General Chat

Penny,

I am making the assumption that you are a JW. Forgive me if I am wrong.

Can we take from that quotation that all Jehovah's Witnesses are vegetarian? I respect anyone who is chooses that course, but still cannot accept the blood transfusion aspect.

Elisabeth

I work with and personally know about 40 JWs. My views on this are quote strong, I do not support their decision not to receive blood or blood products.

There are alternatives but quite expensive!

I will never understand this particular dictat and no amount of explanation will convince me otherwise.

Absolutely no offense to any Witnesses who may read this post it's just my personal view.

Sue xx

Well my friends family who are all JW - definitely are not veggies but very fond of their meat and being N. Irish - big on meat eating.

I get so upset by JWs - I have a note taped to the inside of the glass on my front door - it reads 'no JW's - thank you'. I make no apologies for this - they have their religion - I have mine. They walk down my path, read my note and are kind enough to go their way.

Hope you don't mind me adding my views to this thread - and I'm not adding to stir up any contention or anything as I hate all that sort of thing and am a peaceable person by nature, but I just felt compelled to write this.

For those who have ever spoken to a JW you will know that they base their entire beliefs on the Bible, taking this to be God's word and their beliefs are not made up by any human on this earth. They consider themselves answerable to God for all their actions and therefore His views on certain issues reign superior to any human viewpoints. Their goal is everlasting life, not everlasting death. By remaining faithful to God to the very end, this woman proved herself worthy of eternal life. Had she chosen the easy way out, yes, she may have lived to see her children growing up (I say "may" because with a transfusion there are no guarantees and we all know the various life threatening diseases one can catch from a transfusion) but her goal for the future would have been destroyed, she would literally find it very difficult to live with herself knowing she had broken such a sacred law.

It is extremely difficult for anyone without the full knowledge of what the Bible teaches to understand how someone could have a faith so strong, a belief so real that they could possibly consider giving up their life in order not to break one of God's laws - even if it means leaving their young children, partner and family behind. That is not by any means an easy thing for anyone to do. That poor woman must have been absolutely torn inside - but stood firm to her beliefs, no doubt with the backing and support of her family and friends.

In the bible it clearly says that blood is sacred and belongs to God - and early Christians were forbidden from partaking of anything that contained any type of blood, whether that be animal or human. In fact, if God views mere animal blood as sacred (hence the need to drain its life blood before eating the flesh) then how more so that of a human?

It's very easy for us to sit here and judge the actions of that very brave young lady, but without her faith none of us can understand why she took that decision.

Her family and fellow believers know that she made the right decision. They know that she is just sleeping right now until the time when she will be woken to rejoin her loved ones on earth at a future point in time, after God has cleansed the earth of all false religion. That is their ultimate goal and the desire to please God is what drives them on to remain faithful to the very end.

As an aside - you may be interested to know that JWs are not against medical science and operations etc - it is simply the blood that they refuse. And, yes, there are blood substitutes that can be given in many circumstances but the NHS choose to make life very difficult by not always providing these substitutes at the earliest opportunity to prevent a death.

My own mother almost died after she gave birth to my youngest sister in the 1960s because she lost so much blood. The nurse was slapping her in the face and calling her "stupid" because she was refusing a transfusion and yet mum remained firm to her beliefs and eventually they gave her a saline solution which helped her body make up her blood supply and, thankfully, she survived with a clear conscience.

I'm not trying to preach at anyone on here - I'm in no position to do so, anyway, as I am not a JW - but my father still is and so was my grandfather and so I do have an amount of knowledge about their beliefs.

JWs are not members of some strange sect that do weird things - they are normal, God-fearing, fun-loving, life-loving, respectful, honest, law-abiding citizens (but they are by no means perfect) and it hurts me to read some of the things that GR members have said about this young woman's decision.

Maybe at times like this, when it is all "beyond us" it's best not to say anything. The same way that many of you cannot comprehend her saying "no" to a transfusion, JWs find the thought of another person's blood entering their body as something abhorrent.

It's an extremely difficult thing on both sides to understand, I know.

Anyway, I just thought I'd add that bit to this thread - not sure it's helped at all but I just felt I needed to speak up on her behalf.

