Jehovah's Witnesses and Blood Transfusions

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Ravyn_Guiliani said:
why ARE you here if you ‘don’t make decisions based on what other people believe’? If you don’t care and we have no influence then what do you need with our answers? If you don’t want to know the answers then why ask us the questions? If you have the truth why are you here?
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From my post:

"It true, I will read about what other people have concluded. I will read about their reasonings in coming to their conclusion because I value leveraging other peoples research. "

“Whether it’s the Trinity, Purgatory, Hellfire, Immortal Soul, rosary beads, crosses, etc. it’s interesting to note what everyone else believes and why they believe it. That is why I am so interested in talking with others to learn their reasonings. But, ultimately, I am responsible to make my own decision based on Scripture and prayer.”

Steve
 
Thanks for your kind wishes Steve. I wish you the best, too. 🙂

re: the vast majority are heading in the wrong direction.

I can’t disagree with that statement, cuz Jesus certainly did make it. By the way, the VAST MAJORITY of mankind is NOT Catholic. Only about 1/5 of the world’s population calls itself
Catholic, and based on my years of experience as a Catholic,
I wouldn’t hesitate to assume that out of that 1/5 of the world’s
“Catholic” population, only about half of that number are devout.
Which is only to be expected, because Jesus did predict that the situation would develop wherein the true Church would be like a wheatfield FILLED with BOTH “Good wheat” and “Bad Tares.”

So I would say (although it’s only an educated guess) that about
90% of the world’s population is on the wrong track.
Jesus’s word is certainly proven true !!

God bless you Steve,
Jaypeeto4
+JMJ+
 
Originally Posted by Bishopite forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_cad/viewpost.gif
So…who is the final arbiter on what is “the improper use” of eating or abstaining from consuming blood?
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BibleSteve said:
Jehovah God.
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So, why is the WT saying it’s wrong to do transfusions? Who told your society eating=transfusing?

Unless you were lying about the not being “inspired” by God… and if there’s no “inspiration” then how can the WT claim blood transfusions are bad?

If they aren’t bad, then don’t you think God will be mad at your JW brothers and sisters who let their family members die for refusing a transfusion?
 
yessisan said:
So, why is the WT saying it’s wrong to do transfusions? Who told your society eating=transfusing?

Unless you were lying about the not being “inspired” by God… and if there’s no “inspiration” then how can the WT claim blood transfusions are bad?

If they aren’t bad, then don’t you think God will be mad at your JW brothers and sisters who let their family members die for refusing a transfusion?
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Good points. I find it so very perplexing that groups like the JW’s (and others for too) who so vehemently purport to have the Scriptural truth, Jesus’ truth, yet their inception into the world as a religous group is very recent. How can people follow what they deem to be the final arbiter of truth if their history only goes back one hundred and fifty years or so?
Who spoke for God post Apostolic period to the nineteenth century?
 
Bishopite said:
Who spoke for God post Apostolic period to the nineteenth century?
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Jesus left a clue to determine who his real followers were after the death of the apostles. Here it is:

(John 13:35) By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves.”

To the best of my knowledge there was lots of fighting, arguing, killing between various Christian sects.

Which group back then do you see clearly being distinguished with love among themselves and not killing the people who thought differently than them?

Steve
 
yessisan said:
So, why is the WT saying it’s wrong to do transfusions? Who told your society eating=transfusing?

Unless you were lying about the not being “inspired” by God… and if there’s no “inspiration” then how can the WT claim blood transfusions are bad?

If they aren’t bad, then don’t you think God will be mad at your JW brothers and sisters who let their family members die for refusing a transfusion?
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As I explained earlier in this thread, I don’t need any group to tell me what to believe regarding the simple request to “Abstain from ________”.

I don’t buy all the argumentation that blood should be excluded from the simple command because some people want to view it as an organ, etc Nor, do I think that “Abstain from _________” means I need to avoid putting ____________ in my mouth, but putting into my veins is OK. Insert whatever you want into _____________.

