JW's only please: Why no 'whole blood' transfusions, etc.?

Question

Medical science is a result of many years of godly scientific/life saving research. How does it conflict with the Bible?

How is intrevenous blood the same as digesting it through your stomach? People who are dehydrated become hydrated directly through the vein because it bypasses the digestive system because speed is of the essence in that case. The same as in the case of someone who needs a certain blood type. Am I wrong? Perhaps a physician can answer this...

This seems to be implied based on new medical technology. A direct command from God which explicitly instructs us to Remember the Sabbath day is so easily side-stepped, yet how can this implication be adhered to when it is not a direct command?

When Christ came and fulfilled prophecy, and the prophecies regarding the ceremonial laws of washing, and sacrifice, how was he fulfilling God's Law and eliminating them? If you believe that, you no longer have to worry about committing adultry, etc.

Christ said that nothing changed in God's Law, but that it should be written in our hearts. If that is true, we should remember he also said if we love Him we will keep His commandments. The first part of that section that says to Love your neighbor says to Love God with your entire being...the first four Commandments are expressed in that way. The one Commandment that was changed according to prophecy is the fourth one which says to remember the sabbath day. The RC Church also subdued the one that talked about graven images. Just as there is no place in the Bible that says the Ten Commandments were done away with, there is no place in the Bible that says that Sunday was the New Sabbath.

The Roman Catholic Church takes full credit for changing the day...why do you dispute it as being Biblical when it isn't?

Good point SabbathKeeper, but you're not a JW....

The Bible does teach principles of health. However, it does not teach that any of God's Laws were destroyed or done away with. It tells us that Christ, our Savior removed the burden of the human priesthood from the Levites, and that we no longer have to slay innocent animals--since Christ is our Lamb, who was slain once and for all time thereafter. We are expected to believe in Him...and Love Him...and if any of what I am saying makes sense, keep His Commandments as a sign of love for Him. God's Commandments are the same as Jesus' Commandments--the only way to circumvent them is to deny Christ as the Savior...if He is Lord of the Sabbath, then why do away with it? The covenants both say abstain from blood, and to keep the Laws of God in our hearts--to love God and one another. Love God means keep the first four commandments--as you all say love your neighbor means to keep the last six.

So a life saving blood transfusion is unhealthy?

Taking things out of context is the problem with all of Christianity...the health issues related to eating animals that had been strangled, instead of having the blood drained...I know of several foods people eat (I don't) that are full of blood, and even straight blood with ingredients added...etc. Eating pork and other unclean beasts was part of all of that. Do JW's eat unclean animals? So the ceremonial and health issues have become paramount, yet God's Law of Love the 10 Commandments is disregarded...that's weird.

Answer 1

It is not Jehovah's Witnesses who decide that blood is sacred; it is Almighty God who declares it so, as the Divine Author of the Holy Bible!

Jehovah's Witnesses are not anti-medicine or anti-technology, and they do not have superstitious ideas about some immortal "soul" literally encapsulated in blood. Instead, as Christians, the Witnesses seek to obey the very plain language of the bible regarding blood. There are many bible verses which prohibit the ingestion of blood, but Jehovah's Witnesses cite these merely as part of a pattern which culminates in the Christian command to "abstain" from blood (Acts 15:20,28,29).

Jesus Christ, as God's spokesman and as Head of the Christian congregation, made certain that the early congregation reiterated, recorded, and communicated renewed Christian restrictions against the misuse of blood (it would hardly have been necessary to remind Christians to abstain from murderous bloodguilt).

It would seem that all conscientious Christians would feel bound by the bible's words in "the Apostolic Decree". Ironically, this decree was the first official decision communicated to the various congregations by the twelve faithful apostles (and a handful of other "older men" which the apostles had chosen to add to the first century Christian governing body in Jerusalem). God and Christ apparently felt (and feel) that respect for blood is quite important.

Here is what the "Apostolic Decree" said, which few self-described Christians obey or even respect:

(Acts 15:20) Write them [the various Christian congregations] to abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled [the meat of which would contain blood] and from blood.

