Can Medicine and religion coexists?
Research question:
How do religious perspectives on suffering and healing shape tensions and attitudes toward modern medical intervention, particularly in end-of-life care and blood transfusions?
Artist's statement:
For my final project, I've chosen to write and discuss the exploration of how religious perspectives on suffering and healing shape tensions and attitudes toward modern medical intervention, particularly in end-of-life care and blood transfusions. I plan to interview a person who have religious backgrounds or who are involved in religion. Along with an analysis of historical and tensions of religion and healthcare.
As for someone who enjoys the realm of medicine, I wanted this approach of ethical thinking (learned in class) and my love for medicine to create a platform for me to really dig into the topic, weaving together different perspectives to explore the ethical challenges involved. This project goes beyond the confines of the classroom by encouraging a more personal reflection and involvement of the community on how religion shapes the way people make health decisions, sparking conversations that can help us better understand these complex issues.
Below is the Interview with my THEO 107 Professor:
List of Questions asked:
- Are you religious? If so, what is your relationship with religion? If not, what are your general thoughts on religion, and why do people believe in it?
-What are your thoughts on the relationship between religion and medicine? Do you think they can coexist, or are they incompatible?
-Have you ever faced a difficult illness, either personally or with a loved one? How did your faith influence how you handled it?
-When making medical decisions, do you ever find yourself torn between religious beliefs and medical advice? Can you share an experience?
-How do you feel about end-of-life decisions, like life support or hospice care? Have you or your family had to make such choices?
These set of questions helps bring in a perspective through the eyes of someone who is religous and creates a more personal foundation to the topic of medicine and religion