Dying for Religion

Jehovah's Witness Chooses Death Over Children

© Ben Hughes

Nov 10, 2007

Blood - Jehovah's Witnesses are likely to reject, Mary Thorman

Jehovah's Witnesses would rather die than have a blood transfusion. In a recent case, two children are left growing up with only one parent. Why?

Last month, Emma Gough, 22, of Shropshire, England, died following the birth of her children after she refused a blood transfusion.

Adhering to her beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness, she had ticked the box on the medical form requesting that she not receive blood and instead chose to die naturally in hospital, leaving behind her 24-year-old partner to bring up their two children.

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Their Beliefs

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that blood is very important and a unique organ in the body. Blood is the only organ that comes into contact with virtually every tissue in the body. It is also the only fluid organ, responsible to transport crucial things around out body, such as oxygen and nutrients. Blood forms a defensive barrier against infections and diseases. However it also carries away a lot of things which are harmful to us such as toxic carbon dioxide and damaged and dying cells.

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that blood is very important for sustaining living creatures. Because the Bible prohibits the eating of blood, Jehovah’s Witnesses have interpreted this to mean that blood transfusions should be disallowed.

Teachings About Blood

Jehovah’s Witnesses base their beliefs on four passages about the use of blood:

· Genesis 9:4 "But flesh (meat) with...blood...ye shall not eat"

· Leviticus 17:12-14 "...No soul of you shall eat blood...whosoever eateth it shall be cut off"

· Acts 15:29 "That ye abstain...from blood..."

· Acts 21:25 "...Gentiles...keep themselves from things offered to idols and from blood..."

Although most Christians and Jews interpret these passages to mean that they shouldn’t eat meat containing blood, Jehovah’s Witnesses “feel that the Bible clearly indicates that blood is sacred and it is not to be used for human consumption."

Although not discussed in medical terms, Jehovah's Witnesses feel that would preclude the acceptance of a blood transfusion." [L.C. Cotton, associate director of Jehovah's Witnesses hospital information services, Carol Harrington, "Father shunned by family for defying faith to save child," Canadian Press. Published in the Toronto Star, Toronto ON, 2002-MAR-11, Page A7.]

Choosing Death

When God gives life, it also gives Him the right to take it away. Yet why God wouldn’t allow blood transfusions seems to be inexplicable. The Bible has various passages about the role of parents and the caring of children and Jesus taught to love thy neighbour. Jesus also healed those who were ill and showed compassion to those in need.

While forbidding the eating of meat containing blood appears plausible, rejecting blood transfusions and leaving a family behind is beyond reason.


The copyright of the article Dying for Religion in Religious Intolerance is owned by Ben Hughes. Permission to republish Dying for Religion must be granted by the author in writing.


Blood - Jehovah's Witnesses are likely to reject, Mary Thorman
        


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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages
3.   Dec 17, 2007 9:30 AM Reply
In response to Jehovah's Witnesses Blood Transfusion posted by DannyHaszard:


I think that a lot of reli ...

-- posted by benhughes
2.   Dec 15, 2007 6:49 PM Reply
In response to Jehovah's Witnesses Blood Transfusion posted by DannyHaszard:
.
I had a shirt tail relative ...

-- posted by pink101
1.   Dec 14, 2007 11:08 PM Reply

Jehovah's Witnesses elders will investigate and disfellowship any Jehovah Witness who takes a blood transfusion,to say the issue is a 'personal conscience matter' is subterfuge to keep the Watchtowe ...

-- posted by DannyHaszard

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