Author Topic: Organ Donation and Druidism (Read 9047 times)

Babylon Outcast · « **on:** March 03, 2014, 01:22:39 am »

Here is my issue that I am having about organ donation.

On my more personal side I just do not like the thought of my organs being removed. Part of the reason is because frankly I just would feel bad if because of this or that my body couldn't be used, yes I know I'm dead and shouldn't care, but it is something I care about now. The other part is that I just want to be whole when I decompose[or be cremated, which is another issue all on its own].

On the flip side I do feel somewhat selfish/guilty over my decision and I have no way to justify it except because of that I start to feel ill when I think of my body being separated. Yet on the other side I get almost just as ill thinking about the waste not using my body can do. So this is where I need a little help, as I am trying to get back into druidism I just want a little guidance to either say which side of the coin or which of Gods/Goddesses/spirits I should ask to get their advice on.

The only argument that makes "logical" sense towards that I should go through with organ donation is that I can use my body to help nature in terms of helping my local man, but part of the issue is I would feel horrible if the person I save hurts or destroys nature in some way shape or form. The only way were I kind of figured a workaround all of these where I feel okay on both fronts is that I could donate my body to a body farm [aka anthropological/criminology studies on how a body decomposes] which does allows me to further nature both in my fellow man and nature especially if I do their trauma program which could help in saving soldiers/police/high risk occupation lives.

I just don't know and don't know where to ask.

beith · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2014, 09:34:53 am »

Quote from: SyntheticWolf;141417

I just don't know and don't know where to ask.

This doesn't answer your actual question, since I really don't have any advice to give from a Druid perspective as I am still very new to the path, but I did have a thought while reading your post. Could you perhaps give to the medical community/patients during your lifetime to balance out the lack of organ donation after you've died? I was thinking maybe blood donation, volunteering at a hospital, giving money to medical research programs, donate time/money to your local Red Cross, things of that nature.

veggiewolf · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2014, 10:16:07 am »

Quote from: SyntheticWolf;141417

Here is my issue that I am having about organ donation.

On my more personal side I just do not like the thought of my organs being removed. Part of the reason is because frankly I just would feel bad if because of this or that my body couldn't be used, yes I know I'm dead and shouldn't care, but it is something I care about now. The other part is that I just want to be whole when I decompose[or be cremated, which is another issue all on its own].

On the flip side I do feel somewhat selfish/guilty over my decision and I have no way to justify it except because of that I start to feel ill when I think of my body being separated. Yet on the other side I get almost just as ill thinking about the waste not using my body can do. So this is where I need a little help, as I am trying to get back into druidism I just want a little guidance to either say which side of the coin or which of Gods/Goddesses/spirits I should ask to get their advice on.

The only argument that makes "logical" sense towards that I should go through with organ donation is that I can use my body to help nature in terms of helping my local man, but part of the issue is I would feel horrible if the person I save hurts or destroys nature in some way shape or form. The only way were I kind of figured a workaround all of these where I feel okay on both fronts is that I could donate my body to a body farm [aka anthropological/criminology studies on how a body decomposes] which does allows me to further nature both in my fellow man and nature especially if I do their trauma program which could help in saving soldiers/police/high risk occupation lives.

I just don't know and don't know where to ask.

Curious: is organ donation really taboo in modern druidry? I think the positives outweigh the negatives.

Then again, I'm not a druid.

Babylon Outcast · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2014, 10:49:41 am »

Quote from: beith;141430

This doesn't answer your actual question, since I really don't have any advice to give from a Druid perspective as I am still very new to the path, but I did have a thought while reading your post. Could you perhaps give to the medical community/patients during your lifetime to balance out the lack of organ donation after you've died? I was thinking maybe blood donation, volunteering at a hospital, giving money to medical research programs, donate time/money to your local Red Cross, things of that nature.

Well I did think of that and I guess that was kind of the reason I decided to go into being an EMT [emergency medical technician] when I had to refocus on what I wanted to do with my life. I would continue doing blood donations, but the problem is I like getting piercings and going to start getting tattoos so that disqualifies me from donating at a year at a time.

I mean I haven't really had to decide, but because of this psy/soc class on death and dying it just has really forced me to think about the spiritual side of druidism and to be honest how we [and hopefully what the "traditional" values were] when it came to our spirits and bodies at the time of death.

