User:Kvraffy/sandbox

Final
Many different major religious groups and denominations have varying views on organ donation of a deceased and live bodies, depending on their ideologies. Differing opinions can arise depending on if the death is categorized as brain death or cease of the heartbeat. It is important for doctors and health care providers to be knowledgeable about differentiating theological and cultural views on death and organ donations as nations are becoming more multicultural.

General overview
Due to the recent advancements in medical technology, many religious and moral dilemmas have impacted biomedical ethics. It is difficult to reach full consensus on organ donation within each religion.

One of the main problems that has come from these advancements in the past few decades has been defining death, which leads to organ donation and transplantation controversy. In 1968, Harvard medical school defined death as 'irreversible coma.' It is important for healthcare practitioners to understand formal religious views on bioethics and organ donations in multicultural societies so medical advancements can still be aligned with religious views.

Both receiving and donating organs is up to interpretation as there is no direct references to the process in religious texts. Because of this, many scholars, religious authorities and individuals interpret the readings differently. All this allows for different views between religions as well as within major religions. Any religious processes and traditions that occur right after death also effect views on organ donation.

Christianity
Christians generally support organ donation as an altruistic act and leaves the process as an individual decision. The Church of England has stated that organ donation is an act of Christian duty.

Catholicism
Catholics believe the dead body is designed for resurrection and eternal life. However, love and communion are key beliefs in Catholic religion and an organ donor's act is considered an act of self-giving and communion. The New Testament suggests in the Gospel of Matthew 22:39, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Pope John Paul II interpreted this Golden Rule in his quote,"We shall receive our supreme reward from God according to the genuine and effective love we have shown to our neighbor." Pope Benedict XVI has owned a donor card since the 1970’s.

Jehovah's Witnesses
Since Jehovah’s witnesses are not allowed to accept external blood products, their view on organ donation is complicated by the medical procedure itself. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that organ donation with no transfusion of blood is an individual decision.

Islam
The majority of Islamic religious leaders accept organ donation during life (provided it does not harm the donor) and after death in order to save life. Most religious leaders do not accept brain death as a criterion and consider cessation of all signs of life including heart beat as a precondition for declaring death.

Despite this position by Islamic religious leaders, Muslims are oftentimes uncertain about whether or not Islamic tradition considers organ donation to be forbidden. This uncertainty stems from ambiguity caused by conflicting opinions among some Islamic leaders regarding this issue. Moreover, a lack of support along with a generally negative attitude toward organ donation and transplantation has been reflected in surveys of diverse Islamic populations. This overall negativity towards organ donation has resulted in low rates of participation in organ donation by practicing Muslims even in cases where donation would be considered permissible by religious leaders.

Muslims believe that humans do not have ownership of their body or spirit, it is considered to be God's gift. Judges of organ donation ethics question whether the noble act of donating an organ outweighs the desecration of a dead body. Additionally, some Muslims believe that all body parts must be present on the Day of Judgement and organ donations would interfere with that testimony.

Many Ayatollahs view organ donations differently. For example, Grand Ayatollahs Ali al-Sistani did not approve of posthumous organ donation, while Grand Ayatollahs Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei allowed donation of all organs after death as long as the body could still be recognizable. Practicers of Shia Islam consider minor, regenerative organ donations different than major, non-regenerative organs.

Some points of view that Muslims hold are based on the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings. The quote “Whoever helps another will be granted help from Allah in the Hereafter” has been interpreted by some Muslims in support of organ donation.

In 1996, the United Kingdom Muslim Law Council declared that organ donation is coincides with Islamic beliefs.

Egypt
In recent decades, organ transplantation has become a major topic of disagreement in Egypt. The Egyptian Parliament has not yet been able to develop an organ transplant program or any other laws concerning the subject. Most of the opposition comes from the existence of a black market and organ theft that has tainted the view citizens have on organ donation. Since Muslims believe organs belong to God, proponents suggest it is God who ultimately saves the patient and opponents suggest that one can not donate an organ that they themselves do not own. Muhammad Metwali Al Shaarawy was a popular figure in Egypt whose quote, "how can you give a kidney that you yourself do not own?" influenced Egyptian views on organ donation.

