SECULAR COMMUNITY’S RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYERThe Center for Atheism is proposing that on Thursday, May 4, 2006, the local Secular Community’s organizations, chapters, affiliates, individuals, etc. respond to the National Day of Prayer with their local Secular B.L.O.O.D. (Benefiting Lives Of Others Donations) program. The program consists of two activities, (1) blood donation program(2) organ donation sign-up program.BLOOD DONATIONTo find your local Blood Donation Centerhttp://www.americasblood.org/Bottom right of this web page, put in your zip codeto find your nearest Blood Donation Center.Organ Donation Sign Up ProgramTo download Organ Donation Form.http://www.donatelife.net/downloadables/pdf/become_donor_card.pdf
Does the Blood donation Center have the same misguided ban on accepting blood from gay men that the American Red Cross does? I don’t see it on their website.
Alex.
Most blood donation sites still use the same BS guideline from the start of the HIV crisis, that any man that has had contact with any other man since 1979 is “permanently defered” from donating blood – regardless of any testing of the blood or the urgency of the need. I used to lie to donate blood, but now I just get mad and tell the donation techs off if they are doing a blood driver at my place of employment (I try to keep it civil, and haven’t lost my job – and they keep coming back).
Five bucks phreedm complains.
I’m already an organ donor and on the bone marrow donor list. I don’t know if I can still give blood now that I have high blood pressure and cholesterol, but will check it out.
How about embryo donations too? I hear the scientists are running out.
This is perfect, I’m set to go in early March and 8 weeks later will be perfect timing for the following donation.
Karen,
I have had borderline high bp for a while now and they wouldn’t let me give blood the last time I tried. Not on meds yet; I’m trying to get it down with exercise and a low-sodium diet, and it’s doing better. Don’t know about the cholesterol issue though.
Peach
Thanks for the info. My BP was so high , my doc put me on meds right away. Said I was lucky not to have stroked out already. It was a rather sudden change. I used to have very normal BP.
Tried diet to lower cholesterol; it didn’t budge. So meds for that too. Both under control now, but I don’t know how the bloodmobile folks feel about BP controlled by meds, if it’s OK or not. I definitely will call and ask before going and filling out all the paperwork, just to get turned down!
Karen:
Red Cross will let you give as long as you aren’t on any prohibited meds. Same goes for cholesterol. I highly advocate blood donation. I’m not sure about this group, though.
When I was 2, I had a hernia repair and kidney surgery (same operation). I had 3 units of blood, which for a 2-year-old, is a LOT of blood. If it weren’t for blood donors, I wouldn’t be here today.
Please give if you are able!
Sorry about that post. My sentence went in the wrong paragraph.
I highly advocate blood donation should’ve been AFTER “I’m not sure about this group, though.”
DitDit
I’m not sure about this group either! Hehehe!
I used to give blood very regularly, but somehow got away from it. This is a good time to get back in the habit, if they have me. I have a rare blood type, AB-, so not many can use it. But it would be very important to another AB neg.
I know that our local red cross group is always asking AB individuals for plasma and platelets donations. Apparently, AB plasma and platelets are very in demand. Why,I don’t know.
Excellent suggestions!
I’m not able to donate blood because I lived in Germany in the mid-80’s (I was devastated to learn that they would not take my blood), but step 2 is done. I also make sure that my husband keeps up on his blood donation.
Karen, I’m AB- as well. I’ll have to keep you in mind…
My husband does pheresis every 2 weeks. (That’s where they filter platelets out of your blood and return the rest of your blood back to you.)
We are both organ donors. In FL you can specify organ donor on your driver’s license.
I would give blood, but I’m a fainter. My blood vessels are so pathetic that I request to get stuck in the top of my hand when I have to have a blood test.
I have been accepted as a donor, even though I’m on 2 meds for high BP and also have slightly elevated cholesterol.
This is a great idea and a great way for atheists to get involved. My hero, Robert Heinlein, was very involved in blood drives and especially encouraged rare blood types to donate.
Great idea. Much better than the lame “National Day of Reason”. I always thought that we should have a “National Day of Action” instead, where people would volunteer and help people in some way, to highlight the fact that prayer doesn’t do anything but action does. This is along those lines. Kudos to the Center for Atheism for the idea.
Bone Marrow donors are always welcome – all you do is sign up and give blood. They test for stem cells and put you in the database and if some day a person you match requires a donation you will be notified.
I turned 50 a month ago. I’ve been donating blood since I was 18. I’ve been lucky that I wasn’t in GB or the greater EU during the BSE outbreak and that I haven’t developed any complicating factors that prevent me from donating. My middle sister, a nurse, is barred because she was in England during the BSE epidemic.
Most mild chronic conditions do not disqualify you from becoming a donor. I’m starting my 12th gallon and any healthy person can donate a “pint” or “unit” of whole blood every 56 days.
