Expert: Brenda Martin - 6/19/2009

Question
hi Brenda

i read this on one of your answers:

"However when it comes to fractions of these components; - Some Witnesses would refuse anything derived from blood (even fractions intended to provide temporary passive immunity). That is how they understand God’s command to ‘abstain from blood.’ They reason that his law to Israel required that blood removed from a creature be ‘poured out on the ground.’ (Deuteronomy 12:22-24) some Christians reject such products, just as they reject transfusions of whole blood or of its four primary components. Their sincere, conscientious stand should be respected."

i'm wondering about the part where the scriptures speak about pouring out the blood onto the ground - do Witnesses still perform this practice? do you slaughter animals yourself to ensure that this is still done?

thanks

Brendan

Answer
HI Brendan, you asked about--"POURING OUT THE BLOOD ONTO THE GROUND -DO WITNESSES STILL PERFORM THIS PRACTICE? DO YOU SLAUGHTER ANIMALS YOURSELF TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS STILL DONE?"

God’s Law to ISRAEL required that blood removed from a creature be “[poured] out upon the ground.” (Deuteronomy 12:22-24)

If the blood of a slaughtered animal was not used on the altar, it was to be poured out on the ground. (Deuteronomy 12:16; Ezekiel 18:4) However the Israelites did not have to go to extremes in trying to remove every trace of blood from the animal’s tissues. Provided that the creature was properly slaughtered and bled, an Israelite could eat it with a clear conscience, as due respect would have been accorded to the Life-Giver.

We are not under the Law given to Israel so there is no need for sacrifices today, or for pouring the blood out; as for “slaughtering animals” there is no need to do it ourselves as most animals are bled anyway. The only animal I can think of that isn’t bled, is when you see a whole chicken hanging in the shop window with its head still on, so we buy a chicken that has had its head removed, because in the process the life’s blood is poured out.

All the best
Brenda