Organ donations
The generosity of live organ donors like Hal Rowe (Aug. 18) is wonderful. It’s a shame we need so many live organ donors. Americans bury or cremate 20,000 transplantable organs every year.
There is another good way to put a big dent in the organ shortage: If you don’t agree to donate your organs when you die, you go to the back of the waiting list if you ever need an organ to live.
A policy of giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It also will make the organ allocation system fairer. About 50 percent of U.S. organ transplants go to people who haven’t agreed to donate their own organs when they die.
Anyone who wants to donate organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. It is a nonprofit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Visit www.lifesharers.com or call (888) ORGAN88.
There is no age limit. Parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition. Life-Sharers has 11,621 members, including 905 members in Texas.
David Undis, executive director
LifeSharers
Nashville, Tenn.
Church & state
I am a big believer in the separation of church and state. Jesus once said: “Render unto Caesar (the government) what is Caesar’s (the government’s). Render unto God what is God’s.”
I was bothered by the recent presidential forum with Barack Obama, John McCain and Rick Warren at the Saddleback Church. Two of these millionaires are running for president. By the way, there are other people—Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Bob Barr, etc.—running for president.
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Why weren’t they invited? Are they not “Christian enough”? Are they not rich enough?
Churches shouldn’t be used for campaign stops, political fundraisers or propaganda events. Didn’t somebody in the Bible warn about a “den of thieves”?
Chuck Mann
Greensboro, N.C.
Religion is the warp and woof of America and has been from its beginning, regardless of efforts to discredit this truth. It is impossible to separate a people from what they are.
No effort was made by Rick Warren to make a law to be superimposed upon our nation. Separation of church and state was honored. It is impossible to separate church from state.
Ernest V. May Jr.
Livingston
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