By the way, I’m curious about something. Just hypothetically, if the Bible really did specifically say “Abstain from Blood Transfusions”, how many would follow that advice over the advice of medical doctors? Would you follow the Bible request, or the doctors opinions to try and force blood on you?
 
As I explained earlier in this thread, I don’t need any group to tell me what to believe regarding the simple request to “Abstain from ________”.
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I don’t buy all the argumentation that blood should be excluded from the simple command because some people want to view it as an organ, etc Nor, do I think that “Abstain from _________” means I need to avoid putting ____________ in my mouth, but putting into my veins is OK. Insert whatever you want into _____________.
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Hi Steve:

Let’s say your doctor said that you were to “Abstain from alcohol”. How would you interpret this? Would this mean that you were no longer to drink alcohol? Would this mean that you would no longer be able to use alcohol as an antiseptic? In what context would you interpret this command or injunction? It really is not as simple as you seem to make it. Christians and even the JWs must still interpret in what context the command “Abstain from blood” was referring to and what it means. This means that we must look at the history and tradition of the 1st century and see if we can figure out how people in the 1st century interpreted that verse.

Furthermore, JWs do not really abstain from blood as completely as you would have us believe. If they did, then they would have to drain all of the blood from their veins. In fact, you use your own blood every day which is why you are alive.

Thirdly, JWs do not even completely abstain from using other people’s blood. JWs are not allowed to receive what the Watchtower Society says are the “major components” of blood. The so-called major components of blood which they say the Bible forbids a Christian from accepting via a transfusion are red blood cells, plasma, white blood cells and platelets. If a JW receives these blood components then the local elders can view them as having disassociated themselves and they will be shunned.

However, JWs are allowed to receive things such as albumin, immunoglobins, EPO, Hemoglobin and other “so-called minor components” of blood. As the following quote shows, this reasoning demonstrates that even the JWs recognize that the supposedly simple injunction “abstain from blood” requires interpretation. And, the JW interpretation really does not make sense.
Sometimes it is argued that the blood components allowed by the Watchtower Society are tiny fractions of blood. This line of argument seems impossible to sustain since albumin, which is found in blood plasma and is approved for use by the Watchtower Society, makes up a much greater percentage of the blood volume (2.2%) than forbidden blood components like white blood cells (1%), and platelets (0.17%), which Witnesses must reject. Furthermore, hemoglobin is a huge blood product weighing in at 14.8% of blood volume. Additionally, hemophiliac treatments (which have been long permitted) require the collection and storage of massive quantities of blood (up to 2500 blood donors for a single treatment), yet the Watchtower Society forbids Witnesses from storing their own blood. Why does a double standard exist? ajwrb.org/basics/abstain.shtml
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Jeff S.
www.catholicxjw.com
 
jschwehm said:
Furthermore, JWs do not really abstain from blood as completely as you would have us believe. If they did, then they would have to drain all of the blood from their veins. In fact, you use your own blood every day which is why you are alive.

And, the JW interpretation really does not make sense.
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This has got to be the funniest rationale I’ve heard in 30 years.

Yep, I’d have to drain my own blood in order to obey the simple command “Abstain from blood”…

Good thinking there…

:rotfl:

I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be flippant… you just made me laugh outloud in saying that my interpretation “doesn’t make sense”, when you were putting out an argument like this…
 
My opinion of JWs and blood transfusions? If Jesus is God, than this teaching falls apart.

God Bless,
Michael
 
Here’s another issue. The WTS is facing a number of lawsuits because it hasn’t been made clear to the “faithful” what’s allowed and what’s not allowed with respect to certain blood products.

Here’s a situation: JW needs blood product, local elders don’t know society’s exact teaching, JW doesn’t get blood product, complications result, JW learns that product he needed is actually allowed, JW becomes ex-JW, then sues WTS.

The WTS will need to decide based on the bottom line. If they change the teaching and allow all blood, they will face many lawsuits, but as I’ve stated above, they’re already starting to face suits about this issue. Once it becomes cost effective to change the teaching, it will change.
 
