why don't Jehovah's witnesses have blood transfusions?
444023
because the bible says so. of course i've never read anything about knocking on people's doors early in the morning in the bible.
1085080
Jehovah witnesses do not believe that Jesus is the son of God.  They chose to distort the bible to engulf their own beliefs.  The bible is not a buffet, you have to accept it in its entirety.  If you call parts of it a lie, then you are calling God a liar.  God is a God of truth, love and forgiveness.
1059511
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the scriptures demonstrate a clear pattern indicating the sacredness with which Jehovah God (and thus god-fearing humankind) views all creature blood.\n\nPredates Mosaic Law.\nFor example, over a thousand years before the birth of Moses, the pre-Israel, pre-Jewish, pre-Hebrew man Noah received what the scriptures record as only the second restrictive command on humans (after Garden of Eden's tree):\n\n"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; of every beast I will require it [that is, lifeblood] and of man" (Genesis 9:3-5)\n\nJewish Law.\nLater, God's feeling regarding blood was codified into the Mosaic Law. This part of the Law dealing with blood was unique in that it applied, not just to Israel, but also to non-Jewish foreigners among them. It's also interesting that besides forbidding the consumption of blood, the Law also mandated that it be 'poured out on the ground', not used for any purpose.\n\n"No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood. Any man also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust." (Lev 17:12,13)\n\nBy comparison, it's significant that the Law also forbid the consumption of ceremonial animal fat, but that didn't apply to non-Jewish foreigners and it DID allow the fat to be used for other purposes.\n\n"The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the people of Israel, You shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat. The fat of an animal that dies of itself, and the fat of one that is torn by beasts, may be put to any other use" (Lev 7:22-24)\n\nEarly Christian era.\nThe Christian era ended the validity of the Mosaic Law, but remember that the restriction on eating blood preceded the Mosaic Law by over a thousand years. Still, does the New Testament indicate that Jehovah God changed his view of blood's sacredness?\n\n"[God] freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses" (Eph 1:6,7)\n\n"[God's] beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins... and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood" (Colossians 1:13-20)\n\n"we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood." Acts 15:19,20\n\n"For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity." Acts 15:28,29\n\n\nFor most Jehovah's Witness parents, they would never "let their child die" but would work with every health care professional they could find to pursue every non-blood treatment they could think of.
314037
Some of the answers being given in here are truly amazing......because of the incredibly ignorant prejudice people have and their utterly idiotic reasons they give. \n\nLet's look at what reasons people are giving, and what the facts actually are: \n\n1) They think Jesus is gonna comeback and just chilaxilate in this huge mansion they built for him in California\n\nTHE TRUTH IS: That very idea is ridiculous. Jehovah's Witnesses have never preached anything even remotely close to this. \n\n2) i don't like any religious faction that 'forces' their belief system.\n\nTHE TRUTH IS: Jehovah's Witnesses don't force anything on anyone. They come around to share positive Biblical thoughts with individuals and if someone doesn't care to hear it, they respect those wishes and leave. Nobody is forced into anything. \n\n3) It's not that they knock on my door, IT'S THAT THEY DO IT AT 7AM ON A SATURDAY!!!! \n\nTHE TRUTH IS: Jehovah's Witnesses DO NOT and WILL NOT go in their house-to-house work that early in the morning. They just don't. They have more respect for people than to go that early when they're most likely still asleep. If someone came to your door at that time, it wasn't a Jehovah's Witness.\n\n4) They don't properly research their material -- they don't know their own Bible, especially the Old Testament. \n\nTHE TRUTH IS: A tremendous amount of time and effort has been and is spent in researching the Bible. We don't have our "own" Bible, in fact, we're more than happy to discuss any Bible translation with people because for the most part, the same upbuilding thoughts and hopes are present in them as well. And if you actually speak to Jehovah's Witnesses, you'll find that they know the bible VERY well. \n\n5) Told me God would punish me because I let the ER give me a blood transfusion to save my life.\n\nTHE TRUTH IS: NO Jehovah's Witness would ever tell anyone such a thing. All they would do is share the Bible's viewpoint on the matter of blood. \n\n6) Them assuming that I want them to come to my door and tell me what I should and shouldn't believe.