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Philosophy/religion

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Blood transfusions and jehovas witnesses

89 replies

mykidsmum · 22/09/2005 22:56

Have had a long and indepth dicussion with a friend of mine tonight who unknown to me has spent the last two years studying the Bible and having a couple who are Jehovas witnesses visit every week. He and his wife who is also a good friend of mine have decided this is the path that they want to follow. We discussed many aspects of religion, and as he has read the Bible from cover to cover he feels rightly or wrongly that ihis faith cannot be questioned. I like to question everything, not to cause an arguement, we did not row, but because i like to see others view points and try and understand where they are coming from. However i just cannot get my head round the fact that if he needed a blood transfusion tomorrow he wouldn't have one, and that i am in some way sinning because i have had one during childbirth. he also said he would find it very hard to make a decision if his children needed a transfusion and would therefore let his wife make it as he wouldn't want blood on his hands??? Now i do not want to denounce any type of religion but i really just can't get this and am finding it hard to see things from his POV. Please can someone explain this who knows more than i do, and do i have the right to be concerned. I feel that he is very blinded by his new faith but am also amazed at his hypocrisy, ie he won't be baptised yet as he can't give up smoking.AArrgghh am quite confused, i care about my friends deeply but know nothing i say can make a difference and what right do I have anyway

OP posts:
NomDePlume · 23/09/2005 14:43

No one is saying that it would eradicate ALL crime or evil in the world, it was suggested that it would make the world a BETTER place, ie, improve it !

flamebat · 23/09/2005 14:44

What??? I've lost track! When did anyone say that gays were the cause of all the world's evil??

People saying please and thankyou all the time would make the world a nicer place, but it won't stop all evil.

Stopping hate crimes by accepting gays (or not acting on any fears you might have of them) would help make the world a nicer place.

Little nice pebbles, avalanche etc....

flamebat · 23/09/2005 14:45

I was enjoying this thread, learning about JW beliefs, grown up debate etc... now it seems to be getting stupid.

Mojomummy · 23/09/2005 14:45

It's irrelevant what I think about homosexuality - the point is would the world be a better place if they were widely accepted - my guess is no. If eveyone one was a JW, then I believe it would be - think back to the 10 commandements

NomDePlume · 23/09/2005 14:45

It just got weird. Completely deviated from the original subject matter

tissy · 23/09/2005 14:47

er, mojosmummy, are you a JW? Plasma is itself a blood product (it's just blood with the cells taken out) and can't be used for Witnesses.

As for "life can be saved with a substitute blood", well, yes sometimes it can, and usually if blood is not needed, we don't use it. If you are bleeding to death, only blood will do to save your life- it carries oxygen to your brain and heart (most vitally), and all the other tissues too. NONE of the blood substitutes currently available in A+E departments do that. There are some other techniques, such as hyperbaric oxygen, and hormone treatment that can be used in chronic (ie long-term) blood loss, but that is a completely different situation.

Sorry, but this is a situation very close to my heart, and I'm not a JW, as you can imagine!

tissy · 23/09/2005 14:47

blimey! This has kicked off a bit since I started typing!

flamebat · 23/09/2005 14:49

I'd rather not base my life on the 10 commandments - my beliefs are older than Christianity.

NomDePlume · 23/09/2005 14:49

it got silly

Mojomummy · 23/09/2005 14:49

Beansprout said this "I think if less people were homophobic the world would be a better place. Live and let live? "

I asked whether it would really make a difference

Yes, has deviated from original thread, isn't this the way most exciting conversations go ?

Aren't we all about sharing opinions or do we all have to think the same thing ?

flamebat · 23/09/2005 14:51

We explained how it would make a difference, and you poo pooed us and pointed us to the 10 commandments.

Caligula · 23/09/2005 14:51

I don't think the world would be a better place if everyone was a JW.

I think it would be wierd. And impossible. Dissidence and disagreement is inevitable.

Rhubarb · 23/09/2005 14:51

Hate is the only thing we need to get rid of. Whether it comes under the names of homophobia, racism or anything else. You can not like or understand gay practices but this does not mean that you are a homophobic. Only if you have hatred in your heart is it wrong. Other than that it is called having an opinion.

NomDePlume · 23/09/2005 14:51

According you to we should all be JW's, so in your opinion, yes we should all hold the same opinions

PPPPPPPPPPPPPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPP

flamebat · 23/09/2005 14:53

Generally, if homosexuals were allowed to live without people hating them, then they would be happier, and it would again be a knock on effect to world happiness.

If you get in the car in a bad mood, then you are more likely to cut people up, not let them out etc, screwing up more people's days. If everyone can be happy, then it is a knock on effect.

NomDePlume · 23/09/2005 14:53

FLAME, HOLD MY HAND AND WE CAN STEP AWAY SOUNDING OUR HOOTERS TOGETHER !

Caligula · 23/09/2005 14:55

Nothing necessarily wrong with hate.

Hatred of injustice has inspired people to change the world - for the better.

OTOH, hatred of groups of people, has generally inspired people to kill them.

Depends on the hate, I suppose.

Rhubarb · 23/09/2005 14:56

I said that? What I said was this "I have no doubt that if you choose to live your life as a JW then it is a good life you have chosen, and a very brave one as it goes against what society perceives as normal and you have to fight against prejudices. I just don't think that any one religion can claim to have all the answers and think that they alone will be saved. No matter how good you are as a person, unless you are a JW you will not inherit the earth. I find that rather judgemental, and God did say never to judge!"

I'm not a JW and never would be, but that's just my choice! Now click here to see my dh and ds spreading a little happiness, just give it a minute to load.

Hausfrau · 23/09/2005 14:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flamebat · 23/09/2005 15:01

With what we've done to the Earth, do we really want to inherit?

NDP - still at the enjoying a good ruck stage at the moment, but I promise I will sound my hooter when I get to the angry ranty stage

Rhubarb · 23/09/2005 15:02

Question: If Heaven is full of goodness and happiness and light, where it is impossible to sin, no lust, everyone sharing, etc, do we really want to go there?

Sometimes it's nice to sin!

flamebat · 23/09/2005 15:06

Gotta do a school run... please try and not make this too much for me to read when I get back!

Mojomummy · 23/09/2005 15:07

I didn't know there was such a problem with gays. It's certainly on the bottom of my list of things to be worried about...

No, not a JW but interested in beliefs. Yes, I realise I called substitute 'blood' plasma - it's called something else & the name fails me.

Ref the original question, the web link provides some alternatives to blood. Not necessarily a cure-all, but an option.

I think I'd better get on with my 'other' job

Socci · 23/09/2005 15:23

Message withdrawn

Rhubarb · 23/09/2005 15:25

No religion is blameless, but humanity is sometimes very cruel and unfortunately the Bible has been used as a tool for hate. But that's just people for you, even without religion I think these people would be just as misguided.

Very sad