Dear Gill and Midwich,
As we've read and discussed before:
1) Having on past occasions signed a release form prior to medical treatments in hospital, I was willing to die for Jehovah. Yet, though an elder, pioneer and former Bethelite working in conjunction with the writing department, I knew very little about the ins-and-outs of the blood doctrine; to say I was confused is an understatement. PR spokesmen for the Society who declare that JWs STUDY and UNDERSTAND the blood issue and are capable of correct action based on accurate knowledge of God's Word are either woefully misled themselves or lying.
2) Dying in the Roman arena for refusing to acknowledge the genius of the Emperor I get. But the Society has equated this with the necessity of JWs' being willing to die unquestioningly for all WT doctrine and practices. And don't forget Fred and Clay - due to the desire for anonymity, an interviewee's testimony in THE FOUR PRESIDENTS OF THE WATCH TOWER SOCIETY (JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES) clearly states that some members of the GB wish the blame for the whole mess to be put at the feet of those two propagators of death. Yet, has any of the GB taken a stand?
3) If Armaggedon had arrived when it was "supposed to," the Society would not be dealing with this nightmare, not to mention the poor people, such as you, Gill, who nearly died , or those who actually did.
Compound-Complex