Best wishes - Athena

Athena,
Can I just say well done dear in explaining that, my granddad was JW and I used to go with him till I got to my teenage years, he also died because he wouldn't have a blood transfusion, but like you have explained they view it so different to other on the street etc;;;

Babs

this is a difficult one for most people to understand that are not witneses but more people die or have coplications from recieveing blood not all alturnitives are expensive you can be given fluids to bulk out they can also give iron to help the body but as they believe that they will see each other after judgement day then they will hold on to this belief .the local congrgation i am sure will do everything to suport the family and while there are good and bad in all barrels i have to say of all the witneses i have meet i wind them the most caring of people with a very strong faith .alot of people have there own beliefs and this will always be a touchy subject .the family did what was right for them and to be honest there are some ops that are done today because of witneses the fact that we have a machine that can be used to extend your own circulatry sytem for major ops was only developed because of witnesses steps can be taken before birth i think that there is the possibility that this might of happened anyway and the reporters have just jumped on the fact that they are witneses.women do still die in childbirth in this country regardless of faith.i send my sympathy to the family on there lose and will not judge them or anyone else for there views .i have written this just to help people understand and do not me it to afend in any way .victoria

I just hope this young woman is one of the 'chosen few' to inherit everlasting life, after making this sacrifice. Am I right in saying that only 144,000 will be privy to this?

Fluids do not give the necessary oxygen, red blood cells are needed for this.

Athena, I do hope that your father saw to that nurse who hit your mother??
What a terrible thing to do....
that is not so uncommon either, it happened to my sister when she had her third baby.
BECAUSE..... she was taking too long!!!
The nurse was caught by two doctors.... she was sorry, but for herself I'm sure.
Deanna X

no that is not right the 144.000 will be running things in heaven whilst the rest of whitneses and any others who get through judgement day will be on earth.the 144.000are a seperate lot who in general know who thay are.99% of witneses are not among these.victoria

Is there anyone on this Earth that can honesly say they know what is going to happen after death? I don't think so, so let us all respect this family's view and send them our sympathy. Maybe if the hospital had done all it could, she would have lived, I await the enquiry results.
Athena, 'well said'
How many people die because of what they worship ie. drugs, drink, cigarettes, how many children have no mother due to these things? do we feel the same about them?
I couldn't give up my life for any of these things, including religion, I see my children as miracles from God, I just hope He forgives me for all my wrongs including not going to Church and not being strong enough to mend my ways.
Janet

as a mum i best not say how i feel

I must admit I'm dithering in this-the Bibles teachings are for no blood to mix,but I'm a blood donor and believe God would have not made blood transfusions possible without his permission.

Thank you Athena for the explaination. Although I still don't agree with letting someone die, it does go some way to explaining their beliefs and I suppose we should respect those beliefs.

Why do so many innocent people have to die for the sake of a religion ?????????????

JW's, Jews, Christians, Muslims etc. etc. what has it achieved??

The more I've thought of this, how many innocent millions have died in the last two millenium and for what ? and how many more ?

My own belief is that religion has killed or murdered more than it has saved.

But everyone to their own opinion, this is mine.

L

My opinion for what it,s worth is that each and everyone of us is given the ability to make decisions, some would say it,s a gift from their God , one of which being a belief in life after death , most religions hing on this belief. To me , religion and it,s rules is man made , faith comes from somewhere higher and more meaningful . This lady made her decision based on a man made religion but I do respect her faith in life after death ,
Hope this makes sense and does not offend
Kim xx

Having read all the thread.I'm inclined to think "judge not lest you be judged".
Like many of you I can only feel saddness for the family involved.
The press etc rarely get all the facts right.
I have been in a road accident (years ago) and personally thank God for the good souls who's blood saved my life.
Amanda

Im rather confused!

whats the difference between eating the flesh of an animal,that obviously still contains blood so therefore your body will absorb and recieving a blood transfusion!
If the quote from the bible is why J.W can not recieve blood then surely they should abstain from eating meat of any kind,Including fish!

to be honest
if it ment going to hell later when i die
or being able to see my babies grow up.
i think i would have to go to hell
coz me as a parent would do anything for my children. i will never understand JWs
but we have to respect their wishes even if we dont like it.
Roxanne how true ......
Rosex

To take another tack, the Bible says if a man does not work neither shall he eat (cant remember the exact quote), so do men who believe in every word in the Bible insist on working until they drop dead, even if they are ill? And do they refuse to eat if they cant work, or refuse food to those who cannot work for some reason?
I believe that some of the things in the bible were said to fit a situation at that particular time, eg in times of famine or war it was necessary for everybody to do their bit to help the tribe. But in these times of mass production etc it is not so necessary.

Sorry-can I add colour,caste or creed?