Watchtower leadership believe its own blood doctrine?

Does Watchtower leadership believe its own blood doctrine?

What does the evidence suggest?

Read more at http://ajwrb.org/Watchtower_Leadership_and_Blood.pdf

Lee Elder

I am glad to see this post as the Society's doctrine is a scam and manslaughter.  These frauds MUST MAINTAIN the deception and keep Witnesses dying or otherwise face dissolution of the organization and possible massive lawsuits.

I continue to say that the organization's effort on blood transfusion is a death dealing, Nazi-like affair.  Somebody somewhere KNOWS SOMETHING! They tried to de-emphasize the issue years ago with the book that succeeded the "United in Worship" book and then suddenly backed away.  WHY?  Who believed otherwise?  Who OK'd the original change?

They are corrupt and hiding behind the 1st Amendment while they enforce death on the sick and weak.

metatron

Thanks for the thoughtful essay on the subject. I like your factual approach.

Watchtower Oct 1st 2008 p31 (for comparisom)

"You may have heard that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not accept blood transfusions. Have you ever wondered why?

This Scriptural stand is often misunderstood. Sometimes people assume that Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse all medical treatment or that they simply do not value life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jehovah’s Witnesses seek the best medical care available to them and their family members. However, they seek nonblood medical management. Why?

Their stand is based on a fundamental law that God gave to mankind. Just after the Flood of Noah’s day, God gave Noah and his family permission to eat the flesh of animals. God imposed this one restriction: They were not to consume blood. (Genesis 9:3, 4) All humans of all races descended from Noah, so this law is binding on all of mankind. It was never rescinded. Over eight centuries later, God reaffirmed that law to the nation of Israel, explaining that blood is sacred, representing the soul, or life itself. (Leviticus 17:14) Over 1,500 years later, the Christian apostles commanded all Christians to “keep abstaining . . . from blood.”—Acts 15:29.

To Jehovah’s Witnesses, it is clearly impossible to abstain from blood while taking it into the body in a transfusion. They therefore insist on alternative treatments. That Scriptural stand often results in an even higher standard of medical care. No doubt that is why many people who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses also request bloodless medical treatment."

The same Watchtower 01/10/08 had this sad experience - As told by Soledad Castillo, from Spain 

"Eight months after the death of my father, our family doctor told me to take Saúl to the local hospital, since he was suffering from extreme fatigue. After a series of tests, the doctors informed me that Saúl had leukemia.

During the following two and a half years, Saúl was in and out of the hospital as he struggled to cope with the cancer and the chemotherapy the doctors used in their effort to fight it. The first six-month program of treatment led to a remission that lasted about 18 months. But the cancer returned, and Saúl had another shorter treatment of chemotherapy that severely weakened him. The cancer went into remission for only a brief period, and Saúl could not cope with a third course of chemotherapy. Saúl had dedicated his life to God and had expressed his desire to be baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, but he died just after reaching the age of 17.

Doctors often recommend blood transfusions to counteract the aggressive nature of chemotherapy. Of course, transfusions cannot cure the disease. When the doctors first diagnosed the leukemia, both Saúl and I had to make clear that we would not accept this treatment, since we wanted to obey Jehovah’s law to “abstain . . . from blood.” (Acts 15:19, 20) On several occasions, Saúl had to convince the doctors in my absence that he was making his own decision in this matter. (See box on page 31.)

The doctors finally came to the conclusion that Saúl was a mature minor who understood perfectly well the nature of his disease. They agreed to respect our stand and offered us bloodless treatment, although we were under constant pressure to change our decision. I felt very proud of Saúl when I listened to him explaining his stand to the doctors. Clearly, he had developed a close relationship with Jehovah.

During the summer when we first learned of Saúl’s disease, the book entitled Draw Close to Jehovah was released at our district convention in Barcelona. That invaluable book proved to be like an anchor to keep us firm as we faced our uncertain and daunting future. During the hours we spent in the hospital, we read portions of it together. During the many difficult times that we endured afterward, we often recalled its contents. That was when the text of Isaiah 41:13, mentioned in the prologue of that book, came to have special meaning for us. It says: “I, Jehovah your God, am grasping your right hand, the One saying to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I myself will help you.’”Saúl’s maturity and optimism deeply impressed doctors and nurses at Vall d’Hebrón Hospital. He endeared himself to the entire team that took care of him. The chief hematologist handling cancer cases has since treated other Witness children suffering from leukemia, and he has accorded them great respect and dignity. He recalls Saúl’s firm decision to uphold his beliefs, his courage in the face of death, and his happy outlook on life. The team of nurses told Saúl that he was the best patient they had ever had in that ward. They said that he never complained and never lost his sense of humor—even when he was about to die.

