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ARE BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS FORBIDEN BY GOD?

Here is what JW.org says about blood transfusions.

http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jehovahs-witnesses-why-no-blood-transfusions/

Here is a quote:  ” Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses accept blood transfusions?  This is a religious issue rather than a medical one. Both the Old and New Testaments clearly command us to abstain from blood (Genesis 9:4;  Leviticus 17:10;  Deuteronomy 12:23;  Acts s the heart, vessels, and so on — it is essential for life. But when ingested it’s 15:28, 29) Also, God views blood as representing life. (Leviticus 17:14) So we avoid taking blood not only in obedience to God but also out of respect for him as the Giver of life.”

In Summary, the JW Organization view is:

1)  Bible says to abstain from blood.
2)  Life is in the blood – respect Jehovah as life giver.

OUR RESPONSE:

We know the there is much health advice in the Old Testament.  Blood in the heart and vessels is essential for life, but when ingested through the mouth and into the stomach, it is toxic. Okay, so it is good medical advice not to ingest blood.

How is a blood transfusion not respecting Jehovah as life giver?  We get the opposite thought.  By embracing the life and healing benefits of blood transfusions are we not showing our appreciation to Jehovah for his provision of the live giving benefits He has provided in blood?  Since blood represents LIFE, then why not use it save a LIFE, providing it’s not contaminate, but then again without “worldly” donators the JWs couldn’t get blood fraction!

To make a rule of no blood transfusions allowed, which has often resulted in death of a loved one, is not a position we would want to have to defend some day when standing before Jehovah’s judgement seat.

“But flesh with the life thereof, which Is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.”—Ge 9:4

THIS and other similar texts of Scripture are being used by some In an effort to prove that donating blood to save another’s life, or receiving a transfusion of blood, Is forbidden by God and a sin So gross as to result In eternal death. Are we justified In placing such an interpretation upon the divine injunction against eating or drinking the blood of lower animals?

Read more here:

68 comments to ARE BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS FORBIDEN BY GOD?

  • Jacqueline

    THIS JUST A LINK ON SOMETHING NEW ABOUT BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST: A cure for Sickle Cell has been successful.

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618194714.htm

  • Arimatthewdavies

    I want to bring this up because the blood transfusion issue is so big with Jehovah’s witness. The bible forbids the eating of blood. But it also forbids working on the Sabbath. That’s Saturday Jehovah’s wittnesses! In the old testament both of those laws could have got you stoned to death if you broke them. But Jesus worked on the Sabbath and when questioned he said that the law was made for men.and that Jesus was lord over the sabbath. He gave a simple example about a farm animal stuck in a pit and lifting it out on the sabbath.OK if you can break the sabbath for health or life’s sake.why on earth would you die or let your kid die over a blood transfusion? No Christian goes around seeking an opportunity to break the law. But Jesus plainly showed that life and health needs are a valid reason to break the law.furthermore Jesus himself donated his body and blood to save human life. Its not rocket science friends. Its pretty plain here.to allow harm to yourself or children who needs blood to live is saying.
    I am trusting gods law above Jesus forgiveness!
    My friends blood is sacred to Jehovah. Therefore its your Christian duty to make sure that blood is not spilled upon the ground unless you have killed something! For food! You must not kill is a commandment. So don’t you dare kill yourself or another in any attempt to uphold the law! Simply do what Jesus did give your blood or body to save another. And if you feel guilty of a sin ask Jesus forgiveness!

    • Jacqueline

      Amen!
      I know others might want to comment on this. You were only unclean until the evening when in battle they ate the blood with the flesh, you didn’t have to die. Good point on Sabbath.
      My computer is signing off until tomorrow night. Good bye.

  • Jacqueline

    This is so sad that this 21yr old died not realizing Jesus has shed his blood for us and you don’t have to die because of following other men that has replaced him as a governingbody.

    http://www.businessghana.com/portal/news/index.php?op=getNews&news_cat_id&id=195219

    • Anonymous

      Sad. I wonder what the Apostles would’ve said or done concerning blood transfusions it they lived in our time?

