So what do they think: doctors are just a waste of time too?
2006-12-05 09:25:51 · 11 answers · asked by (R) Sarah and Andy. 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that no human can affect God's purposes (Witnesses do not even say that God has "plans", since that implies a possibility of failure). Interestingly, God's purposes do involve the blood of Christ Jesus, and in respecting the blood of Christ; nevertheless it is NOT POSSIBLE to "mess with" God's purposes.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe in getting the best medical care available for themselves and their families. Many individuals among Jehovah's Witnesses are themselves physicians and other health care professionals.
It is sad when those who have theological differences with the Witnesses actively work to spread misinformation about their beliefs. The fact is that Jehovah's Witnesses have hundreds of hospital liaison committees around the globe to help advance nonblood medical management technologies and awareness in the medical community.
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/e/hb/
http://watchtower.org/library/vcnb/article_01.htm
2006-12-06 01:52:29 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
JWs were allowed to eat blood until the 1920's and have tranfusions until the 1940s.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the statement at Acts 15:28 to "abstain from blood" means blood transfusions are not allowed. This misses the point of the situation at Acts. It specifically was referring to congregations where Gentiles were stumbling the Jews, and was not meant to be an everlasting commandment. It was in regards to eatting blood, not transfusions.
More importantly, throughout the Bible there are situations where God fearing people broke Gods laws to save life. So even if a person chooses to think that Acts means we still can not eat blood, it should never prevent a person saving life through a blood transfusion.
To show how misguided JWs are on this issue, they now can have blood fractions. It is a bit like saying, Im allergic to pizza, but i dont mind eatting all the ingredients separately. Also, although they use blood fractions, they are not allowed to donate blood.
Over the years they have had a variety of strange medical stances. They were banned from vaccinations and organs transplants in the past as well. However, apart from those things they do use doctors.
2006-12-07 18:13:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's the sanctity of blood and how God views it that is important to Jehovah's Witnesses. God directed under Mosaic Law that Israel was to abastain from blood with the only accepted use being sacrificial. Blood was to be poured out and covered with dirt if it wasn't being used for sacrificial purposes. Under Christian law God's view of blood had not changed. (see Acts 15:28, 29; 21:25)
We don't view doctors as a waste of time at all. We certainly want to preserve our physical health, but not at the cost of our spiritual health. Being obedient to God, as strange as this may seem to some, has got to come first to a Christian.
2006-12-05 17:36:30 · answer #3 · answered by Kelly L 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Just a little side point to consider. Because Jehovah's Witnesses were so determined not to have blood transfusions, medical science has been able to make some amazing advancements in surgical procedures. You should take a moment and discover some of these bloodless breakthrough treatments.
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2000/1/8/diagram_01.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/e/vcnr/article_01.htm
2006-12-06 00:17:51 · answer #4 · answered by izofblue37 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Sorry I can not answer that one. But, I can tell you that I am a firm believer and donor of blood. If you can it is also better to donate by apharisis(a process to remove only what is needed i.e. Red cells, white cells, platelets.) While whole blood is better than nothing doing the above will maximize the blood supply.
On a spiritual level I figure this. God's son gave his blood for me, so I turn around and give mine to prolong others lives till they find the everlasting blood.
2006-12-05 17:32:41 · answer #5 · answered by crimthann69 6 · 2⤊ 4⤋
its not giving blood but accepting/taking in blood.
Aside from the command given in Leviticus, Acts 15:28, 29; 21:25 says “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 [leaving the blood in the meat] and from fornication.”
The command to abstain from blood is in the same level as abstaining from idol food and fornication which means it is serious. It was not indicated that only blood from animals will be abstained...
How do comatose patients eat? It is the same way that blood is 'taken in' in a person's body.
JW's respect the blood as life itself, GOd himself respects the blood that was why he commanded it. The use of blood in the early times is for the atonement of sin as the blood of Jesus is the greatest sacrifice given to us to free us from our sins.
We do not consider doctors as waste of time, we go to them instead of faith healers you know...we cooperate with doctors but we explain our belief to them....
2006-12-05 17:38:29 · answer #6 · answered by Tomoyo K 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I hadn't heard that JWs couldn't *give* blood, only that they can't *receive* blood. They consider it the same as drinking blood, which is forbidden somewhere in the bible. Perhaps they feel that giving blood would be promoting that "sin".
2006-12-05 17:28:47 · answer #7 · answered by The Resurrectionist 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
we take our families to doctors. we do take blood tests. but we don't take blood. Jehovah wants us to have the best care for our families. we have witnesses that are nurses,doctors and dentists. www.watchtower.org
2006-12-05 17:37:39 · answer #8 · answered by lover of Jehovah and Jesus 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
they believe that the blood is the soul and you should not mess with it
2006-12-08 05:03:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You are mixing up Jehovah Witnessess and Christian Scientists.
2006-12-05 17:27:35 · answer #10 · answered by Answergirl 5 · 2⤊ 4⤋