A JW explains Blood Fractions

by OrphanCrow 50 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  OrphanCrow

  vidiot: @ OrphanCrow...
  Didn't you once mention that the Org's "blood phobia" may have actually had its historical origins in the privately held racist views of certain WT higher-ups way back in the day?
  That they didn't want to risk getting transfused with blood from black people or somesuch, so they went looking for "Biblical" reasons to reject the treatment?
  Maybe I'm wrong.

  Oh, you are probably right. I likely said something like that - and don't forget the blood of someone whose sexual orientation was different. Well, anybody of "difference" - no contamination allowed.

  Separate and elite - the chosen ones.

  Unless, of course, that blood had been "offered on the altar" - altar blood. That blood could be used. And destroyed. By the high priests of the bloodless world. Made into fractions - taking the best and most valuable parts out. Just like in the old days. The best and most valuable reserved for the priestly class. Those who determine the law and tax the chosen ones. The blood priests. Blood tax.

  Sterile blood. Processed blood. Destroyed blood. From the altar of those medical professionals who collect it, sell it, and profit from it. Given to those who desire to keep their blood pure and undefiled.
• 

  TheWonderofYou

  Again I found the "most, some or other" JW-fractions mentioned in the text. These figurative fractions of JW seams to be used as textpattern to propaganize no-blood techniques. Figurative fractions of JW unabashedly and strategically used as propaganda tool for PBM and to implant the necessity to work with the industry. How often have these groups been used as tool?

  1st group: most" Witnesses accept blood fractions is because most of them are the product of destroying blood
  2nd group: some individual JWs view this as an indication that Cryo is not included in the prohibition of blood
  3rd group: But, other Witnesses may refuse for various reasons

  The 1st fraction, the "MOST JW are not so extreme at all", they are the cool, modern ones who support new technology and like any new apps in the onlinelibrary, they are happy about any easement, this group is the one that impresses the publicity with technical apps and pads in the ministry, the modern and "reasonable" generation which accepts scientific interpretation of old dogmas and wears apple watches.

  The 2nd fraction is the "JW must have SOME very clever people among them", they have scientific educated supporters of new PBM techniques", "wise insiders", "long experienced JW" who can impress with a very good bible knowledge and exhibit medical experience, who even are able to conlude that some factor VIII and co-factors in the blood may not be included in the prohibition. Such SOME clever PBM supporters, who know the bible as well as medicine distinguish themselves as future councellors of the Governing body and press officer.

  The 3rd group is the "hardliners are anyway only an OTHER negligible minority". No JW wants really to be counted to this awkward fraction, to a group who looks " for various reasons" to remain backwardly in an old book, an attitude that appears extreme and not modern. Therefore this fraction is the minority which is of little importance and not supported by most JW, who mostly would smile at those hardliners, who ignore the reasonable arguments of modern techniques used in the PBM or even may not use the new tools.

  Further it seems that JW happily need not listen to or are not influenced by any trains of thoughts originating from these "most, some or other" fractions as they are making a personal choice anyway.

  General strategy:

  JW are good citizens and no danger, as JW "leave it up to the personal choice".

  JW dont dictate to anyone anything, but before leaving it up to you, you need to worried about this moral issue so much, you need make every reasonable effort to avoid disobeying and to understand it as issue in which you can loose everything, reputiated by your family, friends and God.

  
  
• 

  btlc

  I would add a comment from a publication made in my country about JW and blood, which catch my eye (it is a google translate, hope it is understandable):

  There is a dilemma all the time. I would not want to be cynical, but maybe what I'm going to say sounds cynical, but not intentionaly. Namely, as a transfuziologist I need to know what is the origin of any blood type. Blood composition and immunoglobulin and albumin and high-purified concentrations of blood-induced coagulation factors. Behind them stands a huge industry, multinational companies; their application earns enormous capital. That's acceptable. Blood, the erythrocyte concentrate, which is synonymous for "full blood", is practically on the verge of profitability. Not to be accepted. Granulocytes, platelets, plasma, which cost nothing, are not accepted. Transplant medicine, everywhere in the world a highly profitable profession, is acceptable. Liver transplantation (colleague X knows, a liters of blood is in one liver when is taken out) is acceptable. Transplantation of peripheral cells (what is the difference from erythrocyte? but there is a lot of money on that) is acceptable. Transfusion, which is not profitable, is not accepted. My big dilemma remains on that.

  It turns out that, from the point of view of the medical profession, the official attitude of JW to blood is consistent only in one thing?
  
• 

  ScenicViewer

  JWs often don't listen to themselves.

  From the OP...

