Can it be that it was all so simple...

Tonight, I attended a short happy hour with 2 friends that I've been lucky to know for about 8 years. We worked together for the last 3 days, and any gripes I've had in that time were definitely not because of them.

We differ, though, in that both of them are devout religious folk. They both have their reasons, and I never challenge them on their views(not that I couldn't/shouldn't). We have a happy, cordial stasis on that topic when working together.

Today was the first time that they found out that I REALLY WAS donating a kidney to a stranger. Because both of them are good people, they thought it was a beautiful thing. What irked me, though, was their personal insertion of their religion into my situation...my decision. They told me forthright that there was no possible way that I could be an Atheist/Agnostic and still do what I am doing. I had to be a spiritual person. A religious person.

See, like so many religious folk, they hold their version of morality as the archetype by which all others should be held accountable to. For so many, any act undertaken with pure benevolence has to be the result of a direct relationship with their god. Its just too difficult for them to comprehend good for Good's sake.

It was a long day, so I stayed quiet. I listened to them. I nodded my head. Not forward, in agreement, but sideways, in acceptance. It got me thinking, though, and thinking enough that I wanted to blog about something that I've been wanting to get off my chest for some time. Its not too heavy, not even my idea(I think), but I maintain that its worthy of writing about.

Here are some figures...

According to the Hartford Institute, there are roughly 335,000 religious congregations in the U.S., with an average size of 75 members. The vast majority of these follow the teachings of Jesus Christ(love thy neighbor and good will towards man and whatnot). There are approximately 70,000 people currently 'living' on dialysis for kidney failure/disease. Because of how humans have changed lifestyles in the last few thousand years, we only need one kidney to live a perfectly healthy life. Kidney transplant surgery is exceptionally safe and effective, and takes on average 6 weeks to fully recover from.

The only real drawback is that it costs the donor a lot of time and money thanks to our current health care system(best system in the world, right?). What if, though, those who think so highly of their religion's inherent compassion actually put actions to their venerable readings, to their incessant chanting? What if every congregation looked for one member who was willing to donate to a non-friend or a non-family member? Upon finding the willing participant, what if the congregation came together to emotionally and financially support the donor and their family? How quickly would that dialysis waiting-list be eradicated? How much better would the whole goddamn world be?

Of course, this would be a more plausible scenario if people were better educated on the subject(i.e. just because you have a daughter, dude, doesn't mean she matches your blood type). It would also be more realistic if religions taught people to REALLY care about each other instead of just doing, well, whatever the fuck it is that they are doing...