Would you take blood now that you are not a JW and why? (page 3)

minimus

yes.......if necessary. I don't see the Bible saying that blood transfusions are unacceptable.

Joyzabel

Thanks everyone!

hmmmm, just my professional opinion, but I'm hearing ALOT of old jwism here. The medical profession doesn't give blood unless there is a need, not just to "tank someone up".

So let's get to the conscience issue here. How do we help someone get over their conscience that has been branded by a cult? What rationale has helped you overcome that branding, or was it not an issue to begin with, you just nodded your head when the blood issue was discussed.

What if a person is still branded with the idea that the blood issue was like committing the unforgivable sin, it is ok to fornicate, smoke, drugs, etc., but don't take blood, how would you help reason with such a person?

j2bf

Mulan

What if a person is still branded with the idea that the blood issue was like committing the unforgivable sin, it is ok to fornicate, smoke, drugs, etc., but don't take blood, how would you help reason with such a person?

That's a tough one. I remember going round and round (in field service) with a young couple who were insisting the Trinity had to be believed for salvation, and yet I knew they were living together unmarried. They didn't get it either.

DJ

What if a person is still branded with the idea that the blood issue was like committing the unforgivable sin, it is ok to fornicate, smoke, drugs, etc., but don't take blood, how would you help reason with such a person?

j2bf

Hi Joy,

I am going to assume that your friend still hold some beliefs in God, otherwise the quote above would mean nothing. First off, your common sense analogy about the sandwhich is simailar to one that I, unfortunatley had to use in order to 'try' to convince my family members that the wt policy was just plain stupid. My family shunned me 6yrs.ago after my husband was in an accident and needed 23 red cell transfusions. I was pregnant at the time and he nearly died. He was in critical condition and on a respirator for 3 weeks...My sister actually felt the need to inform me that her belief in the blood policy was stronger than ever while my husband lay in the ICU. After his long recovery, I asked my dad how they could justify their belief that my near death husband was 'eating blood'. I told him that as a parent if I told my children not to leave the house while I went to a neighbors to visit or they would be punished......but they did anyway because the house caught on fire and they had to choose between being burned to death or disobey me by leaving the house......what would any loving parent say? My pop was silent and then said..."well, of course you would want them to save themselves." So, I asked him another question..." Pop, if Jehovah forbid you to 'eat' chocolate cake but you somehow figured out a way to remove the chocolate and eat the eggs and the flour and the milk and the sugar from that cake and claimed that you never ate the cake, would you be right?" He said..."No, I would be trying to trick Him, wouldn't I?" That was the point when I informed my dad that jw's are allowed to have all sorts of blood componants with the exception of a few choice ones. He was sursprised...imagine?? He didn't even know about these fractions! I explained to him what was 'allowed' and what was 'not allowed' and asked him where it says this in his bible. He got angry with me and said that he had to hang up the phone....A few days later, I called him again because he is the type of man that first reacts with anger but later comes around. Much to my dismay though, he informed me that the elders gave him a stack of papers from Pennsylvania hospital doctors that showed that the cells are like the seed and that is why they are the forbidden part. He said that the report was about 20 pages long and he did not read it all and didn't need to. This was the day...that I knew, I mean really knew.... that my loveable daddy was hopelessly trapped by these pharisees. My pop always thought for himself, he was always a strong bullheaded Italian papa, but these liars had taken hold of his mind. I cried and cried. I would show your friend..Matthew 12: 1-8 and focus on the 7th verse that even while the disciples were under the law of the Sabbath.....and even while the pharisees were condemning the 'working' of plucking the wheat on the Sabbath.....note was Jesus said to them in verse 7. That hit me like a ton of bricks. Mercy not sacrifice is of God. The watchtower doctrine of blood fractions is of whom? You said it......a doctrine of man. love, dj

aojumper

I would take blood in the case of an emergency, as a last resort. It's no secret that blood can have it's problems. even doctors prefer to do bloodless surgery, if they can. So I would choose the bloodless path unless there are no other options available

BluesBrother

I guess my position is much the same as others here. I would prefer not to, such is the hangover of a lifetime of anti blood teaching in the Borg, and there does seem something unnatural and repellant about taking someones blood in my body.

However, If the doctor said my life depended on it . Yes! no question.

How to convince another? There has been a lot of good comments already . I loved Scully's logic :-

The WTS claims that blood symbolizes life. But since when did a symbol have more value than the thing it symbolizes??

Also DJ's use of Mathew 12.

Has anyone mentioned the brilliant site ajwrb.com?

Also I got a lot info in very simple terms on the British National Blood Transfusion site.

For me , the realisation was linked with confidence in the WBTS . As soon as that had gone, I stopped carrying the blood card. As soon as you shed the blinkers and realise that it is for you to decide on matters of faith, conduct ,medicine etc, then that is exactly what you do.

RAYZORBLADE

Believe it or not: YES

I never ever thought, post-JW that I would ever come to terms with this issue, but I think I have. After investigating matters related to blood and it's components, and where we are TODAY versus the time when the bible was written, I would be safe to say, there's a big difference in regards to biblical translations versus modern day medicine.

About 2 years ago, I finally got my blood typed. I had no idea what I was: blood type. Good thing I did. My type was not common, and heaven knows what complications could arise as a result of ever needing a transfusion.

My doctor told me that if I needed blood, there were autologous transfusion options available to me here in Toronto. Good to know. He said, if need be, I could go to a particular blood clinic, and donate MY OWN BLOOD. Considering my blood type, that wasn't a bad idea. So now I know.

Still, I think it is one of those things that hangs on to the very end of our connection to the WTBTS. Isn't that weird? But it's true, I held on to that well on to post 15+ years post JW.

Would I take a blood transfusion: yes.

I can't believe I wrote that, but I have known for a couple of years, that I would if needed be.

Joyzabel

Thank you everyone for sharing your comments.

Just some musings of mine:

Isn't it interesting that we all are still squeemish about receiving blood, we would rather do everything as much as possible bloodless before receiving blood! And that's ok, because there are risks with receiving blood, but the risk of losing one's life far out weighs the risk of disease. (imho)

But what about the quilt? We've had to deal with guilt for many years, not living up, do more, etc, but is there some residual guilt about blood? When did you realize that God didn't make this rule, man did.

Obviously to me man did make this rule because so many JWs are confused about what they can and cannot take concerning blood. No whole blood, but some of the blood is ok. No major componants,red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma or platelets but fractions in the blood are ok. Even though the fractions make up more of a % of the blood than some of the major componants. (Get it???)

So what is it about blood that sticks in our minds? Why aren't we just a squeemish about organ transplants? If you were given blood in an emergency situation, would you after the crisis is over, still wonder if you did the right thing? Why is that?

Sorry, just more questions that I would like to see discussed.

Thanks,

j2bf

Englishman

Joy,

No problems at all over blood.

Or even if it's in my food, it's just no big deal.

Englishman. Black pudding eater.

Country Girl

I got over my guilt the day I became a Mother.

Country Girl

Would you take blood now that you are not a JW and why?

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