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Health Diversity

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Providing spiritually sensitive healthcare is an important aspect of holistic care. As nurses, we must realize that each faith group has their own specific values and beliefs toward healthcare. Therefore, the intent of this paper is to explore the religions of Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Each religion has similarities and differences when compared with Christianity in regards to healthcare. For each of these religions, the writer will discuss their spiritual perspective on healing and critical components of healing. Judaism can trace its traditional roots as far back as Abraham, so it is considered one of the oldest religions being practiced today. Within the religion there are Orthodox and non Orthodox members of the faith. The traditional laws of the Jewish religion are strictly followed by the Orthodox Jews. Jews observe what they call the Sabbath, which starts on Friday night and ends Saturday night. The Sabbath is mentioned in Genesis 2:2-3(New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures) in which God rested on the seventh day. Judaism, in keeping with God’s word, uses this day for rest and spiritual enrichment. Food is another aspect of Judaism that sets this religion apart from others. Jews will only eat foods that are “kosher”. This means that the foods are prepared according to the Jewish dietary laws of “kashrut”. According to these laws, land animals must have split hooves and chew their cud, fish must have scales and fins, and meat and dairy cannot be combined in any form. When it comes to end-of-life care, Jews prefer to have their rabbi’s involved in helping the families through this difficult time. Upon passing of their loved ones, a family member will stay with the body until the burial. As health care providers, it is the obligation to understand that these practices are extremely important to this diverse group so that holistic healing can take place (Ehman, 2007). Judaism believes in one God and follows the teachings of the Jewish bible. They have a rabbi to teach to work and they use the Star of David as a symbol of worship. People of the Christian faith believe in one God as well. They have several names for their religious leaders depending upon which faith they follow within Christianity. The major symbols of Christianity include the cross, the crucifix, and the dove, just to name a few (Religion Facts, 2012).
Hinduism is possibly the oldest religion in the world. Hindus do not believe in a single meaning or purpose in life, but many. They believe in four purposes of life that successfully balances human and spiritual needs: 1) fulfill your purpose; 2) reach personal prosperity; 3) enjoy life; and 4) reach enlightenment. They believe in a god called Brahman. They also believe in reincarnation. Hindus will seek medical attention when needed, but may choose some form of homeopathic route first. This religion is a very family oriented and therefore prefers family to be involved in medical decisions. Women wear bracelets, rings, and necklaces that symbolize marriage. These items are not to be removed which could cause problems if an MRI is needed. Many Hindus prefer to bring food from home since they are strict vegetarians. For end-of-life issues, Hindus do not believe in prolonging life, therefore they may choose to die at home. They prefer cremation and it is usually done with the first twenty-four hours of passing (Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, 2002). Hindus have no official clergy, their preferred book of worship is called Vedas, and they prefer meditation. Christianity gives names to their clergy, whether it is priests, monks, ministers, or deacons. Christians believe in the holy bible and prayers. They also believe that they die once and either goes to heaven or hell (Kreeft, 1987).

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