Does the WBTS Have A Separate Blood Policy For The Jehovahs Witnesses In Bulgaria?
by Bangalore 6 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Scully
As you know, the WTS is notorious for playing with the language so that it means whatever the WTS wants it to mean in order to further its agenda.
The European Court had decided that if JWs were going to allow children to die for lack of blood transfusion, that they would not grant them status as a religious organization, with all the perks (i.e., tax free status) that went along with it. The response from the WTS was that, in the event of JW parents, there would be "no sanctions" against them for permitting blood transfusions for their children.
Sanction is an interesting word. It can carry the meaning of punitive action or it can mean granting permission.
From the Mirriam-Webster site:
Main Entry:
- 1 sanc·tion
- Pronunciation:
- \ ' sa?(k)-sh?n\
- Function:
- noun
- Etymology:
- Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin sanction-, sanctio, from sancire to make holy — more at sacred
- Date:
- 15th century
Notice the two highlighted definitions of the very same word, when applied in the Bulgarian case, yield two very different, very opposite results. In the case of the European Court, it regarded the wording of the document to mean that JWs would not be punished (DF or DA) if they agreed to blood transfusions. However, within the organization, nothing has actually changed, so the real meaning of the wording of that document was that "no sanctions" (no explicit or official approval, permission or ratification) would be allowed for JWs when it came to the issue of blood transfusion.
The WTS used that particular word for the sole purpose of having the WTS granted the status of an officially recognized religion in Bulgaria, and nothing more.
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skeeter1
In a nutshell, it asll started the Jehovah's Witnesses after they were a late on their church approval application. You see, Bulgaria's Constitution only allows the Orthodox religion as the official religion. Fringe religions have to apply and be approved by the Government. Bulgaria didn't like the JWs, because it saw the relgion as a cult that ripped apart families. So, when the WTS was late on their renewal, Bulgaria pulled their license.
The WTS fought it all the way to the Human Rights court in Paris. Bulgaria & WTS presented their arguments. In a compromise the WTS conceded that it would not "disfellowship" followers who took blood and would not teach the blood doctrine in Bulgaria. This is why the WTS switched to officially considering those who take blood as "disassociated". The WTS played a word game on the French and Bulgarian speaking court and court litigants. I dont' think either the court or the Bulgarian government realized that the WTS would still shun the disasscoiated.
I have the court opinion somewhere around here (both in French and translated by a friend into English). I will find it and post on this thread.
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skeeter1
The meat of the case (which can be found on the Internet...but I don't have alot of time this morning to search again for it...plus, it's all in French).
Khristiansko Sdruzhenie "Svideteli na Iehova" v. Bulgaria, Report of the Commission to Application No. 28626/95 (March 9, 1998) (Quoting in French "2.1 - les patients Temoins de Jehovah recourent systematiquement aux soins medicaux pour eux-memes et leurs enfants; il appartient a chacun d'entre eux d'utiliser son libre arbitre, sans aucun controle et sanction de la part de la requerante; 2.2 - s'agissant du respect de la legislation anitaire bulgare, l'association chretienne les Temoins de Jehovah de Bulgarie s'engage a respecter son application, y compris; 2.2.1 - en ne fournissant pas de declaration prealable de refus de transfusion de sang aux personnes; 2.2.2 - en ce qui concerne les personnes majeures, en observant les dispositions de ladite legislation et en reconnaissant a chaque individu la liberte de choix)
[Translated "Jehovah Witness patients may rely systematically on medical care for themselves and their children; it is incumbent upon each of them to utilize free choice, without any external influence or sanction coming from the [Society]; 2.2 Regarding Bulgarian public health legislation, the Christian Association of Bulgarian Jehovah's Witnesses agree to respect its application, including: 2.2.1 Not furnishing in advance to individuals a declaration of blood transfusion refusal; 2.2.2 Concerning adults, by respecting requirements of the said legislation and by granting to everyone freedom of choice."].
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LUKEWARM
Its well documented here
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Farkel
In case some of you didn't know, the WTS made a statement in its defense, which while being technically correct, it was designed to totally mislead the Bulgarian Government, and that made it a lie.
They stated that they never "automatically disfellowship anyone for taking a blood transfusion."
Of course they don't. They FIRST have a judicial committee and THEN they disfellowship everyone who takes a blood transfusion.
So you see, it isn't an "automatic" disfellowshiping at all!
This bit of "Christian" justification for murder was brought to you by the lying, thieving, killing, evil, self-worshipping bastards in Brooklyn, headquarters of Jesus Christ himself.
Farkel