Today Jerry and I participated in the local Freethinkers’ group blood drive, as a part of the international day of reason, a day meant to respond to the US government-mandated National Day of Prayer (which was recently found to be unconstitutional).
From the Saskatoon Freethinkers website:
The National Day of Reason is used to inject reason and rational thought into actions and behaviors. It was started as a response to the National Day of Prayer in the US. Rather than praying (which has been shown to have no effect in all properly designed studies i.e. double blind placebo studies), we will do something that has a measurably positive effect: saving lives.
Emma was visibly concerned that Jerry and I came home with “boo-boos”, so she put a sticker on her forearm, so she could “match” mama and daddy:
I guess it’s up to you to determine which is more helpful for humanity: praying or donating blood? I’m always up for hearing a case for the former, though I’m yet to be persuaded.
Do I have to make a choice? One doesn’t preclude the other.
Unless you have cancer. Or need antibiotics. Or need a cast. Or surgery. Or …
Just to play the devil’s advocate here….
I have to say that although there is religious extremists who preach violence, you’re as likely to be saving the life of a recently stabbed rapist who was rushed to the hospital by donating blood.
Don’t take my comment to seriously though. Like I said I felt like playing the devil’s advocate.
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Becky: I don’t understand your reply. Can’t I both give blood and pray?
Marc, I was referring to the last line of my post, where I said: ”I guess it’s up to you to determine which is more helpful for humanity: praying or donating blood? I’m always up for hearing a case for the former, though I’m yet to be persuaded.”
The point of the ”day of reason” as a response to the ”day of prayer” is to make a statement as to which serves a more useful purpose for humanity. Of course you can give blood and pray. But your earlier comment said “one doesn’t preclude the other” — yet when medical help is needed for individuals, I don’t see prayer as useful or relevant as more practical (read: real) interventions.
If you are up for proving me wrong, I’m open to hearing the case for how prayer is a more effective intervention than medical science.