Hi glode just a couple more quick points and then I hope that you read www.ajwrb.org and please check all references. Do not take my word for it - read and check the references.
You said
"I believe that since the Israelites were the only ones under the Mosaic law, they clearly wouldn’t matter about the other nations.. did Jehovah give note of what was to happen to anyone outside the realm of Israel?
I remind you of the eternal covenant which addresses three main issues:
1. Noah and his descendants may eat animal flesh, but not "flesh with its soul-its blood."
2. Murder is forbidden - "Anyone shedding man's blood, ... will his own blood be shed..."
3. Noah and his descendants are to produce offspring in abundance - "be fruitful and become many..."
The WTS has argued that this is an "eternal covenant" that is binding upon all of mankind. If this is true can we pick and choose which parts of it are applicable and ignore others? But how could the law give permission to a foreigner to violate God's etnernal covenant with all of mankind? Obviously is can't and thus, Deut 14:21 shows the law doesn't apply to foreigners unlike what the WTS says.
Go read Leviticus 17:15 - "As for any soul that eats a body [already] dead or something torn by a wild beast, whether a native or an alien resident, he must in that case wash his garments and bathe in water and be unclean until the evening; and he must be clean.
The context argues against the WTS's explanation. If you examine Lev. 17:13,14 you will note that hunting was being discussed. It is only reasonable that the following verse is in some way related. An Israelite hunter would logically come across a dead body while hunting from time to time and this verse provided some guidance as to what could be done. Additionally, a lost or stranded Israelite might locate such a carcass and choose to eat it because he was hungry. These explanations are reasonable and logical, unlike the WTS's tortured logic which is necessary to support their blood doctrine. Remember no one in the bible died from failing to take a bath & it makes perfectly clear a native could eat unbled meat. (Portions taken from http://www.ajwrb.org/bible/qfr83.shtml)
One final point you said
They have stated, that the matter of blood fragments is to be a conscience matter, something which basically is them saying “we don’t have any clear evidence this is wrong, so if you can justify it, its up to you” I don’t find anything wrong with this stance
The leadership and you seem to forget that these banned components are made using specialized techniques just like approved "fractions". Like just look at red blood. To make separate red blood cells, man-made machines, preservatives and anticoagulants are needed. Further machines and drug techniques are needed to separate white blood cells, platelets and plasma, and then break plasma down to albumin, globulins and the other natural parts found in blood ("Blood Components" Transfusion Medicine, University Pathology Consortium, LLC ( http://upcmd.com/transfusion_medicine/blood_products/rbc/product_description.html).
What does the witness leadership (not necessarily the medical community) deems a blood fraction as well as whole blood transfusions of blood as long as recirculating occurs. Approved blood fractions include albumin which makes up 2.2% of blood and hemoglobin which makes up 14.7% of blood. The leaders have banned blood components that include red blood cells, plasma, white blood cells (which makes up only 1% of blood) and platelets (which makes up only 0.17% of blood). Very rarely does a doctor transfuse whole blood but instead gives the separate blood product you need.
Seeing all these man-made techniques are required to make banned and approved blood products, just where in the bible does it say it is not okay to take a blood component like red blood cells but it is okay to take transfusions of fractions like hemoglobin (which makes up 97% of a red blood cell by dry weight).
Also you should consider the determination of a banned blood product - The leadership will tell you their bible based reasons why they do not accept whole blood or the 4 major blood components. So where in the bible do you see what constitutes a major blood component? No where. Thus, the witness will refer you to an encyclopedia or other medical research to show red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma are the major components of blood and thus, are banned.. But just look at page 237 of "Modern Blood Banking and Transfusion Practices - Fouth Edition", by Denise M. Harmening, PhD, Chair and Professor, Dept. of Medical Research at the Univ. of Maryland. On this page we find a discussion of major components of blood include red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma which are forbidden by the leadership. Interestingly, however, we also find Cryoprecipitated Antihemophilic Factor, Factor VIII concentrate, Athtithrombin III, Albumin, Plasma Protein Fraction, and immune Globulin are also listed and discussed as major blood components. Does it look like the leadership is manipulating the definition of banned blood component to fit its need instead of applying bible principles?
Like I said, when you get done with www.ajwrb.org, I hope you and your conscience and of course your girlfriend and her conscience can think hard and determine if this doctrine is and was worth all of those young children dying.
hawk
