Posted by Cygnus on March 15, 1999 at 21:15:58 {MWxw4lFTnu54M}:
In Reply to: Your guys R Right about blood! posted by Omega1 on March 15, 1999 at 20:13:45:
Hi Omega. Nice to have you aboad. Let's try to clear up some misconceptions you've got, all right?
: Ok, I want to say I am not a J.W.(not yet but I want to be!)
Great. Just don't get dunked unless you are fully prepared for the consequences. Talking to responsible and honest people on H2O here will certainly help you make that decision.
: I do agree with you guys about Blood is sacred. I use to think that blood can save someone's life and donated blood before. But after a co-worker gave me the book of Knowelege(a great book btw), I realize that blood is sacred.
Well, yes, blood is sacred, sure. But what it represents is more sacred, wouldn't you agree? Isn't that really the point of 'sacredness of blood and life'?
Thus, does it make sense that God would legislate against using blood for the purpose it was intended, particularly when a fellow human is in dire need of it?
: Not only that, but in our blood contains blood from our parents who contributed in our creation. I don't mean to sound selfish, but why should I give a stranger my blood which is the mixture of my parents blood, and my grand parents blood and so on?
Actually, your blood is your own. You manufacture it; that is to say, your body does (you do so involuntarily). Your parents or any ancestors are really pretty irrelevant.
Unless you are willing to further your position by claiming that 'strangers' aren't worth monetary donations derived from funds given to you or prepared for your benefit by your family. What kind of reasoning is that?
: My parents didn't want me to donate, but I felt it was a good thing to do to possibly save lives. but I did do research and artifical blood can do the same thing (more expensive and less effective) without having to stick a needle in me. So bottom line, no more blood donations unless absolutley nessesary.
What artificial blood? No working synthetic blood replacement exists as of yet. There are alternatives, but none do with red blood cells do. That said, I agree with your basic premise -- the less blood transfusions the better. The Watchtower recommends many alternative methods that do have great success these days.
: BTW what happens if a JW donates blood?
Probably nothing, as long as it isn't publicized. I am unaware of anything in writing that specifically discusses
what congregation action should be taken against a baptized JW who donates, so I suppose it would fall under the jurisdiction of the local elders and they'd decide. My guess is if the JW plans to do it again, and says so, he'd be
disfellowshiped.