This is astounding: Jehovahs Witnesses in Canada

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I find the above incredibly sad - those poor little babies - would those parents have stood by and watched them die for the sake of their religeon??

I can't believe anyone would not want to do everything in their power to keep their child alive???

they can get a dispensation

sorry if someone has already meantioned this

Mrs spoon - they may not 'go to war' but they sure do other things to folk. Eg you can become an 'outcast' for certain practices, you have to marry another JW etc etc. One side of my family are all JWs.

All fundamentalists share the same traits - no reasoning with and an absolute inability to expose themselves to anything contrary to what they believe in, whilst expecting you to listen to them. As for 'it is the children's choice to be baptised' What child is going to go completely against what they have been brought up to believe in, not to mention against their parents, family members, friends? etc etc When you are a child your parents are infallible - choice? there is no choice.

Each to their own I say, as long as we can all get along and appreciate each other without causing harm in any way shape or form.

I know I sound quite annoyed but what really gets my goat is the 'look of pity' you get from JWs. One lady even said 'she would pray for my soul' Grrrrr Also I have always wanted to make a Pagan magazine, maybe call it 'The Witchtower' and happily ram it into a JWs hands when they come to my door as they never take no for an answer when it comes to accepting their mag. Tee hee - would be fun

It is true that at the moment you cannot donate in the UK if you have received blood after 1980.

But if you have received blood after 1980 it would have been screened for AIDs and most infections known to be carried in blood.

Unfortunatly as someone whos mother had a transfusion and a brother who has haemophilia I have little understanding of those who refuse blood and blood products as both my mother and brother would not be here and neither would I. But I don't not like sweeping statements and generalisations.

You only become an 'outcast' as you call it if you do something that is clearly against Bible principles whilst still going on representing the religion. It is recommended that you marry another witness, it makes life a lot easier but nobody can force you, only advise you.

"All fundamentalists share the same traits" - is that what I am?

"'it is the children's choice to be baptised' What child is going to go completely against what they have been brought up to believe in, not to mention against their parents, family members, friends? etc etc When you are a child your parents are infallible - choice? there is no choice" - totally disagree with this. I was baptised when I was 15 and my Mum (also a witness) actually urged me to wait until I was an proper bona fide adult to make such a big life decision.

"One lady even said 'she would pray for my soul'" - Sounds like a fruit cake.

Rumpel...very good post...

In the quote it says 'eat blood' but actually JWs think that your body is on loan to you from Jehovah, and therefore, you do not have the right to give any part of it or accept any part of any others as it is not yours to do so. Hence no transfusions or organ donation etc. No black pudding or anything with animal blood in it. Although, strangley meat is allowed?

Strangely not strangly.

"'it is the children's choice to be baptised' What child is going to go completely against what they have been brought up to believe in, not to mention against their parents, family members, friends? etc etc When you are a child your parents are infallible - choice? there is no choice"

Also disagree with this, I was brought up as a JW from birth. At 15 I decided that the regilion wasn't for me. My parents repected my wishes and I wasn't forced to go. I still see my parents and family that are JWs still. I am not a outcast, I just chose to live my life without regilion.

3 andnomore by the way..and sorry, but it does all speak values, and as has mentioned thereafter...bloodtransfusions in prem Babies are very often very neccesary!
Sorry didn't read through all those Nazy jwe links...read a bit, but was all a bit to poor woe be me....not saying the germans did the right thing or anything...but it was people of all sorts of religioun and backgrounds that were put into camps etc...

hm...surely if the believe is that strong then they should all be vegetarians...surely it's just a matter of interpretation as it seems to be in all religious beliefs.

Sparkly - all I can say then is that you are blessed with lovely parents. What made yo9u realise it wasn't for you if you don't mind me asking?

I think you are wrong there. We do not 'eat blood' as it was one of the commandments from the Mosaic Law that was reiterrated in the gospels as being of importance and still necessary to follow.

However some JWs (although not all) will give and receive organs (not things like bone marrow however as that is essentially blood).

We eat bled meat because it was allowed after the flood.

I don't understand Mrs Sppon - if your body is on loan then how can you give or receive organs? And how can you be sure that there is no blood left in them?

I just wanted to rebel I think lol!! I did go back to a while when I was 20-21 but with everything that was going on in my life (DS being diagnosed with CP, then Dd2 being diagnosed too, then having DD2) I just didn't and don't have the time in my life for religion

"a persons religeon is very important to them."

Custy..are you on something??

Did anyone say that it wasn't people of different religions and backgrounds that were put into the concentration camps? Sorry if it was "poor woe be me" but hey that's history for you!

yes organ donation is up to the person, I discussed with my parents because misdee's DH needs a heart and its very close to home.

yes i discussed with my parents (sparkly is my sister) as when dh fell ill we knew he would need a transplant. They are totally supportive in dh need for a new heart and not judging at all.

One witness may look into the whole organ transplant thing and come to the conclusion that their conscience would not let them have the transplant and others may come to the conclusion that they could have it. Residual blood in the organ would be another issue for the person to deal with and look into themselves.

Not sure about all this body on loan business, certainly we have respect for our bodies and view life as a gift.

Isn't this a bit unusual for JWs though? My family are very very strict but I knew a girl who was a JW and her family were a bit more relaxed about it eg she could drink alcohol. I still don't get how an organ can be different from blood though.

HI

Thought I would add my point as a JW myself.
I always found this one of the hardest "rules" to understand. BUt JW follow the bible and it is made clear in more than one scripture that blood is special.
And yes JW now use a machine called cell savers which takes your blood that might be wasted in an operation, cleans it and puts it back in. This is acceptable to some JWs, personal choice. They also use other ways of making life easier for hospitals, by j=having other options when operations are planned.
NO JW would like to make a choice if their child lives or dies, but truely believe they are giving the best gift, everlasting life.
Lisa

Not unusual, just personal choice, same as alcohol.

hello other sister!

Well - I can only conclude from what you are all saying that there seems to be different opinions/beliefs/rules in the JWs circuit too. Just shows again that it is 'man's interpretation' kinda like Chinese whispers or English at school.

Well not that having a transplant is the same as a couple of glasses of wine! Just that it's a choice matter.