We had my Mum and Dad down for a meal at the weekend.  Me and Mum have a kind of  'unspoken truce' going on where neither of us raise an issue in conversation that will lead to a discussion on any JW sensitive topics.  It's not perfect and it doesn't always work but at least we are maintaining a relationship of sorts.

Anyway, knowing that this is the 'blood card' time of year I did take the chance on asking Mum just what her personal stand on blood and fractions would be.  I said I wasn't asking so as to try and change her mind, I just wanted to be aware of the situation in case anything happened.

Mum said that last year she didn't sign the card!  Boy was I surprised, but I kept my mouth shut and let her elaborate.  Turns out that all the recent information on fractions has confused my Mum, she admits to not understanding all the details and arguments so she decided last year to just hold onto her 2005 card while she tried to get her mind around it.

Now she says she has made her decision and will get her 2007 card signed.  And what is that decision?

She is saying 'No' to everything.  All blood, all components, fractions and products.  This is simply because, in the face of so much intimidating and confusing rhetoric she has retreated to a position she can understand - just say no.

I bit my lip and made my Mum a cup of tea but now, two days later, I can feel the anger rising inside of me.  How can I let this rest?  Why should I?

You see, this is part of the "shock and awe" underlying the WTS's plan.

So many JWs are bewildered by the information (and the sudden need to make their own decision on the matter) that they recoil and say NO to everything.

Now, there can never be a lawsuit against the WTS for forbidding fractions, because the WTS gave JWs the opportunity to make their own personal decision.  That's what they agree to when they sign that form, isn't it... that this is their personal decision.

Freaking clever, if you ask me. Heinous, to be sure, but devillishly clever.

Maybe an informative trip to the doctor to get some teaching on the probability of her needing any of these treatments is in order.

I think it would be an awesome idea to set up a website, with doctors and nurses and lawyers as resources, who can explain these documents for JWs.  I would consider signing up to provide a service like that.

Of course I wish no bad to your Mum, Nic.

I do applaude those Jw's who will take a stand one way or the other. You might remind her gently, that 'absolutely no blood' means many vaccinations, and immunizations would fall in that catagory. For her sake - and yours - though I respect that she obviously is holding closer to what she believes the Bible to say [due to swallowing the WTS line of BS] - you may wish to actually help her to work through the list, point on point, and perhaps aid her to make the decisions. In this way, if she would allow it, you may be able to get her 'liberallized' on a few key components that the WTS is allowing now. It could prove valuable in the future.

Good luck.

Jeff  

What crossed my mind was that many like those above who are so confused by it all are just saying "NO" to any blood in any form.

If one of these dies and an attempt to sue the WT occurs. The WT will turn round and say "Well he/she could have had this or that blood fraction that would have saved their life. We did not ban them. So the the decision not to take blood was theirs."

That's the same position my mother is taking. It's almost as if she prefers to be told what to do rather than have the opportunity to make an informed decision. It makes it awkward for me, as I alone have power of attouney for her personal care - my sisters have been excluded from that.

Edited to add: My mother still believes we shouldn't use fertilizers that contain blood in our gardens. Can't have that blood going into our tomato plants now, can we?

W