why do jehovah's witnesses not accept blood transfusions?

Answer 1

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.

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

Answer 2

Of interest, we accept the reasons behind other things the Bible promoted, even though they could not have known the science behind why it was, such as the reasons why God stopped the practice of having children with close relations.

If an alcoholic is to abstain from booze, does that make it okay to take it intravenous? Recently, in the news, someone tried that to avoid the restrictions of his probation. He'll never be able to try that again.

Less than 10% of those refusing blood are JWs. Are those 90% also religious nuts?

The fact is that as science has advanced, it has been learned that blood transfusions are not safe, ever. 100% of those who get one has side affects involving the immune system. People who get sick after one don't get normal diseases. They get the very rare diseases, just like people who have AIDS. Will they get them? No, because you still have to come into contact with the disease. But, you also don't want to have an undiagnosed cancer at the time of the transfusion.

There are now 15 bloodless hospitals in the country, with UCLA now doing transplants, such as the Liver, without blood transfusions.

So, do we believe the science of the Bible, or not?

Here's something to consider, if not for JWs, you would not be signing a permission slip before your child received a procedure or getting the HPV vaccine.

Answer 3

Jehovah's witnesses take the bible literally. Additionally, like the some other cults, the interpretations of what those verses mean to the group are established by the hierarchy. In "An Aid to Bible Understanding" the interpretation is identified against all sharing of blood. Interestingly, blood transfusions at the time of Christ would have been a bad thing. Blood typing (A, B, AB, O) had not been determined. Rh factors were only found to be critical in the early 50's. While there still may be other reasons NOT to have blood transfusions, the weighing of "love" and "compassion" to save lives should always come above the letter of the law as established through religion.

The spirit of the Bible, as it seems to me, is to try to preserve life and to help those afflicted with disease and distress. Blood transfusions for that purpose should be acceptable.

Answer 4

In the New Test the Gentiles are told the only requirements were to not commit adultry, abstain from blood and things strangled , It seems strange as a few years back the only way to leave this Country ( USA ) was to get shots and make sure they were up to date and most serums were derived from horse blood . According to JW's that would be construde as a transfusion but a lot of them were world travelers Huummmmm??

Answer 5

We take seriously what God inspired to be recorded for our benefit. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) This includes the injunction we find in Acts 15:28-29 - "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well." (KJV)

Notice it said these are "necessary things" including the fact that we should "abstain from blood."

For more information, check out these links:

Answer 6

Literal interpretation of the old testament injunction not to consume blood.

Answer 7

Major reason by the Physician Luke:

(Acts 15:18-20) “. . .’ 19 Hence my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God, 20 but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.”......
. 28 For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to YOU, except these necessary things, 29 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!”

--After the decision was made note this was dispatched to all the congregations:
(Acts 21:25) “25 As for the believers from among the nations, we have sent out, rendering our decision that they should keep themselves from what is sacrificed to idols as well as from blood and what is strangled and from fornication.””

--Please note the whole chapter 15 deals with how the Jews wanted to impose circumcision on the Christians as a law, but as you note in vss. 28,29 only the necessary things was what God's Holy spirit directed to be law binding. Note the seriousness of the taking of blood of any form is linked with fornication(illicit sex of any kind) idolatry, is mentioned.

--There is a major point in connection with the shed blood of Christ that has to be taken into serious consideration!

(Romans 3:25) “25 God set him forth as an offering for propitiation through faith in his blood. This was in order to exhibit his own righteousness, because he was forgiving the sins that occurred in the past while God was exercising forbearance;”

(Acts 20:28) “28 Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed YOU overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own [Son].”

(Ephesians 1:7) “7 By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of [our] trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness.”
(Colossians 1:18-20) “. . .He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things; 19 because [God] saw good for all fullness to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile again to himself all [other] things by making peace through the blood [he shed] on the torture stake, no matter whether they are the things upon the earth or the things in the heavens.”

(1 Peter 1:19) “. . .But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, even Christ’s. . .”

So then any misuse or abuse of precious blood, deminishes the full worth of Christ's blood and the meaning of its being spilt.

--What drop of blood, in all of histories wars, has meant anything for the saving of mankind?
--Only Christ's & ones sacred view & attitude for blood & life has great bearing in true christianity.

--Thus our stand(much more in Scripture) is primarily Biblical!
--Indeed there are also many medical proofs, for the non-blood transfusions that we agree with totally.
--There are over 100,000 health care givers who agree with the non-blood alternatives and have opperated not only on JW's but many others --because of the dangers of the use of blood in theraphy.

---Please go to the official address listed for more information and video "No Blood --Medicine Meets the Challenge"

Answer 8

Because cults believe in nonsense things. They kept adding rules that God already gave us. We should not add anything to what God said. Jehovah's Witnesses will go to hell because of their nonsense beliefs. Accepting blood tranfusions is not bad because you give life to those who needs life. They do not accept because they believe that they will be unclean.

Answer 9

They believe that your blood is your spirit.

Answer 10

uhmm I do not know but I will keep an eye open for answes thanks s o much