Yesterday

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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 Cath/EP lab, CCU, Cardiac stepdown.
If there is an agnostic reading this....please explain what you believe in or how you believe. I've always wondered what it meant, and would appreciate it coming from an agnostic person themselves. Thanks!

I believe that there is a higher power, how involved that power is in everybody's life, I have no clue. What or who or even how many, I have no clue either.

I would compare it to aliens, ghosts, big foot, and nessie. I have no proof that they exist but I don't think I should discount the possibility.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
When my husband was in ICU on life support, I had a nurse ask me if he was saved and if not, she offered to pray for him because "you know if he is not saved he is going to hell". She probably wishes now she never said a word because I told her in many words how inappropriate that was and asked for a different nurse. There is a time and place for Jesus speak I suppose but to me that was horrid especially because I did not request any religious advice.
A perfect example that nurses need to keep their beliefs private.
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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
I believe that there is a higher power, how involved that power is in everybody's life, I have no clue. What or who or even how many, I have no clue either.

I would compare it to aliens, ghosts, big foot, and nessie. I have no proof that they exist but I don't think I should discount the possibility.

Well said. :yes:

As a spiritual agnostic, I believe in a higher power, as well as is there is not particular religious order that has the correct interpretation of what that higher power wants; I surmised that every religion, may have heard different aspects of the message itself.

I don't believe in joining a particular religion, and I really dislike when a conversation gets into what religion had the right message or is the only "TRUTH"; from what I learned about various religions academically, there is a very similar message in all of them, however, I have found some Christians to have this "superiority of truth" complex, which is far from what most aspects of the Bible, including what Jesus preaches; I find anyone who has that conundrum to be VERY off-putting, especially since I have had the opportunity to learn religions, especially Christianity in an academic setting.

Not everyone interprets what one's personal relationship with their higher power is, and not eveyone is going to accept that, and that's OK; one who is comfortable with their belief system should not be "heartbroken" if someone doesn't believe in a higher power.

Most people have a moral and ethical compass that parallels most religious teachings, regardless of religion or none; one should be cognizant of that, not what their religion is, especially when you work in nursing, we have to be objective to the pt's needs, even if their belief system is vastly different than the nurse's own, even if they may share the same religion, the individual needs must be met in an ethical matter.

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If you have a problem with religious and spiritual topics in regard to nursing, perhaps you should avoid this particular forum.

Sorry I won't ignore when someone bashes atheists. If you want to speak about your own spirituality go ahead but leave atheism out of it.

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.
If you have a problem with religious and spiritual topics in regard to nursing, perhaps you should avoid this particular forum.

Well if you're on the app there's really no way to avoid the post since they show posts in chronological order, not by forum.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Oncology, Epic CT.

But just to entertain the subject, here it goes.

The title of my religion is 'Christianity' and I try in every which way to embrace the morales and beliefs that come along with it. That is, I try and be the best person I can be to others. As I saw in another thread, our society today is lacking in common courtesies. Respect, humility, human kindness to your fellow man, etc, etc. Rather than be enthralled with the stereotypes of religions, I just try and extend those common courtesies to others (strangers, patients, family), be open minded, and nonjudgemental. Now by no means am I perfect and I do trip every now and again, maybe even some pitfalls - not everyone is responsive to a good heart, but that's part of being human. You live and learn, hope for the best for those people, and move on, enjoying life.

That was just my little food for thought. :)

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News flash.... the creator loves atheists too.

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Specializes in hospice.
News flash.... the creator loves atheists too.

Yes, He does. He also yearns for them to accept that love.

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Yes, He does. He also yearns for them to accept that love.

However, a well-meaning follower attempting to shove that information down someone else's throat is not likely to make that happen. In fact, just the opposite.

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Specializes in hospice.
However, a well-meaning follower attempting to shove that information down someone else's throat is not likely to make that happen. In fact, just the opposite.

I don't disagree.

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However, a well-meaning follower attempting to shove that information down someone else's throat is not likely to make that happen. In fact, just the opposite.

Whenever the creator is referred to as "he" it's time to end any discussion on spirituality.

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Specializes in hospice.
Whenever the creator is referred to as "he" it's time to end any discussion on spirituality.

Is being male negative?

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