Megan,
I can't possibly know what Dr. Schweitzer's specific thoughts would be on this topic.  However, based on what I do know about his philosophies, he wanted each of us to make every effort to respect and preserve life and not destroy it in vain - that is to kill or injur without necessity to preserve your own life or the life of others, or to injur or kill for sport or without any conscious awareness of the impact that you and your actions have on ALL living plants and animals.

What Dr. Schweitzer wants each of us to do is be aware in every single moment how we impact the earth and it's creatures.  Sometimes it's absolutely unavoidable that we injur life such as when we kill an ant that we didn't see on the sidewalk or road.  But, all he wanted us to learn is that we need to acknowledge that we have killed them and do our best not to.  The more aware you become of your own impact on life on this earth, the more you will make an effort to avoid killing or injuring anything.  But certainly, even Dr. Schweitzer realizes that we would become neurotic nut cases if we became so paranoid that we feared walking the street because we feared injuring an insect.  His point is that if you see life struggling, lend it a hand.  If you see the ant on the sidewalk, walk around it and if you see someone in need of assistance, offer what you have to give.

I would think that organ donation would be an unselfish decision to preserve life and not destroy it unless of course, someone is stealing organs from living people!

Good Day Megan!
You're on the right path and your mindset is one of giving in this matter.  I commend you for thinking beyond the scope of your own life and for realizing that even in death, we can continue to give.

It's truly amazing how your friend's values live on through you and the people that received his organs.  
Your story reminded me of how each of us should be aware in every moment how we impact others' lives on this earth.  Even when it's not obvious that our actions and our words have touched someone, they do!  In every moment we have a choice to be giving or selfish, patient or impatient, hateful or loving, respectful or judgmental, etc...  We can decide which seed we want to plant in every moment!

I believe that when people choose to plant anger and hatred and other negative seeds that it must be because they do not realize how truly powerful they are as individuals and therefore don't believe that they make a good or bad difference in this world.  This is why it's so important to love yourself and value yoruself.  

What are your thoughts?

And back to organ donations...I don't know if you believe in karma but I do believe that  organs contain the same energy in them that the owner of them had.  So, I think it's best to nurture our organs with good and positive energy so that when we donate them they will have a positive effect on the recipient.

Gauky,
Nice to meet you!  I really am SO glad to find this forum.

Now, back to your comment about ' if only it were that easy....".  
I know it's difficult to tolerate others' anger and less than loving ways but if we really think about how love requires less energy than anger, it seems absurd that any of us would want to work as hard as we do to be angry, bitter, unforgiving, and resentful.  

Self awareness is the key to making conscious choices.  If someone were to walk up to you and punch you, you might want to instinctly punch them back.  But, if you stop and allow yourself to realize what you're about to do, you probably wouldn't do it.  Most quarrels and hateful words are perpetuated in those moments when we lack control and spiritual awareness.  We are not responsible for other people's actions, only our own.  After all, in the end, our life has really only been between you and the universe.

You can easily achieve what you desire if you align all the elements of your life with your beliefs.  You want to plants seeds of love and truth and righteousness and so, in each moment you can stop briefly and ask yourself if what you are about to do aligns with those values and ethics.  Noone of us is perfect.  But also realize that making a mistake doesn't make us imperfect.  Good character recognizes when we have wronged ourselves or someone else and a healthy conscience provides us with the means to right the wrongs we committ.  

I don't like to sound cynical but it seems to me that there are too many people in this world who seem to lack any conscience and therefore have bad character!  Our society has become rather ' anti-social'.  Do you agree?

On a positive note, we have forums like this for people like us who can find others with a similar mindset to help nurture the goodness in life and in ourselves so that we can recharge and endure with grace.  Thank goodness!  

You're a sower of good seed Gauky...keep planting and you will receive a much larger harvest than you imagined.  

SORRY for the double post.  My internet connection failed????  and it indicated that it didn't post the first time!

Don't worry Eliza...easy enough mistake to make.

Hi Percy...

Just saw this and I thank you for your answer. A severe allergic reaction as a result of coming into contact with latex, has prevented me from answering this until now.

Am I to gain from reading this, that my belief in organ and body donation does not go against Reverence for Life or have I read it incorrectly??

Namaste..

Megan