      • Jacqueline

        Blood has always been used to save their lives so I think they might find it strange. Rutherford said that organ transplants was cannibalism and some died in the early years. They were only unclean for evening in Israel. They were not stoned to dead if they violated eating the blood without draining.
        Besides you can get all blood off meat. The point I get is that life is sacred and not to shed it or disrespect one that is lost by drinking the blood or making walking in it as disrespect etc. This is a medical procedure to save life, if God meant it as a medical prohibition involving life he would have in fairness been clearer. Other medical decisions are not discussed in the bible so how the society makes their life or death decisions bothers me.
        How can a mother or twin stand there and let their child make such a decision in this day and age of computers to get other religious opinions baffles me.
        But I have a son that says he will die for and instead of the governingbody, so I guess it’s their life. So glad the governments at least protect the children, let grown folks do what they want.
        The governingbody has blood on their hands.

        • Anonymous

          Jacqueline,do you consider the current GB to be blood guilty or just the ones who implemented the restrictions on organ transplants, vaccines and blood transfusions?

          • Jacqueline

            That body has the power to stop it as Br. Raymond Franz advised. Since they keep it in force, I say they are bloodguilty still. In fact in my father day, my childhood in 1950″s, they didn’t really enforce it like today. There was no liason committee. You didn’t discuss your medical with anyone. Rutherford didn’t enforce it.

      • rus virgil

        The apostles couldn’t say more than Jesus have said , because they “remained” in the “teaching of Christ” – 2 John 1:9 .

        Let’s see what Jesus and the Holy Spirit teach us regarding “blood” :
        Acts 15:
        28. ˜It’s apparent to the Holy Breath and to us, that we shouldn’t put any burdens on you, other than these necessary things:
        29. Stay away from things that are sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things that are strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you stay away from these things, you will do well. Good health to you!. 2001 Bible Translation

        We see , there are two indications about abstaining from blood:
        — “stay away from blood”
        — “…… ……. from things that are strangled”

        So we understand , beside the abstaining from things strangled – of whom blood was not poured on ground -, there is the general commandment :”stay away from blood ! ”

        That one includes every posibility of using blood (posibility known or not known to humans at that time ).

        Some will say : we may demostrate our love for our neighbours giving to them blood (for health purpose ); Or our life may reach the point of needing blood for transfusion.
        What will the christian do ?

        Jesus answers :
        Luke 17
        33. Those saving their lives will lose it, but those who would lose it will come back to life.
        John 12:
        25. The one who is concerned about his life will lose it, but whoever doesn’t care about life in this world will keep it safe and live through the age.

        Jesus concluded :
        50. ˜I know that His Commandments mean life through the age. So, I say whatever the Father told me to say. And that’s what I’m saying.
        John 12.

        • Jacqueline

          Rus virgil, we are told to abstain from fornication lying, gossip etc and we don’t die from it. Many medical procedures can be put under not cutting the body etc. It was a practice in that day to drink blood, use it in food for animals and humans. Blood transfusions are not like organs it goes out of the body. Organs have blood on them yet it is allowed. Blood fractions is in a lot of your medical treatments now. So where do you draw the line. I half of a percent is still blood. It does not say blood transfusion, it is subjective. That is just my point of view.
          Others may make decisions on their own medical decisions without others getting involved and condemning them. Some may chose not to take blood and some people refuse Chemotherapy and that is their right.
          I personally don’t think they were discussing medical issues here. They were speaking to Jews not about medicine but rules of CONDUCT, respect for life as it is represented by blood. Jacqueline

  • Mathias Wingsternes

    The requirement not to eat blood was not a “mosaic”-exclusive command, but was given to Noah at the time men was allowed to eat living beings for food.

  • Hank

    To Dupin

    Mt 5:17,”Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill.”

    Romans 3:31,”Do we, abolish law by means of our faith? Never may that happen! On the contrary, we establish law.”

    Ro 8:4,”that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk, not in accord with the flesh, but in accord with the spirit.”

    Ro 13:10,”Love does not work evil to one’s neighbor; therefore love is the law’s fulfillment.

    Col 2:13,14,”Furthermore, though you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcised state of your flesh, God made you alive together with him. He kindly forgave us all out trespasses and blotted out the handwritten document against us, which consisted of decrees and which was in opposition to us; and He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake.”

    That sounds like a person can do what ever they want. Pastor Russell did not teach that, nor does the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

    For example. 1 Kings 13:9,”For that is the way he commanded me by the word of Jehovah, saying, ‘You must not eat bread or drink water, and you must not return by the way that you went.'”

    This worshipper of Jehovah failed to heed Deut 13:3,”you must not listen to the words of that prophet or to the dreamer of that dream, because Jehovah your God is testing you to know whether you are loving Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul.”

