As I wasn't a JW at the time and was innocent and naieve surely it doesn't count.
2006-10-12 07:54:54 · 15 answers · asked by Jules C 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Of course. Paul explained this well:
(1 Corinthians 6:11) And yet that is what some of YOU were. But YOU have been washed clean, but YOU have been sanctified, but YOU have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.
It is very interesting to actually examine WHY they believe as they do regarding blood. 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
2006-10-12 11:41:50 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
between Jehovah's Witnesses there are various tiers of appreciation for coaching. some sense they could make the main of coaching previous severe college and others do no longer. must you challenge approximately your human beings determination to no longer pass to varsity ? No. She in all probability has plans on the thank you to proceed and actually of thinking her determination you are going to understand it. throughout the 2005-2010 era there have been diverse articles interior the Watchtower magazines approximately college coaching. those articles define how the school environment might impression your spirituality. The magazines do no longer condemn college coaching (inspite of what some might think of). interior the corporation, it quite is left as much as the guy as to if or no longer they are going to attend college or no longer. Edit: right here is an excerpt from one among our guides "Employment possibilities and academic structures variety from place to place. Youths have diverse skills and tendencies. And on the same time as a occupation interior the Christian ministry is reported as being helpful, it remains a remember of private determination. You and your father and mom ought to thus intently weigh all components in touch in finding out how lots coaching is reliable for you. ‘every person ought to hold his very own load’ in making such judgements.—Galatians 6:5." (young ones Ask - quantity a million)
2016-10-19 06:56:15 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey man if you have a JW question it's always good to ask a JW...of course you can still become a Witness of Jehovah
2006-10-12 10:45:57 · answer #3 · answered by Nothin wrong 1 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Once you get baptized, all sin is washed away.
But if you become a JW you can't celebrate birthdays, hoidays, and you have to face the fact that Jesus is the SON of God. Do you agree?
The JW believe and show you in the bible, after Noah's day, God made a commandment that you should never eat blood from another human. In other words, no blood from any other human should be used for another human.
2006-10-12 07:58:05 · answer #4 · answered by DrPepper 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Of course you can. You could have been whatever you wanted until the day you repent and decide to change your life and embrace a new religion. Even if you knew and committed the mistake you would surely be forgiven if you truly repent. Isn't god a forgiving and merciful god?
2006-10-12 09:22:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
the apostle Paul held the coats of those who killed Stephen.
Peter denied Christ 3 times.
Where does it say Jehovah's people have to perfect to serve him?
Once you've become baptised, You must fight imperfections and sin.
Read Acts 26:20
20but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
2006-10-12 08:46:41 · answer #6 · answered by TeeM 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can. But you can no longer make many medical decisions - they are already made for you by the Governing Body even though they tell you that it's YOUR decision. You know, the same way that the Catholic church says that priests make their own individual choice to be celibate. Do you think they really make their own choice or is celibacy forced on them because of a man-made religious rule?
Just in case you haven't thought this through, here are some things you may want to consider.
1. Why can Jehovah's Witnesses accept blood 'fractions' that are derived from donated blood, yet they are forbidden to donate blood in order to obtain such fractions?
2. If Jehovah's Witnesses object to the storing and/or the use of blood, why do they allow blood to be drawn, stored, and used for testing?
3. Why do JW's insist that human blood should be poured out on the ground, when in fact the Bible only directs that animal blood be poured out - while FORBIDDING the pouring out of HUMAN blood on the ground - murder.
4. The Watchtower says: "We cannot say. The Bible does not give details so a Christian must make his own conscientious decision before God." If that's true, then can a person store their own blood in case of emergency before having surgery, if their conscience allows it? Does the Bible give details about such a situation? Obviously not, so why does the Society excommunicate and shun members who might, in good conscience, take their OWN blood? (NOT the blood of another creature.) Are Witnesses REALLY allowed to follow their conscience or are they forced to comply with man-made rules that go beyond what the Bible actually says?
Jesus said "They teach commands of men as doctrines".
If some of these man-made rules don't seem quite right to you, you should think very carefully before you give up your God-given right to follow your own conscience. But if you're one of those people who doesn't want to be bothered thinking for yourself, then you're in the right place.
2006-10-12 15:05:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
People have engaged in all kinds of unscriptural acts before they knew they were wrong. They repented and no longer practice these things, and are acceptable to God.
2006-10-12 08:07:37 · answer #8 · answered by Abdijah 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
please help me to understand why you want to be a part of a religion that would deny you life. i'm confused as to why you would want to be a JW, especially after you've already had a blood transfusion. that makes no sense to me.
2006-10-12 08:00:35 · answer #9 · answered by NO delusions 4 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Blood transfusion won't do it. You need a full frontal lobotomy
2006-10-12 08:00:32 · answer #10 · answered by NONAME 1 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Now why would you want to become a JW?
2006-10-12 07:56:57 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