Jehovah’s Witnesses, why don’t you believe in blood transfusions?

Question

I asked this question before and wanted to post it again. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvxizFFCqTeITPlq2XumLpfsy6IX?qid=20070620113957AA02sbq

Life has a way of making unexpected turns, and an event happened that was directly related to this question.

My brother-in-law’s grandmother is nearly 80 years old and is a Jehovah’s Witness. About 4 weeks ago she was rushed to the hospital for congestive heart failure. She spent about a week in intensive care and then returned home to recover.

About a week ago she was rushed to the hospital again. She was hemorrhaging internally, and had lost 2 quarts of blood. Her JW children, grandchildren, and church elders were all there to make sure that the doctors would not give her blood. The doctors were considering getting a court order to save her life. She bled through the night.

When morning came, I called my sister to find out if she had made it. She told me the doctors were able to stabilize the bleeding, and that she looked as if to pull through it.

She is back home now, resting and healing, until the next time.

Here is a case where someone would have needlessly died because of a false belief that medical science proves is inaccurate, yet the Watch Tower will not change its stand. What does everyone think of this?

Please see the link above if you want to know the original question.

Answer 1

Wait just a little while and the WBTS will have "new Light " on the subject and witnesses will be allowed to have them....Houray!...The best response is...scripture totally out of context.

Answer 2

First let me say I'm sorry to hear about your brother-in-laws grandmother.

I must point out a contradiction in your statements: You say, 'this is a case where someone would have needlessly died' because of not receiving a blood transfusion.
And yet, she is at home recovering after NOT receiving a blood transfusion...so she didn't DIE needlessly at all. If she does die, it sounds like it will be because of "congestive heart failure" Blood transfusions do not "cure" congestive heart failure. In her weakened condition, the blood transfusion probably would have killed her.

You have already been told the scriptural reasons why JW's don't accept blood transfusions. With all of the diseases that accompany blood transfusions I am thankful my family has been protected by Jehovah's requirement to abstain from blood.

In 1983 my father had a surgery to remove part of his lung due to cancer. The doctor cut him from sternum to back bone, pryed his ribs apart and removed the top portion of his lung. He only lost a tea cup worth of blood. Last year when he was in the hospital for a check up they asked him if he had AIDS (my father was quite shocked by this question since he was 78 and had been in a monogamous relationship for over 50 years) He answered "No" The nurse was suprised because she knew that he had the surgery in '83 and during that time, the hospital had received tainted blood. All of the people who had blood transfusions at the time of his surgery now have AIDS. That blood transfusion would have killed my father, but because of Jehovah's law, my father is alive.

Thanks to Jehovah's Witnesses there are numerous alternatives to blood transfusions. I know many people are too prejudiced to go to http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2000/1/8/diagram_01.htm
so here is a link from the publication "Nursing" about "Finding alternatives to blood transfusion"
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3689/is_200406/ai_n9434243/pg_1

Answer 3

Here is the answer you got last time. It was decided to be the best answer by those who read your question the first time.


"Best Answer - Chosen By Voters

You request the reason for our position as regards blood transfusions, then request we not use Scripture to reply.

Under this condition, a reply is not possible. Our position is based squarely upon the Scriptures, specifically Acts 15:28, 29, whether anyone accepts or rejects that."

This was Abdijah's answer and I see no reason to disagree with it.

Answer 4

I'm pretty sure that you're already acquainted with the standard answers that any JW will provide, so I'll spare you those.

Let's look at it in a slightly more objective POV:
Whether we are right or wrong (b/c obviously we won't be able 2 agree on that @ the moment), we believe it to be the desire of the Most High God that we do not take blood into our bodies.

Would it not be foolish of any1 (of any faith) to disobey a direct commandment of their God in order to extend their lives for only a short period of time (esp. considering that blood transfusions DO NOT GUARANTEE that a patient will live)?
Why would some1 disobey the God they believe in 2 live a few more years (and possibly die as a disobedient servant) if they believe that he has the power to resurrect his righteous servants to ETERNAL life???


Are JWs wrong?
Cross examine everything we believe with what is put forth in the Bible and determine for yourself.
However, as long as our beliefs hold up, it seems rather reasonable that we stick to our position on the blood transfusion issue.

Answer 5

This question has already been asked a million times and answered a million times. Search the archives.

Do you think that asking it again will change things because you don't like the first answers?

What needs to change is your attitude. They were not there to make sure that the doctors would not give her blood. They are more loving than you are. They were there for support.

Note that you said that they doctors were considering a court order, but the patient was not.

Read 2 Cor 11:21": in labors more plentifully, in prisons more plentifully, in blows to an excess, in near-deaths often. 24 By Jews I five times received forty strokes less one, 25 three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I experienced shipwreck, a night and a day I have spent in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from highwaymen, in dangers from [my own] race, in dangers from the nations, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers, "


Paul faced dangers and nearly died for the Christ. If they had hospitals and offered blood transfusions back then he would have said:"once I was stoned, and taken to a hospital and offered a blood transfusion, which I refused".

Answer 6

Christians are commanded to abstain from blood at Acts 15:28,29. Due to Jehovah's witnesses stand on the blood issue many advancements in bloodless treatment have been discovered. Anyway, as operating room nurse, I have seen witnesses take their stand on blood and other alternatives were used. I can tell you first hand that you would rather have a doctor that didn't need to use blood to do your treatments. You want a physician that knows about the current treatments available and able to use them. Instead of one who just carelessly resorts to blood transfusions. The issue of blood isn't a watchtower rule but it is Bible based.

Answer 7

>because of a false belief that medical science proves is inaccurate.

100% Incorrect.

JWs do not take blood because the bible says not to, not because of medical science information.

Answer 8

"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these ESSENTIALS ['these NECESSARY things' - RSV]: that you abstain from...blood." [emphasis added] -Acts 15:28, 29 (NASB)

The wording of the scriptures here does not indicate that this is a relatively unimportant commandment. It says it is "essential".

Clearly, God treats both life and blood as sacred because He Himself said, "The soul of every sort of flesh is its blood." (Le 17:14). And since God treats blood as sacred, is it really man's place to be saying that it isn't?:

"O man, who, then, really are you to be answering back to God? Shall the thing molded say to him that molded it, "Why did you make me this way?" What? Does not the potter have authority over the clay?" -Rom. 9:20,21

Answer 9

I'll ask my employee, she use to be a JW & left the church.


*** Several hours later: why did I get 3 thumbs down for saying I would ask someone who use to be a JW & would know the answer to the original Q. Are you saying I posted a bad answer because I didn't finish it or because I know someone who left your church?

Anyway in response, she told me it was because the members believe that God made them as they are now & that they would be tainted & unpure with the blood of others, even another JW. They can get a transfusion of artificial blood, but that often does not work. She knows someone who recently died after recieving such a transfusion. She also knows a young boy who could not get a transfusion last year in her old church.
If you were to recieve a transfusion as a JW you would basically be ex-communicated.

Answer 10

the reason for this is they're blind! can the blind lead the blind, or will they not both fall into the ditch? Matthew 15:14 instead of listening to sound doctrine they will say what their own itching ears want to ear. 2 Timothy 4:3 so they feel their doing the right thing out of not knowing. God gives drs knowledge to save lifes, pharmacist knowledge on medicine, framers on building houses. so i think it is ok to use any of it other wise we wouldnt have that kinda of knowledge to begin with. talking bout blood it was Christ blood shed for our forgivness, should we also stay away from that? how can you use scriptures of not eating blood? nobody is eating it they are using it in a way of staying alive.