Asked my religion in hospital

efb

Being checked into the ward this eve was asked religion. No, I said. None she said. No dont bother with that. That's my first time to officially declare my agnosticism. I feel better about myself fo it too.

Hospitals is usually where ppl are won back...

Squeeonline

I would rather them fetch a doctor than a priest.

And not just because of my supple young body.

Galvasean

I believe it's so they know who to send if you require last rites or something like that.

PseudoFamous

Galvasean wrote: »

I believe it's so they know who to send if you require last rites or something like that.

Or to make sure that you're not a Jehovah's witness or something and can't get blood transfusions or anaesthesia.

janja93

And the whole Jehovah's witness and blood transfusions thing perhaps?

Corkfeen

I remember being in hospital for a stint last year, family thought that i'd become religious at some point for some reason. The bishop did walk in while I was watching "Dogma" though. I had to pause to tell him to go away. Had tv paused on this image.

Dave!

Funny, the hospital is probably where I first declared my lack of religion in the eyes of the state too... They were updating records when I had an OPD appointment several years ago, I was asked my religion and I said "none" without thinking. The receptionist was a bit taken aback... "None?!" I felt it was a small accomplishment

efb

I'm not questioning the hospital's right to ask- I understand the need!
Just saying it's the first time I officially declared my agnosticism

liamw

Squeeonline wrote: »

I would rather them fetch a doctor than a priest.

And not just because of my supple young body.

Zillah

These threads are usually people going "How dare they ask me my religion!"

200motels

I was asked the same question a few years back and when I said no religion I'm an Atheist their was complete silence. I was looked on as as if I were a Nazi.

Galvasean

Zillah wrote: »

These threads are usually people going "How dare they ask me my religion!"

I agree. We should burn down the hospital.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=68752558

efb

That David Quinn & Gay Marraige thread has me delighted I am rejecting organised bigotry.

Local priest came today and looked for me by name,I was out at the time.... And they say Jehovah's witnesses are determined...

Gordon

efb wrote: »

Being checked into the ward this eve was asked religion. No, I said. None she said. No dont bother with that. That's my first time to officially declare my agnosticism. I feel better about myself fo it too.

Hospitals is usually where ppl are won back...

Congratulations!

Galvasean

bluewolf wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=68752558

Wow, that thread ended well...

efb

This is a more grown up forum that AH tho.

Knasher

efb wrote: »

Local priest came today and looked for me by name,I was out at the time.... And they say Jehovah's witnesses are determined...

Wait, what? Did the hospital contact the local priest and tell him they have another atheist or is there a more innocent excuse.

efb

Knasher wrote: »

Wait, what? Did the hospital contact the local priest and tell him they have another atheist or is there a more innocent excuse.

My mam, I'd say

dvpower

efb wrote: »

Being checked into the ward this eve was asked religion. No, I said. None she said. No dont bother with that. That's my first time to officially declare my agnosticism. I feel better about myself fo it too.

Hospitals is usually where ppl are won back...

Did you ask the hospital what religion it was?

Galvasean

dvpower wrote: »

Did you ask the hospital what religion it was?

Hospitals are buildings. They don't believe in God.

work.inprocess

janja93 wrote: »

And the whole Jehovah's witness and blood transfusions thing perhaps?

Or perhaps it gives an indication to diet, such as in certain faiths, with foods that can't be consumed - like meat or dairy products if they were present in some medications. Also, with different religions/cultures, the gender of the person giving care can be very important, so it can be used for this or other specific cultural differences. Usually though it's just for chaplincy services; mass, communion, things like that or like you said with things like blood transfusions for specific faiths.

efb

dvpower wrote: »

Did you ask the hospital what religion it was?

I did, but it's stonewalling me...

efb

work.inprocess wrote: »

Or perhaps it gives an indication to diet, such as in certain faiths, with foods that can't be consumed - like meat or dairy products if they were present in some medications. Also, with different religions/cultures, the gender of the person giving care can be very important, so it can be used for this or other specific cultural differences. Usually though it's just for chaplincy services; mass, communion, things like that or like you said with things like blood transfusions for specific faiths.

Thank Jobs I'm agnostic so! Nothing excluded!

