What's your opinion about the judge order of blood transfusions for twins of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Quebec

Question

Read story here:

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=1c03c0b4-f54d-429b-a8be-ddd018c3ea4b&k=66899

Answer 1

It would seem that Canada is becoming a totalitarian nation.

Every indication is that these parents were conscientiously working with medical professionals to pursue other effective treatments. Jehovah's Witnesses are not anti-medicine or anti-technology and (in fact) they accept fractions derived from platelets, plasma, and red/white cells! The parents would likely have had no objections to a targeted treatment for a targeted need. Witnesses' only objections are to whole blood and the four intact components which approximate whole blood. Yet their simple request was apparently deigned inconvenient by a handful of doctors and illegal by a handful of government demagogues.

Canadian doctors and judges apparently feel that their desire to 'throw the kitchen sink' at a medical complication is more important than respecting a family's right to choose sound treatments which have outstanding records of success in countries which are not limited by socialized medicine's assembly-line style of medical care.

Note again please that Jehovah's Witnesses work to get the best medical care for their children, and simply request that exactly five products be avoided (whole blood, platelets, plasma, red/white cells). Medically speaking, some combination of minor fractions derived from blood is literally ALWAYS sufficient. Why the arrogant insistence on instead forcing a 'shotgun blast' on these babies? ...especially when the fact remains that many MULTIPLES more die from blood transfusions than from a conscientious decision to pursue alternative therapy?

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/hb/index.htm?article=article_03.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/vcnr/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/vcnb/article_01.htm

Answer 2

Judges, who are trained in legal matters not science or religion can be swayed as can public opinion, by what sounds logical and scientific to them. Doctors sometimes feel as though they themselves are God since they do posses the power of life and death. This however often gets in the way of their objectivity. Their minds are closed to any other possibility except the one they have decided is best. If the twins die despite being given blood, well that's just how it is they reason. If the twins were to die after not having a transfusion, they would reason that this is what killed them.
The judge missed an opportunity to prove which therapy was better was ordering BOTH twins transfused.

Personally, I would be sick at heart if this were my family. They are already suffering and under a tremendous amount of stress with the babies illness. Now, add to that doctors telling them they must choose between their children's life and obedience to God. Their faith in God precipitates their choice of obedience, knowing that the Creator knows far more than any hospital or doctor and any chance their children have will require his blessing. But the other choice is forced upon them so that now they may have to face the death of their children while still grappling with their part in this matter. People who think that true Christians are not persecuted should look at this. This is the worst kind of persecution for a parent.

Answer 3

The Judge felt that he was doing his very best in order to save the lives of the twins but he failed to realized that he stepped on the religious rights of the Jehovah's Witnesses parents who were willing to cooperate with their Christian brother who is a Doctor.

It seems like the lives twins were in danger from the point of view of the two Doctors on the medical case but if there were "alternatives to transfusion", the Judge should have allowed the situation to favor the parents who were "willing to co-operate with the decision" rendered in line with their religious belief.—Acts 15:29.

Not every blood transfusion can be successful. The former Pope John Paul was given blood when someone took one or two shots at him but the blood though given with good intentions developed complications for the religious leader.

If anything happen to those twins, the Judge will have to account for his actions. Hence, the Judge overstepped his judicial boundaries.

Answer 4

Since the twins are incapable of making the decision for themselves, it should normally be left for the parents to decide. If the parents' actions, or inactions, are threatening the lives of the children, the law can seek to remedy the situation. I would like to know what the alternatives were to the transfusion to which the Jehovah's Witness doctor was referring. If they were viable alternatives, then I think the court overstepped its bounds. If the alternatives were not viable, the courts should have done whatever it took to protect the infants. This is not just a religious issue; it is also a societal issue. It boils down to the government's responsibility to protect its citizens from harm, which trumps any religious beliefs.

Answer 5

It is very unfortunate. I feel for the parents. To have someone take away your rights and force a treatment on your child that you not only consider dangerous, but also goes against the foundation of your belief system would be devastating. Especially when there are so many alternatives to blood transfusions. Medical science has come a long way since blood transfusions became a common medical procedure after WWII. I don't understand why people want to go backwards to an archaic form of treatment that is notably dangerous when there are so many safe alternatives.

Answer 6

The twins have other options. Bloodless surgery is now commonly used on not only Jehovah's Witnesses but anyone who does not want blood or any of the health risks involved.


Published: May 06, 2007 11:35 pm
Bloodless surgery protects patient’s health
BY KELLY URBAN
The Tribune-Democrat
Although bloodless surgery is performed primarily because of religious beliefs, it is growing more popular with patients and doctors.
“Patients seek it out for religious and personal reasons, or if they or a family member had a bad experience with blood transfusions in the past,” said Perry Doebler, the bloodless surgery coordinator at Allegheny General.

“Physicians in all fields are becoming more comfortable with this procedure.”
“There are a lot of patients who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses looking into bloodless surgery,” she said. “There are health risks associated with transfusions, and it’s easier for your body to recover (with bloodless surgery).”


The surgeons in Canada need to be updated on this medical discovery for which Jehovah's Witnesses are eternally grateful.
My husband is getting a major back operation soon and we have a bloodless surgery unit here in Tampa, Fla. They will perform the operation without blood, he will recover sooner and we will not be breaking God's prohibition against the misuse of blood.

LOBT

Answer 7

Children are helpless and are not accountable to God for issues like blood transfusions. Save the kids first and let them deal with the moral issue on their own when they are older. Save the kids now and we can have a chat about what God might think about it over coffee and cookies when the danger is past. You always save life first.

Answer 8

If giving blood is going to give them a better chance at living, and it means a normal, healthy life, then the twins should have their transfusion. With or without the parent's wishes.

However, if it was unlikely the transfusion was going to help, and it was just a measure to protect the health care workers back, then it's uncalled for.

We live in a compassionate society. Which means we have the responsibility to ensure the twins are protected and given every chance to life we can give.

I wish the doctor's would be honest and give parents straight answers and not sugar coat them.

Answer 9

As one of Jehovah's witnesses,I must say that I am very disheartened and the only thing we can do is pray for the family and hope everything turns out well. The parents unfortunately have had their rights away from them and although they have been forced to disobey God's law to abstain from blood they shouldn't feel guilty, they have tried to uphold God's law to the fullest in this situation and they should leave it in Jehovah's hands he will deal with it appropriately.

Answer 10

Honestly, I don't know how I feel about that. I am sure that the judge thinks that he is doing what he thinks is right for the babies but the parent's religion is against it. Another doctor said that there was another way to go about it without the blood transfusions too. I guess I wouldn't want to lose my babies but I also wouldn't want to go against my religion either. That is truly a hard decision that I will hopefully never have to face.

Hugs