It seems that I had read [perhaps on AJWRB site?] though, that the hemoglobin represented 97% of the RBC. Anyone know? Have they intentionally mistated the percentage to make it more palatable in the eyes of some witnesses? Making it more a fraction with this statement?
Jeff, that is the first thing I picked up after just reading this article. It appears they are trying to downplay the percentage of hemoglobin contained in a rbc. Notice the use of the words, "mature red cell?" I'll have to break out a couple of med books to research this, but I'm absolutely positive that hemoglobin does comprise roughly 96-97% of a rbc. It could very well be that the amount of hemoglobin in a rbc diminishes or breaks down over the life of a rbc(obviously). The WTS could in fact be correct by using this "1/3" term, but only if a rbc nears its end-of-life, "mature" stage.
One of the greatest arguments for allowing rbc's is in fact using hemoglobin as a prime example. The 97% composition of hemoglobin in a rbc shows there is really no big difference in allowing one but not the other. The only difference(and I'm very surprised they used it in the article) was the fact they brought up the antigen typing of the membrane. This is the main difference between the two. With rbc's, you must get the blood type correct(A, B, AB, O) before transfusing. With hemoglobin you do not. It is universal, and plus, it carries a longer shelf life. So we need to ask ourselves(or mainly the jw's), why one and not the other? JW's will say it's against what the fds bible teaches. In fact, it is not a scriptural issue anymore. It is a medical one. That is the tipping point. JW's are not supposed to follow general medical practices as a spiritual guideline. They are supposed to follow the bible's commands. This entire rbc vs. hemoglobin debate is a medical issue, not a scriptural one.
I can already see it. Argue with a jw over the percentage of hemoglobin contained in a rbc, and the jw will fire back saying "it's only a third of a rbc. It's not that much overall. It is only a fraction really." If it was printed in the Awake as a third, jw's will repeat it saying it's only a third. And they will likely argue to their grave that it's only a third. They will use the line, "Did you go to medical school? Well I'm sure the WTS has doctors that know what they're talking about." Get past these arguments, and you might make them think for a change. Oh, and don't forget to ask them how the hemoglobin was obtained in the first place. Were the rbc's donated and stored prior?
