Opening Pandora's Box - By Barbara Anderson

by flipper 86 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  PSacramento

  Winston,

  Yes, I do understand that we are on the same "side", perhaps with health care here in Ontario being diferent than in states I do look at it a tad differently.

  I do have issues about consent with childrent though, if a child needs a life saving medical procedure or at least a procedure that MAY save their life because it has saved the life of others, and the child's parents say no due to religious grounds, then I have issues with that.

  The first and foremost responsibility hat a parent has over a child is, to the best of their ability, keeping that child alive.

  A child's life and well being are the responsibility of the parent(s) and as such that superceedes ANY other "belief", period.

  If a child needs a blood transfusion to live then you giv eit to them, how freaking complicated is that?

  You don't pervert a dietary restriction given to Jews 3000 years ago to allow a child to die when there is even the slightest of chances you can save him/her.

  In the case of a child, YES, someone SHOULD interfer.
• 

  winstonchurchill

  PS, Yeah, kids are a totally different story. I know I would refuse blood on elective surgery, and probably fight a transfusion even in an emergency... well less and less sure everyday.

  But when I think of my kids, man, I would not refuse any treatment that gives me hope of saving them. If it means being kicked out, shunned, even left by wife, I would consider it worth just to save my precious children.
• 

  PSacramento

  I have a friend of mine that got hepititus from a blood transfusion, it was an emergency one, real bad car accident and I quote him,"Dealing with hepatitus sucks ass, but its better then being dead, at least I can still play with my kids and see them grow up".
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  slimboyfat

  I tend to agree with JWoods in being skeptical of the claim about thousands dying each year because of refusing blood. In the past year a sister in our congregation nearly died while refusing blood. She made it in the end but it was a close run thing. But what strikes me is the lack of a large number of such experiences locally, unless I am simply unaware of them. Most cases I hear about are through media reports from elsewhere. It seems to me quite a rare event. And I notice we don't even get all that many anecdotes on the forum about people being aware of lots of such cases during their time in the Witnesses.

  One thing that the figures and projections that some have made trying to work out how many JWs may be affected by refusing blood is the fact that many Witnesses probably secretly accept blood when push comes to shove. Wasn't there a doctor who reported in a journal recently that something like third of JW patients secretly accept blood?
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  blondie

  Perhaps the people who know would be persons keeping statistics in the medical field. Maybe someone could research that.
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  flipper

  Just going to bump this up as it is a very good discussion of this sunject going on. No replies on my part other than I agree with what Blondie suggested : Are there ANY people on the board here keeping statistics in the medical field who would be willing to share some light on this blood transfusion topic - or better yet are there some health professionals who would come on and attest to what they know and have heard in regards to the pros and cons of blood transfusions ? We wait with baited breath
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  flipper

  Wanted to bump this thread up by Barbara to help people see the issues at stake with this subject. All comments welcome