| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/10/2006 10:15:13 AM | Did a thread search and did find a few JW threads. Yet I didnt see anything regarding my question, I might have missed it.
My sister is JW. She is adamantly against receiving blood of any type for herself and her children even in the face of possible death.
She has yet to explain this one to me. Im curious the reason behind this one. Why exactly would this be such a taboo issue with the JW?
Im looking for scripture that says this isnt appropriate. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/10/2006 10:21:57 AM | | I think it has something to do with not allowing something foreign into the body. Blood from another person would be considered foreign. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/10/2006 10:24:07 AM | cowboypenner.
Thanks for the reply. I guessed as much about the foreign substance issue.
However, Im thinking if its so taboo It would be something that is written in scripture? If I was going to follow protocol for a religion, id want to know that something Im not supposed to be doing is written somewhere... | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/10/2006 10:30:22 AM | | I'm sorry but I can't help you with the scripture part. I'm not a JW and I only know a little bit about it from what others have told me. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/10/2006 10:42:52 AM | | and people call us muslims fanatics... | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/10/2006 10:53:16 AM | seems like it comes from their own publication "The Watchtower." I don't think there's any specific claim in the bible that says receiving blood transfusions is wrong (considering they didn't have blood transfusions back then)...most likely only them interpreting that from a vague statement in the bible about blood being holy/sacred, yadda yadda...
Watchtower Blood policy in 1961:
“If you have reason to believe that a certain product contains blood or a blood fraction…if the label says that certain tablets contain hemoglobin…this is from blood...a Christian knows, without asking, that he should avoid such a preparation. - The Watchtower 11/01/1961, p. 669
Is it wrong to sustain life by administering a transfusion of blood or plasma or red cells or others of the component parts of the blood? Yes!...the prohibition includes "any blood at all." - Blood, Medicine and the Law of God, 1961, pp. 13, 14 | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/10/2006 12:06:03 PM | From many discussions with the JWs, I've learned that they're far less radical than I thought. They are quite calm and reasonable, including about questions regarding blood transfusions. They even have a tape to watch if you're interested. I disagree with their interpretation of the following phrases, but that's not uncommon with me. Interestingly, they do allow organ transplants, plasma and blood expanders.
...forbids blood transfusions because the procedure allegedly constitutes eating blood, which is forbidden in the Bible in Genesis 9:4 and Acts 15:28–29. They contend that receiving blood intravenously constitutes eating, just as people can receive food intravenously.
http://www.watchman.org/jw/jwtransfusions2000.htm
Genesis 9:4-5 Only flesh with its soul—its blood—YOU must not eat. And, besides that, YOUR blood of YOUR souls shall I ask back. From the hand of every living creature shall I ask it back; and from the hand of man, from the hand of each one who is his brother, shall I ask back the soul of man.
Acts 15:28-29 For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to YOU, except these necessary things, to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If YOU carefully keep yourselves from these things, YOU will prosper. Good health to YOU!”
GE&H | |
|
Jay152
|
Joined: 10/11/2006
Msg: 8 | |
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/15/2006 2:08:03 AM | They don't have to do scriptural acrobatics on the Blood issue like they do others. There is other scriptures too, but I have to look them up.
I was raised in that religion, and had to tell this to people when I when door to door. I don't remember half of what I told people...anyway, I'll ask my mom, shes still a JW and I'll post what I hear... | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/15/2006 4:46:33 AM | | I think it's something to do with being retarded in the head. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/15/2006 7:19:15 AM | | pyjammez:I think your comment was a little harsh and uncalled for. The world is a big enough place for people to practice their different beliefs. Ok, it was kind of annoying to have someone coming to the door wanting to talk about their beliefs when I'm not much a believer but it didin't do any harm. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/15/2006 7:33:22 AM | The Bible tells us the life is in the blood, being the reason behing not eating it.