Iran
In Iran, an Islamic ruling nation, laws have been passed in which monetary compensation for kidney donation is legal under regulation.

Judaism
Like Islam, the body requires burial within 24 hours of death and any unnecessary interference with the body should be avoided. The Jewish Law, Halakha, discusses the moral obligation (mitzvah) of saving one's life, which many scholars and rabbis consider to outweigh the consequences of interfering with one's body.

This quote represents pikuach nefesh, which is the term used in Jewish Law for saving one’s life and overrides any other regulations in Jewish law that would prohibit organ donations.

Jewish medical ethics takes a unique approach. It encourages live organ donation, such as kidney transplant, partial liver lobe (Adult/Child) transplant and the like, when two basic conditions are met, firstly, that the operation does not (significantly) endanger the life of the donor, and secondly, that the recipient's life will be saved through this donation. However, opinions are divided on the issue of organ donations which will permanently end the donor's heart beating, in a case when the donor is brain dead. According to one school of thought, the definition of death is indicated by irreversible cessation of heart beat. Hence, this view does not allow vital organs to be removed from a brain dead patient, as stopping the heart from beating is, in their view, tantamount to killing. Conversely, the other school of thought (which include many Orthodox rabbis and Israel's Chief Rabbinate) the determination of death is based on brain function irrespective of a beating heart. Therefore, according to their view, removing vital organs from a brain dead patient for the sake of saving a life, is in fact permissible, and even encouraged.

As a result of these two orthodox schools of thought, Orthodox Jewish ethics remains divided over key death-related policies. Tactically, opponents to the brain death criterion have requested waivers from state law, as a matter of religious freedom, so as to continue relying on traditional indicators. Meanwhile, proponents of the brain death criterion, such as Halachic Organ Donor Society have been active in advocating organ donations and transplants either at brain death or even at cessation of heart beat, where donation of corneas and skin is still medically possible.

Israel
Israel used a committee of medical and religious authorities in order to create laws regarding organ donation. Two laws were enacted in 2008. First, the Brain-Respiratory Death Law states conditions that determines the conditions necessary to determine brain death. It also allows for both brain death and cease of the heartbeat as acceptable deaths. Second, the Organ Transplantation Law, fully implemented in 2012, addresses the legality and ethics of organ donation in Israel. The law states that organ trade and donor compensation are illegal.

A nonprofit NGO called Matnat Chaim was created in Israel in order to promote live-donor kidney transplantation. Their goal is to be in accordance with Jewish law and states that the act is considered a laudatory one.

Only about 10% of the Israeli population owns an organ donor card.

Buddhism
The spiritual consciousness remaining in the body after death leads to discrepancy on organ donation in the Buddhist community. Issues with defining a diagnosis of brainstem death also provides contradictions in organ donation views.

According to Buddhism, it is a great Merit to donate one's own flesh for the sake of another. The lord Buddha is also believed to be sacrificed himself by jumping into a fire in order to nourish a lost and starved villager in woods, in a previous life as a rabbit. This bodhisattva value of compassion is also expressed through organ donation by putting another person’s wellness above one’s own. Donations made based on monetary or societal motivation are not valued by Buddhists.ref name="Into the jaws of Yama"> Organ Donation

A person’s spiritual consciousness continues through the path of the bardo and rebirth after death. Some believe that since physical organs are useless after death, donating them is an act of great compassion. Other’s believe that in order to ensure positive rebirth, the dying individual should not be disturbed. However, organs have to be harvested right after death is declared in order to be useful. All these considerations allow for differentiating views depending on the individual.

The choice of making the donation has to be made by the donor him/herself according to Buddhism. It's not clear brain death is a form of death according to Buddhism. But if it considered as death, in which case one cannot make decision oneself, it's a good deed for one who died and also for the ones involved in decision making and contributing. Buddhists believe in the value of compassion, in which actions such as organ donation can be used to overcome the sufferings of life. Buddhism and Bioethics

Buddhism generally accepts brainstem death and the irreversible ability for respiration as a valid criteria for death of a human being. A living body or a dead body in Japanese culture is considered to be the permanent carrier of the soul. This belief has made it hard to develop a unanimous agreement on brain death in Japan.

