...Diversity of Spiritual Healing: Final Draft Spirituality in Health Care April 28, 2013 Abstract This paper explores healing as it pertains to spirituality in Christianity, Buddhism, Muslim, and Native American Indian faiths to give insight about how diverse various cultures can be. Yet, despite their diversity some underlying concepts within these beliefs share uncanny similarities. Health care providers are well equipped to meet the needs of a diverse population with understanding and acceptance of these faiths and the importance that they hold in peoples’ lives. The Diversity of Spiritual Healing: Final Draft Health care providers today come across a wide variety of different cultures, each having their own set of beliefs and customs. In particular, religious and spiritual beliefs are an important part of many peoples’ lives. Faith often gives people a sense of purpose, and spirituality helps define a person. This makes spirituality an important part of living a healthy life. Because of the importance of spirituality in peoples’ lives and the vital role it plays in health maintenance, health care providers should acknowledge and respect these diverse cultures in our world. If spirituality plays such a vital role in the overall health and wellbeing of an individual then health care workers should have an open-mind and understanding of just how diverse these cultures can be. Exploration of several different faiths – Buddhism, Muslim and Native American spirituality...
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...Running Head: HEALTHCARE AND THREE DISTINCT BELIEFS Diversity in Beliefs Each culture has its own beliefs regarding healing, health, faith, treatment, health care providers, and disease. Everyone's practices and beliefs are brought into the health care system, so it is important as nurses to respect each patient's faith and beliefs. It is hard as health care professionals who have been taught Western medicine to understand other beliefs, but it is important to remember as nurses the goal is to improve patient care. Hinduism Hinduism is believed to have begun from the beginning of time, since wisdom existed. Therefore, Hinduism has many founders. Hinduism is formed by more than hundreds of sacred scriptures. Lord Krishna is god manifested in human form. Hinduism teachers that healing is a side-effect of the spiritual processes. Hindus believe that a healthy body helps the patient to go deeper spiritually and doing so will also allow the body to relax and have energy. There are two main components that are believed to heal illnesses. First, Hatha Yoga and Pranayama which are breathing exercises which increases the body's immunity causing the healing process to go faster. Second, spiritual masters who have mastered the uses of subtle energies which they use to heal illnesses by touching or wishing. When my patient goes to the hospital for care, she does not wish to hear anything about religion, faith or beliefs. She prefers to know what her diagnosis and prognosis...
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...again, yet their culture is secular. Occasionally some editors and journalist have portrayed the Christians as outside people who are a threat to the public life. However, the question of modernity whether America is pre-modern or modern is based on the Christians religious beliefs. Susan Harding’s book focuses on the intense language use among born again Christians that caused changes in American politics in the 1980s (Kenneth, 179). Farwell’s words as employed in the book comprises of scriptural narratives that have an influence on people’s way of life. Falwell applies the use of sermons, speeches and audio telecast to communicate his beliefs. He is also assisted by his fellow pastors and colleagues. Susan focused on listening to the message that her fellow Christians heard from Jerry in fundamental Baptists. According to Falwell, some stories mattered most to the born...
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...characteristics for their religious beliefs than those that are not indigenous. Both have set worship sites, life goals and rites and rituals they partake in. However, just as Christianity and Hinduism are different in their beliefs, the beliefs of Native Americans also vary based on the tribe they are associated with. Native American tribes have a long, established relationship with nature and the animal population. Depending on the tribe they belong to, the Native Americans might believe in a number of different gods or spirits which are usually linked to nature and their dependence on it (Molloy, 2009). The Great Spirit is well known throughout many indigenous tribes, to be a collection of spiritual energies,...
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...in me”, then the Pointer Sister began to sing a song called “You’ve Gotta Believe”. Believing in some type god is practiced in eastern and western cultures. There are several basic components of religious traditions and their relationship to the sacred. The three basic components are sacramental, prophetic, and mystic orientation. The sacramental orientation highlights resonating rituals and ceremonies regularly and correctly as the path to salvation; in Christianity (Baptist), the first Sunday of every month is set aside for the Lord’s Supper. Prophetic orientation stresses that contact with the sacred is ensured by proper belief and by adherence to moral rules (Molly, 2010). Catholics confess their sins for attending Mass. The priest speaks on behalf of the sinner to God. The mystical orientation seeks union with a reality greater than oneself, such as with God, the process of nature, the universe, or reality as a whole (Molly, 2010). In the Baptist Church there is a worship and praise usually in the beginning of the service. People who are Buddhist chant. Some Christianity denominations fast, depriving themselves of food in order to get closer to their god. Muslims pray five times a day because they say it ordered by Allah. Pilgrimage can be described as a journey both outwards to holy places and inwards to spiritual improvement. Examples would be Hebrews going to Jerusalem or Muslims faces Mecca and praying. People make pilgrimages to express penance for past...
