Cultural Diversity in Healthy for Christian Scientists - Research Paper Example

?Health sciences and medicine Cultural Diversity in Healthy for Christian Scientists Number: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Abstract 3 Thesis Statement 3 Christian Science Religion 3 The History of Christian Science 5 Christian Science Healing 6 Belief about Birth 6 Beliefs about Death 8 Scenario 8 Ectopic Pregnancy 9 Treatment of Ectopic pregnancy 10 Conclusion 11 References 11 Abstract The cultural and religious beliefs of the Christian Science result in many practices and health care beliefs which are extensively different from other cultures. For example, the Christian Science is excluded from the social security and health insurance coverage. They have diverse perceptions about illness and health; they do not practise birth control; they frequently lack the protective practices of immunization and prenatal care. They may use various forms of traditional and non-traditional health care providers. Only by considering the religion-cultural belief system of Christian Science, nurse practitioners can effectively gather for the health care needs of their people. Thesis Statement Religion and cultural practices play an important role in the health beliefs of traditional people from all walks of life. This is particularly true in times of birth and of death in the community. In this paper, the study examines religious belief-systems related to a health care condition among the Christian Scientists. Later in a scenario, tries to give a health situation for a couple where the woman had ectopic pregnancy. Conclusions are drawn from the scenario considering the religion chosen. Christian Science Religion Christian Science is form of religious thought and practices based on the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is a feeling on God’s goodness. Their teachings majorly include spiritual reality as the only reality and the rest is just an illusion or “error’’1. Christian Science rejects the common views on Christian atonement and the existence of Hell as the place of everlasting punishment. It encourages people to perceive things from a spiritual perspective just as Jesus taught the church. Christian Science addresses key points about God, life and death, good and evil, salvation, and sacrament. Jesus said, “He that believes on me, the works will do even more...” (John 14:12). Eddy Mary Baker said, “These great works are not supernatural, but are supremely natural...” (Science and Health, p.xi:14). This means resolving complicated challenges in relationships, health, employment, and many other life situations through prayer, although believers who practice Christian Science have freedom to make their decisions about what their thinking and do them in each situation, including even health care. God is an incorporeal Spirit; supreme, Father-Mother, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and actually exist. God is the Mind, Soul, Spirit, Principle, Truth, Life, and Love. "God is All-in-All." All people are sons and daughters of God, not in the same level of Jesus Christ. Jesus is a divine example, and Christ is the heavenly idea of "sonship", he is the Master. Christ Jesus led the way (the “wayshower”) so that all can know the Truth, which is God. Many Christian Scientists have made prayer their first option for treatment rather than medical treatments. They believe healing is as a result of complete submission to God. It is not forbidden to look for medical attention, but they believe it is only for those who turn back on this belief. Exceptions described by Eddy like fixing broken limbs, going to the dentist, and other basic surgical measures but scientists are opposed to diagnosing illness. Eddy recorded that she erudite2 the Christian Science way of healing as she improved from an injury she got in 1866 after reading the Bible passage unfolding one of the Jesus' healings. Eddy's healing ideology relied on a number of concepts of Homoeopathy.3 Since 1862, Eddy was the student of the homoeopath and spiritualist Quimby Phineas after he assisted her with a spinal problem. She understood that Quimby had healed her because of “the truth which he finds in the patient cures him.’’ From the latest 1863, Quimby referred to his ideologies as "the Science of Health and Happiness’’, “the Science of Christ’’ and in the "Aristocracy and Democracy" he termed it as “the Christian Science.” For many years she protected him publicly and frequently talked with him, and worked together to execute healings based on his ways. Finally, in 1872 she named her methods as the Christian Science. Later, she affirmed that Quimby had not been a key influence because Quimby healed using animal magnetism, which she had denied previously in her public writings. The History of Christian Science In 1866, Mary Baker Eddy, after several years of study, discovered what is considered as the Science of Christianity through the life and teachings of Jesus. She devoted herself to preaching, teaching, and healing people through Christian Science-the system of applying spiritual laws. In 1875, she published her book, Science and Health with key to the Scriptures. She founded the Church of Christ, Scientist by 1879, “to commemorate the works of our Master and the word, which should re-establish primitive Christianity and the lost element of healing” (Church Manual, p.17). Today, there are members of Christian Science in over 130 countries and they democratically run churches in more than 75 countries. It is not a must to be a church member in order to study Christian Science. Christian