Jehovahs Witnesses

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Jehovahs Witnesses

• Rels 120 Nov 2006

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Jehovahs Witnesses

• Basic beliefs
• Almighty God Jehovah Creator
• created heavens, the earth and all life
• humanity created in order to be fruitful, fill
  the earth, and care for the earth, plants, and
  animals
• Adam Eve disobedient sinners ? death
• in Christ, resurrection

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Charles Taze Russell(1852-1916)

• led Bible study group in Pennsylvania in 1870
• formation of Zions Watch Tower Bible and tract
  Society in 1884 split within group in 1917
• 1931, one group became Jehovahs Witnesses
• refused to fight in war, salute the flag, vote in
  elections, work in war industries many sent to
  concentration camps where they died
• 1940 Canada banned the religion no longer
  banned as of ????

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Beliefs

• many similar to conservative Christian groups
• most significant exception
• Jehovah is the one and only Supreme Being
• there is no Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
• do not celebrate any holidays, anniversaries or
  birthdays may be excommunicated
• no Sabbath celebration meet 5 times a week for
  talks and study
• only men may be leaders men women have
  different responsibilities and duties

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2 Sacraments

• Baptism by full immersion of an adult believer
• Lords Supper once a year in memory of Christs
  death (coinciding with Passover)
• Only members of the Annointed Class (thought to
  number 144,000) partake others (the Great Crowd)
  only observe
• Members who violate teachings may be
  disfellowshipped and shunned by family and
  friends.

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Beliefs chart

• What Jehovahs Witnesses believe
• website chart
• Beliefs concerning blood products
• Taking blood into body through mouth or veins
  violates God's laws

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Genesis 91 - 4

• (1) And God went on to bless Noah and his sons
  and to say to them Be fruitful and become many
  and fill the earth. (2) And a fear of YOU and a
  terror of YOU will continue upon every living
  creature of the earth and upon every flying
  creature of the heavens, upon everything that
  goes moving on the ground, and upon all the
  fishes of the sea. Into YOUR hand they are now
  given.
• (3) Every moving animal that is alive may serve
  as food for YOU. As in the case of green
  vegetation, I do give it all to YOU. (4) Only
  flesh with its soulits bloodYOU must not eat.

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Leviticus 17 13 - 14

• (13) As for any man of the sons of Israel or
  some alien resident who is residing as an alien
  in YOUR midst who in hunting catches a wild beast
  or a fowl that may be eaten, he must in that case
  pour its blood out and cover it with dust.
• (14) For the soul of every sort of flesh is its
  blood by the soul in it. Consequently I said to
  the sons of Israel YOU must not eat the blood
  of any sort of flesh, because the soul of every
  sort of flesh is its blood. Anyone eating it will
  be cut off.

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Acts 28 28 - 29

• (28) For the holy spirit and we ourselves have
  favored adding no further burden to YOU, except
  these necessary things,
• (29) to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to
  idols and from blood and from things strangled
  and from fornication. If YOU carefully keep
  yourselves from these things, YOU will prosper.
  Good health to YOU!

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Risks of ReceivingBlood Products

• Witnesses refuse whole blood, packed red blood
  cells, plasma, or platelets
• point out risks of receiving blood products
  e.g. HIV/AIDS hepatitis immunologic reactions
• ultimate risk for those who believe that God has
  commanded them to refuse blood is eternal
  damnation

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Case Study 1

• Mrs. Malette was seriously injured in a car
  accident
• taken by ambulance to the emergency department of
  a hospital in Ontario
• she suffered blood loss that was judged likely to
  endanger her life
• a nurse found a card that stated
• As one of Jehovahs Witnesses with firm religious
  convictions, I request that no blood or blood
  products be administered to me under any
  circumstances.

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Case Study 1 (contd)

• card was signed was neither dated nor witnessed
• what should Dr. Shulman do?
• Dr. Shulman reasoned that she was in a medical
  emergency that endangered her life
• where the patient is incompetent due to serious
  injury, treatment may be given
• should Dr. Shulman give Mrs. Malette blood
  products?

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• Dr. Shulman opted to give her a blood transfusion
• Mrs. Malette sued Dr. Shulman, the hospital, its
  Executive Director, and four nurses for
  negligence
• the suit alleged that the blood transfusion had
  been medically unnecessary
• furthermore, it constituted battery, since it was
  performed on her without her consent
• what should the court decide?

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• Ontario Supreme Court dismissed the action for
  negligence that is, the court judged that the
  transfusion was medically necessary
• court did award damages of 20,000 against Dr.
  Shulman for battery
• the card she carried continued to represent Mrs.
  Malettes tru wishes
• taken to Ontario Court of Appeal
• Appeal court upheld the decision

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Informed consent

• A doctor is not free to disregard a patients
  advance instructions any more than he would be
  free to disregard instructions given at the time
  of the emergencyThe principles of
  self-determination and individual autonomy compel
  the conclusion that the patient may reject blood
  transfusions even if harmful consequences may
  result and even if the decision is generally
  regarded as foolhardy...

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• To transfuse a Jehovahs Witness in the face of
  her explicit instructions to the contrary would
  violate her right to control her own body and
  show disrespect for the religious values by which
  she has chosen to live her life.
• The card carried by Mrs. Malette was a valid and
  clear expression of her wishes to refuse all
  blood products
• The Court of Appeal upheld the battery conviction
  and the 20,000 award

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Case Study 2

• In 1999, 17 year old Alexie was injured in a
  snowboarding accident
• taken to hospital, the attending physician
  recommended a blood transfusion due to loss of a
  significant amount of blood
• Alexies parents refused to consent to the
  procedure
• Alexie was also consulted, and also communicated
  her refusal of blood on religious grounds
• what should the hospital do?

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Case Study 3

• Colin is the 3 year old son of Jehovahs
  Witnesses
• Colin is clearly in some form of distress
• his symptoms worsen and his parents take him to a
  nearby hospital
• on examination, it becomes clear that he suffers
  from an intestinal blockage
• Colins parents agree to the surgery to remove
  the blockage, but make their religious views
  about blood products known

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• during the surgery, Colin suffers a severe loss
  of blood
• operating room staff concur that without blood he
  is sure to die
• Jehovahs Witnesses WILL accept nonblood
  replacement fluids, but the surgeon judges that
  these will be inadequate
• what should the surgeon do?

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Canadian Child Welfare Laws

• Province may intervene to protect a child whose
  parents fail to provide, or refuse, reasonably
  indicated medical care
• if medical treatment is of likely benefit, the
  province may intervene to impose life-saving
  blood transfusion
• apply for a court order

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Other medical concerns

• Vaccinations
• one leader forbade Witnesses from receiving
  vaccinations thought that serum was developed
  from animals teaching modified in 1952 to allow
  for vaccinations
• Chemotherapy
• discontinue when platelet transfusions become
  necessary will not allow for use of own blood
  stored

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Reform of teaching

• 2000 allow some blood components, but not whole
  blood
• PolyHeme a human hemoglobin-based temporary
  oxygen-carrying red blood cell substitute in
  development for the treatment of life-threatening
  blood loss when an oxygen-carrying fluid is
  required and red blood cells are not available
  Religious Tolerance website
• freedom of conscience on whether to accept

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• Organ transplants
• 1967 form of cannibalism may not be practised
• 1980 freedom of conscience to choose for self
• Bone marrow transplants
• 1963 not permitted
• 1978 bone marrow could be used in treatment of
  hemophiliacs
• 1984 freedom of conscience

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Bloodless Surgery

• http//www.time.com/time/reports/heroes/bloodless.
  html