Organ Donation - Ad That Offends Our Nation.

This was sent me by a friend in Australia. Whilst I am quite in favour of moral organ donation in line with Paragraph 2296, of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, to wit, 'Organ donation after death is a noble and meritorious act and is to be encouraged as a expression of generous solidarity. It is not morally acceptable if the donor or his proxy has not given explicit consent. Moreover, it is not morally admissible to bring about the disabling mutilation or death of a human being, even in order to delay the death of other persons', I consider this ad campaign to be cutting awfully close to  blasphemy.

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From the Australian Christian Lobby

A commercial by the organisation Dying to Live promoting organ donation has borrowed one of the most important moments in Christian history to market a message many Christians would, given other circumstances, wish to support.

The act of Jesus dying on the cross for the sake of humanity is the personification of self-sacrificial love. It is an act revered not only by Christians but many people of faith. The fact that it is exploited for this advertisement demonstrates that it has broad cultural resonance.

So, it is regrettable that this profound expression of sacrificial love has been trivialized as a cheap device for grabbing public attention. A different skit might have communicated the message without alienating a significant portion of the very audience it intended to engage.

We would like to send a clear message to the director Richard Todd and Dying to Live that this mockery of Christianity is not supported by the community. He has done the cause of organ donation a disservice.

Sign the petition today calling for this offensive ad to be removed from national circulation.

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The actual petition:

Dear Dying to Live and Richard Todd;

Your promotion for organ donation has borrowed one of the most important moments in Christian history and used it as a cheap device to promote a message which many Christians would, in other circumstances, wish to support.

It is a shame that your campaign has chosen to mock the beliefs of so many people of faith in our nation. It hardly serves to recommend your message.

Unfortunately, we know from our supporters that many have been moved by the advertisement to remove their names from the organ donation register – the very opposite response to the one anyone would have wished.

It is a shame that your campaign has been overshadowed in the light of the offense caused to so many people. We urge you to remove your ad from circulation before it reduces the number of organ donors and endangers the lives of thousands of Australians in need of organ donations.

Please sign the Petition