Many Buddhists in Eastern Asia adopt the Confucian taboos that are against destruction or disfiguring the human body. Because of this view, many countries in East Asia have low rates of organ donation.

Because Hawai’i has a large Asian population, these cultural and religious ideals can be reflected in their participation in organ donation. As a state, they have the lowest rate of organ donations compared the rest of the United States.

Tibetan Buddhists believe the spirit may remain in the body until about a week after death, therefore organ donation can be seen as interfering with the next rebirth. Pure Land Buddhism is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism that is against organ donation. They believe that the soul should be able to leave peacefully towards the path of rebirth. Since the soul takes time to depart from the physical body, they believe the body should not be disturbed immediately after death is declared. In Korea and Taiwan, organ donation is successfully adopted.

Hinduism
In Hinduism, the physical integrity of the body after death is not considered important. Hindu values reincarnation and prolonging life which allows for many individuals to agree with organ donation.

Life after death is a strong belief of Hinduism and is an ongoing process of rebirth. It is a perpetual circle of birth and rebirth of the soul, so the physical body is insignificant. This could be seen as reflecting positively on the concept of organ donation and transplantation in Hinduism. Other Dharmic faiths hold similar views.

Jainism
In Jainism, compassion and charity are considered to major virtues. Organ donation has been widely supported by the Jain community leaders and monks. It has been reported that in Mumbai, 85-90% of all organ donations including eye donations, are by Jains and Gujaratis (a significant fraction of them are Jain in Mumbai). Gujarat has had considerable success with the eye donation program due to a significant population of the Jain community, which considers eye donation as a sublime form of charity.

Overview
Due to the recent advancements in medical technology, many religious and moral dilemmas have impacted biomedical ethics. One of the main problems that has come from these advancements in the past few decades has been defining death, which leads to organ donation and transplantation controversy. In 1968, Harvard medical school defined death as 'irreversible coma.' It is important for healthcare practitioners to understand formal religious views on bioethics and organ donations in multicultural societies so medical advancements can still be aligned with religious views.

Buddhism
Buddhism generally accepts brainstem death and the irreversible ability for respiration as a valid criteria for death of a human being. A living body or a dead body in Japanese culture is considered to be the permanent carrier of the soul. This belief has made it hard to develop a unanimous agreement on brain death in Japan. Buddhists believe in the value of compassion, in which actions such as organ donation can be used to overcome the sufferings of life.

Islam
Muslims believe that humans do not have ownership of their body or spirit, it is considered to be God's gift. Judges of organ donation ethics question whether the noble act of donating an organ outweighs the desecration of a dead body. Islamic Bioethics Many Ayatollahs viewed organ donations differently. For example, Grand Ayatollahs Ali al-Sistani did not approve of posthumous organ donation, while Grand Ayatollahs Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei allowed donation of all organs after death as long as the body could still be recognizable. Practicers of Shia Islam consider minor, regenerative organ donations different than major, non-regenerative organs.

Egypt case study
In recent decades, organ transplantation has become a major topic of disagreement in Egypt. The Egyptian Parliament has not yet been able to develop an organ transplant program or any other laws concerning the subject. Most of the opposition comes from the existence of a black market and organ theft that has tainted the view citizens have on organ donation. Since Muslims believe organs belong to God, proponents suggest it is God who ultimately saves the patient and opponents suggest that one can not donate an organ that they themselves do not own. Muhammad Metwali Al Shaarawy was a popular figure in Egypt whose quote, "how can you give a kidney that you yourself do not own?" influenced Egyptian views on organ donation.

Catholicism
Catholics believe the dead body is designed for resurrection and eternal life. However, love and communion are key beliefs in Catholic religion and an organ donor's act is considered an act of self-giving and communion. The New Testament suggests in the Gospel of Matthew 22:39, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Pope John Paul II interpreted this Golden Rule in his quote,"We shall receive our supreme reward from God according to the genuine and effective love we have shown to our neighbor."

