by nicolaou 152 Replies latest watchtower medical
i had this thought process 44 years ago--my wife was expecting our first child---and i thought long and hard about the blood issue. and the resurrection and new world---and about jehovah--and his witnesses.
know what ?--i thought--sod it--and threw the lot out.
except the wife.--she threw me out 10 years later.
Reply to Cofty: Under those circumstances you go forward with permitting a blood transfusion what's the down side? They don't talk to you ever again? Or they learn TTATT later on and come back to you and tell you how grateful they were.
The big problem for me is that the Society is not qualified to offer medical advice. They derided vaccines in the 1920's and promoted fake cures instead. Forbade transplants. Then hardened their stand on blood by making it a DF offense and it's followers died because they couldn't get open heart surgery without blood. Or endure Chemo, or bled out for many different reasons. Now they offer factions...... once again offering a partial fix.
There is nothing in any of that to respect. Being misled and misinformed and putting your life needlessly, recklessly in danger .............deserves no respect.
Most of us will never be put in a position to make that decision for a JW family member........... most of us just get to watch that person die needlessly.
Hell, no! I'm not gonna kill anyone unless they deserve it.
Martyrs for the WTBTS? Not on my watch!
Just wondering, because I am not 100% familiar with all this DF business:
If the JW is unconscious and somebody else takes the responsibility, maybe even with a court order to overrule the bloodcard, and the transfusion is done, then what? The JW will get DFed no matter what? Or what are the consequences for him/her in this scenario? I mean how can he/she even repent of the transfusion if the decision was taken from him/her?
If the JW is unconscious and somebody else takes the responsibility, maybe even with a court order to overrule the bloodcard, and the transfusion is done, then what? The JW will get DFed no matter what?
No. Disassociation is voluntary. A JW would not (Or at least should not) be held accountable for things done to them while unconscious.
If it were a young adult, or even more so if it were a pregnant wife, that may be cause to override their wishes - but I am not going to be responsible for one of them.
My immediate family are mature , even "seniors" who have spent a lifetime with this belief . The very idea of taking blood is an anamatha to them . I have learned to disagree with that viewpoint but I do respect their decision.
Medically speaking, I strongly uphold the principle that it is every person's right to chose what goes happens to their body and we are not obliged to justify it to anyone.
So yes, I would decline a transfusion in those circumstances,even to death ,out of respect for the person
My mom has diabetes, she takes homeopatic medicine to cure it. Do I agree with her treatment? "NO". Have I told her my thoughts and facts about that treatment? YES. Should I stop her from it? Its her decision. Her body. Not mine. I wish she stopped.
Eating processed meat causes cancer and cancer could kill you. Should we stop eating process meat? YES. If you want to go out to dinner with me and want to eat process meat should I tell you what I think? If I care for you, yes. Should I stop you? Why. its your choice.
How about my underage children? They are in my care therefore I will do what I can to protect them until they can take informed decision about their body.
4 years ago my Grandfather a JW had 4 heart attacks and the doctor forbid him from eating SALT and other stuff. He was 85 years old but very lucid. Street smart. always kind to people but he liked to eat.
My Grandma cooked a delicious mexican dish that the whole house smelled delicious. Everybody was enjoying the food, except Grandpa who was eating salt-less beans. My Grandpa asked my dad to serve him just a little of the Dish, just a little. He said "Son please serve me some of that I want to taste it", my dad refused and he said "NO that is bad for you"
Later on I asked my Dad "Dad, when you get to that age, would you like me to follow your wishes or ignore them like you did to your father?"
My grand father died a month later, his last month... he couldnt even enjoy what he eat.
What if it was a 21 year old sibling who has been stabbed but is otherwise is in excellent health?
Forget arguing about technicalities of the law. Just as a thought experiment imagine you are in a situation where you have the final say. Your sibling is a devout JW. They are unconscious. They will definitely die without blood and definitely live with it. It is your decision alone.
What is your call?
I probably would let them have the blood and deal with the consequences.
And cofty, real life is full of "special conditions" that should be considered in making life altering decisions.
