by palmtree67 74 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Thank-you, Vinny.
I have been spending a little bit of time today reading some of the older threads about blood. I will need to read more and think about this alot before I come to any conclusions. I've never been one to make important decisions quickly.
I appreciate all the help. And the experiences of others.
The reason taking blood grosses us out more than it does the general public is not because of our former scriptural beliefs.
It is because the Borg spent 100+ years lying about the medical risks and making it seem horrifying and disgusting. Those things have *nothing* to do with the scriptural teachings. They knew their scriptural reasoning was weak, so they supplemented it by fearmongering, misquoting medical professionals, and lying.
Those who weren't in the cult during the worst of the fearmongering are still affected. There is something like a race memory among the Borg collective--discuss blood transfusions and they feel nausea. They don't have that sensation when they see someone wearing a cross or hear people talking about Xmas decorations. It's not the scripture that causes the nausea!
Just make your medical decisions based upon medical facts, not upon emotion, and you'll be fine.
I don't think anyone is "pro-transfusion". It's just that most of the universe recognizes it is necessary sometimes.
I've had transfusions of whole blood and fractions. I don't like it and I've refused it too many times, at great personal risk. The refusals were because of my prior brainwashing, not because my decision was evidence-based. I try not to do that anymore. When I need it, I take it. I'm not gonna die foolishly.
LeavingWT :
Thank you so much for that link. That was amazing to read. Very thought-provoking. Thanks.
Rebel8 :
I appreciate hearing your personal experience. Interesting political cartoon, too.
Ray Franz wrote some great information about the blood issue towards the end of "In Search Of Christian Freedom". He really showed how ridiculous the Society's reasoning is on the matter.
That cartoon is from page 5 of the May 31, 1939 issue of Consolation (Forerunner of Awake!)
It is typical of JW quackery during that time period. There were many more cartoons like that.
Worse than the blood policy itself is the manipulation the hospital liaison committee uses to make the patient follow it. "We have talked to the doctor and he knows you follow Bible principles." "The doctor said 90% of Witnesses agree to accept blood when he asks them privately, but you're a good christian and won't fall for that trick, will you?" "Let's pray together for the spiritual strength to stand up to worldly influences." After that drama plays out, a patient worried about what's happening can hardly disagree and ignore the elders' advice. The elders are pleased to do their duty as faithful servants of God's organization. It's really scary that neither the patient nor the liaison elders seem to be aware of the script they're following. Neither recognizes the obvious psychological manipulation tactics. Such is the power of Watchtower indoctrination!
I still shake my head when I hear todays JW's talk about blood as "fractions" and as "whole blood".
Blood is blood and if JW's truly abstained from blood they wouldn't even suck their finger if it got pricked. The reasoning used to allow JW's to partake of components derived from the blood trade through donations which are still taboo for the JW, has been proved time and again to be filled wth holes. Allbeit self serving ones as the Society attempts to take the religion main stream.
A personal friend of mine (not a JW) was an employee at the company that invented or marketed fluosol which was hailed by the society back in the early 80's as the be-all. The arguments that "all the body needs is oxygen" were never accurate according to him. In its demise, he told me that they all knew that the body in certain situations just needs blood....period.
Read Franz's essay in Christian Freedom, it is an eye opener.
Like the Jews who swore by the gold on the temple, and Jesus asked which is greater the gold or the temple.(I would take the gold)
Blood is supposed to be a representation of life, not to be valued above life.
Frank75
Just a thought:
Do you think the GB might have introduced the idea of fractions because they KNOW the whole abstaining from blood thing is a BS doctrine??
Maybe they are softening it cus people are onto them??
( I love conspiracy theories.....)
Do you think the GB might have introduced the idea of fractions because they KNOW the whole abstaining from blood thing is a BS doctrine??
ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY!
At Gilead, I talked to one of the brothers on the main HLC committee at Bethel. We went over the blood options, and what his job entailed. I then asked him what would happen if a bro or sis because of their conscience refused blood fraction medicine.
He shook his head, turned red and said "Thats the best we can do for them." It was clear that he was upset that anyone would turn down blood fraction medicine.
This is all my opinion, but I spent a total of 5 hours out of 6 months there talking about the blood doctrine and the HLC. It is clear there are two camps, the traditionalists who would rather you drop dead then take any blood. There are progressives who don't believe it for a second, and it is my opinion that they are doing the best they can to effect change. The blood fraction teaching is their best effort to help out JW's who would have no other options.
There is a real battle over this. I don't think it will go much farther then this, because of the possibility of lawsuits if they backtracked.... At best, we can hope for a backing away from the teaching of no blood in another 10 years if the moderates win.
Of course, when did moderates within JW's win anything?
I'm with AllTimeJeff:
There are progressives who don't believe it for a second, and it is my opinion that they are doing the best they can to effect change. The blood fraction teaching is their best effort to help out JW's who would have no other options.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind they are doing what they can to change a rule that at this point, can't really be changed. It goes too deep. Too many loved ones lost...
