For the harvesting of vital organs from bodies that appear to be alive to be considered acceptable, it becomes important to be able to define a person as dead while their body is still “alive.” Taking of vital organs, necessarily, results in the death of the body. To harvest vital organs before a person is dead is not acceptable within biblical Christianity, since the Bible contains commands against killing. See blog posting Vital Organ Donation – The Most Important Question.… Read the rest
Tag Archives: soul
Personhood – Location of the Mind (and Understanding Dementia)
In the posting titled Personhood – Which Comes First Death of the Body or Departure of the Soul[1] I grappled with the question of the mind. Science can show that activities of the mind and physical activities in the brain are connected but science does not prove that the mind is simply a function of physical brain activity. Clearly, for others to know that thoughts are occurring in a person’s mind the person must have a functioning brain to express the thoughts through.… Read the rest
Personhood – Conception and the Soul
When does a pre-born baby take on the status of a person?
In a previous blog posting titled, Personhood – What Is It?, I said that a person has intrinsic value with rights and responsibilities. Personhood, is to have the intrinsic value of a human being with all the rights and responsibilities that go along with being human.
In the blog posting titled, Personhood – Image of God, I showed that this special intrinsic value is given to mankind as part of their creation and “included a body formed from the dust of the earth and a soul, breathed into man by God.” … Read the rest
I Believe – Comfort in Life and Death
Where do we find comfort in life and in death? Is not a search for this comfort at least part of what is involved in activities like organ donation, invito fertilization, writing a living will and in considering euthanasia?
We often treat dying like an enemy to be avoided and battled against. If we are told that one of our vital organs is failing and our death will result unless we get a transplant, then it makes sense that we seek comfort in the possibility of a transplant. … Read the rest