Vampire Fans

[Hetty]

I've donated three or four times, I'm due for another visit to the vampires (I've always called them that too :lol. I'll have to make an appointment.

Blood in Australia, like anywhere else, isn't risk-free. But because they ask the right questions (there are many) they eliminate the risk by a lot, and they screen all blood for quite a few things, so it's very low risk.

ETA: the question asked is not "Are you gay?", they have no problems with homosexual people donating if they haven't done the deed (trying to use the correct terminology for a family site here ) in the last 12 months. They're not worried about gay blood making people gay through chromosomes :lol:

 

[fritzi2009]

You're free to think what you want, I'm in no way religious. But I do believe that religion helps a lot, whether you like it or not, millions more people would die if it weren't for religion. And for you to just shoot down my opinion without even consideration is just plain ignorant.

Plus a lot of people need religion to believe in, suicide rates would skyrocket without it. Religion has helped so many drug addicts and alcoholics, it has stopped murderers from reoffending. It is the groundwork needed for a civilized society.

Why does God make bad things happen to good people.
My Uncle died at 45 without getting to say goodbye to any of his family or friends, yet rapists and murderers are still given the right to live, a meal a day and bed to sleep in. Regardless of wether their prison life could actually be described as "living" they still get life, though they deserve to be killed in my opinion.
Answer that one. "Smite me, o mighty smiter!"

Back to the blood donating issue:
I think it's 18 + in QLD but don't quote me.
I'm so scared of needles so giving blood doesn't sound very appealing to me, but I would still do it. One day. Maybe.
Speaking of blood, again, Does everyone know what their blood type is? Mine's A positive, I think.

 

[naledge]

Why does God make bad things happen to good people.
My Uncle died at 45 without getting to say goodbye to any of his family or friends, yet rapists and murderers are still given the right to live, a meal a day and bed to sleep in. Regardless of wether their prison life could actually be described as "living" they still get life, though they deserve to be killed in my opinion.
Answer that one. "Smite me, o mighty smiter!"

That has absolutely nothing to do with what I was saying, as I said I'm not religious, so I have no idea why "god" makes bad things happen to good people. And if you think murderers and rapists deserve to die you are as bad as they are. A lot of murderers and even child molesters do what they do because of mental illness. But if we get into talking about that this thread will be locked in no time.

 

[Hetty]

I'm scared of needles too Fritzi, but giving blood hurts much less than immunisations. It's not a big deal at all, and they give you free food afterwards

I'm pretty rare, AB+ (about 2% of Australians).

 

[fritzi2009]

That has absolutely nothing to do with what I was saying, as I said I'm not religious, so I have no idea why "god" makes bad things happen to good people. And if you think murderers and rapists deserve to die you are as bad as they are. A lot of murderers and even child molesters do what they do because of mental illness. But if we get into talking about that this thread will be locked in no time.

I didn't mean to quote you sorry I didn't realise I did. I just meant in general while the God thing was being discussed.
Oh well I know if someone killed my family/friends I'd want them dead, personal opinion.

 

[fritzi2009]

I'm scared of needles too Fritzi, but giving blood hurts much less than immunisations. It's not a big deal at all, and they give you free food afterwards

I'm pretty rare, AB+ (about 2% of Australians).

I love food !
Just the thought of a needle going into my elbow vein eugh. Freaks me out.

That's cool, I'm a common one
My Pop's is like: O negative :shock:

 

[jessb]

You're free to think what you want, I'm in no way religious. But I do believe that religion helps a lot, whether you like it or not, millions more people would die if it weren't for religion. And for you to just shoot down my opinion without even consideration is just plain ignorant.

Plus a lot of people need religion to believe in, suicide rates would skyrocket without it. Religion has helped so many drug addicts and alcoholics, it has stopped murderers from reoffending. It is the groundwork needed for a civilized society.

I actually thought I'd actually given a fairly considered, thorough response on the issue. If I'd just said "No, you're stupid" then I could understand your argument, but I've given examples, comparisons and avoided being insulting or patronising.

You on the other hand, have called me ignorant and made blanket statements, backed up by facts which you have just made up to suit your argument - please point me to the evidence that suggests that millions of people are alive because of religion - unless you are talking about the Catholic Church's ban on contraception? I would instead argue that billions of people have died through the centuries because of religion through war and religious intolerance (Google the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre, The Spanish Inquisition and The Crusades, for starters)

And as far as suicide goes, I would suggest that there are many, many gay teenagers who would not have committed suicide had religion not contributed to the homophobia that our society is full of.

