Taoism Vs. Christianity Essays - Taoism, Immortality, Tao, Absolute

Taoism Vs. Christianity THE WAY TO IMMORTALITY A Comparison Between Taoism and Christianity and the Paths They Take to Reach Immortality PH 200 The basic structure of both Taoism and Christianity are parallel because they work to attain the same goal. It is apparent in both religions that by following a pure path, and devoiding ones self of earthly ambitions, wealth, and desires, one may reach the ultimate goal of immortality. But the way in which one reaches this goal is very different. Both religions believe in an entity that has existed before the universe, is the creator of all things, and loves and provides for all of creation. The Taoist believes in Tao, which remains a ?formless?, spiritual stare of mind. It rejects names and is therefore ?nameless? and unable to be spoken. Christians, however, believe in God, which takes on an active human form and is spoken as ?the word? of God. However, it is the differences between Tao and God that present the most evident factors that separate Taoism from Christianity. Unlike the Tao, God rules as a supreme being, while the Tao is at one with all, and does not master over anything. It is obvious that immortality is the goal in both religions, but the Taoist concept of immortality, and the way in which they become immortal differs from the of the Christians. Immortality, to the Taoist, is to achieve Tao, becoming at one with the universe. Christian immortality is to reach heaven, and walk along side God. Also, the Taoist must follow an individual path, that comes from within. While a Christian may reach heaven only by acts of his/her own goodness in accordance with their relationship with God. Creation, in both Taoism and Christianity, is stemmed from a source that always was and always will be. Taoists base their beliefs around the Tao, and the Christians believe in God. However, the essence of these two separate ideas differ dramatically in many other aspects. Unlike Tao, which claims to be ?formless?, God takes on an actual form, the image of man. The very first sentence of John's Gospel states, ?In the beginning was the one who was called the word...? This statement confirms the existence of a single being. Later in the text it is said that ?the word became flesh and dwelt among us?, thus becoming like a human. In contrast, the great Tao is ?infinite?; it flows everywhere and is always present, yet it cannot be seen or touched. It is ?empty like a bowl? and ?bottomless? yet its capacity cannot be exhausted. The Tao's own intangibility demonstrates the notion that it is frameless and therefore is not constructed into any shape or form. While speech and understanding remain the basis for following Christianity, the Tao cannot be spoken, and therefore can never be fully explained in words. According to the Gospel of John, in the Christian Bible, God sent John down to earth to speak ?the word? and lead the people to have faith. In order for Christians to acquire an understanding of their faith, they must receive some form of teaching or instruction. Christians go to church to hear ?the word? that is verbally preached to them through the words of a priest, who acts as a servant to God. With this being understood it can be concluded that without language, as the basis for understanding, Christianity could not exist. Taoism, on the other hand, emphasizes the fact that it is unspoken and therefore can never be verbally told or explained. Tao is described as being ?nameless?. It is exceeds beyond verbal communication and comprehension. ?Words can be used to speak of it, but they cannot be used to contain it.? Both Tao and God love and take care of all of creation. Every living thing depends on them for life. But the Tao is not a supreme being as God is to the Christians because Taoism is not monotheistic. The main focus in Taoism is not the worship of one god, but instead coming into harmony with Tao. Tao ?clothes and feeds all things but does not claim to be master over them.? Thus he says, ?the universe and I exist together, and all things and I are one.? God, on the other hand, stands above the universe as a higher being. He rules by power, setting certain standards which Christians are to live by and obey in order to reach salvation. The Ten Commandments, also known as ?the law of man?, are a set of rules, developed by God, that people are to abide by in order to avoid wrongdoing. Another element that separates the Tao from

