WT Advance Directive

There is substantial discussion of this topic in a previous thread that contains the opinions, some informed - some not, regarding the validity of the directive. I believe that a useful place to begin is by reviewing the medical literature.

The Western Journal of Medicine published an article that devotes an entire section to this topic. Follow the link below:

http://www.ajwrb.org/wjm/wjm.htm

and scroll down to the section:

“Ethical and legal issues of the blood card and informed refusal”

AJWRB has extensive resources available on this topic. The link below will give you a list for your research.

http://www.google.com/custom?q=advance+directive&sa=Google+Search&cof=GIMP%3ABlack%3BT%3ABlack%3BLW%3A400%3BALC%3ARed%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fajwrb.org%2Fimages%2Fheaderblck.gif%3BGFNT%3Agrey%3BLC%3ABlue%3BLH%3A100%3BBGC%3AWhite%3BAH%3Acenter%3BVLC%3A%231C1200%3BAWFID%3Aabbb452c1f8c4c66%3B&domains=www.ajwrb.org&sitesearch=www.ajwrb.org

If you have a problem reaching this page, go to the search engine on our main page and search the site using the words: advance directive.

Lee

Whether JWs cheerfully or reluctantly sign the anti-blood transfusion cards in the background always hovers the fact that if they take a transfusion and then don't say they are sorry they did, then they are disfellowshipped. This is duress. A legal document signed under duress is invalid insofar as judges and medical personnel are concerned. However those professionals are mostly unaware of the duress factor.

Your AJWRB.org website hangs there in cyberspace doing a fine job for those who happen to find it there, but out in the real world are doctors and judges who do not know about the disfellowshipment duress and therefore let JWs die! Why don't you phone and write the judges and doctors? We have heard nothing... N-O-T-H-I-N-G... from Wayne Rogers the President of the AJWRB in ages now.

How long is Wayne's term? Is it for life or what? If it is about to expire kick him out for inaction. If it is for life and he keeps trying to choke real-world actions to death by inactivity as he has so far, then start a new anti-Watchtower blood policy website or whatever it takes and do it right this time.

Blood is gushing, Lee. Your posting here once in a while is not true leadership. Lead or get your ownself out of the way. I appreciate what you did do, e.g. the journal articles, but since then you have sat on you hind-end. Move it.

“anewperson” wrote:

<Whether JWs cheerfully or reluctantly sign the anti-blood transfusion cards in the background always covers the fact that if they take a transfusion and then don't say they are sorry they did, then they are disfellowshipped. This is duress. A legal document signed under duress is invalid insofar as judges and medical personnel are concerned. However, those professionals are mostly unaware of the duress factor.>

The card is only an issue if the JW patient is unconscious. If they are transfused while unconscious, they face no judicial sanctions. Incidentally, JWs who unrepentantly accept prohibited blood products are no longer disfellowshiped but rather show by their actions that they no longer wish to be considered Jehovah’s Witnesses and have “disassociated” themselves – they effect (shunning) is the same.

<Your AJWRB.org website hangs there in cyberspace doing a fine job for those who happen to find it there, but out in the real world are doctors and judges who do not know about the disfellowshipment duress and therefore let JWs die! Why don't you phone and write the judges and doctors?>

That is impractical for one thing but more importantly, doctors would not be receptive to that kind of approach. AJWRB medical advisors have strongly emphasized that the most effective way to reach physicians is through publications and conferences.

<We have heard nothing... N-O-T-H-I-N-G... from Wayne Rogers the President of the AJWRB in ages now. How long is Wayne's term? Is it for life or what? If it is about to expire kick him out for inaction. If it is for life and he keeps trying to choke real-world actions to death by inactivity as he has so far, then start a new anti-Watchtower blood policy website or whatever it takes and do it right this time.>

Wayne has done an outstanding job as AJWRB’s Public Affairs Representative. I know of no one, who has sacrificed more to support the cause of reform of the Watchtower’s blood policy.

<Blood is gushing, Lee. Your posting here once in a while is not true leadership. Lead or get your ownself out of the way. I appreciate what you did do, e.g. the journal articles, but since then you have sat on you hind-end. Move it.>

I’ve done my best to push AJWRB’s agenda forward as has Wayne Rogers, Dr. Osamu Muramoto, Sam Believer and dozens of others. We have worked on the preparation of a dozen or more articles in various medical journals. Sponsored exhibits at two major medical conferences. Prepared, printed and distributed tens of thousands of brochures. Responded to thousands upon thousands of emails from medical personnel as well as current and former JWs. Plus numerous other reform efforts.

If anyone who is capable wants to jump in here and do more, I’m certainly not holding them back. I sincerely doubt that you have any idea what is involved in getting an article published in a medical journal – try it sometime. We have a major article that we have been working on for over a year that will be published next month in the U.S. - another is in the pipeline.

A handful of “core” AJWRB members have borne the vast majority of the expenses associated with all of AJWRB’s activities. Members have donated their time and paid their own expenses to travel to medical conventions and help man information booths.