Science Healing Many Christian Scientists established that prayer brings healing when everyone is connected to God. They argue that God loves and cannot cause sin or sickness because of his infinite wisdom. If God is ever present and powerful, is there anything He can’t do? Through prayer, we learn God’s nature and capacity to touch and heal the world and our lives as well. Both Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy showed the way God helps people through prayer, just like the way light dissolves darkness. Christian Scientists trust that disease and sickness are as a result of ignorance, fear, or even sin, and ought to be healed through prayer and introspection. Combined with a faith that the application of medicine is irreconcilable with Christian Science healing methods, this has caused outbreaks of preventable ailment and a number of deaths. Its claim that illness can be healed by prayer rather than medicine, its denial of science as illusory, and its tries to present itself as science making Christian Science a pseudoscience.4 Christian Science is not a type of science but a religion. It’s the duty of every person who practices Christian Science to select the form of health care services he or she wants. Most Christian Scientists opt to first pray about each challenge—including health issues—and find it efficient. Several health care professionals today are realizing options outside of the conventional medicine. Christian Scientists identify and respect the welfare of medical professionals and they don't fight them. People care about the preventive and healing aspects of health care. Like all form of healing, the reputation for Christian Science isn’t perfect. Belief about Birth Birth practice for the Christian Scientists is really different for every individual, as a decree, Christian Scientists choose not to use medicine, doctors, or immunizations even during the time of pregnancy, labor, and even birth. Nevertheless, the Christian Science religion doesn't give an official position on childbirth, and Christian Scientists are left to handle it as they wish. Other people give birth in the care of a doctor, but they still try to reduce the dependence on medicine in the process. They do this in order to promote spiritual connection between parents and the newborn children. Christian Scientists do not carry out this birth practice in the breach of the law, especially in light of current lawsuits alleging carelessness and unjust death of children. Christian Scientists believe that God’s child as perfect, divine and godly. Dependence on conventional medicine is discouraged and it is left up to the individual to decide. Physicians are not viewed in a hostile way; but their ways are seen as fruitless because they treat the disease like it is originating in the body but not from mind. Most Christian Scientists have discovered Christian Science to be a fast and effective healing alternative for their children. Protecting their children’s lives and enhancing their health and welfare is a standard no matter what forms of health care they prefer. In general, the Christian Scientists consider that sickness and diseases have no physical origin, and hence, whatever thing that causes them to move away from perfect healthiness can be mitigated by divine healing alone. Through Scripture, prayer, and use of the concepts existing in the Science and Health and other writings by Mary Eddy Baker, the Christian Scientists trust that they can achieve and maintain a perfect health. The Bible does not give support to the Christian Scientist thought that disease is the problem of the mind or spirit rather than the body and therefore, it is inconsistent with the biblical worldview. In many of nationally known cases in the early 1990s, the parents who are members of the Christian Science church were charged with manslaughter or murder after their children suffered and died of curable disease without being treated medically. The best publicized of these cases was the Twitchel Case in Massachusetts, in which parents Ginger Twitchell and David were convicted in 1990 of unconscious manslaughter in the death of their two-year-old son Robyn, who suffered and died to a bowel obstruction. Beliefs about Death Christian Science believes that humans are all immortal spirit. Death is only the belief in death. After which they call "death," a spiritual development in the direction of Truth that continues until the entire evil, or "error," destroys itself. Heaven and hell does not exist as places, but states of one’s consciousness and that perception that continues continue even after death. “Heaven" is the self-made everlasting bliss of discovering oneness with God. They also believe that “Hell’’ is the self-made suffering of believing in death and pain. Nurses in Christian Science religion cannot obtain a pulse, make use of the fever thermometer, and present an enema or even backrub. They have not been trained to recognize infectious diseases. They have been left to concentrate on sick children and they are taking notes while the children suffered and died. They have not recommended the parents for any medical care. The notes these nurses wrote, show that they observed the children having “heavy convulsions,” vomiting over and over again, and urinating hysterically. They saw the children complaining of pain and were weak to get out of bed. They saw their eyes rolling upwards and fixed in a flat stare. One of the Christian Science nurse force-fed a child as he was succumbing to bowel obstruction. Scenario A man accompanies his wife who is 25 year old to the emergency section of the