Blood transfusions

Discussions surrounding the various other faiths who deviate from mainstream Christian doctrine such as LDS and the Jehovah's Witnesses.
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jenna
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Blood transfusions

Post by jenna »

Out of curiousity, why is it that JW's and certain other religions refuse a blood transfusion even to the point of death? The way I understood it was that God said we should not EAT the blood of an animal, not that we shouldn't have anything at all to do with it. The blood is the "life" is it not? :? Just another dumb question from me...
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by zoegirl »

This from the Wikipedia article when you google JW and blood transfusions

THey use Acts 15:29

29(A) that you abstain from(B) what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."

Bit of a stretch :shock:

Interestingly, they have become quite the pharisee when it comes to deciding what parts of blood are permissible. Very legalistic.
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by jenna »

Ok, that makes sense if you really wanna see it that way.. I guess. But I definitely agree with you there.
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zoegirl
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by zoegirl »

Doesn't make a bit of sense to me.... :D

But that is the verse they use.....

I was bemused at the twisting and turning they did to condone *some* forms of tranfusions in an attmept to legitimize some transusions while maintaining the verse.
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by FFC »

zoegirl wrote:Doesn't make a bit of sense to me.... :D

But that is the verse they use.....

I was bemused at the twisting and turning they did to condone *some* forms of transfusions in an attempt to legitimize some transfusions while maintaining the verse.
I have a feeling a few of their loved ones had to die before they started making some concessions. I can understand not eating blood, but getting a blood transfusion is not the same thing.
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by jenna »

Yes, I agree on this totally! :D
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by FFC »

jenwat3 wrote:Yes, I agree on this totally! :D
Yeah, it's along the sames lines as some pentecostals who won't accept medical treatment because it would demonstrate a lack of faith in God's healing power. What a tragedy to those who die while waiting for a miracle.
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by JCSx2 »

FFC wrote:
jenwat3 wrote:Yes, I agree on this totally! :D
Yeah, it's along the sames lines as some pentecostals who won't accept medical treatment because it would demonstrate a lack of faith in God's healing power. What a tragedy to those who die while waiting for a miracle.
I think God can heal through the hands of a doctor.

On the other hand the Doctor is not responsible for blood clotting, skin making new cells etc....
Definition of a Veteran. A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including his life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by jenna »

JCs, have you read my article on spectacular cells, by any chance? :D
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by oscarsiziba »

I think Jesus Himself donated His blood(life) for our redemption!Anyone who says he knows Him ought to walk even as He walked-1 JOHN 2V 6
Like Balaam, they are angry at those who would prevent their ruin.
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by JesusSmiles »

oscarsiziba wrote:I think Jesus Himself donated His blood(life) for our redemption!Anyone who says he knows Him ought to walk even as He walked-1 JOHN 2V 6
What a sweet way to word it!!!!! y@};-
--------------------------------------------

I think the JW stand is based on the transfer of blood as being a 'covenant'. This is true in all other cases....but in a medical blood transfusion the blood is only going one way...so no covenant is being formed. I really like the way
oscarsiziba put it. I DO donate my blood. I've done this for years while working on a military base and know the great need. It's not a covenant....it's a gift.
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by Canuckster1127 »

JesusSmiles wrote:
oscarsiziba wrote:I think Jesus Himself donated His blood(life) for our redemption!Anyone who says he knows Him ought to walk even as He walked-1 JOHN 2V 6
What a sweet way to word it!!!!! y@};-
--------------------------------------------

I think the JW stand is based on the transfer of blood as being a 'covenant'. This is true in all other cases....but in a medical blood transfusion the blood is only going one way...so no covenant is being formed. I really like the way
oscarsiziba put it. I DO donate my blood. I've done this for years while working on a military base and know the great need. It's not a covenant....it's a gift.
I think the whole situation is an example of what happens when the legalistic keeping of Old Testamant laws is elevated above the death and resurrection of Christ.
Dogmatism is the comfortable intellectual framework of self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is more decadent than the worst sexual sin. ~ Dan Allender
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Re: Blood transfusions

Post by JesusSmiles »

Canuckster1127 wrote:
I think the whole situation is an example of what happens when the legalistic keeping of Old Testamant laws is elevated above the death and resurrection of Christ.
Well, I've always looked at marriage as a blood-transfer covenant. This is pretty much why sex outside of marrage can give a person a whole bunch of problems emotionally....beyond the obvious physical. A person can carry around so much 'covenant baggage' until every relationship they enter into is doomed to fail. Two people 'became one' who weren't committed to the concept and the end result is nothing but confusion and pain. All the Prozac and therapy in the world won't get a person beyond it....only getting Born Again and letting Jesus heal you will take it away. I don't say this glibly...I say this from past experience.

I do agree that people get all legalistic about many of the OT laws. I have no idea why they chose that over the freedom salvation brings. It's such a simple concept but people like to muddle it all up.
God is Great, and therefore He will be sought.
Good is Good, and therefore He will be found.
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