RELIGIOUS VIEWS ON ORGAN DONATION – AN ANALYSIS

Abstract

There are variations in specific views of religions on the organ donation. It is clear from the previous literature and present study that most major religions of the world do in fact permit, allow and support transplantation and donation. According to the Hindu religion donation of organs is an individual decision and is not against the Hinduism. Islamic views on organ donation reveal that the majority of the Muslims belongs to Islamic law have invoked the principle of priority of saving human life and have permitted the organ transplant as a necessity to procure that noble end. Christians support of organ donation and believe the decision to donate organ at the end of life is the beginning of healing for many others. While Buddhists believe organ donation can be seen as interfering with the next rebirth, organ donation has been widely supported by the Jain community leaders and monks. In this purpose the author collected the data with the help of questionnaire from the donors of organ about their religious beliefs on organ donation. Thus, the analysis of this study infers that the donors feel important to be a religious person and also their religious belief provides meaning and purpose in their life. Since, their religion allows them to donate organs, so that their organ donation decision will be based on their religious view. Therefore their religion makes them believe in the existence of life after death and teaches them to show love and compassion for others. The study revealed that there is a significant difference found among the groups of religion and education of the donors, where Muslims are very much particular about their religion in donating their organs, but Hindus and Christians observed more particular about humanity in donating their organs. With reference to education of the donors it is found that secondary and higher secondary qualified persons found less particular about religious beliefs in organ donation, whereas graduation and post graduation qualified person are more particular about their religious beliefs in their organ donation.