Date Posted: 6/28/2013 4:30:41 AM
Posted By: Chadeshady Membership Level: Gold Total Points: 1697
Accidents happen; some critical, others severe while others life threatening… bottom line is they do happen on a daily basis. Even at this very time you are reading this, there is an unmistakable sound of a siren reverberating in one hospital’s courtyard. Inside the ambulance is an accident victim writhing in pain; the first among many that will be brought to that hospital on this particular day. It could be another victim of the latest series of frequent road accidents caused by reckless driving, over-speeding, careless pedestrian or an unlucky passenger. And so you have a patient in a critical condition suffering from a broken knee and bleeding profusely on the thigh, it’s obvious that s/he will have to undergo surgery as soon as possible. Depending on the amount of blood lost, doctors may prescribe a blood transfusion during the operation.“God’s law on blood is not open to reform to fit shifting opinions,” this is according to the Watchtower magazine, a main policy publication by the Jehovah’s Witnesses Church. Notice the simplicity in the choice of words but yet still, they are presented in rather finality stance. As if to imply (actually it does imply) there is no further discussion about the matter.With millions of units being administered around the world annually, blood transfusions have been termed as life savers by patients and doctors. But while blood is generally viewed as a life saver in medical emergencies, the Jehovah’s Witnesses hold a contrary view. Members of this church worldwide have refused blood transfusions; Acts 15:29 being the anchor scripture upon which they base their belief on ‘bloody’ matters. Their Bible-based stand on blood is not subject to medical or other legal interpretation. It is such an uncompromising stand that has seen their church members argue countless court cases either to defend their position against possible transfusions or brought against them by the authorities. And you wonder the oxymoron here, right? How can blood be seen as a life saver by one party and yet under different circumstances be considered blasphemous to be used a life saver by another party.While many disagree with their religious stand, Jehovah’s Witnesses adherents say they always strive to have the best medical care that does not involve the use of blood. Baptized members of the church carry an advance medical directive stating that no blood transfusion be given to them under any circumstance. Which means medical hospitals, and staff will be released from their refusal of blood. No law suit will be filed or brought against them if death is the end result of their denial. It is a challenge for doctors to treat Jehovah’s Witnesses without blood; however they are informed of any risks involved in their refusal to accept whole blood transfusions.Here is the paradox to this whole matter; the refusal by this organization to accept blood transfusions has led scientists, urologists and physicians worldwide to pioneer bloodless medicine and surgery as the preferred treatment of many people including non-Witnesses. Talk of trying to save a person who doesn’t want to be saved.
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