All I take is a Statin, a 71mg Asprin and an antihistamine daily. The lipid problem is mild and well controlled by the statin, the Asprin is a Prophylactic – a good idea where men my age tend to have CVA’s and two years ago I became allergic to common molds….that is a real bear as I would hack and cough for an hour every morning if I didn’t take the antihistamine. None of this precludes me from donating.
If you are having unprotected sexual relations with more than one partner or otherwise engage in high HIV-risk practices (sharing syringes, etc.) you are doing nobody a favor by donating blood because you may have become infected with HIV but have not yet become “seropositive” – that is to say that you have not developed the antibodies that indicate infection. You are also at risk of Hepatitis, and all other blood/body-fluid transmitted diseases and donating when at risk puts patients in the position of being hurt or killed by your donation.
Becoming an organ donor and executing a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care that references your donor status is a good idea.
Finally, you can arrange to donate your body to a medical school…and give the next generation of physicians the benefit of a real cadaver to learn from. There are always shortages of student-cadavers and anybody can donate their body.
Think how much money you will save your family by avoiding the American Funeral System! Many schools will arrange for a cremation of the final remains and can return those to your family- if you and your family so desire.
The +ans want to waste good bodies and hold expensive ceremonies – donate your body to science and demonstrate that you are a responsible citizen even after your death!
I have to come up with an alternative school to donate my body to. I was scheduled to go to my mother’s medical school Tulane, but the damage done by Katrina means that they have no pressing need for donors for a few years. So, I’m putting out some requests to other schools to pick an alternative – just in case….
Comment from: The Noodly Apendage [Member]
Me complain? I just point out the obvious. Besides. Dave’s got the corner on complaining.
It amazes me how those that claim to be tolerant are really so “intolerant”.
I mean, what harm does it do for people to pray? Why does such a practice bother Dave so much? Seems to me there’s alot more to Dave’s dislike of prayer and catholics. Anyone with 101 psych can see that.
I just point out the obvious. when did you do that phredumb
Here’s an idea. Take land from Africans and give it to Chinese immigrants. And do so under the pretense that blacks are inferior while Chinese are industrious.
Sound repulsive? Read on.
Sir Francis Galton, an esteemed British scholar, author and inventor, wrote a letter to the editor of the London Times. He suggested that “Chinese immigrants would not only maintain their position, but that they would multiply and their descendants supplant the inferior Negro race.” He went on to to explain that East Africa was “occupied by lazy, palavering savages.”
You may read Galton’s letter by clicking on this link. Before you do, consider the following: Sir Francis Galton was half-cousin to Charles Darwin. As the founder of eugenics, Galton credited Darwin’s Origin of the Species. To his cousin, he wrote, ?Your book drove away the constraint of my old superstition, as if it had been a nightmare.?
Click now and read Galton’s letter to the Times. ? quoted
http://galton.org/letters/africa-for-chinese/AfricaForTheChinese.htm
Conclusion: Kooks are kooks, regardless of religiousity or the absence thereof.
seeker good find looked at the letter for some reason i think phreddy might agree with galtons ideas i found somthing you might be interested in
check the latest post on my blog
udonman…
Yep.
If you’re born in India you’re likely to be a Hindu.
If you’re born in Indiana you’re likely to be a Christian.
Another hilarious phreedm riposte:
“Me complain? I just point out the obvious. Besides. Dave’s got the corner on complaining.
It amazes me how those that claim to be tolerant are really so “intolerant”.
I mean, what harm does it do for people to pray? Why does such a practice bother Dave so much? Seems to me there’s alot more to Dave’s dislike of prayer and catholics. Anyone with 101 psych can see that.”
So far I’ve seen no one object to prayer as such, Dave or anyone else.
What I -HAVE- seen is people objecting to mandatory and/or public funded prayers to unproven beardwearers in the sky.
And I’ve also seen people suggesting that giving blood and donating organs is a helluva lot more loving and caring, and even christ-like,
than to ban two people of the same sex from devoting their love to each other.
What phreedm sees as intolerance,
people with functional hearts, brains and guts perceive as an unwillingness to adhere to HIS intolerance.
I mean, please!
A few sentences in an ages old book,
of uncertain origin to say the least,
and that means you have to hate a certain kind of people forever?
Yeah, “God Is Love”, my ass.
I really like the idea of a ‘National Day of Action.’
I really don’t care if people pray or not, but for the president to be so presumptuous as to assume that we all subscribe to the supposed efficacy of prayer kinda pisses me off.
My take on the whole payer thing is that every good thought should be followed by a good action, otherwise the original thought was useless. The problem is that so many people actually consider prayer to be a form of action – the phrase “I’ll be praying for you” considered much more than just mere sentiment.
Kinda reminds me of being a kid and concentrating really hard to see if I could learn the ‘ways of the Force.’ It’s just amazing to me that so many people in this world can’t seem to grow up.
You all owe me five dollars.
TNA:
I don’t recall the handshake on that bet.
Besides, betting on that, would be like betting what direction the sun would rise from.
It’s like clockwork.
Noodly
I’m sending you my five dollars by prayer. Catch is, you need to pray hard enough and purely enough to receive it!
