Should people be FORCED to be organ donors after they die?
By Taskr36
@Taskr36 (13963)
United States
October 5, 2009 7:34pm CST
I'm asking this because a friend brought up this topic on another forum and the responses honestly scared me. Now my friend is an ER nurse, and she just had a patient live thanks to a heart donated by a 17 year old that died. In total his organs have saved 7 lives. Good on him I say, but that's no excuse to force anyone to be organ donors.
Right now only me, and one other person have objected to this idea of forcing people to donate their organs and I've made it very clear that there are religions that BAN such an action and to do so would be sacrilege and would mean violating their corpse. One person even said "isn't "religion" about the sole, spirit etc? as a christian we believe you will get a whole new body when in heaven, so whose to say those poor people still left on earth can't have an organ." That tells me that he thinks HIS religion is the only one that matters.
Ok, so this is more of a rant now, but do you believe people should be forced to be organ donors when they die? Does it matter if their religion forbids it and/or their family objects to them being organ donors? Do you agree with me that such a law would violate the first and fourth amendments of the constitution?
9 people like this
25 responses
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
6 Oct 09
Ahhh, another pseudo-liberal idea. You don't have rights unless we allow you to have rights. We believe in equal rights until it comes to you.
Not at all surprised by this attitude. Yet another reason I left the mindset of these people.
3 people like this
@amybrezik (2118)
• United States
6 Oct 09
I don't think anyone should be forced to donate their organs. I think that it is an awesome thing that someone can choose to do, but ultimately it should be a choice.
3 people like this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
6 Oct 09
I don't believe that people should be forced, and I would be just as upset of organ donation and blood donation became illegal. I don't think that either extreme is a good one. I want to donate my organs when I die, but the guy next door might not want to. One of us should not have to live with a decision that is not ours, hence people should have the right to choose what they want to do with their body parts after they die.
2 people like this
@ayebelle (367)
• Philippines
6 Oct 09
Oh no, According in the Organ donation Act of 1991, a testator, individual who makes a legacy of all or part of his body can be in a form of will NOT should be FORCED., may also be made in any document, and may be made to a specified legatee or without specifying a legatee( individual who will accept the organs).
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
6 Oct 09
I have signed an organ donation card and my children know my wishes. I am of the belief that my body is not ME. I also am of the belief that others have the right to feel differently. I talked to one person about my father's cremation and she went beserk on me...telling me how awful it was to do this. I would NEVER force someone with feelings that strong to violate their beliefs.
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
6 Oct 09
I know where you're coming from on this one, debra. Both of my parents were cremated and I've had several people tell me how wrong it was and that we should have gone against their wishes. I understand and respect how others feel but I'd never try to tell someone else what to do or what they shouldn't have done. I also believe my body isn't "me" but everyone else doesn't feel that way and that's their prerogative.
Annie
1 person likes this
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
6 Oct 09
I think they should be forced even their religion forbids. Even more, i think those religion dramas doesn't make senses: Isn't religion about helping your brothers, to make sacrifices for the sake of other people, to not being selfish and to understand the other's pain. Then why should we not donate our organs to be used to other persons who really need thems. It's not a violation of your body to gave it to another person and those who thinks they do something better rejecting their organs i have to ask them something: what's more sacrilegic- to give your organs to another human that need them or to let them be a food of the animals that live on cementeries?.
2 people like this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
6 Oct 09
[b]STAR: Please move to some country where people have no freedom. THIS country (if you're blessed to be here!), the U.S., has freedom, & we intend to fight to keep it with every fiber of our being. The way you think marks you as unAmerican. Period. You don't like freedom, obviously, so get thee to some country where you can be enslaved to the State to your heart's content! That is, if your government doesn't decide someone else needs your heart more than you.... 
You didn't think everyone's willing to wait for a healthy heart, did you?
Maggiepie
"WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"[/b]
You didn't think everyone's willing to wait for a healthy heart, did you?
Maggiepie
"WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"[/b]1 person likes this
@jessh_ (28)
• Australia
6 Oct 09
Forced organ donation kind of defeats the purpose of the whole thing doesn't it?
You could look at it from another perspective. There are people who cannot make these decisions for themselves, for example condemned prisoners, or the mentally ill. Should we just let thousands of people die while waiting for organs every year?
I'm not if anyone has seen this before but i've just found it,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/26/china-organ-donation-prisoners
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
6 Oct 09
Absolutely NOT, nobody should be forced to be organ donors! If this is a "liberal idea", as another poster said, count me as one liberal they forgot to tell, not that it would have changed my mind. My PERSONAL belief is that once I'm gone if someone else's life can be saved or improved by one or more of my worn-out parts, they're welcome to them but that's my choice. I AM glad that they made it pretty easy in my state for those who do wish to be organ donors; you're asked that when renewing your driver's license.
Annie
1 person likes this
@d_red_madelaine (528)
• Philippines
6 Oct 09
Donating an organ should be voluntary not forced.
