Why are blood transfusions forbidden for Jehova's Witnesses?

Question

And is it just transfusions or other medical procedures as well?

Thanks in advance!

When I first read the verse that says "abstain from blood," my first impression was avoid eating it, as was a custom for many cultures to do. Since the English version says "abstain," what does the Hebrew or Greek version state?

And is blood transfusion the only forbidden procedure or are other prcedures forbidden as well. For example organ transplants (which I assume would be), injections or medicines made from human heboglobin or hormones, and what about artificial blood that is now available?

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.

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/e/vcnb/article_01.htm

Answer 2

i'm sorry on your loss. It seems such as you extremely cared approximately her and her death has left you unhappy. all of us could have the nicely suited to refuse therapy if we so %. it relatively is a factor of our freedom of selection. In circumstances the place it runs the prospect of death or skill injury to infants it extremely is greater confusing to verify the prospect of no longer having a decision. Institutionalized wellness care runs the prospect of recommending therapy we don't prefer, and doing away with our rights. some docs take their Hippocratic oath to a point the place they suspect they are in a position to make existence judgements for others. docs do the perfect they are in a position to, yet they're in basic terms almost as good through fact the understanding they have, plus they're human and could be incorrect. upload: As to the excuse why JWs refuse blood transfusions, it extremely is partly an interpretation of what others call the Kosher regulations suitable to the slaughter of meat animals. through fact the time that the OT replaced into written, historical people struggled to understand disease and set up regulations that they was hoping might save their people healthy. on the time that JW sect grew to grow to be commonplace, blood transfusions have been very volatile and different people died at as quickly as or circuitously through fact of them. Even as we communicate, there are nevertheless blood born ailments which could slip in the process the screening technique at blood banks. the prospect is plenty smaller, despite the fact that it exists. word: maximum folk interior the U. S. do no longer understand that the way that cutting-edge slaughter homes execute animals remains finished in accordance to a softened version of Kosher regulations.

Answer 3

Jehovah's Witnesses follow the incorruptible bible teaching on blood. Abstaining does not mean eating, it means to refrain from all use.

Acts 15:20,29 "Abstain from blood".

Greek Word: Apechomai (abstain)
Definition: to hold one's self off, refrain, abstain

1Pe 2:11 - "you as strangers and pilgrims, (Apechomai) abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul"

1Th 5:22 - "(Apechomai) Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Answer 4

Acts 15:28, 29 says: "For 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 and from fornication."

Technically, no Christian should take a blood transfusion since Acts 15:28, 29 appears in all Bibles. Jehovah's Witnesses are also not the only ones to refuse blood.

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The verse says to 'abstain' from blood, it does not say 'do not eat blood'. If my doctor told me to abstain from alcohol because of a liver complaint, would he be ok for me to inject it into my veins?

I find it incredible that people think Jehovah's Witnesses 'misinterpret' the scriptures. If they were going to misinterpret the scriptures, wouldn't they do so in order to make life easier for themselves. Why would they not also twist Matthew 24:14, 28:19, 20 and spend their Saturday mornings in bed instead of getting up and speaking to people who generally couldn't care less about what they have to say?

Answer 5

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 and from fornication. If YOU carefully keep yourselves from these things, YOU will prosper. Good health to YOU!”

The bible forbid it , the only blood the bible authorize to use is Jesus ´s blood to "drink" in Luke 22 and to "wash" in Revelation 7.

Jesus Christ in the only authorize to give his blood to give us the life, if you accept the blood of other person you are accepting the life given by anyone else.

Even in the womb the blood of the creature didn´t mix with the mother , a mother can have one type of blood and the baby another kind, why the creator did it in that way?

recently I read an article of a university that told that blood transfusion are dangerous I am looking for the newspaper to put the references.

One thing is to eat things strangled that have the blood inside and other is blood, if a doctor told you can´t eat suger no matter how you put in your body by your veins or drinking or eating sugar is the same.

in a few years you will see how blood tranfusion will be stopped giving the reason to the bible not to Jehovah´s witnesses, we only apply what we see in the bible, maybe people don´t like my answer but if people believe in Jesus Christ then what are they scared he can do a miracle and we have the hope of resurrection unless you don´t believe in Jesus of course.

Answer 6

They that the Bible saids it is Forbidden for a person to receive blood transfusions even a Life threat situation....thats their Bible by the way...Watch tower Idiots

Answer 7

Because they misinterpret the verses referring to the eating of blood sacrifices to apply to blood transfusions.

Answer 8

when he breath into your nose you become a living soul thru the blood so if you get blood you are takeing in a nother soul this is the only way i know how to describe it to you in a short time -

Answer 9

Because it qualifies as "playing god" .... and they believe part of their personal essence is in their blood.

It is mostly superstitious stuff.... but I agree with them on the choice, if not the reasons.

Answer 10

I believe it's the idea that nothing foreign goes into the body. That's why they don't get shots either.

Answer 11

Because Blood is Scared very simple concept.