I’ve prayed very hard, but I don’t have my five dollars.
I guess God has a plan. We shouldn’t question Him, you know.
Huh? What the hell
are these 5 one-dollar bills doing in my shorts?
Oh…
Oh!
KAREN!
When you pray, try to focus on ONE fantasy at a time!
r4d,
Your little jedi allusion pleases me very much
I also sat around, trying to clear my mind and focus it hard enough to lift a chair. Then I realized Star Wars was fiction. Just like the bible.
HMDK
Oops!
Damn attention deficit….
Oh well, 5 bucks to a good cause!
Karen, you got male mail.
ebrnlw-
I think donating blood is a constructive act. Done it many times. Also on the bone marrow list. Also organ donor (posthumously). But not because some group somewhere said that is how I demonstrate my goodness or citizenry. I object to being told that I?m supposed to donate, on this or any other day, which is what this proposal amounts to.
?See how good we atheists are, we don?t pray but we donate stuff.?
What’s wrong with that message?
Actually, I donate, too,
(Hey, I get a cookie and a glass of orange juice for doing so! Yay!)
and I understand the fine distinction that
Natasha is making.
What she (and I) object to,
is people being either goaded or shamed into donating, or, alternatively, “bragging” about being a good person for donating.
Yes, by all means donate every single part or fluid you can spare,
but only if you’re -certain- and that you’re -certain- that you are making the decision yourself.
Hi, 3E8,
Because it?s reactionary. Because it comes from an inferior position: we don?t pray but we?re still good; that we have to prove something, to ?them?.
Because I might be a fine atheist who cares not to donate. Or who chooses not to be ?represented? by this act. Because it implies that if I don?t donate there?s something wrong with my values. Or that I even have to acknowledge this stupid day.
Because the issue of praying has nothing to do with the issue of donating blood.
Because it?s an exhibitionistic statement. ?Look at me, look at me!?
If atheists want to have a day of blood donation, do it on another day when the act of donating can stand by itself in value, not as puny reaction to another thing, especially a lesser thing.
National day of prayer = national day of crap, worthy of being ignored. Much ado about nothing. This day will never become as egregious a violation of our rights as god on the money, and in oaths of office and justice.
National Natasha Nicely Said:
“National day of prayer = national day of crap, worthy of being ignored. Much ado about nothing. This day will never become as egregious a violation of our rights as god on the money, and in oaths of office and justice.”
Precisely.
Hi Hairless,
Glad you’re OK over there.
I don’t even weigh enough to donate blood
When the Red Cross people ask me to donate (like they can’t tell by looking at me that I don’t weigh nearly enough), I give a monetary donation instead. I am an organ donor though. Ingersoll said it best: “The hands that help are better far than lips that pray.”
I would donate to the group doing the blood drive that day but would have to drive over a hundred miles to do it.
But then when I read Natasha’s post I realized that I do a lot a of things in spite and reaction to xtians when they try to force things upon me well no more I will from now on not let them get to me no I will donate blood when I see fit I will donate to godless American political action committee I will start writing more and more letters to the editors that aren?t reactionary but hopefully will incite change and open thought.
I will challenge the status quoi we should all challenge the status quoi and forgot about reaction and petty disputes but look at the big picture put a different face to atheism then what we are presenting we should show all the positives atheist have done and are doing for society show the xtians masses that we are not devil worshipers that we are not trying to actively recruit there children with brainwashing like they do that unlike what people like phreedum and jcc think there is no secret atheist agenda no from now on I will be me fuck them if the cant accept that
fuck the day of prayer that day I will stand on a corner in the old market with my fossil collection and collection of bones and explain evolution for those that pass by or I will go to the zoo or the forest and witness the real world and reflect on biology not beg my favorite supernatural deity for what ever it is you beg for when you pray.
I’d say we are very tolerant. The last 4 blogs/forums that had christian webmasters either removed my posts or blocked my access. I never once cursed or made some ad hominem attack, just not pro-christian points.
p.s. I’ve informed my wife and she plans to donate blood May 4th now too:)
You know, thinking about it, I don’t understand why more Christians aren’t blood donors. I mean, how much more like Jesus can you be? A Christian sheds blood to save others. I mean the should be lined up around the block for a chance to be like Jesus.
Atheiststatic,
You make a bloody good point.
Xtians like to talk love but selfless action as their very lifestyle, forget about it.
What is the Center for Atheism? Where can I find out more about this proposed event and how to support it?
blood mobile comes to my campus all the time – i donate.
Natasha-
I agree with your point. It’s a VERY Nietzsche-esque position. What have you been reading? I don’t feel like we should peg ourselves to every movement theist politicos make. It makes more sense to me that we should just blaze our own trail. If we, as a group, feel like a National Day of Action is a good idea, lets just implement it on whatewver day we choose. I for one don’t give a damn about the Nat’l Day of Prayer. Might as well give atheists the day off though. That would certainly honor my beliefs about finitude
If we want to represent ourselves as positive, lets be positive – not reactionary.
this is very good
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