What do you think of Jehovah's Witnesses refusal of blood transfusions?

Question

for religious purposes?

Is there any other religions who forbids blood transfusions?

Answer 1

It's important to realise the JWs ONLY reason for refusing b.t. is their religious interpretation of a few scriptures. They do NOT refuse b.t. for medical reasons, so don't let all their screeds of bumph about medical advantages fool you!

It's because their theological stance is so weak that they go on about medical points. Who are they trying to convince?

Christian Scientists, I think, are the only ones similar. But they are worse because they refuse ALL medical treatments / medicines! They suppose faith should be sufficient to deal with all ill health and pain. They are no more 'Christian' in their stance than the JWs are with b.t.

It was only in the early 1960s that JW leaders decreed taking blood to be against God's law and a disfellowshipping offence. Since then hundreds of thousands of JWs have needlessly died. But the goal-posts are being moved very far apart now, so that JWs are 'allowed' to take all blood fractions individually, just so long as they don't take them all together in the 'skin' of whole blood. Theology just doesn't come into that kind of warped logic. It is an insult to God's good name and his word, the Bible, that such interpretations are made in his name. Saving life by using blood has nothing to do with taking life by shedding blood, which is what God says will be accountable to him.

Answer 2

It states, His delivery mum and dad, Lindberg Sr. and Rachel Wherry, who have not got custody and flew from Boise, Idaho, to be on the listening to, believed their son would desire to have had the transfusion and stated he were unduly motivated by using his legal dad or mum, his aunt Dianna Mincin, who's additionally a Jehovah's Witness. After analyzing his I questioned why all this time the boy became ill and his mum and dad on no account got here until eventually he went to court. As for him being unduly motivated The decide made his element: The decide reported his decision became based strictly on information. "i've got not got faith Dennis' decision is the effect of any coercion. he's mature and is familiar with the end results of his decision," With the transfusions and different scientific care, the boy were provide a 70 % possibility of surviving the subsequent 5 years. If a man or woman follows what they think in impressive, and that concept is contained in the Bible, why would desire to he no longer persist with it. just to stay some extra beneficial years. God tells us if we persist along with his rules he will convey us back to existence. The boy desperate to persist with the Bible and God has no longer forgotten him.

Answer 3

You know, my dad is a JW. I respect them. I agree with some things (no trinity) and disagree with others (soul sleep, 144,000 in heaven, blood transfusions).

A few years ago, he almost died from a bleeding ulcer. He needed a blood transfusion, and was stressed from this decision. He had been a devout JW for about 20 yrs, and was really challenged regarding this dilemma. Without a transfusion, he faced death.

He chose the transfusion. He went with his gut reaction... we all want to survive.

I do not agree with the refusal for a blood transfusion based upon their interpretation of the OT verses. It says not to blood, it doesn't say not to use it in other ways. Transfusions are not eating. Eating is when we ingest food and it gets digested. With transfusions, there is no digestion at all, it just gets added to the patient's own blood supply.

eating = digestion, goes through the alimentary canal
transfusion = no digestion, goes straight into veins, never touches the alimentary canal

These are completely different things. And I'm SO GLAD my Daddy chose the transfusion!!!!!

Answer 4

Interesting that no-one seems to be bringing up the Biblical basis for this behaviour.

As I understand it, it derives from a rule that the 'drinking' of blood is an abomination, and the JWs decided that transfusions were close enough.

This is hardly unusual behaviour for theists - consider the Jewish thing about meat and milk.

CD

Answer 5

There are many things I would argue with a Jehovah's Witness about. This, however, is not one of them.
It's an individual choice to accept or refuse blood transfusions.

Answer 6

I think it is the epitome of how dangerous religious dogma can become. I have experienced it first hand, both my parents have been JWs for the past 20 years.
A few years ago, one of them suffered an accident and had massive internal bleeding. They of course refused to accept blood, even after the doctor only gave a 50% chance of survival. I came very close to loosing a parent because of some stupid outdated ideas.

Answer 7

Blood transfusions weren't really around back then... Does the Bible prohibit saving one's life?

I would have died at 8 had it not been for a blood transfusion. I cut my leg. Ow.

Pretty much what I think:

"I do not feel obliged to believe that that same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use."
-- Galileo Galilei

Answer 8

I don't really care to be honest.
I think it is a little ridiculous but who am I to say how a person should or shouldn't live their life?

My grandma has become Jehovah's Witness in the last few years and she has always had poor health. To be honest I would think it would be selfish of her to allow herself to die over taking a blood transfusion especially since no ones else in the family shares her beliefs.

Answer 9

I agree. Not everyone understands but if that is what they believe and they have surrendered themself to God, they will follow through. It is their choice. Same as if I wish to not be kept alive on life machines if it ever comes up. I have my own blood stored at the hospital here if I ever need it. I'm not catching anyone else's diseases.

Answer 10

I personally don't understand that. If you're drowning and a boat comes by, then you jump on. That's God's way of sending help, right? If blood is available to save your life, why die in spite of the available benefits of medical science?