    That one time worshipper and prophet failed to be obedient. He lost his life for not listening. A lion killed him.

    Now consider, when the voice from the cloud said, this is my Son, the beloved, listen to him.

    And that one said as master, he would appoint a faithful in discreet slave and said they will feed the domestics. Now we both know this would be in the last days. And Jesus who we agree we need to listen to said he will do that, and he said they will feed the domestics.

    Now Pastor Russell did not claim to be that one. And when asked if he thought the WT would be used as God’s channel after he died, he replied that would be remarable if God did not. Keep in mind he never said the WT was inspired and neither do those who have printed it since his death.

    You mentioned the old arrangement and the new. The one I showed was someone who was a faithful worshipper and prophet of Jehovah. But he put his guard down. Likewise when Jesus said he would have that feeding arrangement. He showed a few verses down that some who also fed off the spiritual food would turn and go against the feeders.

    Sadly we have seen this fulfilled, but rejoicingly, it shows where the truth is. And it shows Jesus new what he was talking about doing.

    Read Acts Chapter two and tell me if people ,worshippers of Jehovah and having the Hebrew Scriptures heard new teachings, new light and became believers from listening to a few men.

    Also, Rev 1:5 refers to Jesus as the faithful witness. At that time John was the last living apostle. This was new light. Did all the Christians accept it? We do not know. Yet, a big difference from the JWs ans those who left is, JWs get new understanding, whereas those who leave don’t. And those who leave do not have a faithful slave feeding them now. Why is that big? Because Jesus said he would have one feeding them, and we have God telling us to listen to his Son.

    It is so clear.

    Hank

  • Hank

    To Dupin

    Lets go back to the time of Moses. Instead of the way it went, lets look at the two possible ways.

    1. We agree that when the nation of Israel accepted the law covenant. Deut. 5:1-4 “Hear,O Israel, the regulations and the judicial decisions.” I am sure you agree we need to personally hear.
    Continue,”that I am speaking in your ears today.” If we disagreed on listening or hearing, I think it is made more clear.
    Continue,”and you must learn them and be careful to do them.” LEARNING AND DOING!
    2.This would be another way. There will be 12 tribes with their inheritence. All twelve may make adjustments to fit their lifes.
    1A. Some may take the sits and takes some things out, but as a whole you are all brothers in the one faith.

    2B. Some may take the sits only, and no changes in thinking the author made at a later date. But as a whole you are all brothers in the same faith.

    3C. Some may call him Jehovah, or Yahweh or whatever. But all are brothers in the one faith.

    4d. Some may accept that one as the faithful slave, even though he never said he was. But all are brothers in the one faith.

    I could go on and on here. But the number one version is what the Bible taught. And when they went to Baal, golden calf,Molech and so forth, the God of Israel punished them, Never did he reward them for those ways.

    As previously shown, JWs today feed off the same food, just like they ate the same manna, or when Jesus fed them fish and bread.

    Group two feeds off many differnt things, which like Baal, golden calf Molech and so forth are not approved By Jehovah God.

    Hank

    When you try and get me to come and join that pick want you want worship, I find it repulsive.

    Rethink your position.

    Hank

    • Dupin

      Hello Hank:

      It seems to me you’re doing exactly what the Witnesses’ leaders do by conflating the Jewish age with the Gospel age and trying force the needs of the former on the latter. The differences between the Jewish age with the Gospel is much like apples to oranges and to try and impose one as the model for the other is a fallacious line of reasoning Hank. Here is why:

      In the Jewish age God dealt with the nation of Israel and set it up as a geo/political nation occupying a specific geographic territory with a set of laws, something any nation must have for the sake of avoiding chaos. Even then the way Israel functioned under the Judges was very different than under the kings. It functioned in the manner of a confederation more than a kingship with maximum freedom given his subjects by God to do as they would as long as they followed his law, which was a perfect law. It only ever changed to a Kingdom at the request of the Jews, who rejected God and his rulership (1 Sam. 8:1-9).

      The Gospel age is different, with a different purpose and requirements. The purpose of the Gospel age is to gather the church and prepare them for their role in Christ’s kingdom, period. The implication of that purpose is that God is dealing with persons individually instead of as a nation. To gain our place in the kingdom we are to fulfill the law, not follow a law (Gal. 6:2; Rom. 13:8-10). Paul further informed his readers in Romans that Christ was “the end of the law,” thus while we’re called to fulfill it we aren’t under it (Rom. 10:4). So one simply cannot look to one age to form the model for the other in this matter.

