please help?

Question

Mr W is a Jehovah's witness and cannot receive another persons blood based on purity beliefs in his religion. What do you do? As a nurse

Answer 1

This question does not accurately reflect Jehovah's Witnesses' actual religious beliefs about blood. The issue of "purity" has nothing to do with it, and in fact each individual Jehovah's Witness may have an individual concept of what his own objection to "blood" might allow.

Globally, 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.

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/index.htm?article=article_07.htm

Short Videos:
Blood
http://watchtower.org/e/vcnb/
http://jw-media.org/edu_videos/vcnb_e.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/vcnr/
http://jw-media.org/edu_videos/vcnr_e.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/vcae/
http://jw-media.org/edu_videos/vcae_e.htm
http://jw-media.org/vnr/2253636331/734353.htm

Answer 2

I have seen some really disfigured Jehovah's witnesses because of this belief. Could they give their own blood when they know they need surgery? Don't try to convince him. I heard on a special about this that not all Jehovah's witnesses have this belief.

Answer 3

Honor his wishes or hand the job to another nurse.

It is not refusing blood that "disfigures" patients, it is botched surgeries, scarring injuries, etc. Blood has nothing to do with creating scars.

Someone was really dumb giving the idea that refusing blood was going to make you disfigured and ugly. But that is how silly people are about these things.

I've had 3 bloodless surgeries. A c-section, left thyroidectomy and even carotid artery replacement. I have friends who've had open heart surgeries, heart valve surgeries, etc. It is no problem at all. And no one got hideous scars from it (my avatar is me after my carotid artery surgery).

Debbie

Answer 4

Speak to a doctor and find out what bloodless procedures could be used. Such as:

Fluids: 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.

Drugs: Genetically engineered proteins can stimulate the production of red blood cells (erythropoietin), blood platelets (interleukin-11), and various white blood cells (GM-CSF, G-CSF). Other medications greatly reduce blood loss during surgery (aprotinin, antifibrinolytics) or help to reduce acute bleeding (desmopressin).

Biological hemostats: Collagen and cellulose woven pads are used to stop bleeding by direct application. Fibrin glues and sealants can plug puncture wounds or cover large areas of bleeding tissue.

Blood salvage: Salvaging machines recover blood that is lost during surgery or trauma. The blood is cleansed and can be returned to the patient in a closed circuit. In extreme cases, liters of blood can be recovered using such a system.

Surgical techniques: Thorough operative planning, including consultation with experienced clinicians, helps the surgical team to avoid complications. Prompt action to stop bleeding is essential. Delays greater than 24 hours can greatly increase patient mortality. Dividing large surgeries into several smaller ones decreases total blood loss.

Surgical tools: Some devices cut and seal blood vessels simultaneously. Other devices can seal bleeding on large areas of tissue. Laparoscopic and minimally invasive instruments allow surgeries to be performed without the blood loss associated with large incisions.

His reasons for not wanting blood would be that he wants to obey God and abstain from blood.

"If anyone of the house of Israel or of the strangers who reside among them partakes of any blood, I will set My face against the person who partakes of the blood, and I will cut him off from among his kin. For the life of the flesh is in the blood." (Leviticus 17:10, 11)
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!” (Acts 15:29)

http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 5

That is a tough one! Well I would have to let him make that decision he alone has to live or die with it. But if it was my father I would give him the blood and worry about it later. ( At least he would be alive.)

Answer 6

You have no choice you must honor his wishes. I lost a second cousin because of this belief.

Answer 7

Honor his wishes.

And if you're bold enough to risk losing your job, point out to him that his belief is unbiblical and that his life is worth saving.

Answer 8

short answer, as noted, obey the law.
then, obey the doctor. .
then, read your bible.

then, read the articles on

http//:www.noblood.org

if you are an RN, you can get a LOT of info there.

gramps.

Answer 9

Let him have his way. Give him the basics and mind your own business.

Answer 10

Nothing, you tell the doctor and let them decide

Answer 11

legally, you have to follow his wishes. i think personally that he is misguided, and not following the bible, but thats just my personal thoughts, if he dies, then he just dies, there is nothing you can really do about it, i know it sucks, but it's his choice. just pray for him, and i will too.