14 Year-Old Boy Dies For Religious Reasons

Leukemia patient, Dennis Lindberg, dies after refusing blood transfusion for religious reasons.

"I don't believe Dennis' decision is the result of any coercion. He is mature and understands the consequences of his decision," he said, according to The Associated Press. "I don't think Dennis is trying to commit suicide. This isn't something Dennis just came upon, and he believes with the transfusion he would be unclean and unworthy."

Why does Lindberg believe he will be unclean and unworthy before God's eyes if he went through with a blood transfusion? The article continues.

But Lindberg refused a blood transfusion on religious grounds. Jehovah's Witnesses believe it is impure to receive a blood transfusion; they do not typically refuse other forms of medical care.

What many JW's aren't even aware of is the total hypocrisy of their doctrine.

The Watchtower Sept. 15, 1961 "Is it wrong to sustain life by infusions of blood or plasma or red cells or the various fractions? Yes. The law that God gave to Noah and which applies to all his descendants makes it wrong for anyone to eat blood, that is, to use the blood of another creature to nourish or sustain one’s life."

"Whether whole or fractional, one's own or someone else's, transfused or injected, it is wrong"

Jehovah's Witnesses-Proclaimers of God's Kingdom pp.183-184 "Beginning in 1961 any who ignored the divine requirement, accepted blood transfusions, and manifested an unrepentant attitude were disfellowshipped from the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses."

The "divine requirement", once again, speaking for God. I guess God changed his mind because fractions became acceptable.

The Watchtower June 1, 1990 p.31 "That some protein fractions from the plasma do move naturally into the blood system of another individual (the fetus) may be another consideration when a Christian is deciding whether he will accept immune globulin, albumin, or similar injections of plasma fractions. One person may feel that he in good conscience can; another may conclude that he cannot. Each must resolve the matter personally before God."

The Society states that blood as a whole may not be taken, but fractions of it are allowed, based upon a person's conscience.

Luke 16:10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."

The Bible never intended this pharisaical viewpoint of this medical procedure. I suppose the Society would rather Jesus not heal on a Sabbath.

Related Reading: First Time Donating Blood

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.