Abstract
This is a summary of the three religions Buddhism, Wiccan, and Jehovah Witnesses. This paper gives an insight into the healing perspective adopted by three religions: Buddhism, Wiccan and Jehovah’s Witness. It is a summary and what their faith is based on and how each faith approaches their healthcare. The paper gives an overview of how the three religions approach the subject of healing, and how this fundamental shift can be assimilated by healthcare practitioners for the purposes of improving health outcomes. Also comparing this to Christianity and what this will mean to you and how you will treat patients of different faiths. This is an introduction to help better serve the needs of your patients and their diversity. The paper also gives the points of similarity and departure between healing in Buddhism, Wiccan, Jehovah’sand Jehovah’s Witness religions.
Key words: faith, diversity, religion
Faith Diversity
The acceptance of diversity in religion is a rather new concept over the last few decades. Diversity of religion is something which has gained wide acceptance in the last few decades; Ggone are the days when we burned people at the stake for having people were burnt for professing a different religion, and this is a trend which is likely to be maintained in the coming years. With these changes, it has become apparent that we, as healthcare providers in today’s world, must be able to put aside are their own beliefs, and accept those of others, accommodate the beliefs of other people as well so that we may better they treat their patients in a holistic way. As Vigen (2009) argues, when healthcare knowledge is combined with acceptance, healthcare providers serve their patients in a better way, and this is something which improves health outcomes. Knowledge and acceptance are powerful tools we must utilize to better serve our patients. Having this hindsight, the next question is how acceptance is gained. Well, acceptance can only be gained through understanding the perspective of different religions on matter to do with healing.
According to Bell (n.d), “Religion is defined as any specific system or belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life (Bell, n.d.).”In this paper I could not even begin to summarize all of the religions that are present in this world. I have chosen to start with some that you may encounter in your day to day practice. Although there are many religions in the world, only three religions are discussed in this paper. These three religions include Buddhism, Wiccan and Jehovah’s Witness.
Buddhism is believed to have originated in Northern India at around the 5th century B.C.E(Yun, 2005). It is also believed that Prince Siddhartha, a rich nobleman, was the first person to come up with the Buddhist religion went out into his village and witnessed the poor and after going to his rural home and witnessing the suffering of his people. When he returned from the village, he renounced his title and money and became a monk. He The Prince believed that he could find an answer for the poor and ailing people through meditation and cultivation (Yun, 2005). This informed the Buddhist culture of concentration and meditation. On healing matters, Tthe Buddhist religion is heavily centered on the healing of the mind. and believes The belief is that you can be physically sick, as well as, having an unhealthy mind set (Yun, 2005). The religion believes followers’ belief that your the mind and body are intertwined and each will affect the other. The healing process relies on not only alleviating the physical symptoms of the patient, but understanding the root problem as well is anchored on alleviating the physical symptoms of the patient as well as understanding the root problems.
Healing is focused on the mind, through the use of meditation, which allows the brain to rest. Healing is also fostered through iIncorporating the use of mantras, and the reciting of the Buddha’s name, which has been shown to show have healing and transforming affects onto the mind and the body. It is said, “A pure mind creates a pure world, and the wondrous Darma is the perfect medicine to guide us to healthy thoughts, healthy behavior, and healthy lives (Yun, 2005)”.
In the Wiccan religion, the origins are somewhat confusing and it is unclear exactly where the religion has originated from. Some people believe that it goes back as far as the 1100’s, while others believe that it is a relatively new religion which took shape in the early 1900’s. Nevertheless, it is a fact that Tthere are many forms of the Wiccan religion which change based upon depend on the practitioner. The Wiccan religion is focused on the love and respect of nature, and seeking to live in harmony with the rest of the ecosphere (Fox, 2013). It is a contemporary form of paganism Something unique about the religion is that it incorporates the honoring of the cycles of nature, such as the winter solstice;. They the followers also believe in the incorporation of the elements of nature, earth, wind, fire, and water. On healing matters, Wiccan followers believe that usingin the use of the map of the seven directions, and the Sacred Sphere are to be used in the as the framework of healing. It is used as an adjunct only and also believes that this should be used in conjunction with western medicine and not as a replacement. The use of the map of seven directions incorporates the use of mediation, ceremonies, and prayer. Its framework allows for the attunement with nature and to help in assessing areas of wellness and strength (Fox, 2102).
The religion of the Jehovah’s Witness is very similar to the Christian religion. It believes that there is one god, and that salvation was brought by the death of Jesus. The two religions differ, however, in a few aspects. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in the imminent arrival of Armageddon and the end of time. They also believe in the faith of prayer and will accept most medical treatments with relatively few exceptions. They The worshippers follow the bible edict that “you shall not consume any blood products, receive any organ donation, and they do not believe in faith healing.” On healing matters, They will accept medications to the extent the followers accept medications only if they are needed. They also believe in the right to die and that there should not be any intervention in non-interference with reproduction. Autopsies are acceptable if necessary required by law - as long as they do not remove any body parts (Week 6, 2010). In conclusion, Ttheir faith is an adjunct to modern medicine, and they believe that prayer is meant to strengthen your one’s recovery.
