Expert: Brenton Hepburn - 7/28/2006

Question
Since I was born I was tooken to the Jehovas Witness church, and I never really liked it. I never understood the concepts or beliefs, so when I was about 10, I never went back. I never did understand the subject on blood transfusions. I have a question. When I was born, I was premature, I was hanging by a string for my life, and I had to have a blood transfusion to live. My mothers family were always strict JW's, but what my mom and my grandma had more love for than god was family, and me. My grandpa donated blood to me. Till this day, 16 years later, no one but the immediate family knows of this, and neither does the church. I would like to know, does this make my grandfather a bad person? And if so, explain to me how saving your own babys life at only a few days old is considered a sin.  

Answer
Hello Vanessa

Thank you for your question.  It certainly is an emotional one.

I am not really sure just how far to go in answering this question. To understand the full implications of this one needs to understand the overall concepts or be beliefs of JWs. So I will try to give an easy to understand overview of the matter.

For us, God (Jehovah), is our life giver and knows what is best for us.  He does not want anyone to die that is why he made to provisions of the ransom sacrifice of his son, Jesus, so that all mankind can have the opportunity for life.

We earnestly believe that when man was created he was made to live forever.  However he sinned before he could have children so all mankind now sins and eventually dies.

Gods purpose, we believe has never changed, and that he intends mankind to live forever on earth in perfect harmony with each other and all creation.

Unfortunately most of mankind has died, but we believe that God will bring them back to life when Gods arch enemy Satan is put out of the way so that all mankind will have the opportunity to chose to serve God of their own accord without the influence of Satan.

(It was Satan’s influence that caused Eve to sin and then Adam.  Satan challenged Jehovah that no mankind will serve God because they want to. To answer that challenge Jehovah has allowed time for Satan to prove his theory.  The time to bring an end to that challenge, we believe, is close.)

Blood was something sacred to God and he has asked mankind not to partake of it in any way.  We show are desire to please him by not partaking of blood. (This decision is based on Bible law and has proved to be beneficial health wise as well. Please do an internet search using the words Bloodless Medicine or Bloodless surgery to see what doctors are saying about the use of blood. I have personally book marked www.noblood.org   a non JW site)

Basically, we have complete faith in what the Bible says that we believe,  if we die by obeying Gods laws, there will be a resurrection back to life.

Is your grandfather a bad person for allowing that blood transfusion? Personally, I would say no.  At the time, I would say he lacked faith in the promises of the Bible.

Baptism is considered a public display of ones dedication to do Gods will, so before any one is baptized as a JW, they have to answer about 80 questions to determine if they really understand what they are doing by being baptized. We do not take daptism lightly. For us it is a serious matter, a contract if you like between the individual and God, that the individual has decided they want to follow Gods ways.  When a baptized JW willingly  accepts  a blood transfusion, it can be seen as a breaking of that dedication, (contract) and a display they no longer want to be a JW (of course the circumstances surround the decision to accept blood are also considered)

Now your grandpa did not accept blood for himself, but, he did provide blood for you. How that would be viewed I am not sure.  

I hope I have been able to answer your question.  If you need more information or clarification please ask

Brenton