I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be flippant… you just made me laugh outloud in saying that my interpretation “doesn’t make sense”, when you were putting out an argument like this…
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This proves my point. JWs do use blood. They do not abstain from all uses of blood. You keep saying that whenever God or anyone in authority says “Abstain from ________” that it needs no interpretation. This is not true. It does need interpretation. You have blood in your body that you are using right now. So you have interpreted the command “Abstain from blood” as excluding the blood you are using in your body at this moment. This means that there is some interpretation of the command involved.

How do we know what the command or request “Abstain from blood” really means? You have yet to really address this from a historical and biblical context.

Jeff S.
 
JW’s have confused eating blood which it says the blood of animals, this does not mean you can’t take a transfusion if your life is in jeopardy If the doctor says you need it and you do not take it to me you might as well take a gun and shoot yourself
 
preacherman said:
JW’s have confused eating blood which it says the blood of animals, this does not mean you can’t take a transfusion if your life is in jeopardy If the doctor says you need it and you do not take it to me you might as well take a gun and shoot yourself
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Makes sense to me! 👍 I don’t know if it will make sense with Steve. My attitude is if Jesus is God, than this teaching becomes a moot point.

God Bless,
Michael
 
I had a kidney transplant 2 years ago, and if I was a JW, I probably wouldn’t be here posting today.
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That’s not far from the truth…not long ago the JW’s also prohibited organ transplants as being akin to Canabalism…not it’s a “matter of conscience.” Why the change there BIBLESTEVE? A better question…BIBLESTEVE…is why JW’s still eat blood…in the meat they cook…JW’s don’t salt their meat to draw out all the blood in it…why not…if you’re to “avoid blood” best do it right…salt all your meat to draw out the blood that is still in it.
 
I wouldn’t even bother asking Steve anything. All he does is post the same thing over and over again because he has no real answer. All he knows how to do is use the information from the WT or JW sites to try and prove to the world that the JWs are the only people who are correctly interpreting the Bible.

And I’m with **mikeledes **on this one,
If Jesus is God, than this teaching falls apart.
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As far as the organ transplant issue goes:

Imagine you and your wife are faithful longtime JW’s living in the late 1970’s. Your wife learns she’ll need an organ transplant due to some serious medical issue. As faithful JW’s, you and your wife decide she’ll forego the organ transplant as it’s against God’s law. In 1980, you get a copy of the latest Watchtower magazine. There’s an article saying organ transplants are now, “a matter of conscious”. Imagine the joy you’re feeling as you go to read this to your wife. Actually it’s not joy that you’re feeling. Why is it not joy you’re feeling? Because you’re reading to your wife while standing at the foot of her grave.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: The Watchtower society doesn’t teach the truth, and leads people to their death.
 
Drifting a bit from the subject…

Jeff, do you have any information that would help a JW fill out their advance directive? My DH is filling out a new one, (but not the JW one) so he can put me down as his “agent” because of all the “new” information and the WT allowing them to use certain blood components. We’re watching their video next week when he gets it, but I don’t want him to be fooled by the JW allegations, I wanted to see if he’d reason better if he saw/read something else. He’s also going to speak to his doctor to help us fill it out, so his doctor can keep a copy on his medical record, and that way he won’t have to go through the elders on how to fill it out.
 
BibleSteve said:
Dear Claude.

Thank you for expressing your opinion. I really don’t care what the Jews decide, or other Christian through the ages have decided for themselves. I find it interesting to read what they thought, but at the end of the day, I make my own decisions on what I believe.

I’ve explained what I have decided on this topic without pointing to anyone elses authority. I haven’t pointed to the Jews, early Century Christians, the Catholic Church, or even the Watchtower.

I’ve simply pointed the the scripture that says “Abstain from __________”. It seems very clear to me. And I am making that decision for myself,

Thank you for your opinion,

Steve
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How many individuals do you know who have reached this conclusion on blood transfusions from this Bible passage independently of the Watchtower Society? That speaks volumes to me.
 
I wonder how many apostate JW’s are out there that have to live with the pain of a lost child because while they were faithful JW’s, they refused their child a blood transfustion?

I wonder how many current JW’s are in the same position, and how they reconcile the pain with WTS beliefs?

My prayers go out to all in that situation.
 
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