Check this out/help me out

by openminded 6 Replies latest jw friends

  • openminded
    openminded

    My mother sent this to me. How would you respond.

    Correcting Wrong Impressions

    Still, there are people who accuse Jehovah's Witnesses of being out of step
    with human society. This is mainly because of the Witnesses' Bible-based
    position on such matters as blood transfusions, neutrality, smoking, and
    morals. But the public is increasingly beginning to admit that the views of
    the Witnesses have merit. For example, a doctor in Poland phoned the
    administrative office of Jehovah's Witnesses and said that she and her
    colleagues at the hospital had for several hours been debating the subject of
    blood transfusions. The discussion was triggered by an article that appeared
    that day in the Polish daily Dziennik Zachodni. "I personally regret that
    blood is overused in the medical field," the doctor admitted. "This must be
    changed, and I am happy someone has broached the subject. I would like more
    information."

    During a conference held last year, medical authorities from Canada, Europe,
    Israel, and the United States discussed material designed to help doctors
    treat patients without the use of blood. It was pointed out at this meeting,
    held in Switzerland, that contrary to popular opinion, the mortality rate of
    patients who received blood transfusions is actually higher than that of
    patients who did not. Witness patients were generally able to leave the
    hospital sooner than those treated with blood, which in turn usually cut down
    the cost of treatment.

    Thanks in Advance Openminded

  • Mulan
    Mulan

    I would advise you to not argue with that. There is some merit in what is said there. But if it were your child? Or your mate? Careless use of blood is one thing, but to save an accident victim or if there is a problem during a surgery, that is a different issue. I find, but often don't practice this, that agreeing with them, now, is the best way to get them to listen to you on important issues, in the future. Always try to find something to agree with them about. This is one of those things. There is a bloodless surgery clinic in the Seattle area, where I live, and it is staffed by JW nurses, as well as doctors, who are not JW's. It gets lots of publicity, and the medical community is coming around to this viewpoint. But, for an emergency, blood is the only thing that will save them. Even that fails at times. But, they would surely die without it. Been there, see that. Lost a precious sister in law and nephew at childbirth on this issue.

  • ozziepost
    ozziepost

    I would respond by stating that my objections to the Borg are not based on the merits/demerits of their stands on health topics, but on their claims to speak for God Himself. Are they God's organisation? Are they the means of salvation? Are they?

    Ozzie

  • LDH
    LDH
    Witness patients were generally able to leave the
    hospital sooner than those treated with blood, which in turn usually cut down the cost of treatment.

    Well, yeah, it usually is cheaper to die than have an extensive hospital stay.

    The quote from the doctor (of course it would have to be a Doctor from a Second or Third world country) just shows how the Borg takes comments totally out of proportion. ANY good doctor will tell you that sloppy medical care leads to useless blood transfusion!

  • thinker
    thinker

    Openminded,
    Your mother makes some very good points. I remember a relative going in for surgery was advised to donate her own blood a few days before the operation to be used if needed. I don't know the WT policy about accepting your own blood back as a transfusion, but I've heard they don't allow it.

    ps. The official website of the Org. has lots to say about viruses in blood as a reason not to accept transfusions. That still doesn't explain their ideas about blood from 1961:
    What non-scriptural reason was printed in a 1960's Watchtower for refusing blood?
    A: By accepting another's blood, you would take on the personal characteristics of that person.
    "The blood in any person is in reality the person himself.. poisons due to personal living, eating and drinking habits .. The poisons that produce the impulse to commit suicide, murder, or steal are in the blood. Moral insanity, sexual perversions, repression, inferiority complexes, petty crimes - these often follow in the wake of blood transfusion." {WT Sep 1 1961 564}

    thinker

  • Sentinel
    Sentinel

    It is great that the medical profession is taking a look at how they have been using blood. I would say myself, that blood from someone else, going into me, is a rather sickening thought. But, as primative as it seems, it has saved many a life.

    I always wondered what a person "could get" from the blood that was given them. They don't say too much about that either.

    So, instead of respecting the medical profession, religious dogma says simply that JW's cannot take blood. My own mother, an active borg, nearly died two years ago because she refused. She remained very ill for a long time, and she was also anemic, which made her condition even more critical. By sheer determination and stubborness, she pulled herself out of it. Others have not been as fortunate. She needs an operation to correct a heart defect, but because of the blood issue, she will not willingly get it done at this point.

    Some folks have been given the wrong "type" of blood and have died. These days, there are also some great strides in using alternative blood substitutes. The JW's change back and forth so much over issues. I believe it is a very personal decision and when you or a loved one is facing life or death, you naturally want to do everything possible so that you or your loved one will not die. JW's have a terrible time with this issue, because the choice is not left to them. Personally, I don't believe that the soul of a person is "in the blood", and therefore transfers to the other person. But, the blood does carry many things that can't be undetected until it's too late.

    I hope I never have to face the issue. But what I do will not have any bearing on a dictate from someone else, especially JW's.

    Karen/Sentinel

  • joannadandy
    joannadandy

    I am inclined to agree with Mulan-

    Pick your battles where you have to. Unless blood comes up as an issue in they want you not to have it during a medical operation or some such it's not worth a fight. Having a doctrinal debate with someone just because is rather pointless, you're not going to change them. That goes for both sides. Until it gets personal I would stay on a smooth and steady course and not ruffle any feathers. There is little or no point.

    (GOD I SOUND LIKE WHIPPED MIDWESTERN CHICK)

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