X-Message-Number: 26402
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 10:00:32 -0400
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: The Salvation Army and cryonics

Hi Rudi!

I remember years ago when I went to New Guinea. At the time I would have
said that I was an atheist; now I say that I think religion and the 
existence of God are irrelevant questions.

One of the things I noticed was that lots of religious groups, from
Catholics to various kinds of Protestants, had set up parishes in New
Guinea. And yes, it was easy to find New Guinea people who believed in
7th Day Adventism and various other "modern" religions. I also noticed
two other things: every one of these parishes, regardless of the 
variety of Christianity they promoted, did important things for those
who lived nearby. Educating the children, getting everyone better 
medical care, and all the rest. And the second thing I noticed was
that NOT ONE group of atheists, or agnostics, or members of US 
churches which fundamentally don't seriously believe in God --- NOT ONE
showed up anywhere in New Guinea doing good things for and to the
locals. 

You should not feel at all bad about your association with the
Salvation Army. We can't do much charity work at all if we try to
do it alone, and very few if any such charitable groups aren't
associated with a religion or religious feelings of some kind.

I can't really say why this should be, but that's the way people are.
I remember once reading something Ettinger said, to the effect that
religious people seemed more receptive to cryonics than most free-
thinking liberals and other such people. You may even find a few
people in your charity work who will come around to cryonics, of
course not without lots of thought and time. After all, Brian
Wowk was quite right in one sense: cryonics is NOT a form of 
religion, and should not violate anyone's religious ideas. The
problem here is that it also conflicts with central current
ideas -- so central that many believe those ideas are religious
ones and violating them offends their religion. Yes, dealing with
those feelings and ideas is hard, especially since we're dealing
with ideas we think are complete delusions. 

But if you wish to do charitable work, you must deal with this 
problem too. I suggest that you remember what you're doing, and
that it needs to be done, no matter what irrelevant ideas
many of those doing such work may have.  

             Best wishes and long long life to all,

                 Thomas Donaldson

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