  For example, Gray's Anatomy says: "Blood consists of a fluid medium called the plasma in which are suspended minute structures called the formed elements of the blood. The formed elements include (1) the red blood corpuscles (RBC), (2) the white blood cells (WBC), and (3) the platelets."-pg 727

  The quote above clearly shows that it takes 4 components to make blood, the plasma, red corpuscles, the white cells, and the platelets.

  This quote is then reinforced by another quote...

  "Dailey's Notes on Blood" says that red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma, "are referred to as whole blood."–John E Dailey; 4th edition.

  Again, this shows that it takes 4 things to make blood.

  However JWs will not allow even transfusing just one of those things. They will say that plasma, for instance, is blood and is therefore off limits. But the quote they provided clearly says it takes 4 things to make blood, not just one thing - plasma by itself is not even close to being blood; neither are the other components by themselves.

  Then the JW poster follows up with this remark...

  So, "blood" is naturally and logically differentiated by its four primary components.

  Whatever that means. I think he/she means that any single component of blood is equal to whole blood, which is ridiculous. And this is said after a reference was just quoted saying that it takes 4 components to make blood, not just one.

  As JWs so often do, the quoted poster cites a few sources, then makes tremendous leaps in logic to try to lead you to their own conclusion.
• 

  Alive!

  Through the years, following my baptism and conversion in the 90s....I was ever bewildered by the amount of literature on blood and 'fractions' - and changing medical directives etc.

  I reasoned with myself, during the initial process in which blood is artificially removed from the living body, does it cease to be blood? No.

  Surely, I reasoned, the abstaining of blood finds its moral and scriptural beginnings in the actual taking and donating of blood. An upholder of this doctrine would surely refuse any substance that initially involved the donating and taking of blood. It's that simple, because whatever you call the end 'blood fraction', blood was donated in order to produce it.

  But anyway, the real issue is that a life isnt taken or snuffed out in order to sustain another humans life through the taking of blood. We don't kill a human to get their blood, in order to 'sustain' our own lives.

  That, in anyone's book is repulsive.

  Blood taken from a willing, voluntary and living being is a mere transfer of 'organ'.

  A life is not lost or murdered.

  This doctrine is another embarrassment to JWs and also a danger.
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  possum

  This information comes from the advocate site for reform on blood:

  If Jehovah s witness are such a loving organisation why don’t they donate blood?

  Hemophiliac preparations (Factor VIII and IX)(Approved): It takes about 9000 kilograms of whole blood to make one 0.1 gram dose of Factor VIII. A person suffering from severe hemophilia typically requires several doses a year.

  The Watchtower Society is not ignorant of this:

  “Each batch of Factor VIII is made from plasma that is pooled from as many as 2,500 blood donors.” (The Watchtower, June 15, 1985, p. 30)

  “Dr. Margaret Hilgartner of the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center said: “A severe hemophiliac is exposed to the blood of 800,000 to 1 million different people every year.”” (Awake! Oct. 8, 1988, p. 11)

  More than 250,000 blood donations are required annually to produce the factor VIII, and factor IX that is consumed by the Jehovah’s Witness community. Huge vats could be filled with all of the human blood that is stored and processed to meet the needs of Witness Hemophiliacs.The Watchtower ignores these facts when explaining why it allows use of these “small fractions,” but cynically emphasizes them when it uses AIDS as propaganda against blood transfusions.

  
  Albumin (Approved): Blood contains about 2.2 % albumin by volume. (White Cells – which are prohibited – comprise about 1% of blood volume).

  Albumin is often used to treat burns. A typical treatment for third degree burns (30-50 %) requires 600 grams of albumin. Producing this amount requires about 45 liters of whole blood. How can anyone call this “a small fraction?”
• 

  jwleaks

  Ask a JW: "Is it acceptable to eat blood sausage made from human blood fractions?"

  If they answer "No" then ask them: "Then why is it acceptable to inject human blood fractions into your body?
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  Lee Elder

  Never confuse devotion to the organization with logic.
  
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  smiddy

  Doesnt the Bible say words to the effect that :

  "blood is not to be stored and that it is to be poured out on the ground " ?

  Doesnt that rule out collecting blood ,processing it in a laboratory into fractions ,then storing it again to be used at some later date by a Jehovahs Witness who refuses Blood products ?

  Just asking.
• 

  Pubsinger

  Ask a JW if it's ok to be a blood donor? No blood fractions can be obtained without blood donation. If blood donation 'breaks God's law' then no fractions can be allowable.

  The stealing a car and selling its parts analogy is totally correct. It can never be a matter of conscience.