In all the religions, there is a hope and expectation that their faith will be accepted and incorporated into their healthcare needs. When treating a patient that has with a different set of beliefs than your own, it is important to remember to accept that there are other beliefs out there. Healthcare practioners have to understand that Rreligious competency is just as important as cultural competency in the treating of patients. Bpatients because being self-aware of different religions can enhance your practiceone’s practice. It is also important to remember that all patients have an expectation about their healthcare experience and want to feel that they are being heard and respected. Theyrespected; they want their beliefs to be incorporated as much as humanly possible in their treatment plans.
For practitioners that can put down their own beliefs for others the patient can feel as if they are a part of the healing process. This attitude shift is important for practioners who may have some misconceptions on the beliefs of their patients about the healing process. A holistic approach to healing is required at this stage; Ppatients will be more willing to engage in their care and be compliant with the treatments provided if their religious beliefs are understood. This can be a turning point for some patients. To some patients, this understanding could be the turning point and it Increasing increases their chances of living a full and healthy life after the medical emergency is over.
When it comes to Christianity, the healing message is not different in any way. For example, one of the Christian edicts says “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay” (Matt 10:8, English Standard Version). This is a message that reverberates with the healing message of the Buddhists, Wiccans, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and it acts as reminder that as Christians we should remember that all people live by the grace of God and that this should be given freely. It does not mean that you should only treat those people who believe what you believe (Vigen, 2009).
In comparing the religions of Buddhism, Wiccan, Jehovah Witness, and Christianity religions, one thing is clear there is one common theme: and that is that everyone has faith-. Wwhether the faith is in a God, nature, or enlightenment. Therefore, Ttreating the patients who are sick and injured will always remain the same to me. : Tthe only change is that the approach may be different for some. KHowever, keeping in mind that we are all different and that we all have may have different points of view is what makes a practitioner go from one that is good, to one that is respected and thought of fondly (Vigen 2009).
With over 21 major religions in the world, it is sometimes it is hard to know how people want to be treated. It is also hard to know when they want the health practitioner to incorporate their religion into their medical care. Nevertheless, it is always important to Uuse respect and kindness and ask, “Is there any spiritual practices that you would like incorporated into your medical care?”
References
Bell, J. W. (n.d.). How Many Religions are There in the World? . Retrieved July 18, 2013, from
Hub Pages : https://johnwindbell.hubpages/hub/howmany-religions-are-there
Fox, S. (2012, July 8). Introduction to the Wiccan Religion and Contemporary Paganism .
Retrieved July 18, 2013, from Circle Sanctuary:
https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/about-paganism
Fox, S. (2012, July 8). Sacred Circle, Sacred Sphere: Mapping Consciousness with Seven
Directions . Retrieved July 18, 2013, from Circle Sanctuary:
https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/about-paganism
H, YYun, H. (n.d.). Sutra of the Medicine Buddha - BuddhaNet. Retrieved July 18, 2013, from
2005: https://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/medbudsutra.pdf
Vanderbilt University Medical Cente. (2010, May). Week 6: Jehovah's Witnesses . Retrieved
July 18, 2013, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center Newsletter:
https://www.vanderbiltnursing.com
Vigen, A. M. (2009, July 15). "Heal the Sick": Why Public Health Care is a Christian Duty .
Retrieved July 18, 2013, from Washington Post: http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2009/07/heal_the_sick_why_public_health_care_is_a_christian_duty.html
Overall Comments about the Paper:
- The writer gives sufficient evidence for the hypothesis.
- The sentences give an idea of what the writer intends to discuss, but the flow is lacking. The writer needs to work on transition between paragraphs.
- In terms of paper structure and organization, the writer has done well. Nevertheless, the thesis of the paper does not come out clearly in the first paragraph.
- In terms of following the guidelines outlined in the assignment, the writer has done a good job. Comprehensive coverage of the subject matter is evident, the writer attempts to give a thesis in the first paragraph, techniques of argumentation are evident and authoritative sources are quoted. Nonetheless, there are some areas that are not given adequate attention. These are areas like the references list at the end of the paper, wording and sentence structure.
References
Bell, J, W, (n.d.). How many world religions are there in the world?. Hub pages. Retrieved from
http//johnwindbell.hubpages/hub/howmany-religions-are-there
Fox, S., (2013). Introduction to the wiccan religion and contempory paganism. Circle Sanctuary.
Retrieved from circlesanctuary.org/index.php/about-paganism
Fox, S., (2012). Sacred circle, sacred sphere: mapping consciousness with seven directions.
Circle Sanctuary.Retrieved from circlesanctuary.org/index.php/about-paganism
Retrieved from HYPERLINK "http://www.vanderbiltnursing.com"www.vanderbiltnursing.com
Yun, H., (2005). Sutra of the medicine Buddha. [Adobe Digital Reader]. Retrieved from www.
Blia.org/English/publication/booklet/pages/37.htm
