X-Message-Number: 6260 Date: Fri, 24 May 96 12:50:43 From: Mike Perry <> Subject: BC Anticryonics & Religious Freedom Boris Gimbarzevsky (#6254) writes: >People are allowed to donate their bodies to medical schools, for use in >research, or to have their remains disposed of in a manner consistent >with their religious beliefs. As freedom of religion is protected by the >Canadian Charter of rights and freedoms, it is likely that a person who >believed in future reincarnation through cryopreservation, the persons >religious belief would supersede that of an assinine section of the BCCA. There is a group based in Arizona, the Society for Venturism, that qualifies as a religious organization and is recognized as such by the (US) IRS. In effect, Venturism, which the Society promotes, is a religion that endorses cryonics. Quoting from *Introducing Venturism*, 6th ed., May 1994, p. 67: " ... Venturists seek indefinite continuance of healthy life through scientific means, and recognize this goal as among the noblest possible to humankind. ... We believe cryonic suspension or freezing and low-temperature storage offers a realistic hope, and at present the only such hope, for the eventual resuscitation and cure of those dying today. So long as this condition prevails, it is our moral obligation to advocate and promote the practice of cryonics, to encourage and enable those of today to reach a more advanced future when aging and now-terminal diseases can be eliminated. Similarly, it is our moral obligation to make arrangements ourselves for cryonic suspension in the event of death." In effect, promoting and practicing cryonics become religious obligations under Venturism. Might this be used in BC to challenge the anticryonics law, on grounds that it infringes freedom of religion? Presumably it would first be desirable to have Venturism recognized legally as a religion in Canada, as it is, de facto, in the U.S. Any thoughts on how to go about this would be appreciated. Mike Perry http://www.alcor.org Vice President, Society for Venturism Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6260