My Word-View: Christian
But what does Christian (or whatever religion you follow) mean to each of us INDIVIDUALLY? To me it means something much more different than it may be to you. Our entire lives are shaped on these foundational beliefs of morality. For example. When one goes to a eye doctor you get a prescription for contacts/glasses...every prescription can be different and for some of us unlucky enough to have myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness) we have to wear these lenses to be able to see the world in a new light... to see clearly. There is definitely a medium (in this case the contact lens or the glasses lens) and they are generally made from the same materials. How is this related to religion?
The medium is what C.S. Lewis (in his popular novel Mere Christianity) dubs The Law of Human Nature. Which basically states that we all have a gravitational pull to do what is morally right.. no matter our world view. He goes on to say that it is human nature to do good. Our "prescription" or world-view that we have is unique to each and every one of us. Everything we were taught (even maybe the principles of Erik Erikson) or learned through observation, reflection and practice has shaped our medium. The metaphorical "doctor" is all our teachers throughout our lifespan.
Some may have the Jesus prescription( Px). Some may have the Allah Px, Buddah Px, Pagan Px, Atheist Px. Some may even dub themselves non-denominational. Every other belief system thinks another belief/denomination is delusional. In a sense we are all blind but our "doctors" shape our minds and plant little seeds of thought in our line of reasoning which grow and root in the deep conscious/subconscious of our minds. When we place our human reasoning into the picture don't our glasses fog up and distort the medium and change our prescription? I can go even further and say EVERYONE has different religions. Its just the medium that we try to fall on to be "separate" from other's religious prescriptions.
Is it even possible to set your belief's aside? Is true separation from Church/State even possible? I personally think that personal beliefs and your work in SW arn't mutually exclusive.
Our values are set in our beliefs. When we value patients and their beliefs aren't we in a sense using our own beliefs in the work that we do?
I think its somewhat possible to have a neutral attitude and to be culturally relevant/compassionate. To convey these neutral attitudes in regards to religion/spirituality one would definitely have to be a formalist and follow many rules/laws that would TRY to separate your personal world-view with the other's view....but remember we all have to be in the "medium."
I believe that our foundational concept of morality is best related to a quote by a British poet John Betjeman.
"Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows"
When reason "steps in" so does our metaphorical doctors. We either choose to wear the prescription medium or not. I wear my own glasses wherever I go and I won't take them off because that is how I see where I am going.
In my practice i'm not going to take them off because it would be unprofessional to do so. It would be impossible for me to read and to interpret my clients.
I believe that our foundational concept of morality is best related to a quote by a British poet John Betjeman.
"Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows"
When reason "steps in" so does our metaphorical doctors. We either choose to wear the prescription medium or not. I wear my own glasses wherever I go and I won't take them off because that is how I see where I am going.
In my practice i'm not going to take them off because it would be unprofessional to do so. It would be impossible for me to read and to interpret my clients.
