I believe it was JPII who said that organ donation is an honorable thing to do.So is it immoral to sign an organ donation card, knowing that this is likely to happen?
I wouldn’t accept a ‘donated’ organ, but is it still wrong to agree to give my organs away, knowing that it might be abused and motivate people to ‘euthanize’ me?
Of course–it’s simply a truism that brain death is never really death. Otherwise the organs would be unusable. If brain death were real death, we would have to say that the soul has already departed the body. But that can’t be the case, since the soul is the vivifying principle of all of the body, not just the brain. The upshot is that humans are reduced to their brains. And this can easily lead to the view that people with less than perfect brain function are less than human. Actually, I guess this view is already prevalent. It’s the reason parents abort Downs Syndrome babies.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08032709.html
Doctor Says about “Brain Dead” Man Saved from Organ Harvesting - “Brain Death is Never Really Death”
But if you knew for sure that they would remove your organs before you were really dead, then would it be sinful to agree to organ donation?Organ donation itself is honorable, it is the risk you put on yourself and those who depend on you - the risk that something like this will happen, or that the doctors will be slightly less motivated to try everything, because if you do die, several people will live. It’s enough of a worry for me not to sign up as an organ donor.
Depends on what you mean by “really” dead. If you are ‘declared’ dead, and your heart and kidneys are removed for transplant, obviously at least a good part of you was not dead: the heart and kidneys needed to be alive to be usable for transplant purposes. But once they are removed, you really are dead.But if you knew for sure that they would remove your organs before you were really dead, then would it be sinful to agree to organ donation?
Doctors are well trained to know when a person is really, truly dead. It is part of the Hippocratic oath. If you are somewhere inbetween, they will wait and see what happens (threat of malpractice lawsuits also leads them to err on the side of caution).But if you knew for sure that they would remove your organs before you were really dead, then would it be sinful to agree to organ donation?
How many doctors take the Hippocratic Oath today? Note that most malpractice suits come from patients who survive.Doctors are well trained to know when a person is really, truly dead. It is part of the Hippocratic oath. If you are somewhere inbetween, they will wait and see what happens (threat of malpractice lawsuits also leads them to err on the side of caution).
Did you read the link in the OP? This story shows that the doctors are not infallible. They were ready to remove this man’s organs! Again I say that we must have responsible Catholics designated to make end of life decisions for us. See Will to Live, National Right to Life organization - it can be downloaded with durable power of attorney.Doctors are well trained to know when a person is really, truly dead. It is part of the Hippocratic oath. If you are somewhere inbetween, they will wait and see what happens (threat of malpractice lawsuits also leads them to err on the side of caution).
Doctors also perform abortions, euthenasia, and end of life termination in cases where they shouldn’t.Doctors are well trained to know when a person is really, truly dead. It is part of the Hippocratic oath. If you are somewhere inbetween, they will wait and see what happens (threat of malpractice lawsuits also leads them to err on the side of caution).
Apparently there have been a lot of back and forth between the Catholic Bioethics Center and both the Vatican and other Catholic life organizations. Dr. Byrne doesn’t have much good to say about them.
Good point. Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut and the links.Doctors also perform abortions, euthenasia, and end of life termination in cases where they shouldn’t.
The fact that they are doctors doesn’t mean much…
Sure, no problem. And I don’t claim to know for sure the answer, I am merely basing my choice off of things I have read and lectures I have heard.Good point. Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut and the links.
They do remove your organs before you are really dead. It’s the removal of the vital organs that kills the patient. And yes, organ donation is big business.But if you knew for sure that they would remove your organs before you were really dead, then would it be sinful to agree to organ donation?
But what avout vital organs?Of course donating a non-vital organ is honorable.