Jehovah's Witnesses and Blood transfusions..Do you believe what this doctor says?

Question

This is a reply that I got from a medical doctor, to a question concerning a Jehovah's Witness mother who died and left behind 2 new born baby girls after delivery.

The Watchtower pints nonsense about how Blood is not necessary. This is a reply from a real doctor, not a publishing company.....Will you listen now?
I'm a doctor and have found myself in the appalling situation of trying to save a life where the patient refuses blood because they are a JW. If they have signed a form there's nothing we can do, but if it's a child ie if the parent refuses to allow their child a life saving transfusion, we can overrule them.

They get their anti transfusion beliefs as follows:


They cite four biblical texts (Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:12-14, Acts 15:29 and Acts 21:25). They say these mean that blood, the life-force, belongs to God and is not there for human use. They believe it a sin to eat not just black pudding but also to eat the flesh of animals that have not been properly bled.

And they extend the ban to transfusions. They won't even allow someone's blood to be stored before an operation and then used after it to replace their own blood loss. Blood is not to be stored; it is to be poured out and returned to God. Some JWs even reject dialysis or cell salvage on these grounds. Some will not accept red cells, white cells, platelets or plasma, but accept "fractions" made from these components.

There is a philosophical problem here. When a substance is broken down into components does the original remain? Some 90-96 per cent of blood plasma consists of water. The remainder is albumin, globulins, fibrinogen and coagulation factors. JWs say these may be used, according to conscience, but only if taken separately. Opponents say is like outlawing a ham and cheese sandwich but allowing the eating of bread, ham and cheese separately.

They are criticised for other inconsistencies. Blood fraction products are only available because of blood donation – a practice JWs condemned as unethical.

Many JWs still carry a signed and witnessed advance directive card absolutely refusing blood in the event of an accident. And the church's website still carries alarmist material about the dangers of transfusions in transmitting Aids, Lyme Disease and other conditions. It also exaggerates the effectiveness of alternative non-blood medical therapies.

What do doctors think?

The British Association of Anaesthetists guidelines insist that the wishes of the patient must normally be paramount. US doctors take a similar view; they know giving blood to someone who does not want it could get them sued – one of the busiest trauma hospitals in Florida even has a blanket policy of refusing to treat JWs.

Other countries, like France, take a more dirigiste view. And a landmark case in Dublin recently ruled that doctors were right to give a woman blood during childbirth because the right of her child to have a mother over-ruled her own right to refuse the blood.

There are even more subtle dilemmas to come. One asks whether doctors are obliged to give chemotherapy, which is normally accompanied by a blood transfusion, to patients who insist on having it without the blood, without which it is highly likely to fail. As medicine advances things are likely to get more, rather than less, tricky.

One more thing. Their literal interpretation of the Bible allows them (not unlike the Catholic church) to keep child abuse secret: Not good. They take Deuteronomy 19:15 literally, which demands two witnesses to a crime (not easy in cases of abuse). And they cite 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 – "Does anyone of you that has a case against the other dare to go to court before unrighteous men, and not before the holy ones?" – to justify trying to deal with criminals with courts of elders rather than courts of law. A Panorama investigation reported they have an internal list of 23,720 reported abusers which they keep private. Studies in the US suggest they have proportionally four times more sexual assaults on children than the Catholic Church.

Any religion which literally interprets the Bible, and keeps its doings secret can be a cause of harm in my view. And the idea that a woman can die leaving twins, motherless because of an obscure text in the Bible appals me as a doctor and a human being.

Dr Evie Wallace

Answer 1

If you look up the Bible verses they are quoteing you will find that its non-sense, and they are using bible verses completely out of context to justify thier belief.
Moses warned his people that they should cook the blood out of the meat before they eat it.
This same warning appears at the bottom of the Denny's menu, and I don't think they are talking about blood transfusions.

To make a long story short, I have been through the whole list of beliefs and Bible verses that JWs use and none of them quite match up. Some verses have absolutely nothing to do with the beliefs as if they just wanted something to sound official. JWs do not base thier beliefs on the Bible, they just make them up. They have created thier own religion, not based on the Bible, and I am not sure why they bother carrying Bibles around with them.

A good story that the JWs should pay attention to is the story of the Golden Calf.

If you look at the history of Charles Taze Russel, who started the JWs, you will see that he established it as an Anti-Christian organization. He hated Christians, and admired the Mormons. He wanted to start a cult similar to the Mormons.
He was also involved with another cult before he started the JWs which continually predicted the end of the world each year. Attendance would rise, and then when the end didnt come, it would drop to nearly nothing. Then they would make another prediction.
He took over, but instead, he decided to predict the end of the world every 10 years of so, this way he could build more up. This continued until the early 90s.
I think the watchtower is getting more deceptive and evil now. They used to mix truth with lies to confuse people, but I think they are straying away from any truth, and just dominating people with lies now. They have mastered brainwashing techniques, and have gathered greatly in numbers.
They just build another kingdom hall in the town next to me. There is one in the town on the other side of me too.