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...Differences in Religions Religion is known as a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship and includes a set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader. Religion is different for everyone, but just as important to one as it is the other. There are many different religions, but the one thing that they have in common is belief in something. They all believe in something; however that something is different for each religion. Christianity is known “as the only true religion” (All About Religion, 2002, p. 1). Christianity has evidence to back its beliefs. They feel that Jesus’ life translated in the Bible is true testament. “Jesus lived about 2,000 years ago, was a great roman teacher and does of good works, and that he was crucified on a Roman cross for the crime of blasphemy among the Jews. The only dispute is whether Jesus rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion and that He was, in fact, God incarnate”(All About Religion,2002, p. 1). Christians believe what Jesus has said to be true as Jesus was a good man and one cannot argue that point. Jesus forgives sins, heals the sick, and rose from the dead. The other religions have less reliable information written. Jehovah’s Witness believes in God, different from the Christians. Jehovah’s Witness must follow the Watchtower organization. It is an organization that sets the rules and guidelines for this religion. They do not believe that God heals people;...
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... Abstract As heath care providers we need to keep mindful of the care we provide to several different religious traditions. It is up to the health care professional to respect and understand the ideals that affect our patients and their family members. In this paper we will compare the philosophies of three diverse faiths. The faiths chosen are Islam, Christian Science and Buddhism, and how they compare to Christianity. We will learn about basic beliefs, spiritual perspectives on healing, and the components of healing such as meditation, prayer and other rituals they follow. Furthermore, addressing the importance and perceptive of how to care for a patient with a different faith and cultural view. In the field of nursing we are in constant contact with patients of several different faiths. This requires an abundance of knowledge and acceptance towards multiple beliefs and religions. The philosophies of Christian Science, Buddhism and Islam compared to Christianity have significantly diverse beliefs surrounding health, illness, death and healing. From a spiritual perspective we will learn about each of these faiths. We will place focus on their beliefs on healing, meditation, rituals, prayer and their views on afterlife. We as healthcare providers need to know what is viewed with importance in their faith in order to treat the patient with respect and dignity. Buddhism is a religion based on the teaching and traditions of Siddhartha Gautama, who is also referred to as...
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...the basic needs of patient’s practicing Hinduism, Shintoism, and Native American cultures. A theme develops as one expands their worldview and becomes competent at creating an open dialogue with patients. Learning to have respectful conversations regarding spiritual needs will prove fulfilling for the provider and patient. Once one understands needs and barriers to care we are able to provide a spiritual and holistic experience. Exploring spiritual needs such as prayer and meditation and giving patients the opportunity to practice those in a healthcare environment is respected. Exercising additional patience and being willing to think outside the box will be the difference between competent care and compassionate care. World Religion and Healthcare Throughout a career an American nurse will come across a diverse patient population. The Christian nurse will have opportunity to educate and be educated on many cultures and religions that exist in our country. Becoming culturally competent is not only encouraged but a necessity. A lack of understanding of one’s own and one’s clients’ world views results in frustration and anxiety for both the helper and the client (Richards & Bergin, 1997, p. 50). This paper will provide a comparison of Hinduism, Shintoism, and Native American cultures and how they differ from Christianity. There exist many differences between Christianity and Hinduism which have the potential to greatly affect the manner in...
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...FAITH DIVERSITY Grand Canyon University HLT310V July 08, 2012 Abstract Americans live in the land of free where decisions primarily are ours to make from what pair of shoes to wear, what we ingest, what kind of car we drive to who we vote into the oval office. The same holds true for one’s religious and/or spiritual beliefs. Whether by choice or by upbringing in one’s family and culture, not everyone shares the same philosophy towards a higher power or modern medicine. Healing is a process toward wholeness or wellness and encompasses physical, mental, emotional, and tribal attributes (Zarren, n.d.). Not only does it focus on the disease or illness, but additionally embodies a holistic approach to care. What may not be important to the physician, nurse, or support staff is important to the patient; for it is the patient and their families that we serve. Spirituality is personal and important to everyone. Defined as, “a complex and multidimensional part of the human experience-our inner belief system. It helps individuals search for the meaning and purpose of life, and it helps them experience hope, love, inner peace, comfort, and support.” (Ashcraft, Anthony, & Mancuso, 2010). With this in mind, healthcare providers and institutions need to be cognizant of various faiths and spiritual practices to allow for healing of an individual stricken with disease or illness. In looking at Native American, Muslim, and Buddhism faiths the intent is to identify what rituals, practices...
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...much hostility. The British invaded their land and oppressed the Native American people for hundreds of years due to their cultural differences and lack of understanding. James Cameron’s 2009 film, Avatar mirrors the discovery of the new world, albeit in a very different light. The American military colonizes and destroys land on Pandora, while showing no regard for the welfare of the Na’vi. Avatar serves as an allegory for warfare and cultural hatred based on ignorance and a lack of multi-cultural acceptance and understanding. The Na’vi society of Pandora is an extremely naturalistic people. The Na’vi are the dominant species of Pandora, much like humans on Earth. They are a humanoid species that very much believes in the spirituality of nature and the world around them. In Na’vi society, there are marriage parallels, and they believe in an all-knowing God figure. This is itself, is a very strong correlation to the Native American cultures of early North America. Many of those cultures had similar beliefs. A lot of these Native American cultures believed in a strong connection between the physical world and the spiritual world, just like the Na’vi and their connection with the “Tree of Souls”. This seems to be a very obvious and intentional symbolization of the Na’vi people and a huge foreshadowing of the persecution they would endure, much like most Native American tribes. On the other hand, the American military force that forces there way upon Pandora and into Na’vi territory...
