by Mulan 20 Replies latest watchtower medical
Has anyone heard about the WTS changing it's view on storing your own blood? We heard today, from a friend, who is out of the Borg, that they now allow this.
He has a relative who died of leukemia, and the parents (the father is an elder) are very angry now, because this young man could have lived with blood transfusions. I doubt storing his blood would have saved him, because his blood was the problem, but it's a step in the direction of allowing blood now.
Can anyone confirm this?
Mulan,
I'm trying to keep a close tab on this issue myself. I have not seen anything mentioned on AJWRB or anywhere else so I don't think it can be confirmed. It would be great if someone could prove me wrong.
I know we should not speculate but there are a couple of things to consider:
1. The blood cards not being issued this year. GB was about to make serious doctrine change in regards to blood transfusions but backed out at the last minute.
2. The new release at this year's District Conventions is the "Worship the Only True God" book the replaces the "United in Worship of the Only True God" book. If you compare the table of contents of the two books, the table of contents are identicle EXCEPT chapters 14 and 20 have been omitted from the new book altogether. Chapter 14 is regarding the annointed and chapter 20 is regarding blood. I went back to my old United book to read that chapter on blood and on pg 158 it explains that it would not be proper for christians to store their blood, siting Deut 12:24. Somewhere in that chapter it also states not recieving human nor animal blood transfusion.
I can't help but wonder about this. If my speculations are correct, I wouldn't be surprised if it's already leaked out and thus why your friends might know of this. Afterall, there are only 6 months left before January comes around again and the blood card issue will once again be discussed in the congregations. I can't help but wonder if a change will be made then.
That's just my 2 cents.
Some conventions have already happened, so maybe that is it. Thanks.
I always prayed the society would relax its blood policy.
Now, Im not sure how I or my J.W. family will handle it. I think about all the ones who have died faithful. My grandfather faithfully refused blood during surgery on two seperate occasions. Once during open heart surgery, which he lived through because he did the "grey area thing" and allowed his own blood to be pumped back into him. He had time and was was given blood expanders before the operation. The Liazon Co. said although a grey area, it would be acceptable as long as "The blood is continually flowing". The second surgery was an emergency and was not successful.
I think the society is trying to change this policy quietly, without actually making a big whoop di do about it. I imagine they may slip info in the back of the watchtowers until it is slowly accepted.
Actually "blood cards" were issued this year but were not distributed. I think AlanF had a scan of what they looked like. I think it used the phrase "no allogeneic" (blood from someone else) and seem to imply autologus (your own stored blood) was okay. They were not handed out and were destroyed and JWs were told to use their old ones.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=21758&site=3
Thanks Blondie,
I missed Alans thread.
Do you think that by not giving witnesses "new" blood cards, the society can almost not hold themselves responsible. They could almost reason, "well, those are old blood cards, we no longer practice that."
My guess is there will probably be no more blood cards issued as they discreetly try phase it out.
Last night at dinner, I brought this subject up. My mother became faint and had to leave the table. I think it REALLY got to her.
My brother's wife died in 1977 when she didn't get blood after an emergency birth situation. She lost a tremendous amount of blood, and died in about 14 hours. We all believe now, that blood would have saved her. The doctors were crying, literally, and begging anyone in the room to take responsibility for this woman's life. There were about 30 extended family, and we all sat there 'waiting on Jehovah'.
Anyway, Mom knows that the next thing is to allow blood transfusions, and that would have saved Janice. She was very upset about the young man's (22) death, because he was the grandson of one of her friends.
ummm..... the only thing that is allowed, conscience permitting is the stortage of blood as long as it is used for what the society determines as blood factions.
Just like what you reported before STAR
There is no reported allowance for the storage of your own blood for banned blood compentents except for white blood cells in a peripheral blood stem autographing procedure (the doctors term this a white blood cell transplant instead of a tranfussion even though it really is a transfusion).
Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid blood doctrine that allows little children to needlessly die.
hawk
Mulan,
I know what she is feeling. Its like, we want it to happen so bad. It needs to happen, but when it actually does, I think we will all be standing there with our jaws dropped. It almost brings all the pain back that you felt when they died only worse. The "What if" feeling , KNOWING that there was more that could have been done to save them is overwhelming..
I bet that did shake grandma up a bit. Wait until Uncle L and his daughters hear that they have changed their policy and his wife and their mother died needlessly. Horrible.
The new release at this year's District Conventions is the "Worship the Only True God" book the replaces the "United in Worship of the Only True God" book.
The updated title of the book is interesting. Since the policies differ all over the world, they really aren't "United in Worship" any more are they?
Rachel
