What would happen to a JW who respectfully refused to fill out a no blood DPA? (page 2)

greenhornet

Id just fill the card out , to say you did. Then burn it! then make sure that it is not on your hospital records, that how you can die

Like most here, for about the last 8 years of my JW life, I just never filled it out. I reasoned if it got to the point where one was required, or if I was unconscious. I would claim innocence and put it down to doing something that I hadn't. Fortunately no elder bothered to check up on it. Which I thought could of been used as another excuse.

John Davis

Greenhornet. The issue with destroying it or not putting it in your hospital records is that if you have JW family members and they get a copy of the document from the congregation secretary, the copy is just as enforceable as the original.

paladin1

I refused to fill out the card and shredded it. The elders have never contacted me. You can not be forced to fill out those cards.

steve2

This is news to me: Do elders know who has signed and who hasn't?

I didn't think there was any verification check. Once you are given the card, it's over to you to sign it with no subsequent checking up.

If my hunch is correct, any JW who did not sign it, surely doesn't need to vocalize their refusal?

dothemath

I know some give a duplicate copy to the congregation secretary, but I've never heard it being required or even encouraged to have your card on file.

Maybe it varies in different areas?

Londo111

I think a surprising percentage of JWs don't fill it out, because they are forgetful, or just confused by it.

I was fine up until the complex DPA document that came out after 2000, and certain parts of blood were a "conscience matter" and certain procedures were as well. I couldn't figure out what my "conscience" was telling me about say albumin or cell salvage.

I think many JWs were scratching their head as well. There were videos, brochures and so forth to inform our "conscience", but it was all too complex. I wanted them to give a definitive answer on what was okay and what was not.

Bobcat

If the pressure to fill one out could be documented, and such documentation got into the hands of a judge or the AMA or someone else of similar position, it might bring the whole JW DPA card thing crashing down.

sir82

Do elders know who has signed and who hasn't?

Elders are "encouraged" by the CO to check who has their DPA filled out and who doesn't, and to "offer assistance" to any who don't have it filled out.

Different elders interpret that "offer assistance" differently. Some view it as "wait until someone bothers to ask about it", while others see it as "mercilessly hound people monthly, weekly, or maybe even daily until you grind them down and they fill out the form and provide you with a copy of it".

So in some congregations, elders don't care who has it filled in or not, and never bother to follow up. In other congregations, they might go so far as to work up an Excel spreadsheet to track who has it filled in or not, and (as noted above) hound people until it is done.

problemaddict 2

Steve,

At least in the US, each group overseer is currently tasked with getting a copy of everyone's filled out DPA (not really a DPA....but you know).

So until he can cross this little item of his list, people get reminded often.

I have a friend who is not filling out his card, but is still an active JW. His overseer sends weekly e mails or reminders to put it together. He just ignores them. He currently does not have all of his privileges, and my guess is that those would not come as long as this thing hasn't been checked off.

We discussed his potential response to them should they press. Here is what we came up with.

"I have family in the medical field, and there is a great deal that can go wrong with even basic medical information in the hands of people I may not necessarily know very well or trust in certain cases. I'm comfortable handling this on my own and without intervention from the brothers, but thanks for the willingness. Oh and you guys might want to study up on the local laws....HIPPA regulations are in effect when you are storing medical directives, and there could be several ways you guys might be in violation of those regulations."

What would happen to a JW who respectfully refused to fill out a no blood DPA?