What would (or should) you do you were unconscious after an accident, and the hospital did blood fusion to save you physically? Let say, you just woke up and found out you got blood fusion. What would you go from there?
2007-12-01 03:02:02 · 10 answers · asked by The Catalyst 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When I was a child JW, I thought about that question a lot, and this is the answer I came up with:
If it happened to me, I'd thank God for saving my life, and pray for forgiveness and mercy. I'd be extra careful not to get into accidents again.
2007-12-01 03:16:01 · answer #1 · answered by dumbuglyweirdo 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
That's a good question. I would like to see a Jehovah's Witness member explain this one. If you did not get an opportunity to stop them, would you just be pissed or would you try to drain the blood or something? Why is it that they don't want other people's blood anyway?
2007-12-01 11:08:07 · answer #2 · answered by clint 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems obvious that a person who is victimized while unconscious is not responsible for his victimization. Still, it seems likely that a Jehovah's Witness on whom blood is forced may benefit from counseling by secular professionals and spiritual "older men".
Of course, many Jehovah's Witnesses are careful to carry an "Advance Medical Directive" on their persons at all times, explaining their personal objections to blood and certain blood products. If medical personnel ignore that legal document, then it seems likely the Witness would pursue any and all legal action possible against the persons and institutions involved, including criminal prosecution.
Interestingly, many jurisdictions in the United States permit criminal prosecution of doctors and nurses who intentionally disregard the explicit lawful wishes of a patient. Typically, the charge is "assault".
Ironically, the fact remains undisputed that many MULTIPLES more have died as a direct or indirect result of a blood transfusion than have died from a conscientious decision to pursue other medical treatments.
Fair-minded healthcare experts admit that the medical technologies exist to treat literally every illness and injury without resorting to the old-fashioned infusion of whole blood, plasma, platelets, or red/white blood cells. Perhaps pro-blood activists (and/or anti-Witness critics) ignore the fact that Jehovah's Witnesses accept all minor blood fractions, so if there is some targeted need then a Witness will accept a targeted treatment (the only objections are to those four components which approximate actual blood).
It is not Jehovah's Witnesses who decide that blood is sacred, or who decide that other body parts are not specifically declared "sacred". It is Almighty God who declares it so, as the Divine Author of the Holy Bible!
As God's spokesman and as Head of the Christian congregation, Jesus Christ made certain that the early congregation reiterated, recorded, and communicated renewed Christian restrictions against the misuse of blood.
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.
As Christians, they are 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 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 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/e/vcnb/article_01.htm
2007-12-04 13:17:44 · answer #3 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sue the hospital. We carry a Medical Directive Card that says NO Blood! The card speaks for us if we can't. If blood is administered, it is a violation of the patient's right to refuse blood. The hospital will be held responsible for disregarding the patient's wishes.
2007-12-01 11:05:59 · answer #4 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 6⤊ 2⤋
I love this question. I am not jw, but have many jw friends that I would like to see protected by modern medicine if needed. Praise God for our ability to learn healing methods.
2007-12-01 11:07:59 · answer #5 · answered by Rebekah 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Good question, I was a JW when I was younger. Something like that never came up in the kingdom hall. I think that if you were unaware, you shouldn't be held responsible, and god would forgive you.
2007-12-01 11:09:23 · answer #6 · answered by runic111 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I am not a JW, but I think that you will not be held responsible for what you did not consciously accepted. If a married person is raped, is that considered adultery, and a rightful reason to divorce your wife?
2007-12-01 11:06:31 · answer #7 · answered by Aeon Enigma 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they do carry a card to say "let me die". But what they don't know "yet" is they don't have to die. My heart that beats my living blood is crying for them. I don't want them to die but live to fulfill their life that JHVH God intended them to do. My prayers for them again today is that Christ Jesus our SAVIOUR & REDEEMER, will touch them to KNOW THE LAWS HE ENDED (my caps). BUT the thought of someone elses blood in you is a scary thing too, it can well have a bacteria in there that will kill you anyway. Save your own blood. Remember my friends (JW's), JHVH God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac. JHVH God speaks and you must listen. With Christian love, I care.
EDIT: I respect the JW's here. I like their firm stand for our loving JHVH God, He must be well pleased and I will not give up hope that JHVH God will enlighten them with the Holy Spirit. I have respect for people that come out and just "tell it like it is" cut the yada, yada's.
2007-12-01 13:08:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
We'd meet in court.
I have a legal document (Medical Directive Card) that states my wishes if I am unable to communicate them myself. If anyone goes against that, they have gone against my right to choose what medical treatment I want.
2007-12-01 11:07:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
What can you do ?"
Sue the doctors ?
Would that change the facts ?
Life goes on .
Why would God hold it against you , it you had no choice ?
2007-12-01 11:09:38 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