Not too long back, when I was an elder still administering the Advanced Medical Directive, I asked a question regarding blood fractions to which I never got a satisfactory answer. It went something like this;
If a brother or a sister agrees to accept blood fractions then we need to be aware that these fractions have come from donated blood, very often not just a single donation but the result of extraction made from multiple donations. However, if I was found to be a source of a fraction that could save a brother or sister's life could I give blood in order to save them?
It seemed to me at the time, there was no way a witness in 'good standing' would ever give blood, no matter which parts were to be used. However, to only accept something and never to give back seemed selfish to say the least.
After asking questions like that, see where you are now!
My mom recently went through a treatment that involved blood fractions, and she was very much concerned about it. I made sure not to ask too many questions... didn't want to queer the deal.
Ethical failure rising from a basically selfish obsession with one's "integrity" and "salvation" in the "pharisaic" mood (as caricatured by Christians, for the historical Pharisees were actually much more ethically consistent).
JWs benefit from the protection of the armed services and police but if a member joined those same services, they would be DF/DA.
JWs benefit from the "on call" medical practioners but if one of their own members were to fail to be at all the meetings, they'd be classed as "immature".
JWs (WTS) benefit from all that the taxation laws provide but do their very best to avoid paying any.
JWs benefit from democracies but fail to take any part in its support.
Need I go on.....
It goes something like this:
JWs benefit from the actions of blood donors but fail to see their own responsibility.
I asked the question to the Elder of the hospital liaison commitee
"we do accept blood fraction - why are we not allowed to donate? Or other way round if we are not allowed to donate, why could we accept fractions?" It was something with the isralites being allowed to sell flesh to strangers. But when i mentioned "so we are strangers that receive bloody flesh ..." he had no answer. The problem now - the elder is one of the HLC and doesn't know (cheese and cracker man?)
Actually it's not technically a DF'ing offense to donate blood if -- and it's probably an untested "if" -- the donor feels that the blood will be fractionated according to present Watchtower allowances. In practice, it means that if a JW donates blood, and knows the ins and outs in advance of a confrontation with elders, all he has to do is claim that he thought that the blood would be "properly" fractionated. Elders have no written instructions that I'm aware of that say otherwise. And I''m sure that the Service Department won't want to open this big can of worms.
There is another aspect to this question which I didn't explain. That is, these blood fractions are only a small part of the donated blood. The rest of the 'donation' is not thrown away but will be used, e.g. as packed whole red blood cells for transfusion into acute blood loss patients. So as a witness you can accept part of the donation and not displease God but the patient accepting the part of the donation containing 'major' components is breaking God's law. I am sure the HLCs understand the donation/fraction system works but does not have an answer for this.
I'm a nurse and sometimes have to administer blood or blood products to my patients.
Here's a concept to wrap your head around: Almost all fractionated blood products usually come with a manufacturer's insert that includes a statement to the effect that this product is made from large pools of donors' blood. I know they do. I've seen these product inserts and even have a couple at home.
Now, if forcing a JW to accept a blood transfusion against their wishes is equated to "rape", and the WTS compares willingly accepting a blood transfusion to committing adultery... where does their "logic" take you when you start thinking about blood fractions being acquired from the blood of "large pools of donors"?
Does the WTS mention that blood fractions that are acquired from "large pools of donors" is the same as participating in an orgy? If that's the "logic" they apply, why is it OK for JWs to use fractions?
Excellent point from someone who knows about blood first hand.
Does the WTS mention that blood fractions that are acquired from "large pools of donors" is the same as participating in an orgy? If that's the "logic" they apply, why is it OK for JWs to use fractions?
This large pool of donors does have its big potential downside. Many hemophiliacs contacted AIDS because of contaminated blood in the early days of AIDS. I remember when the Society used to make a big thing about the health benefits of not having blood. The change to allowing fractions derived from 'large pools of donors' sure blows that out of the water.
