If you believe the WTS interpretation of the 'abstain from blood' scripture, then every single JW should drain every last drop of blood from their bodies. This would be the ultimate adherence to this scripture based on their interpretation.
The latest Watchtower position on Blood - comments welcome
by Nickolas 56 Replies latest members private
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designs
There must be a gene that runs through certain types that is triggered by Religion- Corporal Mortification or Flagellation. Our former Religion had its type of Mortification rituals- Missionary service, Pioneering, career abandonment, childlessness, and medical deprivation.
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moshe
Will a blood transfusin save the life of a starving man? Why do Jews accept blood transfusions? Good questions for JWs who are willing to look for the answer oustide the WT CD. Besides, the Q&A isn't in the WT CD anyway.
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PSacramento
Moshe, I posted that question once and the reply was, of course, that the Jews had lost their way and truned their back on the True God that is why they allow themselves to be polluted with blood.
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sabastious
Matthew 10: 37-39 - 37 Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
This is an interesting argument from Witnesses when they use the quoted scripture. They use this to justify dying or letting their children die as an act of faith.
I think it's misapplied to blood transfusions, I don't think Jesus wanted us to be martyrs just for the sake of being martyrs. Before this scripture can be used it has to be proven that forsaking life for a blood transfusion is indeed "dying for Christ's sake." Which, of course it is not, it is dying in ignorance.
-Sab
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PSacramento
Sab,
Within the context of what Matthew wrote/dictated it seems that Jesus is stating that in giving up the life we have (in sin) we find a better life in Christ.
It is a difficult passage to understand when taken out of context of the WHOLE of the gospel, but what it means is this:
Jesus is love, forgiveness and tolerance, choosing to go against Jesus is going against those very things, if our parents or children are the opposite of Jesus ( and those characteristics) then by siding with them ( on the side of Hate, judgment and intolerance) we are condeming ourselves because, just as Jesus said before ( or after, I can't recall right now), it is BY THAT measure that we wil be judged.
Jesus also said that if they knew the word of God they would know tat God requires forgivness and not sacrifices.
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GrandmaJones
A powerful argument that more or less "shut me up" was the method of obtaining gamma gobulins. In doing internet research on this topic, I found that it might require the stored blood of anywhere from one thousand to ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND people. How is that for hypocrisy? It totally throws out the stored blood, (pour it out on the ground) argument. After seeing that, the Watchtower stand on blood was meaningless to me.
Another conscientious thing to abstain from, given the strict stand that some witnesses take, is the taking of samples of blood for blood tests.
Everyone else has said the rest of it better than I can.
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Amelia Ashton
When I had my study back in 1984 I was told that our soul was in the blood and blood belongs to Jehovah. We therefore could not have someone elses blood because first, we would be having someone elses soul inside us which is wrong and second, blood belongs to Jehovah and not ours to give so by having a transfusion it would be stealing from Jehovah. I always wondered why we could steal little bits that had been separated out but not blood that was whole. Was anyone else taught this or just me?
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letsslatejws
When I had my study back in 1984 I was told that our soul was in the blood and blood belongs to Jehovah. We therefore could not have someone elses blood because first, we would be having someone elses soul inside us which is wrong and second, blood belongs to Jehovah and not ours to give so by having a transfusion it would be stealing from Jehovah. I always wondered why we could steal little bits that had been separated out but not blood that was whole. Was anyone else taught this or just me?
This is exactly what I was taught.... I just didnt have the brain cells to question why we could steal little bits that had been separated out, but not blood that was whole... ! This is a time when I have weeping & nashing of my teeth ! lol