Is the decision to give blood to your child strictly a conscience matter?

by M.J. 31 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  M.J.

  Can't believe they said those things to you, rebel8.

  See the infamous cover of the 1994 Awake magazine bragging about all the kids who died because of their parents' obedience to the blood doctrine: http://quotes.watchtower.ca/blood.htm Ask her to get that out and look at it. I can't imagine she could possibly look at that article and honestly say the WTS is not against blood transfusions for children!

  Actually, that sounds like a good suggestion. But unfortunately her magazine pile in the garage only goes back to late 1995.

  Even though the kids in the article and in most news stories involve older kids that appear to be making the decision for themselves, the responsibility for such a decision truly falls on the parents. How can a child of any age independently make such a decision?
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  rootcause

  Confused? Doctors said when you got same blood type after undergoing series of test from a donor, you will able to get a transfusion. But how come crime sceens blood were tested for DNA and scientific/doctor community said no two human have same DNA?

  Will these mean after they gave you transfussion doctors will say " we gave you identical blood but wih different DNA." Help!!!
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  JH

  The JW policy of giving or receiving blood is in constant change, so in my book I wouldn't mind giving blood any more, and my conscience would be clean. As far as receiving blood, I still would refuse.
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  Soledad

  According to the bible those dedicated to God and a disciple of Jesus abstain from blood

  Ok and what does "abstain from blood" really mean? Does the bible specifically prohibit a transfusion? Were transfusions even heard of back in Biblical times?
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  jgnat

  Welcome to JWD, rootcause.

  Blood type does not identify your blood to the exact degree as DNA testing does. Long before DNA, doctors had discovered that people with certain markers in their blood would have an allergic reaction if they received blood that did not have those same markers.

  I have O negative blood. Which really means I have NO MARKERS that would trigger an allergic reaction in other people. Anybody can take my blood and not have an allergic reaction. On the other hand, I can only take O negative blood because I would reject blood that has ANY MARKERS AT ALL.

  http://www.biology.arizona.edu/human_bio/problem_sets/blood_types/Intro.html

  Now THIS is a cool site: Learn to blood-type all by yourself, flash game. I received five blood drops. Where's hibbie's thread?

  http://nobelprize.org/medicine/educational/landsteiner/
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  rootcause

  Still puzzled????? how can a doctor guranteed they can transfused a perfectly matched blood? when they said no two people have same DNA. Will it be another Oooppps of the future?
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  jgnat

  Rootcause, people don't reject all kinds of donor blood. Only those whose "typing" is different. One doesn't need a perfect DNA match to accept blood.
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  Frogleg

  This question is without doubt the most emotional question that a human being could face: should I kill my child or not? Everything is "strictly a conscience matter". Legend has it that God asked Abraham to kill Isaac as a test of Abraham's "love"; but, at the last instant, God stopped Abraham, pronounced him as his best buddy, and everybody went home and lived happily ever after. Now, I'm curious as to why God would expect more out of a parent today than he expected out of Abraham? Sorry, but there is nothing I need from a God who demands child sacrifice, I don't care what his name is.
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  jgnat

  My guess is that most faithful JW parents hope that SOMETHING will intervene before a child dies from the no blood doctrine. In many cases the state WILL intervene if the child is a minor. The parents lose custody, the child received the transfusion and lives. A good show down at the hall how they "stood up" for what they believe and everybody goes home happy.
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  IT Support

  M.J.

  This is the form that the elders fill in to report to the Society that someone has been disfellowshipped or disassociated. Notice the comments in parentheses after question 2: