[QUOTE=Creaky]
I’m Episcopalian. According to what I was taught, I believe that at the Last Judgement Christ will return to earth and call us all from the grave, where we’ve been in essentially a sort of stasis. That’s what that bit in the Apostles’ Creed is about “the resurrection of the body”, if I understand correctly.
I was taught that it’s better to have all of your parts intact for that eventuality. I guess I feel that I would have been granted many opportunities to practice charity while I am alive as opposed to when I’m dead. Again, this is what I personally believe. I hope that helps clarify things a bit?
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I’m Episcopalian, too, and I happen to have a copy of The Book of Common Prayer. Here’s what the Catechism has to say about the resurrection of the body:
There you have the official church line. While we could debate what “fullness of our being” means, to me it doesn’t suggest that it’s the resurrection of our physical bodies. Of course, if a physical body is necessary, my whole family’s in trouble since we tend to opt for cremation. My beliefs are also only mine and somewhat eccentric at that. This physical chunk of flesh I have been carting around for 40 odd years isn’t important to me, delightful though it can be. I hope it isn’t that important to God. Why not do one last, good thing and help someone who needs it?
[QUOTE=boytyperanma]
I am on my license. I’m also gay which prevents the use of my tissues. I’m not sure how that works out. I don’t carry a homosexual card but do carry a license. Is it don’t know don’t check give that man a liver? I figure once I’m dead my obligations have ended and someone else can figure it out.
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That really made me curious. If you die dressed in drag I guess that might be a clue.
But, rest assured, I would have no problem accepting a gay man’s (or woman’s) organs. That sounds faintly dirty but I don’t mean it to.
I’d almost rather have it go to some ultra homophobic gay hater though!
[QUOTE=Siege]
This physical chunk of flesh I have been carting around for 40 odd years isn’t important to me, delightful though it can be. I hope it isn’t that important to God.
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In Catholicism, there is an inextricable link between body and soul. The soul didn’t exist before the body and will be joined with it again in some glorified way. I was disappointed to hear this too because I hate my body and want to escape it, but apparently what happens to your body is a part of who you essentially ARE and what it’s been through is a part of one’s complete identity.
But yeah, organ donation and cremation are OK according to the Church, as long as it’s not a relfection of the person not believing in the Resurrection of the Body.
<<364 The human body shares in the dignity of “the image of God”: it is a human body precisely because it is animated by a spiritual soul, and it is the whole human person that is intended to become, in the body of Christ, a temple of the Spirit:
Man, though made of body and soul, is a unity. Through his very bodily condition he sums up in himself the elements of the material world. Through him they are thus brought to their highest perfection and can raise their voice in praise freely given to the Creator. For this reason man may not despise his bodily life. Rather he is obliged to regard his body as good and to hold it in honour since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day. >>
I have signed the donor section of my license and made my wishes known. I figure if god can bring everyone back to life, she can put a liver and a couple of lenses back in my body, eh?
I used to donate blood regularly (being a rare type - A neg), but it’s so damned complicated these days that I don’t anymore. If it was convenient, I probably would do so again.
ETA: Forgot that I want to be cremated after they get all the good stuff out. Oh well.
[QUOTE=Siege]
I’m Episcopalian, too, and I happen to have a copy of The Book of Common Prayer. Here’s what the Catechism has to say about the resurrection of the body:
Q: What do we mean by the resurrection of the body?
A: We mean that God will raise us from death in the fullness of our being, that we may live with Christ in the communion of saints.
There you have the official church line. While we could debate what “fullness of our being” means, to me it doesn’t suggest that it’s the resurrection of our physical bodies… Why not do one last, good thing and help someone who needs it?
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A quick reply before I go to work:
I was taught that this will be a literal resurrection of the body. I was raised pretty traditionally. I do understand that the Catechism may be taken figuratively as well; but I am more comfortable with the former than the latter.
Interestingly, I will be one of the first in my family to opt for cremation. My (non-Church) feeling is that as long as I have all of the parts I’ve been able to keep, my remains will be resurrected as a whole. (I mean, if I believe if all of the rotted bodies can be restored, why not a pile of ashes?) The Church approves of cremation most certainly. I guess the definition of bodily resurrection/fullness of being will have to be subject to continued varying interpretations.
As far as doing good things for people, again,I try to do that while I’m alive. If other people want to be organ donors and feel that they’re taking it a step further, that’s cool. But it’s also important for others to respect what I believe.
In my opinion, organ donation should be a completely personal decision.
That really made me curious. If you die dressed in drag I guess that might be a clue.
But, rest assured, I would have no problem accepting a gay man’s (or woman’s) organs. That sounds faintly dirty but I don’t mean it to.
I’d almost rather have it go to some ultra homophobic gay hater though!
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You may be too young to remember the 1970s sitcom “All In The Family.” The protagonist is an extreme right-wing working-class bigot from Queens, NY. In one episode he ends up needing a blood transfusion. Turns out his donor was a black woman (his nurse, in fact, IIRC). He freaks out when he discovers he now has soul blood in his veins, but she reassures him that he will be just fine…except he may have a strong craving for watermelon.
As for boytyperanma, I’m assuming the prohibition on your guts is due to an assumed increased risk of HIV or some other malady caused by your obscene and ungodly lifestyle. Frankly I never knew you could be so black listed unless you were already tested hot for HIV.
Which leads me to wonder: If someone is going to be dead from, say, heart failure in the next 24 hours. You trip over one of your high heels at some high-class drag ball downtown and fall, in fabulous style and grace, down some stairs, break your neck and are DOA at the emergency room. AHA! The vault to your viscera is unlocked and now the guy down the hall, who just happens to be a good match, can get your heart! But wait, you’re a 'mo and you might have something queer in your blood–we gotta let the dude die. Is that even ethical?
[QUOTE=Renee]
Yes, of course I am. I also have trouble understanding any reasons why one wouldn’t be…saving people’s lives trumps any level of “icky” I can think of.
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Hope that doesn’t include medical reasons - if your donation is more likely to kill the patient than save them (or kill them than improve their quality of life) then it seems the sensible thing to do is not to donate.
[QUOTE=Mr. Duality]
Yes. Mrs. Duality would not want to allow it though. What would happen in such circumstances? That question may be deserving of its own thread.
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I’m a donor, but If I died while my mother is still alive, it might not happen. She has a horror of it, and my husband says he probably wouldn’t fight her over it.
[QUOTE=Mr. Duality]
Yes. Mrs. Duality would not want to allow it though. What would happen in such circumstances? That question may be deserving of its own thread.
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You must have an iron-clad living will or other specific instructions in place. If you don’t, then the decision goes to your next of kin and she can say no.
[QUOTE=tirial]
Hope that doesn’t include medical reasons - if your donation is more likely to kill the patient than save them (or kill them than improve their quality of life) then it seems the sensible thing to do is not to donate.
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Um, what? If a donation is likely to kill a person, they don’t do it.
[QUOTE=EJsGirl]
You must have an iron-clad living will or other specific instructions in place. If you don’t, then the decision goes to your next of kin and she can say no.
A sticker on your drivers license is not enough.
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You can have the most iron-clad directions in the history of the world drafted, notarized, and filed in triplicate, and the reality is that a hospital is very unlikely to harvest your organs over the strong objections of your next-of-kin.
[QUOTE=EJsGirl]
Um, what? If a donation is likely to kill a person, they don’t do it.
:dubious:
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The poster above said that she did not understand reasons for not being a donor. I pointed out that some people have medical reasons for not donating. e.g. in the US I would be barred because of BSE.