Jehovah’s Witnesses’ extreme prohibition on the transfusion of blood is a total denial of the Spirit of Christianity. Christianity is a case of giving not taking, generosity instead of greed, consideration for the needs of others rather than selfishness.
During his day on earth, Jesus was condemned for breaking the law of the Sabbath, by healing on that day and permitting his apostles from feeding themselves in the grain fields. His reply to them was: The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbbath (Mark 2:27. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. (Math 12:8) In other words the Sabbath was given to man, beast and nature as a beneficial gift instead of an unreasonable legal requirement.
So too, is the prohibition of eating blood. It was given for the benefit of man and beast. Instead of demonstrating greed and selfishness, to the last drop of blood, man was required to show consideration and appreciation to Creation that gave him that animal and give up the blood to the ground. He was not to take or rob people of their lives and drink the blood of the vanquished as a demonstration and enhancement of his power.
Jehovah’s Witnesses look at their refusal of giving or receiving blood as a sacrifice to Jehovah. Yet Jesus says while eating with tax collectors and sinners, ( Math 9:13): "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
It is wrong to take away by killing the lives of others. Most civilizations also consider it a wrong to take one’s own life. A few days ago on the news here, a man ran into a burning basement to save his three year old son’s life. He managed to bring him to safety, but died from his own burns. He risked his own life to continue the life of his son. Should he be denigrated for committing suicide?
But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (1John 3:17) Money or this world’s goods are figuratively like life-giving blood. But when someone’s child is bleeding to death all the money in the world cannot save him. Is it not right to give some of our surplus blood which replaces it self in a few days to save the life of the bleeding one? Is that not the merciful thing to do. If someone is bleeding to death with a severed finger or hand, is it not merciful to apply a tourniquet to stay the flow of blood, or should one follow the Law of Moses and let the blood spill upon the ground. Jesus healed the woman who was considered unclean because of her twelve year blood loss.
Jesus said at John 6:53-54, Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. John 6:53
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Many of the Jews including his followers stumbled over these words. JWs will say that these words are figurative, rightly so, but why choose a figure that is contrary to the law? It would be like saying that unless you fornicate, rob and steal, murder you will not have eternal life. A follower of the way of love and compassion will imbibe and imitate his actions while giving up of the self for the benefit of others, and thus be taking figuratively his body and blood.
In Acts 15, the words “abstain from blood” were for the Jews: For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in thesynagogues every sabbath day. Acts 15:20,21 . Why stumble the Jews unnecessarily and selfishly when Paul says: It is] good neither toeat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Rom 14:21. Many people today, including especially doctors and caregivers, unselfishly give their lives to saving people, not sacrificing them to a strange, unmerciful god. They are stumbled and angry at the merciless stance of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
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