A psychologist told me that many children who have to face such a terminal illness at this age tend to rebel against doctors and parents because of discomfort and frustration. She noticed that this did not occur in the case of Saúl. To her, it was amazing to see Saúl so calm and positive. This gave Saúl and me an opportunity to witness to her about our faith.

I also recall how Saúl indirectly helped a Witness in our congregation. He had suffered from depression for some six years, and medication had not improved his condition. On several occasions, he spent the night caring for Saúl in the hospital. He told me that Saúl’s attitude in the face of leukemia deeply impressed him. He noticed that despite his exhaustion, Saúl tried to encourage everyone who visited him. “Saúl’s example gave me the courage to fight my depression,” this Witness says.

Three years have now passed since Saúl’s death. The pain, of course, is still there. I am not strong, but God has given me “the power beyond what is normal.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) I have learned that even the most difficult and painful experiences can have a positive side. Learning to cope with the deaths of my husband, my father, and my son has helped me to become more unselfish and more understanding toward others who suffer. Above all, it has drawn me closer to Jehovah. I can face the future without fear because my heavenly Father still helps me. He still grasps me by the hand.[Footnote]

Saúl had lymphoblastic leukemia, a serious type of blood cancer that destroys the white blood cells."

Muy Bueno!

Skeeter

No they CANNOT really believe it or they would not up and change it without so much as a second thought or backward glance at those it has affected.

Knorr didn't believe it, and got the vaccination issue changed so he could do his 1953 world tour.

I bet every change in medical dogmas has to do with a particular treatment needed by somebody on the GB.

If any isiders could tell something of the health probs various members faced, like Freddi F during his last illness - incidentally when they REALLY relaxed the rules on blood fractions, maybe we could acquire some insight.

HB

I think that essay is spot on!

The teaching on blood is ill-defined and openly contradictory.  There is no single element of a forbidden transfusion procedure that is not permitted in other procedures

However, they seek nonblood medical management

that is a lie - plain and simple.

Besty said:

However, they seek nonblood medical management

How so?  You lost me.

The "medical management" they seek without blood sometimes costs JWs their lives, but where's the lie?

om

Every blood fraction they accept (97% of whole blood at the last count) is seeking blood-based medical management.

To say they seek nonblood medical management is a lie, or at best not accurately representative of reality.

It would be completely accurate to say:

"We seek the best possible medical management including all blood fractions but excluding major components we define as red cells, white cells etc etc..."

I've heard plenty of stories of the rank and file dying due to refusal of blood but never of a higher up such as a co, do or gb.  How is that possible?  Do you think a higher up would secretly use a blood transfusion?

Thanks Besty.

Sometimes the neurons take a while to get in sync.

om

   The focus I recommend: the 12 or so JWs leaders claim their exclusiveness
(the only leaders of a literal 144,000, a fraud started by Russell and continued
ever since) is shown by 12 or so exclusive or relatively exclusive rules, which
they claim are required by a conservative interpretation of the Bible and are
substantiated by the best evidence and reasoning.

  That isn't true or those rules wouldn't be so exclusive about such old
material tackled from about any angle you can think of for centuries.

  1. So when they go to try to prove those rules that way, and they quote from a
book, look for the book.  (There are books of examples of JWs leaders using
quotes out of context misrepresentatively, and there are chapters in my report
of authors complaining about their reference books being misused that way by JWs
leaders.)

  2. If they say, "That's what the others" (such as mainstream Christians)
"say," see what the most reasonable thing is the others say.  The JWs leaders
probably don't represent them by their most reasonable outlooks.

  3. If related historical context is important, you better look it up yourself
because if it's bad for their case, they won't tell you about it.

  The motive for the insincerity for exclusiveness is for the money from
literature sales.  It's especially bad if anyone is hurt or killed over it.

  (The leaders seperate persistant critics from their other victims by notably
harsh shunning rules, such as for any of their distinctive rules, which has
divided friends and family.  Followers have died following the JWs leaders in
Germany and Malawi, etc.  The JWs leaders had a tract on their blood rules that
had kids on the cover and claimed thousands have died putting God's word first.)

  In this case, the ethics are comparible to Peter Poppof feigning exclusiveness
with a radio transmitter in his ear and telling followers God told him their
names and addresses and illnesses (transmitted to him by his wife backstage),
that they were healed, and to throw away life sustaining medications like nitro-
glycerin and insulin.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Popoff 

  The JWs leaders are the only ones with their rules about the medical use of
blood and minor blood fractions.  All three methods given above apply to how to
research the way they teach it.  The matter of quotes out of context is
especially ironic when the book is the Bible and things like Paul's writings
about food are omitted.
  http://www.freewebs.com/glenster1/gtjbrooklynindex.htm
  http://gtw6437.tripod.com/

Lee Elder, that was a much appreciated article. On the Beacon for former forum there is a nice banter. My favorite man M Shilmer has much food for thought in regards to watchtower leadership and the doctine of blood.