Religious people in medical professions - how do you balance belief and science?

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   jlparkposted 8 years ago

   Religious people in medical professions - how do you balance belief and science?
   
   I'm a health professional, and a colleague recently (in conversation) stated that they believed in Creation and not evolution. Now, this has me stumped, as our profession involves almost all science, proven facts and a basis in evolution. She is a great health care professional, and obviously makes it work, it just has me stumped - how can one balance the belief in something that all around her is pointing to the opposite? Could be a 'faith' thing...could be that as an agnostic-atheist Creation isn't something I believe in - can anyone give me an insight?

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   jonnycomelatelyposted 8 years ago

   Jacqui, this is a profound question.  Important from a humanity point of view, I feel.   
   I can only describe what has been going on for me during the past few weeks:   The question, do I need to have every answer cut and dried, served up on a plate as the final answer, the final and irrefutable solution?  I don't feel I do need it that way.   I can let differences exist....if they don't impinge on the down-to-earth business of living a life.
   I have realised that there is no perfect, one-size-fits-all solution for every idea/concept/belief.   So, I just accept this, don't fight it.  Provided, mind you, that I don't get stomped on by someone trying to control my mind along a certain acceptance of their way of thinking. 
   Does this help at all?  Does your friend's understanding have any practical bearing on the work she or you do?

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      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Nope, it has no bearing on her work, she does a fantastic job. Her faith has no impact just as my lack of faith doesn't either. It merely struck me as a difficult position to be in to balance the science and the faith. Perhaps it is merely my issue.

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   Say Yes To Lifeposted 8 years ago

   Creation vs. Evolution has nothing to do with helping and healing people.  When they come to you, they need a certain kind of help, regardless of anyone's religious beliefs - yours as well as theirs.
   My brother is a cardiologist, and he says he is irritated when people who are healed by his expertise thank the Lord, but if he fails, he could be sued.  He says if they have that much faith in God, why didn't they pray away the problem?
   If religious discussions are going to cause contention at work, it is best left alone.  Religion belongs in church, anyway.

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      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I realise that. She is wonderful at her job, and it doesn't affect anything, just as my atheism doesn either. It just struck me as a difficult position to be in, and I wondered how it would balance with faith - it changes nothing abt them for me.

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      Say Yes To Lifeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      How life began has nothing to do with the treatments necessary for a particular ailment. However, a Christian could become cynical regarding a horrible disease. Mother Teresa became cynical, though she remained silent about it.

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      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      As a healthcare professional, I'm aware of that. It's the signs of evolution in the science we use that i wonder how she balances with faith. I think u + I r at cross purposes. Im actually curious as 2 how she balances it, not problem with her faith.

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      moneyminditposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Yoleen,
      
      You said it better than anybody.  "Religion belongs in church." The problem is that religion appears in health and politics.

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      jonnycomelatelyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Numerous times in my career as a diagnostic radiographer a patient  would express admiration for the machines that do such a great job.  Seldom was there recognition of the skill and knowledge required of the radiographer or radiologist.

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      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      What an interesting perspective and point. I have been going through a lot of diagnostic procedures lately. The technicians rarely relate to me what they are doing. A CT guided biopsy and they did and it heightened my appreciation. Interesting.

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      jonnycomelatelyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It's difficult to explain in a very condensed yet  comprehensible way, what one has learned over a long course of time and a complex learning process.  Most people only want a simple explanation,  without the need to think very much.

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   Ericdierkerposted 8 years ago

   Without getting into a constant debate about Christian hospitals. My understanding is that there are over 600 religious based hospitals in the USA. Certainly then a creationist believer could thrive in a traditional health care system. My dad was a doctor who was schooled by the Jesuits. He believed in God but not Genesis. There is that whole group of people that believe there had to be a supreme being that started life on earth but do not buy into Genesis. I don't think anymore that we are either Genesis believers and against evolution or we are straight up no God people.
   I know someone who believes in Genesis but believes the time frame is in millions of years for the days. And that can be argued Biblically.
   Very cool question to contemplate - thanks for asking it.

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      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      i may have assumed she meant at all, rather than creation and things evolved from there. I figure it can be balanced, and I'm interested to know how is all. She is a wonderful professional, so I have no issue there.

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   lawrence01posted 8 years ago

   Jaqui
   I'm not a health professional so you might want to 'discard' my answer and that would be okay as you asked it of other folks in the healthcare sector.
   For me there's no issue as one may be looking at the laws of science and observing how things work where the other is simply looking to the one who spoke those laws into existence!

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      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      you are more than welcome to answe, and I quite like your answer - thanks!

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      moneyminditposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      So, what you are saying Lawrence, is that God spoke science into existence?  So, if God also made mathematics and math shows that 2 + 2 = 4, and that same science shows that evolution is real, why do religious people ignore science?

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