Now I did read the thread http://www.ecauldron.com/forum/showthread.php?9188-Body-Sacredness-among-the-Tuatha [

Quote from: veggiewolf;141439

Curious: is organ donation really taboo in modern druidry? I think the positives outweigh the negatives.

Then again, I'm not a druid.

True and that is my issue is that as much as I see the benefits its just hard for me to think about my body being separated. I can't remember where I was reading it [or if it was an idea that I thought of after reading an article], but it was about how on a spiritual scale can donating your organs to someone cause issues with your own or the whoever donated the organ.

Now there are stories where someone who was very quiet and not very adventurous gets a transplant and then all of a sudden a super extreme adrenaline junkie. When they ask them what changed they say a part is the fact that they were so close to death that they want to enjoy life, but the other part [and usually bigger reason] is that they just felt this need to do it. Now look at who the donor was and we see that the person was...dun dun dun...an adrenaline junkie who either died because of the need or because of no fault of his own. To me that ties to the idea of losing a part of your soul or possessing someone else.

After thinking about it though I guess the other part of the reason I just don't like organ donation is that like I said, and as horrible as it sounds, I can't trust/decide who gets my organs. With that the issue is I don't want to save someone who would destroy what I might have worked on in terms of either pagan equality, nature conversation, or animal welfare programs/projects.

Amphibian · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2014, 01:01:38 pm »

Quote from: veggiewolf;141439

Curious: is organ donation really taboo in modern druidry? I think the positives outweigh the negatives.

Then again, I'm not a druid.

Speaking mostly for myself here: I don't see any reason why it would be. I'm in favor of burial (especially in a relatively decomposable container), but if there's useful organs to be had, I say let them be shared. I won't be needing them anymore.

As for who the eventual recipients may be, it strikes me as...petty to deny the opportunity to someone else. Would they make the same decisions that I would? Clearly not; they're not me, and I don't expect them to be.

stephyjh · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2014, 01:09:32 pm »

Quote from: Amphibian;141450

Speaking mostly for myself here: I don't see any reason why it would be. I'm in favor of burial (especially in a relatively decomposable container), but if there's useful organs to be had, I say let them be shared. I won't be needing them anymore.

As for who the eventual recipients may be, it strikes me as...petty to deny the opportunity to someone else. Would they make the same decisions that I would? Clearly not; they're not me, and I don't expect them to be.

This. If I'm dead, I don't care what's done with my organs. Serve them with fava beans and a nice Chianti, whatever.The wholeness of a king doesn't affect me (cue Lorde).

beith · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2014, 01:38:25 pm »

Quote from: veggiewolf;141439

Curious: is organ donation really taboo in modern druidry? I think the positives outweigh the negatives.

Then again, I'm not a druid.

Not to my (admittedly limited) knowledge. I'm registered as an organ donor and I still consider myself walking the neo-druid path. And I would seriously reconsider being neo-druid if I were to be convinced that being such required no organ donation.

Quote from: SyntheticWolf;141442

Now I did read the thread http://www.ecauldron.com/forum/showthread.php?9188-Body-Sacredness-among-the-Tuatha [

From what I've learned so far, Druidry is much more concerned about this life we are currently living...experiencing it as fully as possible and making the most of it. So I'm not convinced Druidry actually concerns itself with your question, and it may be more of a personal decision for you to make than a decision you make in the context of your Druid path. Your path is yours...but I'm not sure the Druidry part of that path comes into play here.

You will hopefully have a long time to consider whether or not to donate your organs, so perhaps your contributions to the world in terms of training as an EMT or any other charitable activities you participate in will suffice for you while you continue to ponder this question.

Juni · « **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2014, 01:48:25 pm »

Quote from: SyntheticWolf;141417

Here is my issue that I am having about organ donation.

I've moved this thread to the Neo-Druidry SIG, as the thread is focused on Neo-Druidry moreso than anything explicitly Celtic.

Juni,
Hazel & Oak SIG leader

Babylon Outcast · « **Reply #8 on:** March 03, 2014, 02:20:31 pm »

Quote from: Juni;141459

I've moved this thread to the Neo-Druidry SIG, as the thread is focused on Neo-Druidry moreso than anything explicitly Celtic.

