Blood Card

by apostate 6 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  apostate

  I remember every time I had to renew my blood card my book study conductor always told the group that in case of a medical emergency if the doctor asks why you don’t want to accept blood transfusion we should never say that because the Watchtower says so. He told us that we should say that we don’t want blood transfusion because it is our religious conviction.

  I was a little bit upset about this because I know I would never come to that conclusion on my own. I accepted this do to the fact that the Watchtower pressured me to do so. (Imagine if I would have expressed my concern to anyone. I would have been marked right away and get the silent treatment from my loving brotherhood. It really makes me feel that the Watchtower is responsible for pressuring its members to risk or give up their lives.

  Anybody had this experience?

  And I also find it quite dishonest on their part that when they write an article on how to identify an apostate they always mention that apostates attacking the organization for its stand on the Blood Transfusion issue. It is definitely not coming from the Bible.
• 

  peterstride

  I pretty much had the same experience as you did.

  But I often wondered about it, since I remembered that the 1983 Awake (I believe it was June 22) had a list of permitted blood components and restricted blood components for JWs. On the other hand, the Blood Card, said NO blood at all. Hmmm....

  Peter Stride
  Toronto, Canada
  PS. Anyone going to the BRCI conference this weekend in Waterloo, Ontario?
• 

  peterstride

  Regarding the blood issue and what the WTS refers to as apostates, the general rule the WTS follows (IMHO):

  Whatever issues the WTS cannot defend against by using the Bible openly and honestly as it's source, it will try to discredit by labelling anyone that has opposing viewpoints as apostate, thus using its authority to make the ears deaf among its rank & file members.

  Peter Stride
  Toronto, Canada
• 

  jurs

  i also had a similar experience. i also felt pressured. i struggled with the issue but signed it thinking whats the chance of anything happening to me or my kids. also i only carried my card the first few years of my baptism. i didn't carry it the rest of the time. i chose not to think about it because it made me uncomfortable.....jurs
• 

  MacHislopp

  Hello Peterstride,

  your comment is real and logical:

  "...a list of permitted blood components and restricted blood components for JWs. On the other hand, the Blood Card, said NO blood at all.3

  Many today fail to notice this " simple and evident "point .

  Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp
• 

  qwerty

  Hello Apostate and friends

  I still carry a Blood card so as not to stir any suspicions. Mind you it is turned back to front in my wallet, with just my name and address showing. The inside wording as be change and made void.

  I am not ready to be shunned yet, still walking with the drowns, trying not to upset the collective. Including my family.

  qwerty

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=6293&site=3
• 

  ozziepost

  The Blood Card started out as a 'good idea', but like a lot of good ideas it got corrupted.

  The pressure to comply as described by apostate and jurs is pretty much world-wide it seems.

  There is also the corruption of this from being an aid as it was when first used, to what it has become, a de-facto I.D. card. As an example, it was reported a few years back at Bethel that there had been a "large gathering" of JDubs at which the entry 'pass' was the Blood Card. Although this might seem an extreme case, aren't we all aware of the use of the Blood Card as a means of identification among the Witness community?

  It was for this reason, not any objection to the Blood issue, that I refused to carry one for the past few years.

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "Truth persuades by teaching, but does not teach by persuading."
  TERTULLIAN, Adversus Valentinianos