Blood Decisions

by little witch 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  little witch

  When JW parents are faced with their child needing a blood transfusion, what is in their mind when they refuse one?

  Are they basing the rejection on their own refusal to die at gods wrath, or do they fear that the blood would make god so angry that he would kill the child at armeggedon?

  What is the towers opinion on this?

  I ask this because, it is of my nature to walk through fire for my children. I would gladly accept the wrath of god, and willingly accept being dead forever for the life of my children. I wouldnt bat an eye about it. I do not think I am alone in this thought, I think it is human nature to feel protective of your kids.

  I know there are some here who have been through this, and I would like to hear from you especially. I am asking these things to try to understand, not to judge by the way.

  Also, any info on what the watchtower says will happen if you were to allow the transfusion (do they say your child would die at armeggedon for instance)

  Thankyou in advance.
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  calamityjane

  When we were in the borg we were faced a number of times with the blood issue. It was not a nice feeling telling the the doctor, under no circumstance do you give my child a blood transfusion. Sitting in the waiting room at the hospital while your child is undergoing surgery and hoping that the blood issue never came up was the most excruciating experience. Its something we knew we had to do because of the Armageddon issue.

  The relief was when the doctor came out to say everything was fine and that our child was now on the way to the recovery room.

  cj
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  Euphemism

  I would guess the main issues are obligation and loyalty, not fear. If they caved in, they would feel that they had let Jehovah down, that they had failed to keep integrity, etc.

  According to JWs, however, the fate of children at Armageddon is dependent on what their parents do. So if the parent died for accepting the blood transfusion, then the kid would die with them.
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  little witch

  Thanks for sharing that, CalamityJane.

  May I ask, what was it that makes witness parents say no? I know it must be fear inspired, but my deeper question is fear of what exactly?

  Or could it be that the order to refuse is just so ingrained that the refusal is automatic and no thought is given to it?
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  czarofmischief

  When I worked in the hospital, I was aware that many dubs accept blood transfusions without making a big deal about it. They just take them and don't mention it.

  So the ones who actually refuse blood are so convinced that the New System will resurrect their kids that they don't fear death, although when the reality hits it might seem a little frail.

  They are genuinely afraid of God's disapproval, the awful sense that they've been "bad". It's all conditioning to be afraid of Jehovah that it even doesn't go past one level - Jehovah disapproves, must not do.

  CZAR
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  calamityjane

  Refusal is the lame quote from the bible "abstain from blood" plus it being pounded into your head for years and years, the fear of not gaining everlasting life because we chose to go against god's "word" and on and on it goes.
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  Outaservice

  Little Witch,

  E-mail me concerning the blood issue at [email protected]

  Best to you,

  Outaservice
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  Poztate

  When JW parents are faced with their child needing a blood transfusion, what is in their mind when they refuse one?

  I don't think any thing is in their mind.They simply respond to years of brainwashing.Their brain is on auto pilot.The answers spoon fed to them over the years don't have to be thought of,only reacted to by instinct.

  The end result is another small child dies needlessly and another awake article will be published commending these innocent children for the fine stand they took against satan and the old wicked system of things.Death is brushed off as nothing compared to loyalty to the GARBAGE taught as truth out of Brooklyn.
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  Mysterious

  And the young people that do "take a stand" with or without their parents have been brought up to explain the issue from such a young age that they have never thought to question it. When one of the first scriptures their parents teach them how to find is the abstain from blood scripture it's drilled into them as so important that's it's not questioned. Perhaps they would have a chance if it was brought up on a daily basis, but the fact that it only comes up in a crisis situation leads them not to question but rather fall back on comfortable territory, ingrained teachings.
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  little witch

  Poztate and Mysterious,

  Thankyou for your input. (and euph, and others).

  I realize this is a very painful and brutal question.... All I can say is, I need to hear the answers.

  I appreciate your honesty.

  You see, non-witnesses would jump in front of a bus to keep it from hitting their child. Other christians (I do not believe in the "true christians" jargon) would preserve their childs life, and let god deal with it later.

  Kind of like the movie, The Color Purple, when she says, "take care of yourself now, and worry 'bout heaven later" sort of thing.

  What does a JW stand to lose, when denying blood to their kids? Are they thinking of themselves, or their kids future?

  Euph has stated that jw's believe that jehovah holds the childs fate (although they are innocent) in the hands of the parents. In other words, the child pays for the sins of the father (which is contrary to scripture, big suprise).

  But in the old testament, Hober himself says, the child shall not pay for the sins of the father......

  I am just confused on this... It seems that there is no logic behind the directive to "abstain from blood". Just like there was no logic behind vaccines, or organ transplants.

  Thanks to all for the imput, I do appreciate your opines. If anyone can post watchtower material, please do so....

  One thing that is apparent to me, Not thinking is deadly!