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VALUES AND MEDICAL PRACTICE

There is always an ideology behind any reasoned action. These ideologies, which help in shaping policies and methods, are themselves shaped by the dominant values derived from influences that have affected the lives of the individuals groups or societies over time. What are “values”? Standards, principles, tenets, morals or beliefs of a person, social group or society,   which they uphold and defend, in which they have an emotional investment, toward which they have a sentimental regard and to which they readily subscribe. If a practitioner involved in medical practice has let himself be vitally touched by these influences while passing through them, it is expected that his attitudes and actions in medical practice would be influenced by these influences that have configured his value base. The effects of these influences are seen today in the values guiding medical practice. Values Guiding Medical Practice: Dating back to prehistoric era, the aim of medi...

SERVICE AND SAINTHOOD

“Those who serve well… gain a worthy place for themselves and much assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 3:13)   “The occupation of being a servant” is one of the meanings of “service” and “someone devoted to a cause” is one of the meanings of “servant”. Service is not servitude or subservience or any such connotation, although service can be offered in such conditions and also in freedom and in liberty. It is, therefore, an occupation of devoting in a cause, especially when offered in freedom and in liberty. The cause can well be the whole essence of one's existence on earth. “I shall not serve!" declared Lucifer; he and his angels therefore, became separated from the heavenly host. And so there are two main groups of beings: those who do not serve at all and who would meet the same fate as Satan and his angels, and those who serve and have a chance of getting a place in the kingdom of God. There may be those who serve but do not serv...