(Acts 15:28-29) 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 [the meat of which would contain blood] and from fornication. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper.


Quite explicitly, the Apostolic Decree plainly forbids the misuse of blood by Christians (despite the fact that nearly every other provision of former Jewish Mosaic Law was recognized as unnecessary). It seems odd therefore, that literally one Christian religion continues to teach that humans must not use blood for any purpose other than honoring Almighty God.

A better question would ask: How can other self-described Christian religions justify the fact that they don't even care if their adherents drink blood and eat blood products?


Jehovah's Witnesses recognize the repeated bible teaching that blood is specially "owned" by God, and must not be used for any human purpose. Witnesses do not have any superstitious aversion to testing or respectfully handling blood, and Witnesses believe these Scriptures apply to blood and the four primary components which approximate "blood". An individual Jehovah's Witness is likely to accept a targeted treatment for a targeted need, including a treatment which includes a minor fraction derived from plasma, platelets, and/or red/white blood cells.

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

Answer 2

I am sorry in your loss. It sounds such as you relatively cared approximately her and her dying has left you unhappy. We ALL will have to have the correct to refuse medication if we so prefer. That is aspect of our freedom of alternative. In circumstances wherein it runs the danger of dying or skills damage to youngsters it is more challenging to look the threat of NOT having a alternative. Institutionalized well being care runs the danger of recommending medication we should not have, and taking out our rights. Some medical professionals take their Hippocratic oath to a degree wherein they consider they are able to make existence selections for others. Doctors do the great they are able to, however they're simplest as well because the competencies they've, plus they're human and will also be improper. ADD: As to the excuse why JWs refuse blood transfusions, it's partially an interpretation of what others name the Kosher legislation approximately the slaughter of meat animals. As the time that the OT used to be written, old individuals struggled to have an understanding of disorder and mounted regulations that they was hoping could hold their individuals healthful. At the time that JW sect grew to be widespread, blood transfusions had been very dicy and lots of individuals died immediately or not directly due to the fact that of them. Even in these days, there are nonetheless blood born illnesses that may slip by way of the screening approach at blood banks. The danger is far smaller, but it surely exists. Note: Most individuals within the US don't notice that the best way that modern-day slaughter residences execute animals remains to be performed in line with a softened variant of Kosher laws.

Answer 3

Acts 15:20,28,29 tells us to abstain from blood. At Genesis 9:3,4 God told humans that they could not eat blood. When we go to the hospital and are dehydrated, how do we get nourishment? With and IV. How is blood given? Through an IV, so that would be the same as "eating" blood and it definitely would not be abstaining from blood.

Because of Jehovah's Witnesses strict adherence to this law of God, medical science has come up with some amazing alternatives to "whole blood" transfusions. As a whole, these alternatives are much safer than blood transfusions. It is not often that someone will volunteer for a science experiment, yet that is technically what Jehovah's Witnesses have done regarding bloodless treatment. I encourage you to check out some of the amazing things the doctors are able to accomplish without blood. Here is a link to some of the alternatives. http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2000/1/8/diagram_01.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/e/19980822/article_01.htm

Answer 4

Sorry...I have to say something about what the people here are saying...I am not a JW however. Accordingly, the JW's cannot misuse blood, but they can forget about the Ten Commandments. They cannot misuse blood, but they can overlook the fact of Jesus Christ being God. They say everyone else is overlooking the blood issue (eating blood is sinful...and unhealthy), yet they themselves overlook the Ten Commandments which are God's Laws, and not the same as the Mosaic Laws which indeed were done away with. The author of those Laws was God. He wrote them on tables of stone with His hand. The Mosaic Laws were the ones which pointed toward the mission of Christ, and were written on a scroll or book, with Moses' hand and whatever they used for ink back then. The 10 Commandments were placed inside the seat of the Ark of the Covenant, the Mosaic Law was placed beside the Ark of the Covenant. To follow God's Law is to show whom you serve, for Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments!"