  • Hank

    Thank you Dupin;

    If it were that easy, we could just have those verses and get rid of the rest of the Bible. We could read the Bible every day.

    “let him acknowledge the things I am writing to you, because they are the Lord’s commandment.” 1 Cor 14:37
    1 John 4:6,”He that gains knowledge of God listens to us.”
    John 10:27,”My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
    What group of Bible Students can say they belong to the group that matches what Jesus did and showed?

    Mat 14:15,”send the crowds away, that the y may go into the villages and buy themselves things to eat.” How did Jesus react to what they suggested? 16,”They do not have to leave: you give them something to eat.”

    How would you have reacted with about 5,000 men with women and children there? If you can’t answer that, that is fine, for I can’t myself. Maybe you would have said what they did. 17,”We have nothing here but 5 loaves and two fishes.” Luke’s account adds,”unless perhaps we ourselves go and buy foodstuffs for all these people.” 9:13 Mark 6:40,”And they laid them selves down in groups of a hundred and of fifty.”

    Lets say total was 7,500 and half were fifty and half were 100. 50 groups of 100=5,000. 50 groups of 50 =2,500 for the total of 100 groups to feed.

    Did Jesus perform the miracle and make the food? Yes!
    Did Jesus say put them in groups? Yes!
    Did jesus feed them or give that assignment to his disciples? To his disciples.
    Did everyone eat the same kind of food? Yes
    Would you say it was reasonable that they all eat different amounts? I say yes!
    Now lets compare the Bible Students today.
    Both claim Jesus is the Head of man. 1 Coe 11:3
    Both have ecclesias or congregations.
    But only one groups eats the same food!!!
    The other groups eat not only not the same food the fishes and loafs, but hamburgers and pork and everything possible.

    Now back when the time came for the John the Baptist group to start up, Satan with his vrafty ways had many other groups starting up also, to make it hard to identify who was the real group.

    And then Satan again was crafty when right from thr John the Baptist group and the ones right in the newly appointed kings reign broke of several small groups doing another lok alike system.

    But, here right before the end is coming God and His Son have shown that Satan cannot come close in trying to copy the group thats has ecclesias, of less then 50 between 50 and a hundred and some over a hundred all eating the same spiritual food and all being fed by a few, just like in Jesus day.

    It is so clear.

    Hank

    • Dupin

      Dear Hank:

      The problem is that it is that simple, yet men reject it because they just don’t see how anything so precious can be. You set up a straw man in your argument and proceed to knock him down. That’s a really common way we see people approach debate these days.

      It would be a mistake to think that just because it is that simple that we can just dispense with the rest of the Scriptures. For instance God does expect us to grow as Christians and produce fruit, not just follow laws (Matt. 7:15-20, 25:14-30). Paul tells us what that “good fruit” is and Peter tells us how to produce it (Gal. 5:25; 2 Pet. 1:4-8). We call that the Doctrine of Character Development and most of the New Testament is devoted to giving us the knowledge and instruction we need to bear that fruit in our everyday lives and make our calling and election more sure.

      The rest of the bible gives us the foundation of knowledge we need in order to understand more fully our situation and how God worked out our salvation on his p[art. The New Testament connects the dots for us and helps us to find success on our way with the help of God, his son and the Holy Spirit. So we can’t just throw the whole thing away no more than we can try to build a building with only a miniscule part of its blueprints.

