Religion and Theology

Medicine and healthcare have been practiced based on the established observations and continuous innovations in science and technology. Many have benefited with major progresses and developments in the field of pharmacology, chemistry and other scientific treatment being applied to patients. These have led physicians and healthcare professionals to have their patients be treated with the most appropriate medication in terms of time, cost efficiency and lesser pain experience for the patient.

However, medicine, healthcare and science still have several repercussions on patients wherein traditions, belief and religion greatly matter. Physicians and healthcare professionals have somehow become encouraged to use alternative methods of treatment and medication that would fit and satisfy the need of the patient without compromising the religious doctrines and beliefs that they uphold. In these considerations, a new term and field has been in used today and commonly known as Christian Science. Christian Science has been considering both the established ideas and facts of nature with the acceptance of scientific processes with a relative connection and consideration of religious and biblical beliefs and statements.

Christian scientists, particularly researches, physicians and healthcare professionals who does not just believe in scientific process but also Christian doctrines and beliefs based on biblical accounts, greatly consider several teachings from the bible sacred and cannot override or be applied to some scientific and medical procedures.

Moreover, these Christian Science has created a greater influence too many people nowadays. Members of a religious organization better known as the Jehovahs Witnesses have stronger teachings on medical treatment that will not compromise several biblical teachings.

Founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1866, Christian Science has established itself later on as the First Church of Christ, Scientist, the CCS or the Christian Science Church. Apart and independent from the Jehovahs Witnesses, the CCS has greater reverence on the spirituality of Man and its universe rather than the diverting it on its material nature. Furthermore, prayer plays a major role on the healing and treatment process of a patient as it serves as a channel to which God may demonstrate a certain healing capacity (Powell, 1909).

Healing occurs to a human being able to reflect within him or herself and expressing it in terms of believing the perfection of his or her being. They also believe that sickness or disease is a product of unwanted emotions such as ignorance, fear and even the sins that an individual incurs. Focusing more on Gods love, kindness and goodness, CCS have been able to address the natural healing process in a more spiritual orientation (CCS, 2002).

Scientifically speaking, the CCS is not entirely biblical literalists such that they regard the material or tangible world as unreal and nonexistent and that science have been acceptable to them regardless of its theories. However, they sometimes tend to object when it comes to detailed and specific descriptions of ailments and diseases as these may have occurred on the mentality of the patient being manifested by the body in the form of symptoms (Eddy, 1934).

These have created CCS and its members a priority on their healing ability before diverting themselves to drugs, surgery and other medical treatment or procedures. They greatly adhere to the examples of Jesus Christ on how biblically diseases have been treated. More focusing on the divine method of healing sickness, sinful acts and even death, the CCS have considered Jesus as their Wayshower and that prayer can cure almost all kinds of physical disorders.

Jehovahs Witnesses, on the other hand, have been strong on their statements and beliefs regarding the ingestion and physical consumption of blood largely based on several biblical accounts. This greatly affects the medical and healthcare treatment being allowed and accepted by the religious organization as well as its members since blood ingestion and consumption have been extended to the facility of blood transfusion. In order to address these concerns, since blood transfusions and other blood-related operations have been necessary and advised by most healthcare professional for most types of blood loss incidence, the organization established the Hospital Information Services in order to educate and facilitate bloodless surgery. Blood and blood transfusion have been further elaborated by the organization such that products and other derivatives from them should not be used for consumption (The Watchtower, 2004).
Furthermore, several medical procedures and treatments, although not doctrinally prohibited, are also not encouraged. These would include blood donation, hemodilution, intraoperative blood salvage, use of heart-lung machine, dialysis, epidural blood patch, plasmapheresis and labeling or tagging (The Watchtower, 2004).

Jehovahs Witnesses greatly encourage the use of bloodless surgery in which most healthcare professionals and surgeons are taking into consideration. Alternative medication and improved pharmacology that can address bloodless treatment have emerged in order to address not just the organizations concern but the needs of other traditionally and culturally diverse patients.

The idea of having and encouraging bloodless surgery has been opened and respected by thousands of healthcare practitioners. However, the problem remains as the organization have led numerous cases of medical emergencies to eventually death by not allowing medical blood transfusion to be conducted. This has been an ongoing issue for human survival such that the organization has been keen in adhering to Gods teachings even if it costs the physical survival of its members.