Why do Jehovah Witnesses refuse blood transfusion?

Question

Why do Jehovah Witnesses refuse blood transfusion?

Answer 1

Because JWs obey God's command:

"...Flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat. --Gen 9:4

“‘It is a statute *to time indefinite* for your generations, in all your dwelling places: you must not eat... *any* blood at all.’” --Lev 2:17

"Simply be firmly resolved not to eat the blood, because the blood is the soul and you must not eat the soul with the flesh." --Deut 12:23

"...Abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood." --Acts 15:20

“Does Jehovah have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! To obey is better than a sacrifice, to pay attention than the fat of rams.” --1 Sam 15:22

"The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is:

Fear the true God and keep his commandments.

For this is the whole obligation of man." --Ec 12:13  

Personally, however, I wouldn't accept blood even if God's Word was mute on the subject, due to the many dangers from using it...

Transfusion Medicine---Is Its Future Secure?

- Disease-Free Blood---A Moving Target

- Mistakes and Transfusion Reactions

- [Death by TRALI]

- Experts Speak Out

- Will Medicine Change?

http://watchtower.org/e/200608/article_0...

"Blood Transfusions Increase Risk of Heart Attack & Death"  

http://www naturalnews.com/023493 html

Answer 2

From what I've gathered (from R&S: I'm not fool enough to become engaged in a conversation with a Jehovah's Witness) it is because of the line in the Bible 'Thou shalt abstain from blood'.

This is not a reference to drinking it if you were starving in the desert (as I once thought it was), it is a reference to other gods who had the blood of sacrifices poured out for them.

Answer 3

They don't refuse transfusions, just blood. The sacredness of blood is highlighted by the fundamental Bible teaching about the sacrifice of

Jesus. Blood is sacred; it is intimately connected to human life.

Some people find nothing sacred. Others try to find out what is and respect it.

Answer 4

They erroneously believe it will upset a non-existent deity.

Answer 5

I guess because it's not kosher

Answer 6

It is a command of Jehovah all through the Bible.

When man was first allowed to eat meat after Noah came out of the Ark.  Genesis 9:3-5 shows God prohibited eating or drinking blood as considering it sacred.

In Leviticus, the Mosaic Law was given to the Jews specifically forbid consuming blood.

The early Christian congregation had trouble deciding what Gentiles would be required to do on becoming Christians.  It was summed up at acts 15:20, 28-29.  So important, it was recorded twice.  "To abstain from blood."

That is why we do not accept transfusions.

Now I will briefly state that God's Laws usually have practical purposes we do not always know.  The dietary and sanitary laws kept the Jews free from dangerous germs and bacteria they had no idea existed.

Blood laws keep us safe from dozens of diseases we only now are learning about passed on by blood.  Doctors today are coming around to the position transfusions are not needed and can slow up recovery and healing.  This is different from what they used to believe, but keep in mind they also used to believe washing their hands between surgeries was laughable too.

Answer 7

Because the Bible says to abstain from blood, but than only 10% of those refusing blood are witnesses.

Tuesday I under went a surgical procedure at Shawnee Mission Medical Center that required a blood transfusion, but since I refused it, they used alternated methods.  It took longer for the procedure, but there were none of the problems related to having a transfusion.

Answer 8

First and foremost:

Because it is against the command of God.- Acts 15:29

Secondly: think about it like this...

our blood is constantly moving - we are alive.

When our blood is not moving, it's because we are dead.

Stored blood is dead blood.

Would you want some else's dead blood put inside of YOU?!???

Doctor's Don't. They won't even use it for their own family members.

Blood Transfusions are Quickly becoming archaic!

More and more Dr.'s and Hospitals are doing Bloodless Surgery.

Check It Out!

On-line.

Jehovah's Witnesses are Pioneers in the Field of Medicine;

where Bloodless Surgery is concerned.

o, yeah; and btw;

Because of not being able to use blood, it forces the Dr.,

to be a Better surgeon.

i.e. he / she has to control the bleeding.

Also, the recuperation time is Much Shorter! Alot shorter.

I saw that in my own family.

Answer 9

I am a Jehovah's Witness & will answer your question.

Shortly after Christianity was founded some 2,000 years ago, believers were given the divine commandment to “abstain from . . . blood.” The prohibition was based, not on health concerns, but on the sacredness of blood. (Acts 15:19, 20, 29) Some argue that this God-given restriction applies only to the eating of blood, but the word “abstain” speaks for itself. If a doctor told us to abstain from alcohol, we would hardly feel at liberty to inject it into our veins.

Answer 10

In the Old Testament of the Bible, one of the rules that God laid down to the people was that the taking of blood from outside the body was unhealthy. The people were ill informed about properly handling and preparing raw meat (for eating and for sacrifice), and got sick and often died from eating raw or undercooked meat. The Witnesses' have taken this to the extreme and use it in today's context to mean blood intake by a trained health professional is dangerous and possibly sinful. Because of their refusal to take transfusions, some very impressive non-organic blood substitutes have been created.