I suggest you read this article which puts it much better than I could...
Atheists | Christopher Hitchens | Richard Dawkins | Dvir Abramovich | science | religion

 

[mouse_has_faith]

You're right, religion hasn't enriched our society through art, literature, culture, linguistics, economics, philosophy, mathematics, science, history, at all... and has had no impact on our current lives at all. I don't know why the ancients even bothered!!

 

[naledge]

I actually thought I'd actually given a fairly considered, thorough response on the issue. If I'd just said "No, you're stupid" then I could understand your argument, but I've given examples, comparisons and avoided being insulting or patronising.

You on the other hand, have called me ignorant and made blanket statements, backed up by facts which you have just made up to suit your argument - please point me to the evidence that suggests that millions of people are alive because of religion - unless you are talking about the Catholic Church's ban on contraception? I would instead argue that billions of people have died through the centuries because of religion through war and religious intolerance (Google the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre, The Spanish Inquisition and The Crusades, for starters)

And as far as suicide goes, I would suggest that there are many, many gay teenagers who would not have committed suicide had religion not contributed to the homophobia that our society is full of.

I suggest you read this article which puts it much better than I could...
Atheists | Christopher Hitchens | Richard Dawkins | Dvir Abramovich | science | religion

Sorry, but when you lead with "what a load of rubbish" it's going to tarnish my opinion of everything else you say.

And I don't see how saying "billions of people are dead because of religion" is any less ignorant than me saying that "millions of people are alive because of religion."

You lead your argument blatantly attacking my opinion, if I am so close-minded as you seem to be implying maybe you should look in the mirror for a second before your next response. If you don't agree with my opinion say that you don't share my beliefs and then state your opinion, don't attack me for believing what I believe.

 

[mysnakesau]

The nurse I spoke to when I made my appointment told me they are in short supply of the "common" blood types. I never bothered becoming a donor before because I use to think they wouldn't need it because they'd have plenty of common blood but they said that is totally wrong. The common ones are the ones they need the most.

God doesn't make bad things happen to good people. People make bad things happen. Why God can't stop the bad, I will never understand it all because I don't follow religion. But I never shrug off the odd conversation and always listen with respect.

 

[jessb]

You're right, religion hasn't enriched our society through art, literature, culture, linguistics, economics, philosophy, mathematics, science, history, at all... and has had no impact on our current lives at all. I don't know why the ancients even bothered!!

Wow, what a bizarre, unrelated, 'straw man' argument!

 

[mouse_has_faith]

Not only is that a sarcastic statement rather than an argument (i.e.: try standardising it ), if you read back through the thread, you'll find a statement stating religion holds society back.

However, it is interesting that you immediately assumed I was talking to/ about you personally.

 

[craig.a.c]

My question is....... if blood screening is as safe as they say it is, then why does it matter?

Not all blood gets screened, thats why.

 

[abbott75]

Not all blood gets screened, thats why.

And yet they expect us to willingly allow it to be pumped into our veins? :shock:

 

[Hetty]

That is completely incorrect, all blood gets screened in Australia. The reasons for the questions, as already said in the thread, is that there is a widow period (of around 3 months) where diseases sometimes won't be detected.

Craig, read the information on Australian Red Cross Blood Service before making outlandish comments.

 

[vrhq08]

after yesterday i have decided to become a regular donor whilst donating plasma inbetween never realised you can do it every 2 weeks. it was good fun i had my bf with me we made it into a competition of who could fill the bag 1st that took my mind off the needle... i won. only bad part about it was the cordial they made me drink.

 

[abbott75]

That is completely incorrect, all blood gets screened in Australia. The reasons for the questions, as already said in the thread, is that there is a widow period (of around 3 months) where diseases sometimes won't be detected.

Craig, read the information on Australian Red Cross Blood Service before making outlandish comments.

Blood can only be kept for about 4 weeks, can't it? So there is a good chance that some tainted blood would be used without being detected?

 

[Hetty]

Yes, that is why the questions are asked in the first place, to eliminate as much of the risk as possible. And current methods seem to be working very well, it's very rare that people contract diseases from blood transfusions in Australia.

ETA: did a quick google, here's a case of a young girl getting HIV through a blood transfusion in Australia, it was in 1999, and was the first time it had happened in 14 years, I'm not sure how many times it has happened since http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s39181.htm .

From that link 'The window period of HIV is about 22 days making the risk of getting HIV from a blood donation in this window period a one in a million chance.' and then compare that to the chances of dying on the table if you need blood.

 

[jessb]

Blood can only be kept for about 4 weeks, can't it? So there is a good chance that some tainted blood would be used without being detected?

Which is why they try and remove 'at-risk' people from the donation pool...

 

[naledge]

Which is why they try and remove 'at-risk' people from the donation pool...

So they're not completely covered, there's a chance that infected blood could be given patients?