Originally Posted by randygurl

Speaking as someone who was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, I would like to help clarify the family's position on this matter - if only to help further discussion in this thread.

Alongside their deeply held belief that they should abstain from blood because it is against God's Will, is the belief that all faithful Jehovah's Witnesses will one day be ressurected to a paradise earth. So you can imagine how this mother was feeling - being told that in order to live she would have to violate her faith by receiving a blood transfusion. Would it not be better, in her eyes, to remain faithful and accept whatever the consequences - knowing that she will be rewarded in a paradise earth? She would hold the same beliefs for her children because she as a parent is the one responsible for their life. Both spiritually and physically - until they come of an age to make the decisions themselves.

There have been many many cases in the courts of Jehovah's Witness children as young as 14 who refuse blood transfusion. The doctors and courts argue that they are not old enough to fully understand the situation and therefore cannot make the decision for themselves. And depsite the fact that they are underage, and there legal guardians support this decision, the doctors still try and take it upon themselved to force a blood transfusion because they feel it is in the patients best interest. But the patient believes otherwise. Who is in the right and who is in the wrong? I don't think that's for any of us to decide, unfortunately when these cases go to court, its up to our judicial system to decide. But at the end of the day - both the parents and their children have every right to fight until their dying breath to avoid something they feel so strongly about. Because they feel they will be rewarded for remaining faithful (and who are we to say they're wrong?).

I feel like maybe I may not have explained myself clearly enough - and for the most part it may be because I have left the religion I was raised in - I no longer wanted to follow their 'rules' (most specifically in regards to sex before marriage and dating outside of the religion), but my beliefs on blood and blood transfusions will never waver. Even if I never return to being a Jehovah's Witness - I will always maintain this belief and abide by it. Not because I think that I will be rewarded by being resurrected to a paradise earth (lets face it, I think I'm screwed in that department) - but because I still firmly belive that to knowingly comply to a blood transfusions is one of the gravest sins you can make against God. That may make my a bit of a hypocrite, but so be it...

Here's an interesting article that it actually gleaned from the Watchtower Society's offical website (the Watchtower Society being the equivalent of the Vatican for Jehovah's Witnesses):

http://www.watchtower.org/e/hb/index...article_02.htm

Please...continue discussion...