Do "Thousands of JWs die each year" because they refuse blood? I say YES!

by AndersonsInfo 71 Replies latest watchtower medical

jwfacts

Thanks Barbara, that is a very good article and certainly got me thinking. I had always thought a handful of JWs would die each year from refusing blood, but it is most certainly a lot more than that. The quote from Shand's hospital really holds some weight.
Just one paragraph was slightly exaggerated (though you do note that is the case) and I think it would immediately turn someone like my mother off the entire article.
"If only one Jehovah's Witness in each of the 11,930 congregations in the United States as of 2003 dies annually because of the blood-ban, that would mean there would have been over eleven thousand deaths that year, but I don’t think that’s realistic."
On average only 1 person dies each year per congregation and in many cases it will not be blood related. You could use a far smaller and palatable ratio and still arrive at "thousands". For instance, out of 60,000 congregations globally, if just one person in every 30 congregations die each year refusing blood then that is 2000 per year.
Mad Sweeney

While JWs use hyperbole constantly when referring to the evils of "Satan's world" they can't accept when it's used against them; they can't even see it for what it is.
blondie

Quillsky, from the WT-CD info on the medical direction "card"
*** km11/06HowDoIViewBloodFractionsandMedicalProceduresInvolvingMyOwnBlood?***
[Chart onpage 5]
Work Sheet 1
UNACCEPTABLE YOURPERSONALDECISION
TO CHRISTIANS
WHOLE ChoicesYou
BLOOD FRACTIONS NeedtoMake
PLASMA ALBUMIN—UPTO4%OFPLASMA
A protein extracted from
plasma. Types of albumin
are found also in plants,
in foods such as milk and
eggs, and in the milk of
a nursing mother. Albumin
from blood is sometimes ………… I accept albumin
used in volume expanders or
to treat shock and severe ………… I refuse albumin
burns. These preparations
may contain up to
25 percent albumin. Minute
amounts are used in the
formulation of many other
medicines, including some
formulations of
erythropoietin (EPO).
IMMUNOGLOBULINS
—UPTO3%OFPLASMA
Protein fractions that may
be used in some medicines
that fight viruses and
diseases, such as ………… I accept
diphtheria, tetanus, viral immunoglobulins
hepatitis, and rabies. or
They may also be used to ………… I refuse
guard against some medical immunoglobulins
conditions that threaten
the life of a developing
baby and to counteract
the effects of snake
or spider venom.
CLOTTINGFACTORS
—LESSTHAN1%OFPLASMA
There are various
proteins that help blood
to clot in order to stop ………… I accept
bleeding. Some are given blood-derived
to patients who tend to clotting factors
bleed easily. They are or
also used in medical ………… I refuse
glues to seal wounds blood-derived
and to stop bleeding clotting factors
after surgery. One
combination of clotting
factors is known as
cryoprecipitate.
Note: Some clotting
factors are now made
from nonblood sources.
RED CELLS HEMOGLOBIN—33%OFREDCELLS
A protein that transports
oxygen throughout the body
and carbon dioxide to the ………… I accept
lungs. Products being hemoglobin
developed from human or or
animal hemoglobin could be ………… I refuse
used to treat patients with hemoglobin
acute anemia or massive
blood loss.
HEMIN—LESSTHAN
2%OFREDCELLS
An enzyme inhibitor
derived from hemoglobin
that is used to treat a ………… I accept hemin
group of rare genetic or
blood disorders (known ………… I refuse hemin
as porphyria) that affect
the digestive, nervous,
and circulatory systems.
WHITE CELLS INTERFERONS—ATINY
FRACTIONOFWHITECELLS
Proteins that fight
certain viral infections ………… I accept
and cancers. Most blood-derived
interferons are not interferons
derived from blood. or
Some are made from ………… I refuse
fractions of human blood-derived
white blood cells. interferons
PLATELETS At present, no fractions
from platelets are being
isolated for direct use
in medical treatment.
[Chart onpage 6]
WORK SHEET 2
YOURPERSONALDECISION
PROCEDURES INVOLVINGTHEMEDICALUSEOFYOUROWNBLOOD
*Note: The methods of applying each of these medical procedures vary from physician to physician. You should have your physician explain exactly what is involved in any proposed procedure to ensure that it is in harmony with Bible principles and with your own conscientious decisions.
NAME OF WHATIT ChoicesYou
TREATMENT ACCOMPLISHES NeedtoMake
(You might want to
speak to your
physician before
accepting or
refusing any of
these procedures.)
CELL SALVAGE Reducesbloodloss.
Blood is recovered
during surgery from ………… I accept
a wound or body cavity. ………… I might accept*
It is washed or filtered ………… I refuse
and then, perhaps in a
continuous process,
returned to the patient.
HEMODILUTION Reducesbloodloss.
During surgery, blood is
diverted to bags and
replaced with a nonblood
volume expander. Thus ………… I accept
the blood remaining in ………… I might accept*
the patient during surgery ………… I refuse
is diluted, containing
fewer red blood cells.
During or at the end of
surgery, the diverted
blood is returned to the
patient.
HEART-LUNG Maintainscirculation.
MACHINE Blood is diverted to an
artificial heart-lung ………… I accept
machine where it is ………… I might accept*
oxygenated and directed ………… I refuse
back into the patient.
DIALYSIS Functionsasanorgan.
In hemodialysis, blood
circulates through a ………… I accept
machine that filters and ………… I might accept*
cleans it before returning ………… I refuse
it to the patient.
EPIDURAL BLOOD Stopsspinalfluidleakage.
PATCH A small amount of the
patient’s own blood is
injected into the ………… I accept
membrane surrounding the ………… I might accept*
spinal cord. It is used to ………… I refuse
seal a puncture site
that is leaking spinal
fluid.
PLASMAPHERESIS Treatsillness.
Blood is withdrawn and
filtered to remove plasma.
A plasma substitute is
added, and the blood is
returned to the patient. ………… I accept
Some physicians may want ………… I might accept*
to use plasma from another ………… I refuse
person to replace that
from the patient’s blood.
If so, this option would
be unacceptable to a
Christian.
LABELING OR Diagnosesortreatsillness.
TAGGING Some blood is withdrawn,
mixed with medicine, and ………… I accept
returned to the patient. ………… I might accept*
The length of time one’s ………… I refuse
blood is outside the body
may vary.
PLATELET GEL; Sealswounds,reduces
AUTOLOGOUS bleeding.
(MEANING “MADE Some blood is withdrawn
FROM YOUROWN and concentrated into
BLOOD”) a solution rich in
platelets and white cells. ………… I accept
This solution is applied on ………… I might accept*
surgical sites or wounds. ………… I refuse
Note: In some formulations,
a clotting factor taken
from cow’s blood is used.
Mary

