Christian Ethics: Spiritual Alarm Fatigue

摘要

I was always delighted on the days when Twyla*, a talented professional colleague and dear Christian friend, worked in the ICU because I knew my students would have a meaningful clinical experience. I've known Twyla for years. We'd laughed, cried, and prayed together through difficult events in our lives, like her divorce and later, the death of our parents. So imagine me-jaw-droppingly blown away-when Twyla announced to the staff that she was quitting nursing to tour the world with a man from another country she met several months before through an online dating service. "I'm wildly in love!"Twyla burbled, showing everyone his picture. Questions flew: "When's the wedding?" "What does he do?" "Won't you miss being a nurse?" Twyla explained that she'd had enough of nursing: "I don't think I can stand hearing another alarm!" All she could speak of was beginning a new life with her new man. "He is sexy and really rich, so I don't need to work. We're planning a commitment ceremony. Together we've grown beyond organized religion so outdated rituals like marriage don't mean much to us."