I have a question about what was allowed/disallowed about eating blood in Old Testament Israel. Not necessarily how JW see it, but how it is explained in general, although this question came to my mind after discussion with a JW, mainly based on Leviticus 17.
(Contemporary English Version)
Lev 17:10 I will turn against any of my people who eat blood. This also includes any foreigners living among you.
Lev 17:14 The life of every living creature is in its blood. That's why I have forbidden you to eat blood and why I have warned you that anyone who does will no longer belong to my people.
Lev 17:15 If you happen to find a dead animal and eat it, you must take a bath and wash your clothes, but you are still unclean until evening.
As of my knowledge, dead animals contain blood. So those verses mean that:
a) Israel or foreigners living with them are not allowed to eat blood under the punishment of being unconditionally "cut off" (KJV) from its people
b) Israel or foreigners living with them are not allowed to eat blood contained in a dead animal under the punishment of being unclean till the evening and the obligation of taking a bath
It looks like the meaning of "blood" in general, mentioned in Lev 17:10 and 14 does not include blood in a dead animal, found already dead or kiled by beasts, although the author does not mention any exception. Perhaps it was obvious to him. The exception is introduced indirectly by a logical deduction from verse 15.
I am searching for an explanation, what might "blood" in general mean to the author of these verses? And in particular, how JW explain it in the doctrine?
The meaning of blood in Lev 17
by BookOfRoses 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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BookOfRoses
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DarioKehl
JWs explain it this way: "If alcohol were forbidden, would you inject it into your veins?" Oh yes, they even have a picture with this ridiculous analogy in a recent publication! Only a non sequitor fallacy could link an OT dietary requirement to a modern day medical proceedure!!! Unbelievable.
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man oh man
This article should answer both of your questions http://www.ajwrb.org/bible/mosaicblood.html
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Anony Mous
Then read Deuteronomy 14:21:
21 "YOU must not eat any body [already] dead. To the alien resident who is inside your gates you may give it, and he must eat it; or there may be a selling of it to a foreigner, because you are a holy people to Jehovah your God....
Yeah, even the law of Moses is full of contradictions.
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Mary
Welcome to the board Book of Roses! We've had several discussions on this subject over the years, but the one that sticks out most in my mind, is a thread we did about 4 years ago on this subject. In a nutshell, we destroyed the WT's ridiculous interpretation on blood, in one fell swoop. Here is the link:
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jonathan dough
Here is a link to over 40 web sites and/or articles that deal with the blood prohibition issue. You'll find your answer in there.
http://www.144000.110mb.com/directory/jehovahs_witnesses_beliefs_blood_transfusions.html
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jonathan dough
JWs explain it this way: "If alcohol were forbidden, would you inject it into your veins?" Oh yes, they even have a picture with this ridiculous analogy in a recent publication!
Definately, if it would save my life. How can they compare the desire to stay alive with the desire to get drunk?
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BookOfRoses
Thanks all ! I'm reading now those links and also some other resources and I might have more question on this subject in a few days - but for now it's quite a lot of material.