a case for blood

I think the best way to share today's study with Bonnie, would be to describe the illustration directly from the "What Does the Bible Really Teach" book.  I searched online, but this was about as close to the original image as I could find.
















I suppose I need to describe the reason there was an image of alcohol (i.e. booze) in an IV tube attached to a patient. 

According to the Bible (the Jehovah Witness belief), we should not consume blood.  Such scriptures are found in Genesis, Leviticus and Acts.  We must also acknowledge that a blood transfusion is consuming another person's blood.  The Witnesses believe that blood is the life force of a person (i.e. their DNA not a spirit), and we shouldn't take another person's life force.  This idea of a person's identity represented by blood or DNA is still a bit unsettling to me.  I am still having issues with there not being energy as a spirit.  But that is another blog for another day.

The idea of drinking blood and an IV of blood was compared to someone who was told not to drink alcohol.  Would it be okay for that person to have the alcohol given intravenously?  No.  Of course not.  Of course I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the picture.

I have been given a publication and a DVD to further study the importance of blood.  I will continue to study this point further.  I may not agree with EVERYTHING the Witnesses have to teach, but what if blood really isn't the best option for surgery or in a pinch.

However, I did ask Bonnie about an organ transplant.  Because, as I stated in an earlier blog, there would be blood in the organ.  Bonnie stated that she personally wouldn't have a transplant, because of that point.  But she said there are bloodless hospitals that might have methods of transplant that she would be comfortable with.  This idea of a bloodless hospital is VERY interesting to me.  After all, if your faith and beliefs tell you NOT to consume blood, I believe you must also not consume anything with blood in it.

Bonnie did comment on the eating of meat (i.e. a steak that has juices in it).  Truthfully I would think most Witnesses to be vegetarians, just to be on the safe side.  But Bonnie said as long as the animal is bled properly, the steak would be fine to eat.  I honestly think there is too much "walking the line" on this subject. 

So I continue with my quest to find the truth about blood.  However, I am reminded that Jesus had to give his blood (i.e. die) to save another person or persons (i.e. us).  If we give blood, are we saving another person's life?  Are we playing God?