirits are going to heal them it is NOT my place to say yes but that's not real this is real...isn't appropriate...by anyone.

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Yes, as nurses we must "check" our selves at the door, because it's not about us.

I live for Christ and celebrate the freedom he has blessed me with everday. I believe and I am blessed by knowing His Love. It's free will whether people choose to believe or not. I can't believe it's taken OP 27 Years to meet an atheist. Some of my best friends from school have different beliefs. That is ok. I know people reject God all the time. Just because they reject him doesn't mean he doesn't exist. I know it goes the other way around to.....but once you've experienced His healing you don't care if anyone believes you or not. Just living in His grace people will be drawn to it. ?

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