From: Dehede011@aol.com
Date: Mon Jun 02 2003 - 06:52:32 MDT
In a message dated 6/2/2003 2:09:24 AM Central Standard Time,
Spudboy100@aol.com writes: Its not supposed to click with reality, its a means to
pyschologically deal with unmet needs and personal frustration. When pharacology and
technical progress overtake the problems of people's lives, then we shall see
what remains. Until then we have the human condition to deal with.
In his book Technaissance the writer McGee contends we are in the
beginning of a new renaissance. McGee expects to see clergy expanding into this
area.
Some people are walking manifestations of the comment that when you own
a hammer every problem is a nail. Science is wonderful but there is a whole
set of issues that science doesn't address at all.
Among other things religion is a small service profession. As such it
is a down & dirty nitty gritty business. What do you say to a family that has
just lost a loved one? Believe it or not good clergy have a long history of
learning to deal with those situations.
At the time I was involved with training for clergy I made a call on a
rest home one Sunday afternoon and found the regular ward nurse in tears. She
realized that in some fashion she had just killed a patient.
It is fairly well known among at least some clergy that when a sick
person is totally exhausted from a long illness, particularly the elderly, that
they hang on waiting for someone to give them permission to die. They seem to
have such a sense of duty to their families that they are very reluctant to lay
down their burden although they really would like to.
This man was old, very ill and he wanted to die but he felt a duty to
his family. Just the same he was wore out with the pain. He expressed his
desire to pass on to the nurse that was talking to me. She had tried to cheer him
up. He was afraid to leave his family as he felt that duty to help. She
made some kind of comment that it was okay, they would get by. I guess she was
very convincing.
She checked the patient a half hour later and he had passed on. I know
that he died but prefer the term "passed on" in this instance because it is
descriptive of what happened. He was sick, old and tired. He saw that he did
not need to continue suffering on behalf of his family and he lay down his
burden. They do that all the time.
But, you do not prepare for this work by conducting Chemistry
Experiments. It is a set of knowledge few ever learn. That day it was my job to
explain the situation to that nurse. To explain that he was wanting to die, he went
of his own free will, she did not do it to him, she had given him permission
to quit suffering and he took it.
You will find a large number of people that serve those that are ill or
otherwise unable to get around. Many times I was the only person that visited
an old person all week.
Sure, I said a prayer for them, they seemed to respond to that with a
little hope -- that was little enough to give them. Many times it was just the
visit, the sound of a human voice and the touch of a human hand they were
looking for.
They also want to talk religion. As a visitor I can't BS those people
about things of which I have no proof. I can tell them what we have been told.
I can say we hope that it is true. I can even say that I personally believe
if I believe. But those old heads have seen way too much of life to get
kidded -- they will spot a false answer in an instant.
So, let me wind this up. There is an entire body of knowledge and
theory concerning questions which science neither answers nor addresses. I am
entirely indifferent on one level whether someone is an atheist or believes in
some version of the Judeo-Christian religion. I do believe that Zen has some
practices that will benefit people. I haven't examined their theology.
But, I get very upset if some ignoramus starts throwing out the bath
water without checking to see what is in the bath.
Ron h.
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