First Time Donating Blood

I gave a pint of blood for the first time! I filled out the paperwork, then got my blood pressure, temperature, and pulse checked. The technician pricked my finger, bringing drops of blood and minor discomfort, to determine the iron level. All healthy, thank God, and it's time to proceed.

I had no idea that the needle was going to be that big. It may as well have been a potato peeler. When it was injected into my vein, a stream of blood spurted out, barely missing the aide's eye.

Twenty minutes later I was eating Nutter Butters and drinking apple juice. I hope someone, someday benefits from it.

A Jehovah's Witness may be shocked to hear that. True, the Watchtower forbids blood donations and transfusions. Does the Bible? Scripture reveals God commanded the nation of Israel:

Leviticus 7:26 And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal. 27 If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people.

This is about eating animal blood. The verses directly before mention:

Leviticus 7:24 The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it. 25 Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which an offering by fire may be made to the LORD must be cut off from his people.

This is a ceremonial law given to Israel. JW's most likely eat fat and they don't consider this breaking God's law. If they eat a steak they are also eating some animal blood.

Deuteronomy 14:21 Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. But you are a people holy to the LORD your God.

God had no problem with non-jews eating an unbled animal!

Acts 15:20 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.

Acts 15:29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

Acts 15 deals with the 'disturbance' that was caused by certain pharisees who wanted the male gentiles to be circumcised according to their tradition. Acts 15:19 describes the outcome, "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." The point was not to burden the converts beyond the following requirements: Abstaining from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.

Certain things are absolute like sexual immorality ("flee" from it, 1 Cor 6:13), but what about food sacrificed to idols, blood, and meat of strangled animals? God inspired Paul to write in 1 Corinthians 8 that eating food sacrificed to idols is nothing at all, because there is no real power in idols and, besides, "food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do."

1 Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.