Need help making your choice?

If you pass away, you can donate an organ or tissue to someone, whose organ or tissue does not function (properly) anymore. Sometimes multiple organs from one donor can be used for different people.

For example, the heart, two kidneys and skin tissue.

What are the choices?

Faith can determine whether you want to be a donor or not. The positions of seven major faiths in a row.

Buddhism

Reason against donation

“The mind must be able to leave the body in peace.” For a Buddhist, separating body and mind during death is important. Nothing should interfere with this process. If you donate an organ, you disrupt this process.

Reason for donation

"Try to eliminate the suffering in the world." A Buddhist wants the suffering to stop. For themselves, but also for others. Want to donate an organ? Then you’ll make the life of the person receiving the organ better. Because then they have to suffer less.

Hinduism

Reason against donation

“You must not disturb the process of separation between body and soul.” This is important because your soul will continue in another life. With organ donation you disrupt the separation of body and soul. It creates damage to the soul.

Reason for donation

“Your body is just clothes.” You don’t need your body in a next life. But you do need a soul. When you die, your soul leaves the old clothes and goes on in new clothes. You can donate the old clothes. That's a nice gesture. It creates positive karma.

Humanism

Reasons for and against donation

“Everyone decides about his or her own body.” Self-determination is very important in Humanism. Everyone can decide for themselves about their life. Whether or not you want to be an organ donor is up to you.

Islam

Reason against donation

“Your body belongs to Allah.” Your body is not yours, but Allah's. And you can't give something away that does not belong to you. You want to donate an organ or tissue? Then you give away something of your own body.

Reason for donation

“When you save someone's life, it is as if you gave life to all people.” Saving a life is an important act in Islam. Allah says: “And to him who gives life to someone, it is as if you gave life to all people.” When you donate an organ or tissue, you save a life.

Judaism

Reason against donation

“The body was created as an earthly vessel in God's image and likeness.” God has been taken as an example in the creation of our bodies. That is why it is important that our body remains intact. If you donate an organ or tissue, you violate the honor of the dead body.

Reason for donation

“Life is more important than death.” It is important to take good care of life. Saving a life is more important than keeping your body intact. When you donate an organ or tissue, you save someone else's life.

Catholicism

Reason against donation

“You have borrowed your body from God.” If you borrow something, you have to make sure it doesn't break. You must return your whole body to God.

Reason for donation

“Love the people close to you.” This is an important statement of Jesus Christ. He meant that you should try to take good care of other people. Donation fits well with this, because as a donor you help people.

Protestantism

Reason against donation

“On the Day of Judgment body and soul are united.” It is important that your body is intact on Judgment Day. That's why you can't be a donor.

Reason for donation

“To stand together in community is to share together in community.” For a Christian it is important to share. Organ and tissue donation is a beautiful form of sharing.

Making a choice can be quite difficult. Many people have already made their choice. You can find out how they did this on this website. The stories are in Dutch.

Stories of others

You can talk about donation with (almost) anyone. Think of your partner, family or friends. But you can also talk about this with people at the community center or with the neighborhood coach. Is faith important to you? Then you can talk to the pastor of your faith. Think of a priest or imam.

These websites tell you more about organ donation. Make a choice after your visit.

• Donor registry: for information about organ donation in Dutch, Arabic, English and other languages.
• Videos about the Donor Register: do you like watching better? Watch videos about the Donor Register and how to enter a choice here.
• Hoewerktorgandonatie.nl: on this site, information about organ donation is explained in an easy way. In Dutch, Turkish and Arabic.
• Dutch Transplant Foundation: here you will find the answer to more questions about organ donation and tissue donation.
• Your GGD: questions about organ donation, answered by the GGD.