I could have spent an hour this evening working on an article for another medical journal but instead I responded to your comments. Probably not the best use of my time but if it motivates you or someone else to pull out your checkbook and make a donation than perhaps it wasn't a waste afterall.

Lee

Lee,

Thank you for your reply to anewperson. Others would not have replied with such tact.

I can imagine how directing AJWRB -- logistically, strategically, writing correspondence, researching, etc. -- could take up to 20 hours a week. And a lot of money. And anewperson is forgetting about the significant reforms and public disclosures that have taken place in the recent past.

I am glad that reasonable people like yourself, Sam, Wayne and the doc are working at this endeavor.

A store robber puts a gun to a woman cashier's head and says give me the money. She does so happy inside herself that he is getting the money from her boss who is a creep. Now she didn't mind complying at all, but she was still, due to the gun's danger, under duress. Same thing with JWs and blood. Many happily sign blood cards though others don't happily sign the cards, but regardless over the heads of both the happy and unhappy signers is the gun of disfellowshipment, hence clear "duress."

For a year or so there have been no new AJWRB articles, no new AJWRB appearances at any conferences. Lee, Wayne, Sam did do (past tense) some nice things and the website is still helpful to those who come across it. My criticism is you have all been sitting on your rear-ends for a year now. I don't respect that, nor do the relatives of those who have died in the meanwhile.

You allude to wanting MONEY. With more money you could do more but even without money you can do a lot. Sam Muramoto must have access to phone numbers and emails of physicians across the U.S. and around the world. So either use those or attend some of the smaller, closer and hence cheaper conferences. Your leaping to dismiss such ideas reminds us of how Alan F also dismisses things super fast.

A little action beats absolutely no action. Now you say Wayne did a lot so great he DID (past tense) a lot. But in the past year what he has done too. I understand and don't blame those who leap to defend what you and he DID but I am reminding you that that was that - past, way past. You said you have a journal article to write. Good, write it then come back here and tell us you did it.

You want low-money ideas. There's no lack of those: put names of dead JWs who died due to Watchtower policy on a boulder in a city park, on private property by a road or whatever. Call in the press and get publicity.

You well deserve my criticisms. Those who defend you are defending the You that was a man of action up to about a year ago, and I do the same. But you do not deserve any praise for doing nothing about this so long now. You burnt out, maybe. I understand, but then so did Wayne and for that matter what of Sam Muramoto.

I'm repeating. You may continue doing nothing but don't think the rest of us will wait for you. Posters here may heap praise on you but that's all you'll get for inaction. Again, want respect to re-ignite and continue for you and AJWRB? Then earn it. Write the article and tell us about it. I'm not wrong to jump you for inaction and you well know it. Maybe a kick in the tail bone is just what you need.... not just me but those bleeding to death doubtlessly hope the same.

Don't waste any more time defending your year of inaction with words here, but write the article and that will be a defence. People will donate money only when they see you're doing something to earn it. For that matter if that's been a problem why haven't you guys done anything to earn money by telling others about this crisis? Put your address and a brief request for donations at the very top of your opening page to show you actually want money to help save some lives.

Repeat for any reader at all, when does Wayne's Presidency ends or does it ever? For that matter when is the last time Wayne cared enough to post here or answer our emails?!!

anewperson:

Clearly, you are someone who appreciates straight talk. In my opinion, someone would have to cut off your head for you to be any dumber.

Lee

You said my guilt is highlighting the inactivity in 2001 of the ajwrb leadership. So did I lie?

Go ahead and say I lied......... I either did or I didn't.

If you can't say I lied, then if you like my "straight talk" or not, the fact remains that something needs done.

Address the problem, not me.

Again, did I lie or not in saying ajwrb was inactive in 2001?

I will return to this issue again and again until there are positive initiatives by ajwrb or some new replacements.

Answer, did I lie or not. Was ajwrb active or inactive in 2001?

I have no interest in word-fights but great interest in ACTION. So do those who are dying or about to die, so too relatives of those who bled to death in 2001.

Thank you sir, for the url. This is quite a bit of info to paste. What do you suggest is the most important link that the yahoo chatters NEED to WITNESS? I paste massive amounts of "wtURLs" in these rooms. These should get the room a-buzzin' with discussion.

The "major press/u.n." and "no blood cards" thread sure did.

Sincerely, sKally

oops.

MadAp,

No way would any city council go against an established church like that. Bad politics. It would be a political statement, whether viewed as pro or con. It is legal what the WTBTS is doing and so far, protected by the First Amendment. I truly feel that no politician would take sides, and no city council would allow such a political statement to be put on a boulder - supposedly for a damned long time lasting - in a city park where kids & families play.

Just what every city park (where kids, families & lovers go) wants - a rock with dead people's names on it. Btw, would all other anti-religious statements be allowed on other park boulders? What about political statements? Abortionists? Right to Lifers putting dead babies stats up for all to see?

Just wouldn't happen, imho.

waiting