Cultural and religious differences in treating our bodies

I'm Scandinavian and Christian, I make no fuss about religion though.

My culture or religion does not deny medical treatments as far as I know. I'd like to hear more on topic, how other cultures and religions differ in how our bodies (living or dead) are allowed to be treated. I hope you correct me, if I get something wrong here, I realize I know very little of other cultures in this respect.

Jehova's witnesses don't allow transfusion. Would it be accepted for them to use the patient's own blood? Catholics don't approve abortion. Circumcision is done to Jewish boys. There are African tribes, that want to "alter" girls' genitals.

Are piercings or tattoos definitely forbidden in some cultures? How about autopsies or transplants? Do some cultures forbid donating organs or receiving them? In some cultures or religions, I believe bodies have to be buried within certain time from death?

 

I know in the 7th Day Adventist denomination, tattoos, piercings, jewelry and makeup were at one time taboo. As was dancing, playing cards and masturbation. No eating pork (preferably vegetarian), no work/sex or spending of money from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday (your meals should be prepared ahead of time so as to do as little work as possible during this time. Sex is not to be recreational but to recreate. It is advised to stay away from alcohol, drugs and anything mood altering.

The best way I can describe the 7th Day Adventists is to say they are orthodox Jewish Christians.

But that was many years ago when I was a kid growing up going to church with my grandma. Most of the above came from Ellen G White, someone the church has tried to shy away from.

They are one of many who decided to change to gain membership than to stand by their beliefs.

 

Have you been to different life events in different religions? By that I primarily mean weddings, wakes and funerals?
Jews bury the dead quickly after death. Very different scene than going to an Irish open-casket wake.
I don't have enough formal religious education to know all the absolute details but you learn a lot if you experience the death rites of the different religions.

 

Other cultures and religions are in minority here, so I don't really have close experience of those events.

I found this about autopsies and religions:

I'm wondering, if any of you know examples of medical cases, when religion prohibited medical treatment.

I remember a Jehovan family from my childhood. The woman gave birth and lost a lot of blood, but husband denied transfusion based on religious beliefs. She survived though. I'm curious, what happens in case of emergencies, if there has been an accident and the person might get treated against his/her will. Could it happen, that a new-born baby would need intensive care, and the care would be available, but forbidden to use?

 

Years and years ago I worked for a man whose wife was a devout Christian Scientist. She developed a blood infection and eventually died. We often wondered if her religion delayed treatment, if that contributed to her death. Of course, that is a question you could never really ask of the family.

 

Doris - I believe in the cases where parents have been willing to let their children die rather than have doctors say give them a transfusion for blood loss - the state often steps in and obtains parental responsibility. As to whether or not such survivors would be looked on differently by their parents afterwards - who knows. Most of us I think, would want to try anything to save our children. As to own donor transplants - I am not sure, but I think perhaps it is considered wrong to let blood not just to recieve it. I know the jobos tried to convince my sister that things like a limp can be passed through blood.

 

I know of many cases in Afghanistan (heard it several ISAF members) where the father would deny a member of his family to receive vital medical treatment because of A) the attending staff was of the opposite sex, or B) his Mullah did not approve of a particular type/methodology of medical diagnosis/treatment.

Also heard about many cases in a similar vein from Saudi Arabia.

They all state the reason as going against Islam, but the Qur'an specifically states that any measure is permitted in order to ensure survival (such as drinking alcohol, eating pork, having unlawful sex, and even murder). It's pretty much equivalent to the "involuntary action XYZ" and self-defense clauses in law. Of course, there needs to be an immediate and clear necessity for these actions, and a clear connection between the action and the person's survival.

In most cases it's really culture talking. When it comes to prohibiting crucial medical treatment, it is a prime reason I abhor Middle Eastern cultures for their perverse utilization of religion for everything and anything they do.

 

Outside of formal religeon, belief systems can have equally well-defended orthodoxies, whereby it becomes 'worth' risking someone's life rather than to admit the possible validity of an external method of treatment.

A friend of mine who was a devotee of the religeon 'complementary medicine' comitted herself, with the aid of her practitioner, to homeopathic treatment of a fibroid in her womb. No, it did not diminish and disappear. It became a damn massive thing which nearly killed her. Eventual surgery to remove it nearly killed her too.