that reminds me of the best post I have ever read from anewperson. it was about what constitutes 'informed consent'. In my opinion THIS is informed consent from a JW; these are the quaestions a doctor should be asking.
1) Can you tell me the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words for blood and bloodguilt?
2) When did the Watchtower first ban blood transfusions?
3)When did sanctions begin against Jehovah's Witnesses for medical acceptance of blood?
4) What blood products are banned by the Watchtower, which are acceptable, and what is the rational for this?
5)What will be the reaction of Jehovah's Witnesses/Watchtower if you accept blood and they find out about it? How will you be treated if you refuse blood?
If the Jehovah's Witness cannot answer these questions when the doctor asks them, then any consent is not INFORMED. Mouthing off a bunch of memorized scriptures is NOT informed consent. I also feel that in this case no one but the physician him/her self should go through this with the patient; this duty should not be pawned off on a nurse or administrater.
People are dying because docotors don't want to take 30 minutes to educate themselves, nor take another thirty minutes to talk to their patient and ask them questions. Because I guarantee you, once a JW finds out the Watchtower history on 'blood, medicine and the lawlessness of god', I think you will find more of them will consent to blood.
In 1975 a crack team of publishers was sentenced to death by a judicial commiteee. They promptly escaped from the cult and now live life on the run. If you have a problem ... and if you can find them ... maybe you can contact the A--postate Team"
