Chance that WT drops blood issue?

by Gayle 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Pahpa

  We know that the Watchtower Society has been making a slow retreat with regard to the use of blood in the last few years. But it will be difficult for the Society to completely reverse their stand on whole blood transfusions. Too many have lost their lives following the dictates on that policy. If it does change, it will probably be done after time dulls the perception of the rank and file. And it would be allowed under the guise of "according to one's conscience" even as the use of blood fractions in recent years.
• 

  blondie

  As medical advances are made and with redefinition of what is "blood," I see the prohibition against transfusions ending.

  1) Currently, JWs are allowed to choose products made from blood fractions, such as from white blood cells, red blood cells. Hemoglobin-based products are made out of expired STORED blood. They should not even exist if the "rule" regarding pouring out blood was followed. Yet, there they are on the allowed WTS list of products.

  2) Remember when tetanus shots where not allowed because they had albumin in them?

  3) Remember when there was a question about keeping a continuous flow of blood when using dialysis. But now they can take the blood away from the person, combine it with other products, and re-infuse it into the person; blood can be collected from body cavities and re-infused using cell-saver.

  As the older generation die off, and memories fade, and medical procedures change and are re-defined as "acceptable" for JWs, I can see that the old sanctions against the old type transfusions could fade into distant memory.

  BTW, how many JWs, ex-JWs, and non-JW relatives have been successful in suing the WTS?

  Blondie
• 

  IP_SEC

  guys,

  They have dropped the blood issue.

  First in bulgaria and now the list of do-able fractions is nearly indistinguishable from blood transfusions. The only thing that is disallowed is a whole blood transfusion and those are never done anymore in the medical field.

  The problem for us (not a problem for the WTS) is that most dubs are so mystified by the blood doctrine that they dont know what they can and cant do.

  Edited to add: The fact that WE are having this discussion shows just how sly the WTS was in dropping the blood issue.
• 

  choosing life

  Although they never give whole blood transfusions anymore, Witnesses also don't allow transfusions of packed red blood cells. These are what make up the bulk of transfusions today. When someone loses blood in a trauma situation, this is the primary way to raise their hemoglobin and hematocrit levels quickly enough to keep them alive.

  Unfortunately, for Witnesses, they would have to rely on blood that has actually expired and the the hemoglobin is used after being released from the red blood cells. Other options include the use of animal blood in a similar fashion.

  Why the Witnesses would consider this a better option, I am clueless. I really think they can just pretend that these products are somehow not blood. For the blood situation to improve, they would have to allow packed red blood cells.
• 

  IP_SEC

  packed red blood cells.

  Ahh and theres the rub... they do allow hemoglobin

  What is a RBC, but hemoglobin incased in a cell membrane. So indeed it could be reasoned that they do allow packed RBCs hmmm?
• 

  Room 215

  I don't hink they can ever fully drop the blood issue without provoking an avalanche of law suits and adverse publicity; the most pragmatic course for them to adopt would probably to revert back to their pre 1962 position; i.e., deplore it but treat it as a sign of ``immaturity" or ``spiritual weakeness" which disqualifies the offender from any ``privileges" within the congregation.
• 

  yaddayadda

  Not quite. They will tweak it. They will change it to say that the prohibition now only applies to ADULT, BAPTIZED witnesses, no longer to babies, children, or anyone who is not baptized.
  
  They will say that God's law on blood only pertains to those who have come to an accurate knowledge of truth and have dedicated their life to Jehovah through baptism, with full understanding of what that entails. That obviously does not apply to babies, young children, and young teens. This will be seen as a reasonable, scriptural compromise.
  
  The Society is not worried about lawsuits because rights for adults and 'mature minors' to refuse this medical treatment are well established in the Supreme Court. Their only concern is the increasing public and media exposes against abuse of children in the name of religion. The Society's spiritual blackmailing of parents into allowing their babies and children to die because of want of a blood transfusion is utterly unchristian and morally wrong. The media are on to these religious abuses and the courts are under increasing pressure to tighten up on it.
• 

  zack

  Yes, they'll do it, for the reasons Garybuss and Blondie stated. They'll just redefine what blood is, and that will be that.
• 

  dark angle

  i think they will!! tweaking and mutating our beliefs has been our trademark. our belief is evolving very rapidly now.In around 10yrs or more they will declare it as a new light and will make a global celebration out of it. After all jehovah made the mosquito and several creatures to drink blood!!! A new book or brochure will be released on a district convention and all weak minded will be applauding it. and they will say "thanks to god for revealing the sacred secret to the mosquitos and to us".
• 

  Abandoned

  I think they are in the process of doing just that right now. They know that if they just admit they were wrong outright, though, they will lose a ton of donators followers. So they muddied the waters with more confusion and then will be hailed for making sense of it all in a couple years with the realization that eating blood doesn't refer to blood transufsions afterall...