Week 9
After looking at my peer reviews there are some things I am going to work on for this week. First, I need to add citations to sentences that are missing them. This will help make all my additions valid. I am not going to delete the section on brain death since a lot of research went into it, I will just put it in it's own section at the bottom. I am going to add more on the controversy of organ donation in each religion and any famous legal cases that arise from that. I am also going to do more research on the other major religions that I was unable to get to next week.

Content to add to article (for peer review)
Peer reviewers -- I have been away for spring break and have not yet had time to add to my sandbox, I will have this section ready to review by the weekend. Everything in this section is what should be reviewed and feel free to add comments directly after each paragraph or after the entire section! I will put everything that I am adding to the article in bold to make it clear. Religious views on organ donation is the link where you can see what the article looks like. First off, I am hoping to add a graphic or something to fill in the space next to the table of contents but am not sure what type of photograph or picture would fit best, if you have any suggestions? Also any suggestions on what could be added that is not solely the religious view points. |Alfgarciamora suggested legal issues or cases which I will definitely research and try to add to the article. Thanks in the future for your critiques! Kvraffy (talk) 09:19, 15 March 2018 (UTC)

Week 7 Peer Review
I really like that you chose such a hot topic that I am sure draws a lot of attention. The information you have provided so far is perfect for what you are researching. You made a very valid choice to alter the lead section. For a topic like this, the lead section should be to the point of what the article is about, just as you phrased your addition. I noticed that one of the editors created a section on the debate surrounding brain death, with all of the corresponding information falling underneath that section title. I would not say to delete the entire section, but maybe put it under it's own section. You can also extrapolate each religion regarding how they view brain death, as it is one of the determining factors of whether or not organs can be donated. Then for each religion, you can provide additional details into how each religion views organ donation, as I am sure moving information around will shorten each religious area. If not, you can remove information relating to brain death altogether, as the information is not wholly necessary to discuss religious views on organ donation. As I am sure there is a lot of overlap across Wikipedia articles, I do not see any issue discussing brain death across the religions. I would take Dr. Garcia's suggestion into consideration as well and maybe delve into some examples of controversial organ donations in the regions of the world who practice the religions mentioned. Don't forget about your Week 6 suggestions. I think those could be expanded on greatly to provide you with a lot of information. Also, do not forget to add citations to some of your additions. It will help with the veracity of your information. I am really looking forward to seeing your finished product :) Keep up the good work! Jawner22 (talk) 02:46, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Lead
Religious views on organ donation are generally very favorable, although there is a debate in certain religious groups on the validity of current brain death criteria. Accordingly, the more theologians are accepting of current brain death criteria, the more they are likely to support organ donation.

I want to change the lead to this because the current lead make the article seem like it is mostly about brain death:

'''Many different major world religions and denominations have varying views on organ donation of a deceased and live bodies, depending on their ideologies. It is important for healthcare professionals and policy makers to recognize these different perspectives when dealing with transplantations. Differing opinions can arise from the medical criteria of death, depending on brain death or cease of the heartbeat.'''

I want to delete the whole section on the 1981 report, it seems irrelevant. What are your thoughts on this? I think the discussion on the medical definition of death can be briefly covered in the general overview section and then I can refer to other articles in wikipedia there about the definition of death.

Judaism[edit source]
Main article: Organ donation in Jewish law

'''Like Islam, the body requires burial within 24 hours of death and any unnecessary interference with the body needs to be avoided. The Jewish Law, Halakha, discusses the moral obligation (mitzvah) of saving ones live, which many scholars and rabbis consider outweighs interfering with ones body '''This quote represents pikuach nefesh, which is the term used in Jewish Law for saving one’s life and is considered to outweigh any other problems in Jewish law that would prohibit donations. '''

Jewish medical ethics takes a unique approach. It encourages live organ donation, such as kidney transplant, partial liver lobe (Adult/Child) transplant and the like, when two basic conditions are met, firstly, that the operation does not (significantly) endanger the life of the donor, and secondly, that the recipient's life will be saved through this donation. However, opinions are divided on the issue of organ donations which will permanently end the donor's heart beating, in a case when the donor is brain dead. According to one school of thought,[20]the definition of death is indicated by irreversible cessation of heart beat. Hence, this view does not allow vital organs to be removed from a brain dead patient, as stopping the heart from beating is, in their view, tantamount to killing. Conversely, the other school of thought[21] (which include many Orthodox rabbis and Israel's Chief Rabbinate) the determination of death is based on brain function irrespective of a beating heart. Therefore, according to their view, removing vitals organs from a brain dead patient for the sake of saving a life, is in fact permissible, and even encouraged.

