Blood still a hot topic of debate

JEHOVAH’S Witnesses have always courted controversy with their refusal to accept or give blood in life-threatening situations.

Members are adamant they are simply following the Bible’s instruction.

The controversy was again brought to the forefront last week when an Australian teenager lost his court battle to refuse life-saving medical treatment because he is a Jehovah’s Witness. The court upheld an earlier judgment which permitted a blood transfusion.

The 17-year-old, who has cancer, lost his case against Sydney Children’s Hospital in March. He argued that treating him with blood products would breach his relationship with God.

His appeal against the judgment in the New South Wales Supreme Court failed after the court found no basis to legally set aside the earlier ruling.

Jehovah’s Witness Port Elizabeth District Convention spokesman Ed Bailey said members of the faith loved life, and did whatever was reasonable to prolong it.

“For this reason we seek quality medical care and accept the vast majority of medical treatments.

“However for Bible-based reasons, we do not accept blood transfusions.”

He refers to the Bible passage from Acts 15:19, 20 stating: “Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.”