Group 3 Summary_5

Group 3 Summary- Module 5 1. Should we use prayer, prescriptions, or pastoral care, or should we use all three? Prayer and pastoral care are a must in order for us to be able to navigate through life’s ups and downs successfully. Prayer helps us stay grounded and feel connected to a higher authority, our Lord. It’s comforting for our mental health and stability to know that there’s an Ultimate power that is there for us and listens to our concerns, especially when things get rough. Jeremiah 29:12 states “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Even secular counselors and therapists are now recommending meditation and prayer to ease our anxiety and stress. Pastoral care is just as important because we all need guidance and advice by educated people who have devoted their lives to God. These individuals are passionate about what they do and have a lot to offer that can help our mental health and direct our thoughts and perspectives, especially when they divert or go astray. We are in need of mentors who can educate us on God, remind us of His mercy and love, and help us make appropriate decisions. In 2 Timothy 3:16 it says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” On the other hand, prescriptions are a physical aid that can also be extremely beneficial. Many suffer from mental disorders and psychological illnesses that cannot be maintained without medical contribution. There are many studies that have proved the effectiveness of prescription drugs on mood stability, anxiety and depression. Keeping these mental disturbances at bay is essential in being able to properly complete religious obligations and have a sound mind doing so. 1 Peter 5:7 states, “ Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” . Based on personal experience, anxiety can rob you from having a sound mind to even participate in prayer, think rationally, or make proper decisions. When it comes to treating patients, the method that a medical professional chooses to use to treat a patient should vary based on the condition for which the patient is being seen. Science and medicine are without a doubt more commonly associated with the secular world. A doctor’s choice of treatment may be one that solely focuses on prescriptions because of their academic background, but evaluating the best plan of care from a biblical and Godly perspective, I believe that a combination of prayer, prescriptions, and pastoral care would be the best treatment option for any individual. In relation to this week’s topics of discussion which are mental disorder, health inequalities and ethics from a global perspective, I would be remised to only focus on the western society’s method of treatment which I mentioned already. Geisler makes a point in his book to stress antinomianism. Geisler on page 22 of his book defines antinomianism as “against/instead of law”, holds that there are no binding moral laws, that everything is relative. Throughout the world, the treatment of illnesses and in particular the treatment of mental illness varies and creates a different stigma as one moves throughout the globe. The western culture would focus on the treatment of mental illness with the use of prescriptions. As you move from west to east it can be seen that smaller cultures will more likely look at mental illness as something that can be treated through religion, prayer, and “cultural rituals”. I believe that it is possible that both perspectives have validity and when used in conjunction with the other would prove to be the “best medicine” for each individual. In the book of James chapter 5 verses 14-15 it states, “ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up . If they have sinned, they will be forgiven ”. In this scripture, I believe that the Lord is asking us as His disciples to seek him and His healing. That being said we also have to consider this question in terms of our patient and what environment we are talking about. Obviously if we are in an environment that allows for prayer and pastoral care integration then absolutely as a believer, I think it is necessary. I am a strong advocate in using medication when necessary because I think medicine and doctors are truly gifts from God. Like you mentioned even the secular world is interacting with some form of prayer or meditation and have found a since of peace doing this. In Matthew 17:20 it says “ You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. (NLT). This to me exemplifies the importance of prayer and the strength that comes with it. After taking all three methods into consideration, we come to the conclusion that all three are necessary for an overall healthy mind and body. Internal ailments will manifest externally if they are not dealt with appropriately through prayer, prescriptions and pastoral guidance.

2. Do we want socialized medicine? In simple answer? No, socialized medicine is not desired. To support the opinion previously states, a series of points will be addressed to best answer this question How is health care or comprehensive medicine obtained? The United States has many forms of “free” medicine, from the U.S. Public Health Service, Indian Health Services, Bureau of Prisons, State Prisons, Medicaid, Medicare, Military Medicine, State funded free health care, and many more. The paid form (not free) of medicine comes typically via employment or contracts such as the DOD civilian, and many more and these are part of compensation for working. Then there is the Veterans Affairs Health system that is a very unique form of medicine offered only to the veterans of the United States armed forces or former alliance forces specially in the previous commonwealth of the last World Wars. What is Socialized Medicine? According to Wikipedia it is the “medical and hospital care for all by means of government regulation of health care and subsidies derived from taxation.” Socialize medicine has been associated with free health care provided to all citizens (including illegal aliens in many states) with the use of taxpayer money. Some political pundits or special interest groups prefer to lump the taxpayer funded medicine of the Indian Health Service, the Veterans Affairs, and the Military as socialized medicine. I think it is important to note that universal healthcare and socialized healthcare/medicine are not the same thing. Universal healthcare simply means that everyone has access to healthcare but does not mean facilities, providers, and hospitals are solely funded and ran by the government. I think allowing the government to be the sole provider of healthcare is not wise and is not entirely fair to the tax payers that will be paying for it (hence its not free). I think there will be a level of accountability that will be lost with this kind of approach not to mention how does this effect the healthcare professionals and the quality of service. I love your idea of lowering the taxation for business to be able to provide healthcare options to their employees. I currently work for a church and one the largest payout we see is healthcare. I think there are other options to reform healthcare like looking at taxation and funding that would be a much better option then socialized medicine. Military, Veterans, and Indian Health service systems The military health service is a special case medicine provided to ensure a constant and uninterrupted provision of care to ensure robust national defense. The veteran’s affairs concept of “free” health care originated in 1636 Plymouth Pilgrims for the soldiers during their fight against the Pequot Indians, to the 1776 Revolutionary War, and to the present-day Veterans Health Administration. It was the Abolitionist Abraham Lincoln who coined the phrase, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” The Indian Health Service concept under the Department of Human and Health Services was founded to ensure the federally recognized tribes’ welfare to “raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level.” It is important to recognize that the Indian Health Service is linked to Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which was established in 1787. The Veterans Affairs established the provision of care in 1789 ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The military provision of care is also part of the constitution and that is via the DOD statement to “provide and to maintain readiness to provide, medical services and support to members of the Armed Forces during military operations, and to provide medical services and support to members of the Armed Forces, their dependents.” It is very important to note that each of these three special cases where health care is provided for free also provides free education and sometimes free housing, land, and much more.