hospital. The woman is troubled about rigorous pains and pelvis cramping she is experiencing. The doctor’s assessment discovers that the woman was suffering from ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized ovum is implanted outside the uterus, typically inside the fallopian tube. All ectopic pregnancies cannot proceed to birth (term). The growing fetus must be removed in order to save the life of the mother (Christian Science monitor, 1998) The doctor explains what he found (diagnosis) to the couple. The doctor also gives the following medical treatment arrangement: insertion of intravenous (IV) line, administration of the pain medication, and a surgical intervention. He explains that surgery will comprise of removal of the growing cells, probable need for blood transfusion, and application of IV antibiotics. While the couple refuses surgery according to their religious values, the physician explains that; ectopic pregnancy is referred to an emergency process and must be mitigated within the hour. Ectopic Pregnancy An ectopic pregnancy is the pregnancy which occurs outside the uterus (womb). It is a life threatening condition and the baby (fetus) cannot survive. This is caused by a condition which slows or prevents the movement of the fertilized egg via the fallopian tube to the uterus. Symptoms of this illness may include; abnormal vaginal bleeding, mild cramping on one side of the pelvis, low back pain, and pain in the pelvic area. Ectopic pregnancy is caused by; endometriosis, surgery or scars of previous infections, previous ectopic pregnancy, and birth defects in the fallopian tube. This condition can affect later pregnancies since research show that only a third of women who have experienced ectopic pregnancy are able to have babies there after. It is important to consider the woman’s age, children, and previous ectopic pregnancy for treatment to be effective. The ectopic pregnancy poses a serious problem on the health of the mother and the baby (fetus) does not survive. The only way to help the couple is to terminate the pregnancy. Treatment of Ectopic pregnancy The health care provider (doctor) tells the couple that time is of importance because ectopic pregnancy is regarded as an emergency in his perception. Treatment should take place immediately. The couple will need an emergency medical assistance if the region of the ectopic pregnancy ruptures. Rupture may lead to shock which an emergency condition. Treatment for shock may include: Blood transfusion, Keeping warm, Oxygen, Fluids given via a vein, and Raising the legs of the mother. If rupture occurs, surgery (laparotomy)5 is done in order to prevent blood loss. The surgery is also carried out to: Confirm an ectopic pregnancy, Remove the abnormal pregnancy, and Repair the tissue damage. The couple comes from a Christian Science Religious background and they believe that prayer gives healing while believing in God. They went to see the doctor for diagnosis and they may choose to take the surgery or not. Eddy says that, “the truth which he finds in the patient cures him.’’ The doctor should take into account their religious view on medication and try to help them for their well being. Their condition can be carried out successfully if they give their consent since their religion does not bind them in any way. They should take into consideration the lawsuits and the nursing staff can help them appropriately. The nurses must convince the couple that the treatment does not affect their religion or even warn them on the lawsuit concerning the health of the mother over that of the baby. If the patient’s cultural worldview is not delivered, it may affect the way the couple may respond to the doctor’s medical attention. They may choose not to use the medicine because of their belief which may cause problems to the nursing staff. This may lead to death because the condition is terminal and the medical team may loose their job if it is publicized. Conclusion Religious belief-system can greatly affect the health of the people. Christian Science is form of religious thought and practices based on the Bible and the books of Mary Baker Eddy. She founded the Christian Science religion using her books and the Bible. God is an incorporeal Spirit; supreme, Father-Mother, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and actually exist. They believe in life after death. An ectopic pregnancy is the one which happens outside the uterus (womb). It is a life threatening condition and the baby (fetus) cannot survive. Christian Scientists believe that God’s child as perfect, divine and godly. Dependence on conventional medicine is discouraged and it is left up to the individual to decide. The Scenario provided gave this study the mandate to bring into sight the effect of religious world views on human health. References Ballinger, W. F. (1984). Unexpected findings at laparotomy. Philadelphia: Lippincott. Carson, S. A., & Newton, E. R. (1999). Ectopic pregnancy. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Publishers. Center for the Future of Children., David & Lucile Packard Foundation., Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs., & Brookings Institution. (1991). The future of children. Los Altos, Calif: Center for the Future of Children. Christian Science Publishing Society (1983). The Christian Science monitor. Boston, Mass: Christian Science Pub. Society. Laberge, P. Y., & SSB Multimedia (Firm). (1997). Ectopic pregnancy. Montreal, Quebec: SSB Multimedia. Montemayor, H. (2012). Pseudoscience. Delhi: Orange Apple Twain, M. (1996). Christian Science. New York: Oxford University Press. Read More