Juni,
Hazel & Oak SIG leader

Okay sorry about that.

Jack · « **Reply #9 on:** March 03, 2014, 02:36:34 pm »

Quote from: SyntheticWolf;141417

I just don't know and don't know where to ask.

I think the idea of donating to a body farm is a great solution, honestly. It solves your problem and it still lets your body "help" when you're gone.

Sophia C · « **Reply #10 on:** March 03, 2014, 05:41:09 pm »

Quote from: veggiewolf;141439

Curious: is organ donation really taboo in modern druidry? I think the positives outweigh the negatives.

Then again, I'm not a druid.

No. Personally, I see it as my duty to donate my organs, as being focused on the welfare of society is central to my druidry. I think we see people as 'outside of nature' at our peril. Helping my fellow human being is helping nature.

Leirion · « **Reply #11 on:** March 03, 2014, 05:42:54 pm »

Quote from: veggiewolf;141439

Curious: is organ donation really taboo in modern druidry? I think the positives outweigh the negatives.

Then again, I'm not a druid.

My knowledge is also limited, but I have a hard time seeing it as a taboo.

Personally I think that if you feel comfortable donating your organs, then great. Go for it! But I do not think you are morally required to do so, if you do not feel comfortable. It is your body, and it already seems like you are making significant contributes towards something you see as important. If your want for donating organs can outweigh the reasons you do not want to, then maybe continue working on and through your discomfort. Hopefully you have plenty of time!

As for me, my first concern is my loved ones closest to me. My preferences are less important to me than my partner's, since if anything were to happen to me, he would be the one left to try and make it through.

But I am not a Druid, either.

Babylon Outcast · « **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2014, 11:44:43 am »

Quote from: Naomi J;141486

No. Personally, I see it as my duty to donate my organs, as being focused on the welfare of society is central to my druidry. I think we see people as 'outside of nature' at our peril. Helping my fellow human being is helping nature.

I don't want this to come off wrong. I just really want to get your point of view of it because this is one of the issues I have.

So you say that it is your duty to donate, but what if your organs go to someone who either stands for ideals you do not agree with or even worse if someone who actively tries to destroy what you wanted to do/protect/ideals.

stephyjh · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2014, 12:09:46 pm »

Quote from: SyntheticWolf;141647

I don't want this to come off wrong. I just really want to get your point of view of it because this is one of the issues I have.

So you say that it is your duty to donate, but what if your organs go to someone who either stands for ideals you do not agree with or even worse if someone who actively tries to destroy what you wanted to do/protect/ideals.

Why is it okay to play judge and jury and let people die just because their ideas and values are different from yours? Where is the line between allowing a death and causing it?

Sophia C · « **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2014, 12:14:50 pm »

Quote from: SyntheticWolf;141647

I don't want this to come off wrong. I just really want to get your point of view of it because this is one of the issues I have.

So you say that it is your duty to donate, but what if your organs go to someone who either stands for ideals you do not agree with or even worse if someone who actively tries to destroy what you wanted to do/protect/ideals.

Everything I do to help society (and nature) could be used in ways that are against my intentions and values. As a teacher, I could pass on information with neutral intentions and find that it's being used in ways I dislike. As a writer, people could take (and have taken) my words and twist them to use them in ways that I disapprove of. As an activist, the government could take (and have taken) my ideals and use them to oppress other people. Should I stop teaching, writing and doing activism?

Everything in life is shades of grey. Everything is open to exploitation. Everything can go wrong. I've been given an incredible gift - of life and consciousness. I can't countenance the idea of wasting a renewable resource, i.e. my organs, when they could pass that gift on to another person. This could all be a moot point in the end, as I'm a sickly type, and my organs may not be viable for reuse. But at least I'll have tried.

If I'm wrong about death, and I go to an Otherworldly place and meet my gods after my death, and can't claim I did my best, I won't be able to look them in the eye. Equally, if my descendants can't be proud of their ancestor who did her best for society and the world, I'll be ashamed of myself. And right now, I want to know that I can be proud of something I do after my death. That's all that matters to me on this subject, personally.

"If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do." - Angel, from Angel: the Series

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