Talk:Vocation

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[edit] Definition too narrow

This definition is too narrow in saying that a vocation is "altruistic." If you look this word up in Dictionary.com , the definition given here is the second definition and the second definition listed here is listed first on dictionary.com. I tend to side with dictionary.com on this issue. I was going to rearrange the first paragraph but then the following two paragraphs do not make any sense. I think they should be deleted and more suiting examples of vocations be given. I am not quite sure how to do it myself, but if anyone reads this suggestions would be welcome. —Preceding unsigned comment added by PhoenixD (talk • contribs)

I added a {{unreferenced|article}}. I'm also keen to agree with PhoenixD's contention that the article is explaining a sense of the term that is secondary in ordinary language usage. Something needs to be done (completely scrapping the article and rewriting it might be in order). Simões (^talk/_contribs) 05:04, 15 November 2006 (UTC)

This article discusses a specific view of vocation, a view in use and understandable to millions if not billions on the planet. While altruism may not be considered as a part of one's vocation in the broadest secular sense of one's job, the root word vocare meaning to call from vox meaning voice does imply a sense of calling to a specific or higher purpose. This calling was usually by God or some higher power or belief with the wisdom and authority to call one to a particular work, be it secular or sacred. As word usage has evolved the sense of a calling by God may have been dropped or lessened for some, but not for all or (probably) even most, even if only as a vague sense that one's work is appropriate or suitable for one, a good fit to one's temperament and abilities. The content of the definition as written is hard to fault sufficiently to discard altogether, in fact it traces the thinking about vocation in the Christian church and the modern Western world reasonably well. It might be preferable to simply add a more general first paragraph in which the distinction between these aspects of vocation could be made as the definition provided is a legitimate part of the normal usage of the word. Wdavidson2, 10/3/2007

This definition is completely bizarre. How in the world did we get 'vocation==religion'? Sucks. We need to get rid of the religion nonsense that ran over this page. --shmooth- (talk) 05:09, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Vocation to a state in life?

In Catholicism, vocation is often described as a state of life (marriage, priesthood, consecrated life, single life) and deciding which vocation to follow is called discernment. I think that this use of the term should be in the article. — Diamantina 05:54, 2 May 2007 (UTC)