1 person likes this
@psychotaz206 (2086)
• United States
6 Oct 09
i don't think anyone should be forces it should be up to the person because it's there body no one elses , kids when they are young don't have a say so if something happenes which i think is kinda messed up but no one should be forced to donate theres or anyones body parts
2 people like this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
6 Oct 09
Hi Taskr, I think the option of leaving ones organs for future use should be asked of a person and their wants computerised. No one should be forced to become an organ donor and no one should have their own wishes overridden by a family member, I believe it should be an individual choice.
1 person likes this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
7 Oct 09
[b]Hmmm...works in theory, on paper, I guess, but there's just one little problem: what if you change your mind & can't update the computer before you get killed in a traffic accident or something? I'm betting that, left to the legal beagles, the law would be set up to automatically donate, as a default in disputed cases, no matter what spouses, friends & kinfolks tried to say on the behalf of the deceased.
No, I think the default should always be not to donate unless it could be clearly established by at least 3 (disinterested?) witnesses to recent statements contrary to any will. Even then, there should be an thorough investigation of the witnesses.
Best of all would be to keep the body parts out of the hands of the law altogether, unless the still-dying person expresses to witnesses (at least one of them being a close family member), what should be done with the leftovers.
I'm just sayin'...
Maggiepie
"WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"[/b]
Maggiepie
"WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"[/b]
@votenoonpineapple (235)
• Canada
6 Oct 09
I think as long as is it isn't violating any religious beliefs, and there is absolutely no chance that they'll be waking up (in other words, they're not in a coma or what have you), then yes. I don't really see it as forcing anyone to do anything. They're no longer living. They also won't be needing them anymore, so why deny someone else the chance to live over the sake of vanity.
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
6 Oct 09
What it violates are the personal wishes of the deceased along with the wishes and feelings of the surviving family.
@Ima_C_Suvaya (431)
• United States
6 Oct 09
Why do you care about their religious beliefs but then stomp all over their personal beliefs or wishes?
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
6 Oct 09
That is one reason why we have the 'taboo' on forcing people to 'donate' against their will votenoonpineapple. Because somewhere there is a long term coma patient who is a match to some rich guy who needs their organs....you fill in the rest.
1 person likes this
@jb78000 (15139)
•
6 Oct 09
definitely not. the only thing i might slightly change because of the shortage of organs is changing legislation so that people opt OUT of donating rather than opt in. this means that if a person or their family choses not to donate organs for whatever reason their wishes are still respected but organs can be taken from those that haven't really thought about it/don't want to think about it. however forcing people to do things that they do not want to is rubbish.
1 person likes this
@EnglishTeaDuck (862)
• United States
6 Oct 09
I agree, no one should be forced to do so. I think it is a great thing, which should be encouraged, but then as you say, if there is a deeply held belief against it it could be extremely distressing for a family who believe their loved one is being violated in some way.
Personally that is not my belief, I do believe your 'soul' is the eternal part of you and frankly you can do what you like with my body when I'm gone, I won't be bothered!
BUT that doesn't mean that everyone believes that, thats me, and people should have the right to choose.
1 person likes this
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
6 Oct 09
I believe that donating organs is a noble act. However people must not be forced to do so against their will. It is a violation of human rights. It must be voluntary to people who are happy to do it, on the other hand, there should be nothing taken against those who don't. This is a matter of personal conviction.
Have fun.
1 person likes this
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
7 Oct 09
Not only do I think people should NOT be forced to donate their organs when they die, but I think it's a dangerous prospect. I can just see some people being classified as of little or no value and medical professionals not making any extra effort to save them because they need that person's organs for someone deemed more worthy of life.
@indybaty (368)
• Panama
7 Oct 09
Allright, dont want to sound rude, but taking away off your convictions and religions, in a humanitarian point of view.. No, someone shouldnt be forced to be an organ donor.. that should be his or her choice. I myself would want to be a donor except that my body is all out of whack therefore I wouldnt make a good candidate, and companies that work with deceased family that could be elligible for donations, are quite respectful with the family's decision.
It violates rights. Indeed it does. Yes, I do believe that their should be more organ donors to help other people's lives improve. Especially if they have a terminal condition, but it should be a choice. Using religions and convictions or faiths like that to me is just an excuse. As an individual you make that choice.
@jacobsguardian (108)
• United States
6 Oct 09
People shouldn't be forced to donate their organs. You're right that some religions forbid it. I'm Christian, but I am a designated organ donor. I think God cares less about my body than my soul, and I hardly think that any just god would punish a person for giving of themselves, but my parents think otherwise. They actually wouldn't allow me to designate myself as an organ donor on my driver's license when I was in high school because they believed that the body should be whole in the afterlife. In that case, I'm already screwed, because I had my appendix taken out 20 years ago.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
6 Oct 09
Lol about the appendix. I'd thought that all Christian faiths, with the possible exception of Jehovah's Witnesses, approved of and supported organ transplants. I agree that I believe God cares less about my body than my soul.
Not all religious convictions are specific to God though. I believe some Asian religions, like Shinto oppose organ donations because the spirit is considered to maintain a connection to the body and taking organs would be injurious to that person's spirit.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
12 May 11
I think organ donation should be a choice and not something to be dictated or forced.
I think organ donation is a noble cause. But to be forced to someone I think it is violating his right. Helping someone should be based on free-will.