As a result of these two orthodox schools of thought, Orthodox Jewish ethics remains divided over key death-related policies. Tactically, opponents to the brain death criterion have requested waivers from state law, as a matter of religious freedom, so as to continue relying on traditional indicators.[20][21] Meanwhile, proponents of the brain death criterion, such as Halachic Organ Donor Society have been active in advocating organ donations and transplants either at brain death or even at cessation of heart beat, where donation of corneas and skin is still medically possible. '''A donor card is used with checkboxes to state consent when death is confirmed as “irreversible cessation of autonomous breathing” and/or "irreversible cessation of the heartbeat."

'''Because of the large shortage in organ donations in Isreal, mainly due to Jewish concerns and beliefs, the Israeli Knesset have discussed laws to help with the demand of organ transplantations. One proposal from January 2007 asks for everyone over the age of 18 to be available for organ donation unless stated otherwise in an objection form or family refusal. The Israeli National Transplant Council created the Organ Transplant Act of 2008, which came into law in 2010. This law introduced priority points when signing an organ donor card in which the opt-in system is used. The law is intended to help encourage individuals to consent to organ donation, especially with consent to deceased first-degree relatives. Since, the This system prioritizes those with more first-degree relatives. “In 2011 Israel saw an unprecedented increase in consent for donations (from 49% to 55%, with a record number of 70,000 individuals signing donor cards)."'''

Islam[edit source]
The majority of Islamic religious leaders accept organ donation during life (provided it does not harm the donor) and after death in order to save life. Most religious leaders do not accept brain death as a criterion and consider cessation of all signs of life including heart beat as a precondition for declaring death.[15][16][17] '''Burial procedures and logistics may also influence an individual's decision to donate organs because traditionally Muslims are to be buried within 24 hours of their time of death. '''

Despite this position by Islamic religious leaders, Muslims are oftentimes uncertain about whether or not Islamic tradition considers organ donation to be forbidden. This uncertainty stems from ambiguity caused by conflicting opinions among some Islamic leaders regarding this issue. Moreover, a lack of support along with a generally negative attitude toward organ donation and transplantation has been reflected in surveys of diverse Islamic populations. This overall negativity towards organ donation has resulted in low rates of participation in organ donation by practicing Muslims even in cases where donation would be considered permissible by religious leaders.[18][19]

'''Additionally, violation of the human body is a forbidden act. However, altruism is valued and according to one translation of the Qur'an, “If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people” (Qur’an 5:32). '''

Religious views on organ donation

 * There is a lot of information I can add to this article. First, I want to add more to the General overview section about what organ donation means, and the difference between live and deceased organ donations and how that makes a difference in religious views.  The article now has a section about brain death, but I don't believe that is important to mention and does not make sense in the context of the article.  The Christianity section can be organized to make the sections more clear. "1981 report" and "Roman Catholic medical ethics" can be mentioned but don't necessarily need their own sections.  Below, I will list what information I have gathered for each major religion based on research I have gathered.  Additionally, adding a section on the importance of this topic in healthcare could be beneficial.
 * Overview
 * Organ donation, transplantation and religion
 * The choice of organ donation can correlate to religious points of view. Religious concerns when discussing the topic of organ donations, especially live donations, is important for health professionals to be aware of.
 * Islam
 * Organ donation and Islam-challenges and opportunities
 * Most Islamic religious authorities approve of organ donations, but continues to be a debated issue in the Islamic community. One issue concerning organ donation is whether the medical definition of death matches the Islamic definition, especially regarding brain death.  Additionally, violation of the human body is a forbidden act.  However, altruism is valued and according to one translation of the Qur'an, “If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people” (Qur’an 5:32).  Burial procedures and logistics may also influence an individual's decision to donate organs because traditionally, Muslims are to be buried within 24 hours of their time of death.
 * A Quantitative Survey of Western Muslim Attitudes to Solid Organ Donation
 * Christianity
 * The denominations of Anglican, Catholic and Protestant churches acknowledge organ donations of a selfless act.
 * Contemporary Controversies in Catholic Bioethics
 * Judaism
 * Principles and concepts of brain death and organ donation: the Jewish perspective
 * In Judaism, there is a concept called the sanctity of life in which preserving life is a main goal.
 * Respecting Bodies and Saving Lives: Jewish Perspectives on Organ Donation and Transplantation

