by punkofnice 44 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Back in the 1960's early 70's I remember my congregation going on a witch hunt and making a list of products, ice creams, confectionary or anything that might contain blood!
I remember one zealous Brother asking an ice cream vendor if the ice cream contained blood. The vendor just looked gone out!
We had a list of products that were blacklisted for eating.
They even wrote to food manufacturers for confirmation if it was safe for a JW to eat.
Such twottery!
I guess rare stake was out of question.
I remember some old "annointed" sister saying that the term "Hydrolysed Protein" was a synonym for blood!!
My mum threw out almost all our processed food including stuff that said "Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein" - this is an intelligent woman who is a qualified nurse. BTW of course Hydrolysed protein is NOT blood!!
WALLS products, ice cream and sausages, were always top of the list for containing blood.
George
Wasn't there a big scare about Hershey's chocolate bars for a time in the US, in the 1960's? Something about "lecithin" being an ingredient, and someone assuming that "lecithin" had to be derived from blood, and so the JW rumor mill had everybody panicking about "lecithin" in chocolate bars until people finally learned that lecithin is typically derived from soybean oil, not blood.
This was all a bit before my time, but i seem to recall some oldtimers talking about it.
NomadSoul - Anything enjoyable is out of the question!
Cantleave - Yup. Oxo cubes were under the spotlight!
St George - Walls were top of the list as I recall!
Sir82 - I wonder if that was the rumour that started it all!!?
The dubs even looked down on a Sister that owned a fast food shop because her roast chicken might not have been bled. Bladdy pious sneering zealots!
When I was growing up in the 60's I was not allowed to eat Mars bars because of the lecithin.
Mars made 3 muskateers, snickers, milky ways m&m's.
I ate a lot of rock candy when I was a juvenile and snuck a lot of mars bars behind
my mothers back.
I got a mouth full of fillings now thanks to the wactower society and the rock candy.
Rock candy was pure crystalized sugar.
Yes, that was certainly the case in my memory too.
Of course in those days the issue was more simple. i e , all blood products were not acceptable. In recent times there were a group of dubs worrying that a substance used in re-formed meat cuts ( I think to hold it together) was a blood derivative. I had to comment that with the new acceptance of blood fractions, they would not have to worry....
Yes, Hershey chocolate was one that was rumored in the 60's & 70's, to contain blood because of containing 'lecithin'. I do not recall any other brands (ie: Mars) being boycotted.
Most lethicin is sourced from soy beans but some is derived from animal sources such as egg yolk. Some witnesses thought that animal source meant from the animal's blood. It seems, many JW's didn't bother to research what lecithin is but they were happy to pass-on whatever scandolous rumor they heard.
Other products not for JW consumption were certain brands of deli meat & wieners such as 'Maple Leaf' whereas brands such as 'Schniders' were OK as they were 'Kosher'.
Certain brands of pet food were also suspect as was some household or construction adhesives made from animal sources (ie: horses).
I think many witnesses initiate statements due to paranoia or ignorance as do some in general. Unfortunately, many of those statements perpetuate throughout the JW organization due to who else may have repeated them (ie: a CO, DO etc). If someone of rank within the organization said it, it generally is accepted without question. If the info is coming from one of these prominent sources, of course, rank & file witnesses better accept and comply.
I think that many witnesses are looking for some excitement or importance so rumour and heresay such as 'did you hear '____' deli meat contains blood' seems to be enough excitement to satisfy and often provides the teller with some sense of importance.
Isn't it stange how yesterday's 'truth' that no part of blood was to be used, has now been replaced with the use of blood fractions being a conscience matter. If lethicin had been derived from blood, it would probably have been a very minor fraction at best. To my knowledge, the Bible has not been updated by its Author to make allowances for modern technological advances.
It's also funny (sad) that a rumor circulated almost 40 years ago, still pops into my head when I'm looking at deli meat or wieners in the grocery store.
Yes! I do recall the great Hershey Bar heresy of the '70s. Classic stupidity.
