why do Jehova Witness' not accept blood transfusions?

Question

Please don't preach or get all moral, i'm just looking for the reason behind their belief, not a list of what you think is right or wrong about it..

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the scriptures demonstrate a clear pattern indicating the sacredness with which Jehovah God (and thus god-fearing humankind) views all creature blood.


Predates Mosaic Law.
For example, over a thousand years before the birth of Moses, the pre-Israel, pre-Jewish, pre-Hebrew man Noah received what the scriptures record as only the second restrictive command on humans (after Garden of Eden's tree):

"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; of every beast I will require it [that is, lifeblood] and of man" (Genesis 9:3-5)


Jewish Law.
Later, God's feeling regarding blood was codified into the Mosaic Law. This part of the Law dealing with blood was unique in that it applied, not just to Israel, but also to non-Jewish foreigners among them. It's also interesting that besides forbidding the consumption of blood, the Law also mandated that it be 'poured out on the ground', not used for any purpose.

"No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood. Any man also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust." (Lev 17:12,13)

By comparison, it's significant that the Law also forbid the consumption of ceremonial animal fat, but that didn't apply to non-Jewish foreigners and it DID allow the fat to be used for other purposes.

"The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the people of Israel, You shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat. The fat of an animal that dies of itself, and the fat of one that is torn by beasts, may be put to any other use" (Lev 7:22-24)


Early Christian era.
The Christian era ended the validity of the Mosaic Law, but remember that the restriction on eating blood preceded the Mosaic Law by over a thousand years. Still, does the New Testament indicate that Jehovah God changed his view of blood's sacredness?

"[God] freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses" (Eph 1:6,7)

"[God's] beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins... and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood" (Colossians 1:13-20)

"we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood." (Acts 15:19,20)

"For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity." Acts 15:28,29


Modern times
Some will claim that the bible's command to "abstain" from blood only applies to eating it, and does not apply to the use of blood for other purpose. If that form of respect for blood were common among Christendom, one might wonder then why so many (who ostensibly follow the book of Acts) so happily eat their blood sausage and blood pudding if they truly respect blood according to some limited understanding of Acts 15:20,29. In fact, respect for blood and for Acts and for the Scriptures themselves is too rare among even supposedly god-fearing persons.

An honest review of the Scriptural pattern over the millenia from Noah to the Apostle Paul teaches humans that blood is to be used for a single purpose: acknowledging the Almighty. Otherwise, for centuries the instruction was to simply dispose of it; 'poor it upon the ground'. When Jehovah's Witnesses pursue non-blood medical management, they are working to honor and obey their Creator.


Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/library/hb/index.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/vcnb/article_01.htm

Answer 2

funny how many wrong answers there are on your list above, I was a JW for 22 years and can tell you that most of the answers above are incorrect. It is a bible commandment not to take blood, ask the next Jehovah's Witness who calls at your door to explain it to you. But is is not because we think god will heal us, and it is not because we think it carries sins across etc. JeffE's answer is also wrong. Check out the web site for Jehovah's Witnesses, they will have clear, concise and truthful reasons why not, it's way too long to go into here.

Answer 3

GOD, has provided definite instructions regarding the use to which blood may be put. (ACTS 15:28,29: PLEASE READ). this clearly states "keep abstaining from blood". JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES actually benefit from better medical treatment because they do not accept blood. a doctor writing in the american journal of obstetrics and gynecology(june 1, 1968, p.395) acknowledged: there is no doubt that the situation where you [the surgeon] are operating without the possibility of transfusion tends to improve your surgery. you are little bit more aggressive in clamping ecery bleeding vessel. we also enjoy life as the next person. And there other altertives. actually, the risks that go with use of blood transfusions are avoided by using these substances(saline solution, ringer's solution, and dextran can be used as plasma volume expanders, and these are available in nearly all modern hospitals. so avoiding blood transfusions we avoid the risk of bacterial or viral infection, transfusion reactions and rh sensitization. so we view life, as GOD views it, and want to live.

Answer 4

It's a false teaching they confuse with various Bible verses about not eating blood and the sacredness of blood, and a lot of misterpretation.

They're reasoning is that taking blood through the vein is like eating blood, the same as you can be fed nutrients also through intraveinous feeding.

They need to read a science book and get their facts straight. The body does not consume blood like it does food. Blood is not food; it simply carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, much like any other organ.

I think their main reason for keeping this "teaching" is because it makes them "unique" and "separate" from all other religions, because they are the only one that teach this. Again, they need to get their facts straight.

Answer 5

Acts 5:28, 29

Answer 6

So intimately is blood involved in the life processes that the Bible says "the soul of the flesh is in the blood." Lev 17:11. Acts 15: 28, 29 says to "abstain from blood." Also Eph 1:7 brings out that "By means of him (Jesus Christ) we have the release by ransom through the bllod of that one".... Blood is very precious in God's eyes. Hope this helps!

Answer 7

Okay, lets see, if you ever needed one, you would need to make a life or death decision, wouldn't you want to know all the risk that come along with the blood issue? So you need to ask very important questions to your doctor and prepare a list about what happens after it enters your body. Ask for all the Risk you are about to take.

Answer 8

It is called "Blind faith" - I would call it religious stupidity.

Many die because of this - these are all valuable lives for the human race. A friend of mine who was studying to be a minister died of cancer (Curable if he had taken treatment at the right time) He was my age at that time - 26. A good person, learning to be a minister - dies of one of the worst illnesses known to human race - I serious have a doubt on this God ! I was so saddened - He was a good gentleman.

Answer 9

There is a passage in the book of leviticus (third book of the old testament) that says it is wrong to drink blood-hence this quite odd doctrine

Answer 10

Just look at all the aids sufferers who have contacted it through blood transfusions, they may have a point.

Answer 11

because (from what i can remember from my GCSE R.E course) they think it may carry bad parts, like sins across so they will not be accepted in the Heaven because its not all them...if you get what i mean but then again i may be wrong