I suppose one could feel it is spiritual to recieve a blood transfusion. Fusion.
| |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/15/2006 8:27:02 AM | | I do know that if i never had the four, blood transfusions, that i did, that i wouldn't be here today. But everyone has there own beliefs, and they should be respected. So having gotten those Transfusion, it saved my life, and allowed me to continue on, and be the best father a man could be. How could i ever want anything more then that ?. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/15/2006 1:10:48 PM | People had become sick and died from blood transfusions as early as they began in the 1820's. The four blood types were not discovered till the 1900's. Before and after that diseases were transmitted through transfusions in the early times. I am sure someone(s) of the early governing body of the JW's may of had a bad experience or knew someone that had a bad experience with a transfusion and the negative attitude (for whatever the reason of it being there) caused the decision of the governing body to 86 a belief in blood transfusions. They did a lot of digging and found a couple verses that lamely supported their belief.
To each their own, America affords that right. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/15/2006 4:15:05 PM | Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult. A cult is considered any group that is teaching
lies about the Bible.
As far as not receiving blood transfusions, I believe it is :
Genesis 9:4 "But flesh (meat) with...blood...ye shall not eat"
Leviticus 17:12-14 "...No soul of you shall eat blood...whosoever eateth it shall be cut off"
Acts 15:29 "That ye abstain...from blood..."
Acts 21:25 "...Gentiles...keep themselves from things offered to idols and from blood..."
| |
|
Jay152
|
Joined: 10/11/2006
Msg: 15 | |
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/15/2006 5:02:31 PM | I think it's something to do with being retarded in the head.
I will say that the orginization wants to think for you; will will be disfellowshiped or marked as an outcast if you dare think for yourself. I think many are just too lazy or brainwashed to think for themselfs.
The life is in the blood, so considering a blood transfusion a form of vampirism; although never said directly by any JW's; is understandable.
A cult follows one living person, the watchtower society is a corporation and has many in the "governing body" who vote on issues. Its safer to just call them a control group. Plus they have some mild leftist views I never liked. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 10/16/2006 7:33:21 PM | | HuggABLEHOTTIE.....first...look again at the definition of a cult....and yes those Biblical expressions are correct. If you are a diabetic....would you eat sugar products or just inject them into your veins? If you were an alcoholic....would it be better to drink from the bottle or to inject it directly into you viens?....and if you note.....at the end of Acts 15:29......it says"if you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good Health to you". Very true words in MHO..... | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/4/2007 5:20:51 PM | jay152: I have had some rather pleasantly adversarial dealings with JW's. I do like their "Awake!" pamphlet, they have great zoological articles!!
 However, a particular JW I last spoke with, said JWs will never take a position within our government.... How absurd and assinine!! So, in the long run we could never count on a JW to get involved in their community, as a whole.... Just what we need more of.... (NOT!)  He then had the audacity to hand me a pamphlet with this surreal picture of a family having a picnic... Deer grazing nearby.... and it said that life would be like this after the Second Coming (?) or Judgment day (?) [something to that effect].... I then said, "Dude, the only way humanity is going to see this is through a magnetic polar shift." HA! All of a sudden he had something to do and somewhere to be.... Good riddens!
 Additionally, I find their closed-mindedness to be stifling and an acute conflict to the Soul. The best part is the theological debates I have with them (and they never knock on my door again, go figure!). I remember two JWs at my door one day-- they had been quoting verses from the "Old Testament." I then asked them, "Were you aware that Adam had two wives?" I then went on to ask, "And that Eve was his second wife?"
They stood deep in astonishment; asked what I was referencing (Judaism), and then asked if I would be interested in coming to "Bible Study." I politely refused, and said that before I would proselytize a religion, I would at least research different aspects of it before pushing it on someone else..... Know your product... And believe in it, right?
 And yes, jay152, I believe they are a corporation-- Closed, HA! (Get it?) The voting in beliefs, outcast system, et cetera are all indicative of this..... | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/4/2007 6:07:51 PM | So can they eat meat? Because it usually has blood in it... or does this only refer to human blood? And couldn't a person take issue with their interpretation of 'eating'?
Seems like another group that has taken some miniscule part of the book, removed it from context, and blown it out of proportion...
