AIBU to want JW leaders to be held accountable for blood transfusion deaths.

This “reparations” business is also cynically financial. The slaves were captured and sold by fellow Africans because slavery was the norm in Africa. Why is nobody asking for reparations from Ghana which, at the times of slavery was one of the richest empires in the world - thanks largely to slavery? Why should working class people in England whose ancestors went down the mines or were exploited as domestic servants for a few wealthy families, be expected to pay taxes for something they got no benefit from?

Yes, extremely convenient, this 'light' that 'keeps getting brighter'!

Grandchild of JW. My grandmother spent several weeks in hospital waiting for her blood to be high enough to do her hip replacement whilst it was urgently needed due to her breaking it. She refused anything before and was happy to wait.

I also remembered sitting at one of her garden parties in the 80’s with a small child who urgently needed medical help but his parents were refusing medical help as it involved blood transfusions and everyone’s attitude was if they died it was ok as the child would be with Jehovah. It was said ina way that was meant to be positive but us non JW never understood refusing help when they could be saved. I’ve never forgotten that child and hoped for a miracle for them.

@Foesmal

I don't think it's accurate that "all religions" have stuff like this. The majority of contemporary pagan religions do not have any restrictions on medical treatment or other kinds of bodily autonomy.

YANBU; I’ve always thought JW’s are an awful cult.

I’m sorry, OP. It must be tough processing this. You are not wrong, sending you some support regardless of how this thread goes.

Parents who harm children by using the religion card should be charged with the appropriate crime

Anyone over 18 is responsible for theor own choices

Yes, for example, I was never allowed black pudding, not that I minded that lol. They do eat meat though, just not the 'bloodier' ones. The scripture was likley referring to meat, and not to stumble the newly converted Jewish Christians by only eating meat that was properly bled.

A retired midwife I know said that they once had to involve the law in getting a newborn baby that required a blood transfusion taken away from its mother.

As a result she hates Jehovah's Witnesses and all that they stand for.

@Banoffeepie29 re the blood - does this mean that JWs don't eat rare meat? Could this historically be a result of eating undercooked meat being risky in the days before refrigeration?

Agree with the first point but if a child has been raised with the religious equivalent of battered wife syndrome or Stockholm syndrome, they aren't responsible for their own choices in the same way as a non-brainwashed 18 year old, are they?

It must take a lot of courage to reject the abusers who raised you. You can't just build a life from scratch. Where do you go??

That is true of every situation involving children. I do not see how it alters my position.

What you say is arguably true of all and any religions anywhere in the world.

What of it? People leave the churches and faiths they were brought up in every day.

Your comment does not alter my view (ignorant or not) in any way.

@CorporalJohn

It's not really accurate to say that that's true of "all" religions. Contemporary pagan religions don't involve shunning practices, I can't think of any that practice grooming as a matter of course.

All education to some extent could be called grooming.

What makes JW different to many religions to me is the methods used - the intensity which means that people don’t get time and space to think for themselves

I was brought up catholic but there wasn’t any “them and us” distinctions in normal day to day life. I could choose to leave without fear of recrimination or bullying , of people contacting you all the time to drag you back.

@backformoreofthesame

All education to some extent could be called grooming.

It could be seen that way, but in that sense it's more or less an innocuous activity (if it's education and not indoctrination.) The education in schools could be seen as a form of innocuous grooming, in the sense of preparing and training children and giving them knowledge they need (or are considered to need) to live as adults. To me, it looked the previous reference to grooming was in a more sinister/manipulative context.

Pagan religions will certainly provide resources for people to learn if they're sought after, but these resources are freely chosen/requested - pagans don't proselytise, we just put out what we have to offer on public platforms (so that interested parties can access it) or, if we're approached directly, we'll inform people about the specific pagan religion/tradition of which we're a part.