Differences Between Christianity And Buddhism - 1481 Words

Working in a Catholic Hospital does not mean your patients will all be Christians. In fact, the Catholic belief that all life is sacred opens the door to people of all faiths and all walks of life. One may even refer to an inner city emergency department (ED) as a spiritual melting pot. On any given day, a nurse is likely to take care of multiple patients with different worldviews from their own. While this may present a challenge, most ED nurses face this head on, as they do the other life-saving responsibilities they are presented with during their shift. Each patient brings a unique situation to the table, and the nurse must respond quickly and appropriately to meet the patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Although†¦show more content†¦According to James Sire, one’s worldview can be expressed by answering some basic questions (Sire, 2015). Seven of Sire’s questions will be addressed when comparing Buddhism and Christianity. The first of Sire’s question asks about the prime reality, or what is otherwise known as the really real (Sire, 2015). For a Christian, this can easily be summed up as God, the creator of all people, and everything around us (Gen 1:1-2, NIV). For Buddhists, the answer is not as easy. Those who practice Buddhism, in its original form, are somewhat atheistic. They are devoted to the Buddha, which is a descriptive title that means â€Å"Awakened One or Enlightened One† (Harvey, 2012, p. 1), but do not necessarily believe in God. Siddhartha Gautama, founded Buddhism in the 6th Century B.C., and many people refer to him as the Buddha. He is not a God though, and did not claim to be. Gautama is seen as a great teacher, and what every Buddhist should strive for. According to Harvey (2012), many have thought there were Buddhas prior to Gautama and there will be more Buddhas in the future. The focus of Buddhism is not on Buddha, but rather on the teachings. It is believed that those seeking salvation should look within themselves. With this in mind, one could surmise that the prime reality for Buddhists is oneself. Sire’s second question is focused on the â€Å"nature of external reality† (Sire, 2015) or how humans see the world.