Originally published 1/30/11, 10:39 am.
[Mi]Mah Nafshach!
How can WE/YOU Jews refuse to donate organs from the "brain-stem" dead [BSD], but conversely are willing to ACCEPT organs from those donors who are merely brain-stem dead!
If BSD is dead - donate! If BSD is alive how dare WE/YOU accept organs by killing!
Sounds like a persuasive argument.
Rabbi/Lawyer R Dov Fischer has pierced the veil of this apparent "cake-and-eat-it-too point of view"
«Meanwhile, we must continue to emphasize, apparently again and again and again: Among the "cardiac death" school, absolutely no one advocates or permits inducing organ-harvesting from the "brain dead." Nevertheless, if someone else (Jewish or non-Jewish), in his darkness and ignorance (as perceived by the "cardiac school"), chooses to have the plug pulled at "brain death" and to have organs harvested at approximately that time so that he may have the comfort of knowing that he is saving other lives, there is no reason under "cardiac death" theology to refuse the organ when presented.»
There you have it
The "CSD" school recipient would be a willing recipient of a BSD school donor, despite the fact that the CSD would not himself encourage such a donation in the first place. BUT post facto - why not accept it?
There might indeed be a perception problem, but only because the common perception fails to make this necessary hair-split match the reality.
Shalom
RRW
1 comment:
I'm sorry but this reasoning is completely faulty.
One may choose to have one's plug pulled but one doesn't actual do the pulling oneself.
If Yankel decides he wants to die and hands me the gun while telling me to point it at him, am I no longer a murderer if I then shoot him? Is he no longer a murder victim?
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