Answer 5

The Bible states clearly to ABSTAIN from blood.
You must know the scriptures ....Acts 15:20,28,29.
Witnesses have nothing against the valuable research that medical science has carried out.
They turn to doctors and seek their counsel.
However, if a sincere doctor asked you to participate in something you knew full well God did not want you to do ....what choice would you make?
Especially when God didn't give the rule just for laughs, He has good reason.

Answer 6

I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Bible states clearly at Acts 15:28,29 for us to abstain from blood. In God's eyes that is as important as avoiding idolaty and sexual immorality.
Does the command to abstain from blood include blood transfusions ? Yes. To illustrate: Suppose a doctor told you to abstain from alcoholic beverages. Would that simply mean that you could not drink alcohol but you could inject it in your veins? Of course not! Likewise, abstaining from blood transfusions means not taking it in our bodies at all. Also I am a nurse and i have worked in the operating room for many years and i have personally witnesses many different ones recieving surgery without the use of blood. Their surgeries were more successful that the surgeries with blood and the surgeons were more careful. Thanks to Jehovah's Witnesses there have been many advancements in medical science regarding the non use of blood in surgery. Please visit your local kingdom hall of Jehovah's witnesses, if you haven't done so already, and request a home Bible study, you will definitely get the answers you need.

Answer 7

The bible says in the old covenant and the new covenant to ABSTAIN from blood.

Does abstain mean you can't use it one way but you can use it another?

Random House Unabridged Dictionary: (Abstain) to hold oneself back from something regarded as improper or unhealthy

Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they ABSTAIN from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] BLOOD.

Abstaining from blood is not just regarding idol worship. Blood is mentioned last in verse 20 after fornication and things that strangle.

Answer 8

This is in response to Sabbathkeeper who said - "Accordingly, the JW's cannot misuse blood, but they can forget about the Ten Commandments. They cannot misuse blood, but they can overlook the fact of Jesus Christ being God. They say everyone else is overlooking the blood issue (eating blood is sinful...and unhealthy), yet they themselves overlook the Ten Commandments which are God's Laws, and not the same as the Mosaic Laws which indeed were done away with. The author of those Laws was God. He wrote them on tables of stone with His hand. The Mosaic Laws were the ones which pointed toward the mission of Christ, and were written on a scroll or book, with Moses' hand and whatever they used for ink back then. The 10 Commandments were placed inside the seat of the Ark of the Covenant, the Mosaic Law was placed beside the Ark of the Covenant. To follow God's Law is to show whom you serve, for Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments!" "
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My response:

JW, being christians, are no longer under the Mosaic law which includes the ten commandments. Although not under that law doesn't mean that we dismissed those laws as being unneccessary to follow. Do not murder...do not commit adultery...do not covet, etc are certainly important to follow as, as you mentioned, they came from God himself. However, Jesus taught principals. For example he mention to love your neighbor as yourself. With that principal, it incorporates some of the 10 commandments. If I love my neighbor, will i covet, murder or commit adultery. No. So even though JW do not follow the Mosaic law, the law of the Christ embodies those laws in that Jesus gave principals to govern ones life.

Now getting to the blood issue, the bible consistently gives Gods view of blood as being sacred. When Israelites performed sacrifices, it was the blood of the animal that provided atonement of sins. Likewise, when Jesus was sacrificed it is with his blood the sins can be forgiven. When Israelites hunted animals for food they had to pour out the blood of the animal to the ground and it was the flesh that they were to eat. Early christians percieved Gods view on blood and kept that law of the Mosaic code to abstain from blood. Therefore, christians today are to abstain from injesting into thier bodies (whether that be eating, drinking or intravenously) any blood.

Answer 9

god said not to take any blood into thiers bodies.
that means not through mouth or viens etc.
fractioned blood components are somethimes okay.

also, strangely, jw's cant strore thier own blood for later use, because god also said to not spill your own blood.

Answer 10

Because the bible says sin is carried down through the blood of families.

They believe that if you take a blood transfusion, you will be recieving someone's sin.

I think the bible is refering to that only in a family sense; if your father or mum commits major sin, the family will bear the shame for a long time.