LIVING AS CHRISTIANS:, Week of January 23 to 29, 2023, “Be prepared for a medical emergency”, Video, How to make good decisions about the use of blood, Analysis and Answers

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: 23-29-January 2023, Video, How to make good decisions about the use of blood, Analysis and Answers.

“Be prepared for a medical emergency” (15 min.): Analysis with the audience and video. In charge of an old man. Allow time for multiple comments after the video.

What steps will help you be prepared for a medical emergency involving the question of blood?

One step that will help us to be prepared is to know and understand well the Biblical mandates and principles related to the use of blood. This way we will know what things are not allowed to us, in this sense and what things Jehovah has left to our personal decision or conscience.

Another step to be prepared is to keep our medical instructions card (DPA) up to date, since this card is required for all baptized publishers. And if we are parents of minor children, each of them must have their identity card (IC).

Another way to be prepared for a medical emergency is to be aware of what medical procedures and treatments Jehovah's Witnesses can accept, and which ones we cannot, especially those related to blood fractions, such as vaccines, tests, therapies, hemodialysis, treatments for burns, rejuvenation or beauty treatments, among others.

In the same way, this preparation for a medical emergency also includes being aware of the latest generation or cutting-edge technical procedures and alternative treatments, which do not include the use of blood in major surgeries or complicated medical procedures.

In the case of surgeries or scheduled medical procedures, pressure often arises from the medical staff of hospitals and clinics. For this reason, we must prepare ourselves by sending the elders of the congregation in advance, so that if necessary, on our behalf they communicate with the Brothers of the hospital liaison committee. In these cases, they will be the ones who communicate with the medical personnel who treat us.

All Witnesses are clear about Jehovah's law on the use of blood regarding the use of whole blood and its four main components red and white blood cells plasma and platelets. But regarding the use of blood fractions, perhaps some of us lack information. So if we notice a deficiency in this aspect, we must prepare well before facing a medical emergency.

This issue is important, since our conscience is involved here, and we know that in matters of conscience no one should decide for us or influence us. And while we want to take care of our health, we also want to have a clear conscience and keep our friendship with Jehovah. This is why it is so important that each of us prepare properly before, and not during or after, a medical emergency. we must be prepared even for the worst scenario. For example, an accident far from the congregation of the brothers and even from our relatives.

In the video we observe a sister who was going to undergo a scheduled surgery. Although she had some knowledge about the procedure she was going to undergo, she asked her doctor to explain the details, and not satisfied with that, she investigated to make sure that by agreeing to undergo said procedure, she did not violate any biblical principles on the use of the blood excellent example for us.

In order to be well informed and make a good decision about the use of blood, we must pray to Jehovah to ask for holy spirit. Meditate on what the Bible says. Investigate the medical treatments they could offer us. Ask for help to know the options that are available to them. And finally we must put our decisions in writing.

ANALYSIS OF OTHER ADDITIONAL POINTS OF THE VIDEO.

Jehovah's Witnesses love life and when faced with a health problem, we seek treatments that save our lives or cure us, but above all we respect the creator of life and his law on the use of blood.

God gave this law for the first time to Noah and his family, after the flood he told them that they could eat animals, but I command them, the only thing that they should not eat is meat with their life, that is to say with their blood, the blood represents life, and should not be misused.

God gave this law back to ancient times that they should not eat the blood but that it should be spilled on the ground, as if it were water. And the early Christians were reminded of the same thing to abstain from blood. We Witnesses continue to obey this law, but with so many medical treatments available, it can be difficult to know how to apply this mandate.

Blood can be divided into four main components: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. We abstain from blood by not accepting whole blood transfusions, in any of its 4 components. What gave a brother strength not to accept blood when he had an emergency?

We must understand well how Jehovah wants us to use the blood. So we must prepare well to investigate and so Jehovah will help us understand what he thinks on the matter, and what we can do is pray and write down what we have decided.

We can never know for sure when we are going to have an accident, that is why we must be prepared to have the courage to defend our position. Blood fractions are smaller parts that are extracted from any of the four main components of blood. The Bible does not say anything specific about these fractions. So accepting them is a personal decision.

Some think that these fractions are no longer blood, others reject everything that comes from blood, in the video a sister was well informed to know if she would accept, she said that no one should speak for her anymore and made it clear to her doctor that she had gone down Under no circumstances was he going to accept blood or any of its four main components, he also explained what medications and other treatments he was going to accept.

 We should ask ourselves what would you do if during a medical procedure some of my blood was diverted out of the body and its flow was interrupted for a while. Would my conscience allow me to consider that this blood is still part of me and that it should not be spilled on the ground? And if they had to extract part of my blood, modify it or return it to my body or apply it to it as a treatment, would my conscience educated by the Bible bother me or would it accept it? Do I understand that if I reject all medical techniques that involve the use of my blood, I would not accept blood tests, hemodialysis or the extracorporeal circulation pump?

We see that a sister, to make sure she was acting with a clear conscience, asked her doctor to give her more details to make sure that this procedure was not against my conscience. So she studied a lot on this subject and also asked someone Maduro to help her analyze all the information, she made a decision that left her with a clear conscience and this decision made Jehovah happy.

In order to be well informed and make good decisions about the use of blood, we must ask for wisdom and its holy spirit, meditate on what the Bible says, investigate the medical treatments that could be offered to us, and if we want, ask for help to know the options that we have. has available. And finally we can put our decisions in writing. Jehovah knows what is best for us, when our obedience is tested he does not leave us alone. He helps us, if we accept his help and respect the life he gave us, we will live in paradise and have perfect health and eternal life.