Dades

efb wrote: »

This is a more grown up forum that AH tho.

We're definitely more After Religion than After Hours.

robindch

Corkfeen wrote: »

The bishop did walk in while I was watching "Dogma" though. I had to pause to tell him to go away.

Must remember to bring along my Dennett, Dawkins and Hitchens whenever I'm in hospital next

Sarky

I've been in hospital a fair few times over the last 3-4 years and I've never been visited by a priest. Then again, I was never in for anything more serious than a tonsillectomy, so there'd have been no fear-of-death thing for them to capitalise on.

Shame, really. I had any number of made-up religions to pretend to have in order to call them blasphemers and banish them from the ward. Of course after a tonsillectomy you're lucky if you can whisper three words in a row, so perhaps it all worked out in the end.

Dades

Sarky wrote: »

I've been in hospital a fair few times over the last 3-4 years and I've never been visited by a priest.

That's what you think.

Didn't you ever wake up feeling slightly damp?
That's holy water that is, after a priest has snuck in and blessed you in your heathen sleep.

Sarky

Oh thanks very much. I'll never get to sleep tonight.

Turtwig

Sarky wrote: »

Oh thanks very much. I'll never get to sleep tonight.

And now you won't be able to sh*t either.

Sarky

Compared to a priest sneaking into my room and "anointing" me as I sleep, a giant spider on my toilet paper is pretty tame tbh...

Mistress 69

Galvasean wrote: »

I agree. We should burn down the hospital.

No need to burn it down as it will probably close down anyway

Sarky

You could always just move one of the Jesus statues. the number of heart attacks and aneurysms from furious Catholics would keep the place open for business indefinitely.

Galvasean

Malty_T wrote: »

And now you won't be able to sh*t either.

To be honest, if I saw that NOT being able to sh*t wouldn't be the problem...

Mistress 69

Malty has some great stock photos... That one is enough to scare the crap out of anyone... Which could be a bit of a problem given where that thing is!

efb

Sarky wrote: »

You could always just move one of the Jesus statues. the number of heart attacks and aneurysms from furious Catholics would keep the place open for business indefinitely.

No Jesus statues that I can see!

Galvasean

efb wrote: »

No Jesus statues that I can see!

"There are none as blind as those who will not seethe Jesus statues"

efb

Galvasean wrote: »

"There are none as blind as those who will not seethe Jesus statues"

I see dead people...
...really must stop turning left into the mourge...

norrie rugger

I was in, for a broken neck, a few months back and got a look of total shock, when I said "No religion"
Still had the eucharistic minister come around to the bed, at every opportunity though, I guess incase blind fear got the better of me, giving her a chance to prey

efb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UET_rbvNPY

efb

Got offered an incredibly thin wafer this morning- no thanks.

Didnt offend me and off she went.

At least she didn't ask for me by name.

And mam didn't tell the priest so my org record must be RC. I asked them to remove it.

kylith

I was asked my religion last time I was in hospital and I said 'none'. The lady wrote it down on the form and said no more.

Sometimes I hate how little opportunity I have to be indignant.

mehfesto

kylith wrote: »

I was asked my religion last time I was in hospital and I said 'none'. The lady wrote it down on the form and said no more.

Sometimes I hate how little opportunity I have to be indignant.

I was a student nurse for three years. You'd be surprised how many people say 'no religion' when they're on their own. Not surprised by the amount of auld fellas that will say Catholic when the missus was about!

Hobbes

I remember years ago a comedian saying that he put down Catholic. Not because he was, but if he declared himself Atheist then everyone shows up to try and do a deathbed conversion.

Caulego

mehfesto wrote: »

I was a student nurse for three years. You'd be surprised how many people say 'no religion' when they're on their own. Not surprised by the amount of auld fellas that will say Catholic when the missus was about!