You have every right to be mad at the Watchtower, no matter your religious beliefs, they lie constantly to thier people, publish non-sensical articles, and are just downright evil.

Answer 2

I'm going to tell you about what "they told me at my house": Be sure, I'm not judging them. I'm only telling you what I was told and what I said in return... *In the first place: Acts 15:28-29 are speaking of consuming blood. A blood transfusion is in no way a Food product. *In the second place: they refuse to defend the very country that they are so blessed to live in...They need to read the story of "The Little Red Hen". Thank goodness they don't vote! *In the third place: They are uneducated. The Watchtower discourages higher education because they don't want people smart enough to figure out they are wrong. Furthermore, the women are just second class citizens. Can't pray outloud in front of a baptized male. Anyone of those ladies can open the Bible and read about all the Great Biblical Women. The Whole Thing makes absolutly no sense except nonsense. No Trinity? Jesus is Michael the Arch Angel? * Now, come on, how is this Christian? It's not. Plain and simple if you don't believe Jesus Christ is your Savior and God...Your not Christian. Shunning??? No man has the right to judge...That is strictly forbidden, God is the Only Judge. They hold communion and nobody partakes??? That's weird. And I'm not going to be 1/144,000??? They baptize in the name of their church, not as Jesus directed us to in the trinity??? They handed me a Bible that the words were changed in. What's that all about? They have a record as long as your arm regarding false prophecies made over the past...Use of scare tactics??? Let's now take a look at Deut. 8:22 " If what a prophet claims in the name of the LORD does Not take place or come true, that is a Message the Lord has Not Spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do Not Be Afraid of Him". I'm not afraid of them, I'm afraid for them.

Answer 3

EXPOSE JW CULTIC AND SATANIC TEACHINGS


The JW is a cult, and as such had caused and will cause such appalling tragedies. In Singapore, they are more or less banned!


The only way forward is to expose them, their heretical and deviant Satanic teachings through Biblical preachings. This is not done by flesh and blood through the British Medical Association, which do not appear to have any fear of God in its governing body. If you like,



Psa 23:1 The LORD (Jehovah) is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

If you actually analyze the first verse in Psalm 23 (a well known which is written by King David), the LORD Jehovah is the Shepherd.

Who is this LORD, ie Jehovah? Is He God the Father or is He God the Son? A well versed five year old may already able to identify who Jehovah and the Shepherd is. Any adult with an ounce of uprightness and a modicum of evangelical integrity arising from a evangelically converted heart would have acknowledge that Jehovah (ie the LORD) is NONE OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST, the blessed Second Person of the Godhead - is the Shepherd.


Perhaps, some in this forum may want further proof, which is amply furnished here, who the Shepherd is, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ:

Joh 10:11
I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.

Joh 10:14
I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine.

Heb 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

1Pe 2:21-25
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: ….but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.



Thus if any JW hath an ounce of uprightness and a modicum of evangelical integrity arising from a evangelically converted heart may want to repent to understand Psalm 23 correctly;


Jehovah is my Shepherd (ie Jesus Christ) ………
and so, Jehovah is the Shepherd and the concluion is VERY CLEAR (ie the Lord Jesus Christ is Jehovah, co equal, co-eternal with the Father).


If the JW cannot see this, how then can they see their deviant heretical and Satanic practice of refusal of blood transfusion?? Thus, there will be more orphans, more heart aches, and the only persons who rejoice is the evil trinity (Rev 16:13) that energise these heresies (Guess unto whose domain doth CT Russell fall, namely the dragon, the beast or the false prophet?).


Pray that Jehovah Christ Jesus may show redeeming grace to remove the scales from the JW eyes (Acts 9:18, KJV)


Shalom



A fuller dealing of their deviant teachings may be found here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071105052320AA8wf36&cp=2




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Answer 4

I believe that Dr. Evie Wallace is entitled to her opinion of my beliefs (even though her spin on it is more than a little skewed and twisted.)

But I am equally entitled to hold those beliefs. I have the right to say what I will and will not allow into my own body. I have the right to ask for alternatives to treatments that violate my conscience. Regardless of how ridiculous my decisions may seem to outsiders, they are deeply important to me.

It is childish and unkind to publicly demean the personal choices of others.

Jehovah's Witnesses would never attempt to force others to refuse a blood transfusion if they wished to have one. In return, we appreciate it when others respect our decision to "abstain from blood".

Answer 5

I’m not a medical professional so I can’t tell exactly how this works. And I’;m not sure if this is even a standard procedure to give rFVIIa for those who are bleeding.

But here are some things I researched.

To maintain the volume.

Ringer’s lactate solution, dextran, hydroxyethyl starch, and others are used to maintain blood volume, preventing hypovolemic shock. Some fluids now being tested can transport oxygen.

Treatment of intra-abdominal bleeding with recombinant activated factor VII in a patient with disseminated intravascular coagulation secondary to septic shock


Martínez J, Cid AR, de la Rubia J, Gimeno R.


