Blood

by wha happened? 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • wha happened?
    wha happened?

    I know this is an old topic but I'm in need of some catch up.

    An old friend of mine lives nearby. She is the youngest sibling to some active JW's that I know. I was asked to kinda keep an eye on my friend as she has major health issues and past substance addiction issues. The health is one issue but she is clean and sober going on 2 years. Her family, the active JW's, ignore the fact that she is in near poverty and will maybe buy her lunch once a month. I've dropped by a few times and bought her groceries.

    The one question that keeps burning in the family, is whether my friend is really sober. Honestly I think it's just an excuse not to provide help. In fact, recently, my friend told me she had to gain weight, just to convince her family that she is clean and sober. So much for feeling good about yourself and excercising.

    Well in order to get any real help for her family which she so desperatly needs, she decided to start studying with JW's.

    2nd study, she's describing to the sister that a procedure using stem cells, (your own), is available, as the clinical trials are doing well and she is a candidate for it. Before the sister hears anything further, she makes comments about Christians, Blood, etc etc. Well my friend calls me in a panic and I told her I would look into the treatment to assure the sister and her family that no blood is used, but I did recommend that she keep her mouth shut in the future.

    Well I tossed all my blood brochures and WT CD's a while ago. What's the best place to look for the current thoughts on the blood policy of this religion. Any help is greatly apprecciated.

  • wha happened?
  • myelaine
  • wha happened?
    wha happened?

    Thanx, I'll start on this tonight

  • myelaine
  • Anony Mous
    Anony Mous

    Stem cell treatment hasn't been 'handled' yet but I'm sure it eventually will. It's kinda hard to say - (I'm not a stem cell researcher) but you're making blood and/or other organs (blood is also an organ) from a donor's own cells thus creating life in an asexual form of reproduction. The blood isn't being taken out of a living person and thus is not/cannot be 'poured out'.

    Right now I would consider it a 'matter of conscience' and don't talk about it in order 'not to stumble anyone in the faith'.

    The main problem not only JW's but also other right-wing Christians talking about abortions and murder are going to have is the definition of stem cells, life and the soul. Would you consider a clone of yourself (or parts of yourself) to be a valid 'life form' and therefore give 'it' the same rights as a natural person. At what point is something considered to have a soul.

  • wha happened?
    wha happened?

    Well a stem cell is not a blood cell. It may become one later. So there doesn't seem to be a concern on that. What it later morphed into was that the same Physician wanted to give her haemoglobin. This probably falls into the "fractions" criteria. My friend and I did agree to just keep future treatments to herself as neither the dubs in that congregation, nor her family seemed concerened over her quality of life. They just want to follow these silly little make believe rules and impose them on this sickly girl.

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