Compare and Contrast Essay on Christianity and Shintoism Approach Towards Healthcare

Introduction

Christianity is a religion that follows the practices, beliefs, and teachings of Jesus Christ while Shintoism is religion indigenous to Japan that is based on the worship of the kami. Christians believe that God is the creator of the universe and he is everywhere around us. However, God and the universe are separate from each other. Shinto believers, on the other hand, believe that Kami and nature are one and the same. There are numerous differences that make Christianity and Shintoism different. George suffers from ALS and is contemplating suicide. Christianity and Shintoism have different principles that would be used to interpret George's situation.

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How Christians View Healthcare

Based on the seven Christian worldviews, George should let nature take its course. There is a reason why he is sick. Maybe it is an opportunity for God to show how powerful he is by making him strong enough to live many more years with the disease. Also, George should not try to take his own life through voluntary euthanasia. God is the giver of life and he is the only one who is allowed to take the life of a human being (Bible, 2015). It is also possible that George has accomplished his purpose on earth and God wants to be with him. However, taking his own life would alienate him from God. George's perception of the problems in his life is misleading him. The Christian worldviews provide a completely different angle to the situation he faces.

The first Christian worldview is that God is the Universe's ultimate reality. He is the one who created the universe and everything within it. Christians believe that God is eternal, righteous, wise, holy, and all-powerful (Bible, 2015). He also works in mysterious ways. This means that he works in ways that are beyond our understanding. In understanding this worldview, it is clear that there is a reason for George's illness. Maybe God wants to show his power through providing healing to something that has not been cured before.

The second Christian worldview concerns the universe. Creation came into being through the commands issued by God (Bible, 2015). Everything that He created was orderly and structured. God does not have an order as to what should happen next in the universe. Everything happens in accordance with nature. Therefore, it can be argued that the illness suffered by George is only natural and it should be left for nature to correct the situation.

Christians believe that the nature of humanity is a reason for most of the things that happen to people. Human beings were created in God's image. Therefore, whatever we do reflects the character of the God that we serve (Goplen and plant, 2015). Therefore, sin can seriously taint the image of God leading to punishment. Sometimes, illnesses come as a way of showing us that God is not happy with what we are doing in our life. For George, it is possible that illness is a chance for him to repent and walk in the way of God.

Further Christians have a belief that people either live eternally with God or they are completely separated with God upon their death (Goplen and Plant, 2015). This depends on whether they lived a righteous or sinful life after death. If George ends his life through voluntary Euthanasia, he will certainly live eternally away from God because God does not allow people taking their lives or the lives of others. Therefore, according to the Christian worldview, it is unfortunate that George is considering voluntary Euthanasia as a solution to his problems.

Human knowledge is the fifth element of the Christian worldview. Christians believe that the knowledge that they possess came from God. Due to the grace of God, every human being knows what surrounds them and they are able to learn things about God by reading the Bible (Johnstone and Crosby, 2015). The important thing is that God is all-knowing and he seeks to make us know as well. By being knowledgeable, we are able to know what God wants us to do in certain situations. If George was knowledgeable, he would know that God would not want him to end his life in such a manner. He should let nature take its cause.

Christians also believe that God is the basis of our ethics (Johnston and Crosby, 2015). The rules that govern our ethical behavior reflect on God's character. Christian ethics are based on truth, morality and knowing how to distinguish right from wrong. In that regard, George should know that there is no shame in being bound to a wheelchair. Nature has taken its cause and therefore the right thing to continue with his healthcare program and at the same time seek forgiveness from God for the sins he has made in his life. Maybe then, he might just be healed.

Lastly, Christians believe that history unfolds in a linear rather than a circular pattern (Goplen and Plant, 2015). It unfolds according to the plans of God. This means that everything has a beginning and an end. Patients who have suffered from ALS have a life expectancy of around five years or a maximum of 10 when the patient is lucky. However, the fact that history unfolds in a linear pattern should encourage George because it means that he has an opportunity to overcome the odds and live longer. Also, God works wonders and a cure remedy for the illness might be discovered while he lives.

The Shinto’s View Towards Healthcare

The first principle of Shintoism is about Family and tradition. The family is the means through which the preservation of traditions occurs (Rots, 2017). The celebration of Shintos centers mainly on the day when one is born and their marriage. From the Shinto point of view, the most important part of the life of George is past him. Only death is before him. Shintos believe that when people die they join their ancestors and become one of the Kamis. Due to the importance of family and tradition, George should make use of the remaining time to be close to his family.

Shintoism strongly advocates for the love of nature. They believe in the sanctity of nature since nature is the closest they can come to the gods (Picken, 2017). Natural objects form part of the sacred spirits that they worship. George needs to spend the remaining time in his life to appease the gods. Since there is no such thing as sin in Shintoism, the negative thoughts about voluntary euthanasia are not sins. However, he should take his time to appease the gods by showing how much he loves nature. In that manner, the ancestors would be pleased with the way he spent the remaining part of his life.

Shintoism also places an importance on hygiene or physical cleanliness (Picken, 2017). A Shinto faithful must clean their hands and take regular baths to remain clean at all times. They should also keep their mouths clean through rinsing regularly. When George gets bound to a wheelchair, these will be major challenges for him. Shintoism views the family as an important factor in such a situation to keep a sick person clean.

The last principle of Shintoism is concerned with the "Matsuri" (Villani, 2016). This can be interpreted to mean the honor and worship that the believers give to the gods. As worship is an important factor, a believer in Shintoism would ask George to spend more time praying to the gods. Worshipping and honoring the kami is the most important aspect of this religion. He can do this by taking part in rituals to appease the gods.

My View Towards Healthcare

I believe that we should always persevere despite the situation we find ourselves in. Certain situations are only meant to test our resolve. George has a family and this would be the right time to show them just how strong he is. If he takes his own life, he would be showing a bad example to his children that it is okay t give up when the situation becomes too tough. Therefore, it is not easy to be in such a delicate health condition, but through perseverance, he will make it through.

I also believe that healthcare goes hand-in-hand with prayer. Prayer alone cannot solve our health problems. God helps those who help themselves. Therefore, George should pray but at the same time continue seeking medical assistance.

Conclusion

Overall, it is clear that the principles of Shintoism and the Christian worldviews can be used differently to interpret George's situation. Christians believe that God is the creator of the universe and the giver of life, and therefore, He is the only one who can take life away. Shintos, on the other hand, believe that they are the descendants of kami hence there is no principle preventing anyone from taking their own life. Christianity focuses mostly on Love, God, the universe, and ethics while Shintoism focuses mainly on cleanliness, tradition, and the Matsuri. Therefore, the interpretation of healthcare for each of these religions is completely different.

References

Bible, B. (2015). The Holy Bible: The Authorized King James Version. Century Publishing.

Goplen, J., & Plant, E. A. (2015). A religious worldview: Protecting one's meaning system through religious prejudice. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(11), 1474-1487.

Johnston, W. M., & Crosby, D. J. (Eds.). (2015). A Dangerous Mind: The Ideas and Influence of Delbert L. Wiens. Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Picken, S. D. (2017). Sacred texts of the Shinto tradition. Reading the Sacred Scriptures: From Oral Tradition to Written Documents and their Reception, 136.Rots, A. P. (2017). Shinto, Nature, and Ideology in Contemporary Japan: Making Sacred Forests. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Villani, P. (2016). The Kojiki: An Account of Ancient Matters. Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 43(2), 387.