medicine and faith communities

[oceanchild]

I don't think it's unique to you, Deb. This board isn't a representation of everyone who goes to church. And I think most people, when fed up with their religion, just leave. So when you stay, it's hard for people to understand. But there's a lot to religion. For me, the pull of faith outweighs my other annoyances.

Jenn, I don't know if this was what you were referring to, but this is an *awesome* thread (the one on prayer/mojo/etc):

http://www.medicalspouse.com/forums/...nding-the-mojo

Thanks! Religions interest me, too.

[medpedspouse]

Have more time now because I am now in the ER with friend's 80 yr old aunt who fell and gashed her forehead while visiting from out of town. But I digress. Sorry.

I think people generally mean well and some, when they do not what else to say, say what I call "the God speak" - you know the "it's in God's hands". I think you mean faith community by church, temple, etc - right? If so, and if you are like me, I forget that these are people with faults/baggage/ etc just like everyone else. Why do I hold them to a higher standard to have the ability to say the right thing? When I do that, it is
when I am most disappointed and or hurt. I have noticed that death, fertility and any similarly delicate subject matter tends to bring people's crazy out. I hate it that your faith community was not there for you. Going through the fertility "thang" is a roller coaster ride - a bumpy one. Unless someone else has or is going through it, they may not be comfortable enough to control "the crazy".

Have more time now because I am now in the ER with friend's 80 yr old aunt who fell and gashed her forehead while visiting from out of town...
I think people generally mean well and some, when they do not what else to say, say what I call "the God speak"

First, I hope your friend's aunt is ok.

I'm generally fine with random comments. But in some cases, these were lengthy conversations with true differences of opinion about why people suffer and how others should respond. That's what bugs me.

This is also true, though:

For me, the pull of faith outweighs my other annoyances.

These are important people to me, and it's worth it to work it out. Thanks for your perspectives, everyone.

[GrayMatterWife]

. . . I don't really understand how highly trained / educated individuals, who have trained based on evidenced based medicine, can really believe in blind faith.

Blind faith never worked for me, either. I can relate to this sentiment (although I don't understand how ANYONE can have that kind of faith, whether educated or not, really). However, my problem is that I know a LOT of people--deeply intelligent people--who have some kind of blind faith in something (God, their spouse, destiny, the inherent goodness of humankind, whatever). So I can't dismiss blind faith as anti-intellectual. I don't know what to make of it, honestly. I am fascinated by people who have blind faith. They are somehow able to escape rational thinking--which does, at times, inhibit us, even though it makes us feel empowered.