  • Hello all and especially Jaqueline,
    Knowing and understanding Jehovah, is not a matter too far away, if we listen carefully. It does however depend almost entirely on our own knowledge base, which God takes into account when he formulates dos and don’ts.
    It is like bringing up and education our children, who are born without a knowledge repertoire. They are a blank slate to be written upon by others and their own life experiences.
    This initially requires just giving orders without detailed explanations of the why still beyond their mental grasp. We might just comfortably cocoon it in a momentarily satisfying phrase out of many our imagination may concoct, like ‘because it makes mommy or daddy happy, smile or the little doves on that tree out there will love you for it.’ whatever, etc etc etc.
    Ancient Israel were what in our own age and time would be termed stupid, as in lacking not intelligence, but knowledge of sufficient quality hone it to better understand the whys and wherefores of the world they sojourned and for them to do so safely and to benefit themselves.
    That was the only reason for the law given to them at Sinai: -’17 This is what Jehovah has said, your Repurchaser, the Holy One of Israel: “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit [yourself], the One causing you to tread in the way in which you should walk.”’ NWT (others use profit instead of benefit)
    So whether it had to do with Blood, foreskin, relative isolation for the ladies during their monthly period, not mixing this with that, be firm in bringing up the young or whatever other matter beyond their current ability to understand, they just had to DO IT to demonstrate their faith that Jehovah had good reason to demand their cooperation.
    Just imagine the life of the Israelites in tents at ground level with little awareness of proper hygiene, bacteria, viruses etc.
    Without refrigeration and especially in the relative primitive environs of ‘tent city’, the shelf life of unbled meat is almost zero.
    As for Blood transfusions it’s better we don’t, while it was never forbidden even as drinking and eating it has not. Paul simply said it be more beneficial if we do not for HEALTH reasons. The spiritual aspect injected into this issue by some religious organisations is simply manufactured.
    For those who had the pleasure or otherwise of wading through the maze of all the little dos and don’ts of the minutest blood fraction and timing details, it is little different from the kosher requirements of Judaism. Jesus came to free Israel from the requirement of the Law and their debt to God incurred through their blatant transgressions.
    Christianity has seen fit to reimpose many features of that law and made laws for their flocks from just good advice given by Jesus and the Apostles. My Goodness!
    Here is a helpful link: http://www.englewoodhospital.com/index.asp.
    for those who prefer not to have blood transfusions. Great resource even tough we may ill-afford their services.
    Bye
    Dieter

  • Hank

    To Peter;

    Thank you for your comments and no I saw it coming. That is why I have a real soft spot for you.

    Let me tell you of a true life expierence, but all names are made up. I was hired with a company and given all the rules and requirements and excepted and became apart of the nation.
    Lets say I was in the law covenant by agreeing.

    At a period of time later I met the man who was lower than the one directing things. Soon after that I met the president of the organization, even shaking his hand and listening to him teach and guide us. And then he opened my eyes to who he works for and my knowledge reaaly increased although that one was not there where we could see him. But the president explained how he was picked for the job and how special and important this one who I would never see was. This I was able two expierence two years in a row, once each year.

    But this organization continued to aid me for the one vice president personally aided me. And under him he had associates to aid us.

    I know what you are thinking. Where do I Peter come in? And why the soft spot?

    You see this organization has competion. Many of the competion don’t have a concept like ours. Tons and tons of them, so when we get one to come to our concept we teach and train them.

    But here is the problem! When that other group, which has almost identical concept,is there, they find it impossible to join our group, because they think theirs is better.

    To try and help you, lets break it down to 5 pans of food.
    1. We both serve baked and fried chicken. Only differences are, the breading and fry oil and cooking times.
    2. Both serve mac and chesse, but one uses fresh chunks of cheddar, but the other a powered mix.
    3. One has prime rib, the other sirlion tips.
    4. One has salad, but so does the other, but differ in toppings served.
    5.Both have fruits but have different ones.

    Now you must agree a person could eat at either and be satisfied, and some will say I like that one better, and some will say I like that better.

    But one is better, which makes some right and some wrong. But because of the closeness it is very hard to tell. Unless you really know what the ingredients are in the foods and handling of the foods. Most people don’t know the rules of food safety, GMO foods, The ice in dispensing machiens is worse then the water alone and so forth.

    And that is why!

    Hank

    • Jacqueline

      Hank, I know you are talking to Br. Peter, but the nation of Israel was like that. 10 tribe vs 2 tribe. Jehovah dealt with both, although we can see where they both had things wrong but both were still in the covenant relationship with Jehovah. When ten tribe was conquered the remnant went together with the two tribe. Jesus line came from one of the two etc. So I wonder sometimes.

    • Peter K. (admin)

      Hank – So I see that you are contrasting the JWs and Bible Students.  You see a lot of similarities, so are we really all that different?

      I believe that there are some important differences.  Just to name a few:

      1)  Ransom for ALL – reflects the true nature of God’s generous love.

      2)  Chrisrian Liberty – allows an environment where the New Creation can interact with each other and grow spiritually, freed from a straight jacket of tough and unforgiving man imposed rules.

      3)  Natural Israel now being restored – shows God’s mercy, forgiveness and that He keeps his promises (I.e. land forever)

      However there are as you indicate, so many areas web have in common.

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