"What is the meaning of human life, or of organic life altogether? To answer this question at all implies a religion. Is there any sense then, you ask, in putting it? I answer, the man who regards his own life and that of his fellow creatures as meaningless is not merely unfortunate but almost disqualified for life."
ALBERT EINSTEIN - The World as I See It, 1934
Ok, I know this is not exactly a story about Gambia but I was so disturbed by this story and just couldn't resist sharing.http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article427045.ece
This story in The Sun Newspaper in the UK reports on how a 22 year old died from loss of blood resulting from complications during childbirth. The twins, a boy and girl, survived but the mother did not because she had signed a form barring doctors from performing blood transfusion because..."it was against her religion".
Now don't get me wrong, coming from an African upbringing I believe everyone has a right to their religious beliefs, cultures and traditions. However, I really think that we (people from all religions) need to rethink some of our decisions and how they affect not only ourselves, but others as well. In this particular incident, what about those poor babies. Don't they have a right to a mother?
Normally I try to stay away from discussing religion but I'd like to remind everyone, including and especially religious leaders, to be cautious in the way they interpret and preach the scriptures. I believe that Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and all religions are meant to help guide our lives to be better and easier. Too many times do we find religion contradicting common sense and I personally don't believe this has to be the case. In the words of Albert Einstein "All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom."
Anyway, I just couldn't resist sharing this story and now I'll go back to my "vow of silence" on religion.
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