Week 6 I think that focusing on the religious traditions will be good, but make sure that you read widely. The page already has a lot of citations, so it will be important to consider sources that are more extensive than the ones listed. As you read, make sure to take a look at the bibliography pages of the articles/books and to also conduct reverse citations on the articles to see who else is citing those. You may also want to consider major legal cases in other countries that might have religious implications (like anything that might have happened in Egypt or Saudi Arabia? Could be good for the section on Islam). This is a good start and I look forward to the rest of your research. Alfgarciamora (talk) 23:00, 5 March 2018 (UTC)

Possible Articles
-mizuko kuyō
 * The "Mizuko Kuyō" Debate: An Ethical Assessment
 * Mourning the Unborn Dead, Jeff Wilson
 * Suggests readings of Liquid Life, William LaFleur and Marketing the Menacing Fetus, Helen Hardacre.
 * Background
 * "Mizuko kuyō is a practice primarily devoted to the bodhisatta...known in Japan as Jizo. Jio finally took on a distinctly Japenese form as the bodhisattva who watches over children, especially those who die young, ensuring that they will be freed from a suffering rebirth and led to a better place in the afterlife" (6). Unwanted pregnancies became a consequence of WWII in Japan.  Mizuko = "water baby/child" and kuyō is derived from the verb "to offer".
 * Ceremony
 * The ceremony can very depending on the family and variation of Japanese Buddhism; however, some common patterns are observed.
 * Temples
 * Motivation
 * American Practices

-Buddhist funeral
 * Death and the Afterlife in Japanese Buddhism
 * Mukaekō
 * A practice for the deathbed as aspiration to be born in the Pure Land at the time of death (27).
 * Medievil Japan
 * Naming of the Dead
 * Tibetan Rituals of Death, Margaret Gouin
 * Before death
 * After death
 * Body disposal
 * Special cases
 * Rituals and remembrance

-Religious views on organ donation
 * What to fix based on talk section – The "debate surrounding brain death" section is not necessary for this article. Brain death can be acknowledged in the article but should not be a main focus. This article can have a lot more added to it for each major religion and there is a lot of information in journals and books.
 * Overview
 * Organ donation, transplantation and religion
 * The choice of organ donation can correlate to religious points of view. Religious concerns when discussing the topic of organ donations, especially live donations, is important for health professionals to be aware of.
 * Islam
 * Organ donation and Islam-challenges and opportunities
 * Most Islamic religious authorities approve of organ donations, but continues to be a debated issue in the Islamic community. One issue concerning organ donation is whether the medical definition of death matches the Islamic definition, especially regarding brain death.  Additionally, violation of the human body is a forbidden act.  However, altruism is valued and according to one translation of the Qur'an, “If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people” (Qur’an 5:32).  Burial procedures and logistics may also influence an individual's decision to donate organs because traditionally, Muslims are to be buried within 24 hours of their time of death.
 * A Quantitative Survey of Western Muslim Attitudes to Solid Organ Donation
 * Catholicism
 * Contemporary Controversies in Catholic Bioethics
 * Judaism
 * Principles and concepts of brain death and organ donation: the Jewish perspective
 * Respecting Bodies and Saving Lives: Jewish Perspectives on Organ Donation and Transplantation

Comments
Week 5 Excellent work here. I think that the final topic on religious views on organ donation is probably your best bet for this project. You will be able to sample a wide range of literature and contribute a ton of details to the page. Plus, it will be fun to explore the many different ways that religious groups view organ donations. Lots of literature to work off of here. Alfgarciamora (talk) 22:38, 26 February 2018 (UTC)