\n\nTHE TRUTH IS: They do no such thing. They share positive and encouraging thoughts from the Bible if someone is interested, and if not, they politely leave and move on. \n\n7) they keep comming to my house to sell me stuff i do not believe in or want \n\nTHE TRUTH IS: Jehovah's Witnesses do not SELL anything. \n\n8) they keep pushing their views. I mean, come on. How many No's does it take for them to just go away? Stop soliciting your religion. Even Christians aren't THAT pushy. \n\nTHE TRUTH IS: (1) They keep coming back because sometimes people's circumstances change. When a person isn't interested one day, they may very well be on another. (2) Jehovah's Witnesses ARE christians. True Christians would follow the command that Jesus laid upon them do to exactly the work that Jehovah's Witnesses are doing. \n\n9) twisting the Scriptures/demeaning Christianity\n\nTHE TRUTH IS: They do NEITHER of those things. Rather, by their adherence to Bible teachings, they expose those religions that do twist the scriptures and demean Christianity. \n\n10) only 1 thing ever botherd me about them and that is when one told me i was going to hell because i participate in the tradition of halloween I really didn't appreciate that \n\nTHE TRUTH IS: NO Jehovah's Witness would ever have told you that because the Bible doesn't teach that there is a fiery burning hell like false religion teaches. \n\n11) they think like only 40,000 ppl will b saved then they like take a whole bunch of kids and lock them in rooms by themselves and make them just like sit there and read \nday after day\nthey like dont get out ever....\n\nTHE TRUTH IS: That statement simply doesn't make any sense. The scriptures teach that 144,000 will be granted heavenly life. As far as the l
473327
Here's a site that will tell you all about the history, structure, beliefs and practices of the Jehovah's Witnesses from a neutral third-party standpoint.  \n\nHope this helps!
788723
Jehovah's Witnesses do not keep a central list of all Jehovah's Witnesses, but they are well known for the family-like unity.\n\nLearn more:\nhttp://watchtower.org/e/jt/\nhttp://jw-media.org/people/statistics.htm
726641
Blood transfusion is for saving lives. lts like a person donating one of his organs to help someone live a normal life. l know all about the belief of Jehovah's Witness since my husband has relatives belonging to that religion. No amount of persuasion is good for them to change their mind. Better accept that we are all different and just respect other's belief.
571244
I work at a blood bank and I have never seen anything get past our lab it is possible but rare. Most hospitals make sure that the centers that they receive blood from has excellent track records.
621628
Follow the link to a bible concordance.  All passages with the word "blood" occurring.  \nhttp://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=blood&x=7&y=7
959257
A law? No way. You can't compel someone to give up the body parts of their dead loved ones. That's just wrong, and I think against some religions.\n\nShould you be able to compel blood donations, too? Granted, the person isn't dead but they don't really NEED all that blood, do they? They can make more.\n\nI really don't NEED all my bone marrow or one of my kidneys---okay I'm actually saving the spare kidney for a friend who may need it---but you get the point.\n\nOrgan donation is a great thing. I am down as an organ donor and I support it. Forcing it is another thing entirely.
15945
The Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate religious holidays because they have a strict reading of certain passages of the Bible.  For example, they do not celebrate Christmas, because the Bible does not command Christians to celebrate Christ's birth, but rather his death (Luke 22:19, 20).  There is no mention in the bible of early Christians celebrating Christmas or Easter.\n\nJehovahs don't celebrate birthdays, again because the only mention of birthday celebrations in the Bible is by non-Christians (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21, 22, 24-27)\n\nThe one religious holiday which Jehovahs do celebrate is the anniversary of Christ's death.
365871
I don't know if it is on paper, but I am sure Fundamental Christians don't agree with blood transfusions at ALL. They feel "God will provide", and I assume, bleed to death. \n*same goes for organ transplants
275936
I know they can now give transfusions of the fector that he is missing, to help clotting. Also, I'm sure they can give him blood transfusions that can help. The link gives more info.\n\ngood luck
1164609
Well considering they drink all that blood I imagine many viruses transfer into their system all of the time. Maybe they just have a super immune system because they have to fight off so many diseases. Maybe we should all be drinking blood... the ultimate cure all for the world? Err... Maybe not.
502307
Their bloody doctrines are full of blood alright. There's hemoglobin everywhere. They must love the stuff. On the surface it's about being good and all that; below the surface it's all about blood. Blood this blood that. "Eat my flesh and drink my blood." From the start to the end it's mainly about blood. Who can bare such a thing? Perhaps they are made in the image of their god; that is, bloodthirsty? But they're not scary, amusing would be closer to the truth.
397570
you can get a transfusion if your doctor thinks it is necessary.  I know there are some herbs and stuff that bring it up we used some when my grandmother was sick but i forget what they are maybe you should goggle it or something
146087
If someone is anemic or has sickle cell anemia they shouldn't be able to give blood.