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...Introduction American Cults is an interesting and fascinating subject to write about. There are thousands or even millions of cults around the word and each one have its own believes, value, philosophy, object, and goal. The term “cult” refers to social group which consists of people who defined by their believes, religious, philosophical or their common interest in a particular goal. However, this is often unclear and uncertain. The first part of this paper examines the meaning of cult in both culture and academic. The second part of this paper deals with the two movements, which discuss the significance event of the American cults in the US history. This part consists of two movements: 1.New religious movement. 2. Anti cult movement. The...
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...Robert Paupore Thomas Condry RELI 101 22 February 2014 The Faithful and the Proud Since the year 1609 the North American Native people have been forced to give up their way of life and land to the invading white race from Europe. Simply put, it is time to return to the native people what was most precious to them which was their religion. To this end by losing their sacred religion the native people of America lost that which bonded together their communities. Through religious arrogance it was not recognized, the nearly identical history both cultures share. Now that Christianity remains the dominate religion in all the Americas, it is easy to forget that another religion almost identical to Christianity was already in place with the most natural and noble people on earth. With overwhelming numbers, superior weaponry, unlimited resources, and disease, the Native North American people were forced to lose everything to include their religion which mirrored the ancient Israelites in spiritual devotion, practices, and belief system. As an example of the once proud religions belief system, George Catlin said “The North American Indians is are nowhere idolaters-they appeal at once to the Great Spirit, and know of no mediator, either personal or symbolical.” He also stated “In their feasts, fasting, and sacrifices they are exactly like those of the ancient Jews.” (George Catlin p. 233). The social system of the native people was almost identical to that instituted...
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...American Culture: A Medley of Food, Language, and Religion Bre McCauley COM/156 June 30, 2013 Sheri Jens American Culture: A Medley of Food, Language, and Religion I believe it was Marcus Garvey who said, and I quote, “a people without the knowledge of their past history, is like a tree with no roots.” You have to know where it is you came from, befriend that knowledge, and use what you know to move forward, to progress throughout life and make history based on your heritage. How many of us embrace our history? Never mind the pigmentation of our skin, or our style of dress, nor the way we wear our hair; keep in mind that being an American means that we are all influenced if not molded, by several other races who speak life into the way we communicate, the foods we eat, our interest in the arts, and even our beliefs of a higher power. As a child we are taught a variety of motor skills. The skills may include, but are not limited to, using our hands, crawling, walking, and of course speech. We are expected to mimic the sounds we hear from our moms, dads, siblings, teachers, and the world around us in order to communicate everything we see, hear and feel to whomever will listen. The power of language and communication is beyond words, in fact without language, how could we communicate? What is the value of communication without language? Well, according to martinfrost.ws “there are four major regional dialects ( A particular form of language that is peculiar to...
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...Contemporary Issues in Eastern Religions Contemporary Issues in Eastern Religions Common Characteristics between Buddhism and Hinduism Buddhism is closely related to Hinduism, they both share some important beliefs. They both believe in reincarnation and the cycle of samsara - birth, life, death, and rebirth - and in the influence of karma on the circumstances into which you will be born in the next life. They both believe that the ultimate end is to escape from the cycle of rebirth. However, they are quite different in some very fundamental ways. For Hindus, there is an eternal soul that does not change, in essentials, from life to life. The material bodies it inhabits are like clothes. Buddhists believe that there is no core soul - that your experiences, actions, and intentions (your karma) constantly act upon you and you are constantly changing in response, so that the cycle of samsara is a long process of becoming. They also have different beliefs regarding the escape from the cycle of reincarnation. For Buddhists, achieving enlightenment, seeing the true nature of phenomenon and of oneself, eliminating all craving and desire releases you from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. For Hindus, realizing the oneness of existence, achieving mental peace or perfect unselfishness, perfect detachment from the world, or perfect knowledge of oneself, or the realization of unity with god releases you from the cycle of rebirth. As it relates to salvation...
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...from medical paternalism) and the contacts between people belonging to different religious traditions are becoming more and more frequent because of globalization. (Silesian Medical University [SMU], 2006) For this research paper on analysis of world view of two faiths philosophies towards providing healthcare, we have chosen two faiths which are Christianity and Hinduism. Christianity and healthcare- Beliefs- Christian science is based on bible and teachings of Christ. There is emphasis on spiritual healing which is based on prayers. HealthCare Chaplaincy (2012) points out Christians beliefs: * Jesus Christ is the savior of humanity. * Jesus Christ is the holy son of God. * The Christian Scripture (New Testament) is a continuation of the Hebrew Scripture (Old Testament) * Believe in presence of spiritual powers that operates on mind and body. * Faith does not rest in blind faith, rather understanding perfection of god’s spiritual creation in present. * Illness believed to be the result of disharmony between mind and matter * Believe that healing occurs when one draws closer to God and experiences moral and spiritual change. Bible verses on health- 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (Corinthians 6:19-20) 22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs...
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