Where's Doubtfully Yours and her useless, brain-dead defense of the WTS's stand on blood?
I'm somewhat leary of the idea that they're going to change their stand on blood, although it would be a hugely welcome change. My own feeling as to how they would try explaining their 'new light' would be by them still forbidding "whole blood", but allowing the various parts such as packed red cells and platelets. This would make the most sense, since hospitals rarely, if ever, transfuse "whole blood". This is because it is virtually impossible to transfuse white cells from one person to another as your own immune system sees the transfused white cells as a threat and will immediately attack it. (I did not know about this until last summer).
Since the Borg has already allowed "fractions" without raising hardly any shackles amongst the R&F, the next logical step would be for them simply to assert that "packed red cells" or "platelets" could be viewed as "fractions" and therefore, it is up to each individual to decide whether or not they will accept it.
You will always have the hard-liners who will not accept any 'fractions', but I think the vast majority of Witnesses would be relieved. Since packed red cells are the most commonly transfused blood, this could save alot of lives down the road.
Heaven

This is because it is virtually impossible to transfuse white cells from one person to another as your own immune system sees the transfused white cells as a threat and will immediately attack it. (I did not know about this until last summer).
This is interesting Mary. I didn't know this either. Thank you. As a teen, my Mother told me that the body fights off all of the blood that is transfused into it so it is pointless to do so and actually stresses the body further because it has to do this. (I'm sure she read this is some WTS publication). Looks like she was wrong (as is/was the WTS). I suspected as much.
When I was growing up, absolutely NO blood was allowed. I was shocked when I learned they allowed 'fractions' now. To me, this nullifies any sort of blood policy. It's either yes or no. There's no 'maybe' in something like this.
As for the reason for Barbara's thread here, I actually agree with both people. Marvin has a point about it being a belief unless you have the actual hard numbers to back it up. However, those of us who are 'older' have read stories in the news time and time again about JWs dying because they refused blood. We have also read stories about peoples' lives being saved because they accepted blood.
I think one of the biggest issues is that if you require hard facts, then how do you prove a death was caused by refusing a blood transfusion? In some cases, I think this can be done. In other cases, perhaps not.
Maybe we could do a survey here on JWN as to who has lost someone due to refusal of blood or at least the suspicion that the death was the direct result of this refusal.
BabaYaga

Mary said:
"Since the Borg has already allowed "fractions" without raising hardly any shackles amongst the R&F, the next logical step would be for them simply to assert that "packed red cells" or "platelets" could be viewed as "fractions" and therefore, it is up to each individual to decide whether or not they will accept it. "
Mary, that would be WONDERFUL, and as you say, they already have eased in this "fraction" business, they could easily slide a couple of other "fractions" in under that awning!
Open mind

"Thousands of JWs die each year because they refuse blood" is a very eye-catching headline.
When I got into the meat of your blog, the headline got qualified a bit by your own pen.
The news media do this sort of thing all the time. This is just my opinion, but I think you may damage the credibility that you have worked so long and hard to obtain by slightly overstating your case with "Thousands of JWs die each year". Not a lot. Just a little.
How about losing "each year" from the headline?
"Untold Thousands of JWs Have Died Due to Refusing Blood". Then you'd be on much more solid ground, IMO.
JWs look for the slightest bit of exaggeration or error and will cling to it for dear life. I say don't give it to them.
OK, done with my opinion.
Now, I'd like to thank you again for all the courage and hard work you have put into exposing the inner workings of the Watchtower.
Best regards,
om
jehovahsheep

the wts are workers of lawlessness.
poopsiecakes

Thank you so much for this article, Barbara. As always, your research is well put together and greatly appreciated. I wish I could share it with my mother....
Blondie, reading your response to Quillsky (even though I've seen the breakdown before) reminds me how ridiculous the whole fraction thing is. Talk about hypocritical in the extreme. How do they get away with it??? I just shake my head...
thetrueone

I'm in agreement with the statement in general but lets also not forget those people that died
needlessly for when organ transplants and vaccinations were band by the WTS. also.
The acknowledgment of this human tragedy is vitally important, but realistically isn't one life lost
to blatant corruption based on ignorance a tragedy in itself ?

Do "Thousands of JWs die each year" because they refuse blood? I say YES!

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