Department of Haematology, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Av. Campanar 21, 46009 Valencia, Spain.



Although mainly indicated for treatment of bleeding in haemophilia patients with inhibitors, recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) has also been successfully used in other situations. However, no data are available on its use in the treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) secondary to septic shock. We report a man with DIC and septic shock due to retrocaecal appendicitis and severe intra-abdominal bleeding after surgery. Despite conventional treatment, the bleeding persisted, and treatment with rFVIIa controlled the haemorrhage. No side-effects related to rFVIIa were noted. This case suggests a potential role of rFVIIa in the treatment of severe bleeding associated with DIC



What are the treatments for the condition?
Emergency treatment for hypovolemic shock includes prompt replacement of fluid and/or blood. Usually, this is done through a needle in a vein known as an IV. Any bleeding sites must be found so that blood loss can be controlled. People in shock are very ill and may need to be put on a ventilator, an artificial breathing machine. Medicines may be needed to support blood pressure or treat other complications. Surgery may be needed to treat any injuries that are present. Other procedures, such as endoscopy, may be performed to treat specific sites of bleeding so that bleeding will stop.

In many cases, hypovolemic shock cannot be prevented. It often occurs after a traumatic injury or severe illness. Dehydration can sometimes be prevented by drinking enough fluids. A drink that balances essential salts and sugars, such as a commercial hydration solution, helps if the vomiting or diarrhea is severe.

==
Here are some excerpt from a news about bloodless surgery.

“For the past 30 years, Dr. Estioko, currently medical director at St. John's Transfusion-Free Medicine and Surgery Center in Santa Monica, California, has performed surgeries on high-risk heart patients from all over the world, specializing in repeat operations and multiple valve surgeries.

This is a higher level of surgical technique," Dr. Estioko stresses. "Not everybody can do this type of operation. In fact, many surgeons who are not so good, they don't even attempt it because it is more exacting, more demanding. It really attracts those who have more expertise in the field."

Estioko spent 11 years in New York, where he was also professor at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. In 1990, he moved to California to be part of the Kay Medical Group in Los Angeles in 1990, a cardiac surgery group where he stayed for 14 years before moving on to St. John's Health Center.”


Notice he said “NOT EVERYBODY can do this type of operation. In fact, many surgeons who are NOT SO GOOD, they don't even attempt it because it is more exacting, more demanding. It really attracts those who have more expertise in the field”.




Have you asked that doctor about “nitric oxide” considering that the donated blood lost much of it? Have you read this news?

http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/st...

It states in part:
For years, physicians noticed that patients who received transfusions of banked blood were MORE LIKELY TO DIE than those who got NO BLOOD.
Duke University researchers believe they know why — and how the problem might be solved.
Donated blood almost immediately begins to lose a gas that opens vessels so oxygen and nutrients get to tissues, the Duke researchers report. Without that gas — nitric oxide — the vessels stay closed, blood can’t deliver its precious cargo, and patients founder, the scientists suggest in two articles published online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Other doctors supports bloodless medicine.

http://www.englewoodhospital.com/medserv...

Answer 6

The dawn of light finally fell upon me a couple days ago. All religion that leads their followers to suicide and human sacrificing (MURDER) their child, is a CULT and is being led by the power of SATAN. They disrespect the crucifixion of Christ Jesus by saying NO ONE CAN BE REDEEMED and SAVED from SIN through his SACRIFICE on the CROSS. That is why the New Testament is called the NEW COVENANT. JHVH Witnesses read and read and read:
Galatians 3: 21-25: Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely NOT! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteous would have certainly come by the law. But the scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Christ Jesus, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoner's by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to LEAD US TO CHRIST that we might be justified by faith. NOW THAT FAITH (JESUS) HAS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LAW.

Read your NEW COVENANT!!!

Answer 7

I do believe in medicine, and the medical community, however, I do also believe that each person has the right to govern their own body. I can't honestly condone the government or state taking away the right for a person to have a say about what happens to their body. I still believe that it is a choice.

Answer 8

lamb: great letter. next time can you get the Doctor to explain Hypovolemic Shock and its treatments ..

trustdell1: please try and understand this .. bloodless surgury good, blood alternitives for 02 therapy good .. if someone invents and gets working a 02 carrying volumizer awesome ..

but right now there is only one course of action for Hypovolemic Shock in a trama situaltion
1. MAINTAIN BLOOD VOLUME WITH WHOLE BLOOD
2. Stop the bleeding

Thats it.. there is no "other secret treatment" if you dont have those two things occur you die. exactly how that poor decieved woman in the UK did.

Answer 9

Many doctors now around the world PRACTICE BLOODLESS SURGERIES! It's nice that you were able to get ONE doctor's opinion regarding how important and live-saving a blood transfusion is. On the contrary, thousands of doctors/surgeons will disagree with him...

Answer 10

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