Why worry about the 'blood' issue when you haven't even got the "do to others what you would have them do to you" part down yet? | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/4/2007 6:11:54 PM | Recently in my province there were sextuplets born, the first ever sextuplets in canada. It should have been a cause for celebration.
Unfortunately, they were born 15 weeks premature and weighed less than 2lbs each. They needed blood transfusions to survive but the parents denied it - resulting in two of the infants dying. After the deaths, doctors pleaded to the parents to let their surviving children have transfusions - again it was denied. The parents were JW's.
The government stepped in, took custody of the kids and gave them blood transfusions - saving them. The parents left the hospital as this was taking place because they couldn't bear the fact that doctors were "violating our little girl."
The courts returned custody of the kids to their parents.
Leviticus 17:10 And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people’ | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/5/2007 6:52:44 AM | The government stepped in, took custody of the kids and gave them blood transfusions - saving them. The parents left the hospital as this was taking place because they couldn't bear the fact that doctors were "violating our little girl."
The courts returned custody of the kids to their parents.
Very interesting... what was the parents relationship with their children after the event? Did they consider them demonized? If they did, how diabolical! | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/5/2007 3:21:38 PM | A friend of mine was married to a JW for 20 some years. He had a terrible accident at home and almost died due to blood loss. Luckily, he was NOT a JW!
The JWs are nice (but misguided) people, and some of their ideas make sense, but it is an organization that is known for it's ever evolving theology. I always take time to try and set them straight Biblically whenever they come to call, it's not hard if one knows the Bible's key arguments against the watchtower's doctrines.
But doesn't that Watchtower magazine thing just kinda creep you out? Or is it just me? | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/5/2007 4:21:11 PM | "A friend of mine was married to a JW for 20 some years. He had a terrible accident at home and almost died due to blood loss. Luckily, he was NOT a JW!
The JWs are nice (but misguided) people, and some of their ideas make sense, but it is an organization that is known for it's ever evolving theology. I always take time to try and set them straight Biblically whenever they come to call, it's not hard if one knows the Bible's key arguments against the watchtower's doctrines.
But doesn't that Watchtower magazine thing just kinda creep you out? Or is it just me?"
Half of my family were JW's - that was half my family gone! They don't want to know you if you have your own mind. It is more than a religion - it's a way of life, so if you don't fit in, you're out. I was never one for blackmail.
Re: "creep you out" is what they specialize in, I'm sorry to say. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/5/2007 4:38:59 PM |
Half of my family were JW's - that was half my family gone! They don't want to know you if you have your own mind. It is more than a religion - it's a way of life, so if you don't fit in, you're out. I was never one for blackmail.
Luckily you escaped, the stuff they teach can have a strong pull on the unwary. | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/5/2007 6:40:09 PM | I know one family, about half of it is JW. The dad is fanatical. His daughter can't listen to certain music because "there's demons in it." He blocked certain channels on tv because "there's demons on those channels." She can't go to school dances because "demons hang out there." He's thrown out a lot of her clothes because they were demon clothes. Demons demons demons, it reminds me of GWB's War on Terror campaign.
He seems to make these things up as he goes along. Everything he likes to do is godly, everything he hates has demons in it.
As you can probably guess, the daughter is not a JW. I believe she's old enough to choose now, but a few years ago if she needed a blood transfusion her parents would have been the ones to okay the surgery. Imagine being 11 yrs old and your parents are killing you with their beliefs. Or equally disturbing, imagine being non-JW but your JW child chooses to let himself/herself die because of their beliefs.
*shudder* | |
|
| Jehovah Witnesses
Posted: 3/23/2007 2:03:04 PM | Imagine being 11 yrs old and your parents are killing you with their beliefs. Or equally disturbing, imagine being non-JW but your JW child chooses to let himself/herself die because of their beliefs.
*shudder*
The thing is, if they are not totally united, they fear being divided. This is why they cut themselves of from 'the world', and if you are not a JW, you are part of that world. In my experience (and believe me I have had a lifetime of it) this makes no difference if you are a sibling or anything else - no membership - no chance. | |
|
Home
login 