Ethics Case Study Essays

Ethics Case Study Essays Ethics Case Study Essay Ethics Case Study Essay Ethics Case Study Everyday health care workers around the world are faced with tough decisions. The law guides many decisions but some decisions require ethical considerations. Making good ethical decisions is not always as easy as it seems. Making ethical decisions is even harder when the primary intention is to be helpful, but it is beyond an employee’s qualifications. Jerry’s Qualifications versus Necessary Qualifications Qualification as a medical assistant and a licensed practical nurse (LPN) does not qualify Jerry to fill, or even refill, any prescription. Only pharmacists, doctors, and other certified professionals can order medications. Jerry working as medical assistant means he is responsible for both administrative and clinical duties (Fremgen, 2009). Jerry is a LPN, which means that he is responsible for many of the same duties as registered nurses, which does not include filling or refilling prescriptions (Fremgen, 2009). Types of doctors who are allowed to write prescriptions include optometrists, veterinarians, podiatrists, clinical pharmacists, and dentists (University Health Care, 2008). Nurse practitioners, psychologists, and physician assistants can often prescribe and order medications. Because Jerry holds none of the fore-mentioned titles he is unauthorized to order a refill on a prescription. Does Type of Medication Make a Difference? Whether Jerry is refilling a prescription for blood pressure medication, blood thinners, or valium he is still overstepping the boundaries of his profession. The Valium or Diazepam that the patient is requesting a refill for can be very addictive (PubMed Health, 2010). This means that people can become dependent on the effects of valium and desire to use it more often or in larger quantities than instructed. Therefore, refilling valium may be thought of as more ethically unjust than a prescription drug that is not addictive or used recreationally. If a patient called with an emergency situation, such as running out of blood pressure medication that he or she requires daily, the best thing for Jerry to do would be to contact Dr. Williams as soon as possible to help the patient. Refilling the prescription in a situation like this would still be incorrect. If the patient were in a life-threatening situation Jerry should instruct him or her to go directly to the closest emergency room for treatment. Accountability The doctrine of respondent superior, or doctrine of respondeat superior, means that an employer is responsible for careless actions or errors of his or her employees while employees are doing their jobs (Cornell University Law School, 1993). The doctrine of respondent superior would protect Jerry only if Dr. Williams controlled Jerry’s actions and made him refill the prescription for Valium. Therefore, the doctrine of respondent superior would not protect Jerry. Jerry would be held accountable for any adverse reaction the patient might have. Advice Jerry should always adhere to protocol. Jerry must understand that it is very important to never go beyond the boundaries of his qualifications No matter how persistent a patient might be, Jerry must talk to Dr. Williams before making any decisions, especially decisions he is not qualified to make. When a patient asks Jerry to do something he knows he is not qualified to do, he must explain to the patient why he cannot fulfill his or her requests. If Jerry is unsure if he can refill the prescription he should ask his superior before taking action. Many companies have policies in place to notify patients of necessary timeframes to process a prescription refill. This way, patients understand that they must call enough in advance to request a refill so that they will receive it by the time it is needed. Jerry should learn the policy at his workplace and inform the patient of the company policies. Law and Ethics Many legal and ethical issues that can affect the decision Jerry makes about ordering the prescription refill. If Jerry knows that he cannot refill the prescription it may discourage him from doing so. Jerry should know that if he refills the prescription he could loose his job and face legal consequences. Jerry could go to jail and pay numerous fines if he is charged with falsifying refills. The knowledge of right and wrong might deter Jerry from deciding to refill the prescription. Society expects all health care professionals to uphold a certain moral or ethical code of conduct. Doing something he knows is wrong would go against this code. Jerry faces several consequences if he orders a refill and little or no benefits. Jerry may believe that he should order a refill because of other reasons. Because the patient claims to be a friend of the doctor Jerry may think that he needs to order the refill to please his employer. Jerry may feel a sense of empowerment because he was asked to do something beyond his qualifications. Feeling powerful might persuade Jerry to order the refill. Jerry could also try to justify an order for a refill if he believes that he is helping someone in need. Making an Ethical Decision Jerry may use several methods to help him make an ethical decision. These are the utilitarian method, the rights method, the common-good method, the justice method, and the virtue method (Velasquez Andre, 2010). The utilitarian method is to make a decision that will produce the greatest benefit, and the least amount of harm. Jerry might see that there are greater consequences than benefits if he decides to reorder the prescription. The rights method shows Jerry that he should not show favoritism to this patient just because he claims to be the doctor’s friend. The common-good and rights methods do not apply to Jerry’s situation. The justice method might help Jerry to realize that it is not unfair in any way if he tells the patient he cannot order the refill. Jerry should use the virtue method to see that ordering the prescription refill would be wrong. He should ask himself if ordering the refill would be ethical or virtuous. Because it is not ethical he should decide to say no to the patient. Conclusion Part of being a health care professional is the ability to make ethical and law-abiding decisions at the same time. Inability to adhere to the law can have disastrous consequences. However, it is always important to make ethical decisions using good moral judgment. References Cornell University Law School. (1993). Respondeat Superior. Retrieved June 17, 2011, from http://topics. law. cornell. edu/wex/respondeat_superior Fremgen, B. F. (2009). Medical law and ethics (3rd ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: PearsonPrentice Hall. Velasquez, M. Andre, C. (2010). Thinking Ethically: A Framework for Moral Decision Making. Retrieved June 20, 2011, from scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/thinking. html University Health Care. (2008). Drug Information Service. Retrieved June 17, 2011, from http://healthcare. utah. edu/pharmacy/newsletters/sched2_faq. htm