That's an interesting point Mehfesto. Religions, and Roman Catholicism in particular, play hard on sexual themes. Men are more likely to deny that they are religious than women, as the need to feel secure, regardless of the reality or otherwise of that security, is usually strongest in women.
The priests know this, and that's why men, especially of the older generation, will not easily admit to not being religious in the presence of their wives, as the implied punishment of not keeping in line with the notions of security those women were trained to believe in, is the implied threat of having their sexual rations cut off.
Women very often unconsciously try to protect both themselves and their children from appearing 'different' from others, so they will react when the imagined loss of such security by way of conformity even appears to be threatened. Even the slightest sign that their husband might indicate that he is a god-doubter in front of the priest, and therefore possibly putting 'her' children at risk of collective ridicule by children of other god-believers, is enough to trigger unreasoned and unconscious reaction against her husband, and he knows what that might mean - no sex, and so he complies and knows his place, if he knows what's good for him. Ever wonder why so many older men seem to live like the living dead in marriages, ruled by their security conscious wives, simply tolerating them because of the shame of what divorce might do to their social image?
Religion is not some accidental and unplanned control system, but rather a pernicious and calculated methodology of studying human nature at its most animal level, namely self-preservation and reproduction, our two most strongest instincts.
In earlier decades, men sat on one side of the church at Mass, and women on that other. The women wore scarves, to supposedly cover up their ever-present and 'sinful thoughts', thus sparing God from having to be offended by them, thus ensuring that they 'knew their place'.
It also served another purpose, as men and women will particularly and naturally look at each other from a sexual viewpoint if they are grouped together by sex, just as in a dance-hall, as it allows comparisons to be made, and it makes sexual selection more obvious, which is more difficult if both sexes are mixed.
The droning voice of the priest is designed to cause the individual's mind to stop listening consciously, though the subliminal messages of 'obey' and 'fear' and imagined loss, is relentlessly hammered home into their subconscious and unreasoning minds. It also causes them to become bored, and they will tend to look for novelty to ease the boredom, so they would cast their eyes over to the members of the opposite sex, thus allowing their imaginations to work on the 'possibilities' of 'what if?' The priests gained by this manipulation, as they then played on the guilt that these completely natural drives generated, by labelling them as being 'dirty', which resulted in countless damaged and sex-obsessed minds over the generations. All for power, for control for money to the god and his servants, to appease the artificially generated guilt....just like in the casinos, 'the house never loses', as there are always more sheep to be fleeced. The idea that you shouldn't think about sex does just the opposite, as it is impossible not to think about something once it is mentioned, and the harder you try the more you will fail. This causes fear, which is tied in with self-preservation, which is linked with procreation, thus ensuring that many children are produced by way of the parents unwittingly failing to live up to the impossible, as they are simply pawns in a devious game. Children are useful to the Church, as they are necessary to sell things to, to keep the clergy supplied with money and power, and dare I mention the word 'sex'.
The priest, in his frock, which is worn to hide his sexual excitement at being in charge of so many people, and especially with the eyes of so many children and females giving him full attention, has its own, obvious function, if you get my drift. It's all done in full view but with very few ever understanding the programmed manipulation that is built into the rituals and dressage that come under the false veil of 'religion' as being 'good'. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Faing

Nurse, "What religion are you?"
Me, "Jedi Knight"
Nurse, "Cool, Me too"

Tigger

Faing wrote: »

Nurse, "What religion are you?"
Me, "Jedi Knight"
Nurse, "Cool, Me too"

i thought jedi was the religion
knight being a title

robindch

Hobbes wrote: »

if he declared himself Atheist then everyone shows up to try and do a deathbed conversion.

It's a challenge I would relish as the last breath escaped me.

Undergod

"I've seen the light! I renounce my faithless ways and I now embrace the doctrine of ... (urk)..."

You won't be around for the hilarity, but at least your final thought would be a mischevious one.

Sarky

I fully intend to go out on something like that.

"The light! The light! It's... Wait, Loki? What the... HURRK!"

summer21

Hobbes wrote: »

I remember years ago a comedian saying that he put down Catholic. Not because he was, but if he declared himself Atheist then everyone shows up to try and do a deathbed conversion.

I was in hospital recently and after putting down no religion, i had two visits from person giving out communion and one visit from methodist minister who had my name down on piece of paper.
Clearly he thought i might be looking for religion.
I politely told him no thanks and good bye.

Note to hospitals. No religion does not mean looking to be converted.