by FreeAgent 41 Replies latest watchtower medical
FREE AGENT:
If this blood thing is true it is bad news. Some JW nurses and other JW health care professionals are at risk of losing their well-paying jobs. I guess they are supposed to starve to death following the dictates of the religion
If this turns out to be true, more JWs are going to walk away from the religion.
This is just the JW version of hardcore religious-right-wing pharmacy employees refusing to administer Plan B or other related products.
That being said, the Org really does seem inclined to double down on all of their most draconian rules every time they get a little push from "apostates" or "Satan's World".
At this rate, they're bound to make even more (and bigger) faith-based blunders, to the point where they shoot themselves in the foot so hard, they can't even walk.
Mom's breast feeding should be banned by JW's based on their blood policy. So Medical Professionals who are JW's should be held to that standard as well.
Sidepoint--Love how the Society assumes doctors are male and nurses are female.
The liaison committees in each of the cities gathered all the JW healthcare professionals in their areas and read a letter stating that they can no longer administer, order, or even recommend a blood transfusion in any form, even if it means termination from their job.
The question is why would the Org use this type of dissemination method when they are so "in your face" on everything else? Why is everything private or semi-private (no pun intended) verbal communication issued regionally with no written record available?
This is probably the most blatant legal CYA I have yet to see from WT Legal. They know that all it takes is one JW to get fired from their job over taking a stand on this. Once that happens, this letter would be immediately submitted into evidence in court / arbitration.
This is the same reason why any accusation of CSA requires the elders CALL the branch (vs. a letter) -- it assures no paper trail where the Branch can be seen as directing decision-making.
BTW, I can confirm I've had conversations with multiple JW medical professionals where I point-blank asked them if they'd been told that providing blood products is now forbidden. Each of them confirmed this was the case, but when they were told (verbally), it took quite a bit a verification as other elders they'd asked had no idea this was out there. One chose to leave their long-standing job in one of the country's top trauma wards over this, and now works at a neighborhood clinic taking blood pressure, giving flu shots, etc.
EDIT: If I were a JW nurse / doctor and were read this letter, my response would be: "Thanks for the information brother, however this directly contradicts what has been published by the Faithful Slave in the Watchtower (cite the WT reference from Blondie). If it is serious enough to result in my being disfellowshipped, or losing my job, I will need to receive this direction and clarification in writing. I'm sure the Branch and Faithful Slave appreciate the seriousness of this matter."
Thanks, blondie, for the refs from the 1964 WT mag. My knowledge of the practice came from very experienced elders, the KM school, and/or some bros I knew in the medical fields (I forget now which), but I figured it was buried in some old WT lit somewhere. I appreciate your digging it up.
I cannot help but wonder whether another factor MAY be at work here, but it is so intellectual and educated, in other words, so un-WT-like that I have my doubts. In the apostolic council at Acts 15, where early Christian leaders decided what commandments from the Heb Bible were to be binding on Gentile converts, the things they chose can all be found in Genesis, before the covenant at Sinai under Moses (as was circumcision, the issue that brought the council together). At least that's what biblical scholarship says. Rabbinic Judaism had come up with the concept of Noahide/Noachide Laws (see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Laws_of_Noah#Christianity), and that's what was behind the decisions the early Christian leadership made in Acts.
The premise behind this concept is in direct opposition to the spirit of Deut. 14:21 (that is, it's okay for Gentiles to eat blood/unbled meat [Deut] vs. it is not [Noachide Laws], and that's what was at work in Acts 15). Non-evangelical scholars can handle the concept of the Bible being contradictory in places. Since the GB cannot, that's why I'm wondering whether they are now opting for the the Noachide Laws over Freddie Franz's old interpretation/application of Deut. 14:21. They have been changing a lot of his old interpretations and applications of scripture. They've jettisoned the whole type-anti-type thing that he was so big on. They've really changed his NWT. So perhaps this is yet another one. I suppose they may just say that the Deut passage was part of the Law that passed away with Christianity, so it's no longer applicable. Go figure...
If this is verified, it looks like they’ve finally targeted the last well-educated and reasonably prosperous
demographic block they have left, the medical professions.
Agree with this.
In my experience, "nursing" is one of the few areas where post-high school education is not vigorously opposed. It is just about the only approved career path for young JW women. I've known several who have "gotten away" with studying nursing while pioneering and remained "golden" in the eyes of the congregation.
I guess JWs could still specialize in some sort of nursing where recommending or administering transfusions would be rare or never occur, but what about those already in such positions?
So after 5 days no verification of the OP is forthcoming ? It does not sound like its genuine.
SIR82:
I believe you are right about nursing being one area where higher education was not openly opposed. Possibly this was perceived to be a female only field but that has changed now and there are male nurses.
The JW religion is so intrusive.. It’s too bad about any remaining JWs in the health care profession that are bending themselves into the shape of a pretzel and possibly harming themselves financially in order to accommodate the whims and opinions of their changing religion.
How could anybody stand this absurdity?? Get the hell OUT already and spare yourselves the mental anguish!
How does a college educated JW in the medical field still believe and support the transfusion ban nonsense?
WTF is a "fraction"? All the mumbo-jumbo in WT literature about why you can take this or cannot take that may bewilder and baffle the "unlettered" R&F JW, but someone trained in the medical field should be able to see through the bullshit!
(Of course, maybe many of them do so, but it's easier to "fake it" for family friends and the social network.)
