Bizarre November 2006 KM (page 7)

jwfacts

Zico,

Here is a very detailed article about the blood doctrine, and includes some of the reasoning from Franz's book.

http://jwfacts.com/index_files/blooddoctrine.htm

Jeffro

They continue to ask a few more questions under the subheading, "Why are some procedures involving the medical use of my own blood a personal decision?" To that end, they provide "WORK SHEET 1" and "WORK SHEET 2". On "WORK SHEET 1", across the left hand side it says, WHOLE BLOOD, PLASMA, RED CELLS, WHITE CELLS, PLATELETS, and above it, UNACCEPTABLE TO CHRISTIANS. Then along the right hand side it lists several fractions, with check boxes, "I accept" or "I refuse". The heading above is "Your personal decision" and then over the check boxes, "Choices you need to make". Few things feels as personal as filing out a form. ;^) The fractions are "ALBUMIN, IMMUNOGLOBULINS, CLOTTING FACTORS, HEMOGLOBINS, HEMIN, INTERFERONS"

This is the kind of drivel fundamentalists come up with when they try to meld modern scientific knowledge with obscure passages of the bible that have been taken out of their original intended context.

Moreover, it is an attempt by the leadership to make the 'rank and file' feel like psuedo-experts in their Watchtower-'informed' decision of which blood fractions they feel comfortable in accepting as a 'conscience matter™'. But more significantly, it helps the organization reduce the chance of legal repercussions if someone dies as a result of rejecting a particular component - after all, it was up to the individual's conscience.

Despite the fact that the bible is actually discussing the concept of blood as food, if the JW rule makers were really serious about their blood dogma, they would not be allowed to have any blood components at all that are made from stored blood. Period.

AK - Jeff

Unbelievable!!!!

They have made the 'blood policy' so confusing now that it is neccessary for them to print up a worksheet for Jdubs?

The positive light at the end of the tunnel is that any thinking Jdub will now know that he can take most blood products if his conscience allows. And many dubs are ready to have their conscience permit, once the lead is clear from Crooklyn.

I think that this really is a move to soften the postition. One column remains fobidden "Whole Blood, plasma, white cells, red cells." I would assume that once the manufacturers of these bovine products like Hemopure and others understand the postition, they will get onboard to provide 'Kosher blood products' and have them ready for witness use. Not that they haven't already to some degree - but I would assume that most thinking witnesses will now accept these products.

I see a lightened postion here - no radical changes from before, but a softer tone in the article in the km. Witnesses will be sensitive to that, since in the back of their minds there resides a constant fear of 'what if something happens?' Now - just use the fractions and live.

Before the allowance of the hemoglobin products it was like saying "You can eat a small piece of pie - only no apples and no sugar." Now they are saying "You may pick out the apples and eat them, just avoid the crust."

Massive hypocricy yes. But a better chance for dubs to survive in emergencies.

Jeff

BluesBrother

Bizarre indeed !

I note that they say that the worksheets "May help you complete your answers to the Advance Medical Directive Card" . I suppose they know that a lot of dubs were so confused by the latest card with all its choices that they just have not bothered filling it out and still carry the old one. Does this make it easier to decide? No way! as soon as they see the long words most of them switch off completely.

What is this about procedures such as Labelling or Tagging, Platelet gell, or Plasmapherisis.. I am not a medical man but it seems that these involve taking some of your blood out , mixing it with something then putting it back. Surely that is very similar to the totally forbidden autologous transfusion in which you own blood is taken pre op, to be put back if needed? The "procedures" are down to your conscience but the other is forbidden , Why?

I see no repeat of this statement from the Awake August 2006 in which they steered the flock away from Hemoglobin based Oxygen carriers because they contain a large proportion of the key element of red cells and do the same job. Have they changed this already?

MinisterAmos

The logic is to consider it like a Birthday Cake:

I just did an anti-witness on this subject using the chart and the KM and my results were as follows MOL

A normal person would assume that if we are forbidden to eat a cake, then we are forbidden to consume the ingrediants that make up the cake.

A well-programmed JW will insist that it is not the cake we are forbidden to consume, but the meaning behind the cake and therefore we are permitted to eat the flour, water eggs etc. Since blood is 90% water and Jesus served water then we are able to consume the ingrediants? (the part about Jesus is mine by the way)

Now here is how to make them shut up: Ask how the Red Cross gets the components. They will assume that there is a specific operation to seperate them and that is correct. Ask but HOW does the RC get the blood? They will act unsure and mumble about dead people or donations. Now what does Leviticus 17:13 ? say? Here is where they either admit that the WTBS is breaking God's law by using products that should have been covered with dirt, or they have to admit that Leviticus talks about Jewish dietary law. There are only the two alternatives when one actually uses the scripture rather than broken fragments as the WTBS does.

Pioneer Spit...oh, i mean Spirit

Question for anyone with medical knowledge:

If I partake conscientiously of ALL of these fractions, will they together equal taking in blood? Are the fractions together equal to a whole pizza?

yesidid

Question for anyone with medical knowledge:
If I partake conscientiously of ALL of these fractions, will they together equal taking in blood? Are the fractions together equal to a whole pizza?

Check JWFacts brilliant article it is without a doubt the best expose of the blood doctrine I have seen.

Well done JWfacts.

http://jwfacts.com/index_files/blooddoctrine.htm

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/16/121601/1.ashx

yesidid

MinisterAmos

The absurdity is even greater when one considers that organ transplants are permitted by the WT. Organs are comprised of white cells.

How can they permit things like dialysis and blood scrubbing (cleaning blood salvaged from a wound) when they do not allow pre-need storage? Leviticus 17:13 is very clear on how (some) blood is to be handled and the WT quotes it frequently when it is to its benefit but NEVER when dialysis or use of fractions is being discussed.

headmath

I thought that using your own blood was OK.

Does Jehoover really care anyway??

dozy

My take on the purposes of the insert:

(1) The WTS are at pains to establish that the decision (whether or not to accept certain fractions) is the individuals - hence the expression "your bible trained conscience" used liberally throughout. I suspect that this is a disclaimer , possibly influenced by the "tort" article and recent legal cases.

(2) The WTS are worried at the number of JWs who , confused with the complexity of the issue and / or feeling that they have taken the most "spiritual" decision , reject all and any blood fractions and any "conscience" treatments outright. Hence the article attempts to encourage the individual JW to consider carefully the consequences of their decision.

Bizarre November 2006 KM

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