Jehovah's Witness Encounter

[mathqueen]

I'm sure you're quite bright!

[Guest shiloh357]

The other day in class, a student of mine asked if I would ever get a blood transfusion if my life was on the line, etc. I said of course!!! He responded that, we'll call her "Sarah", would not get one. So the three of us were talking about it, and "Sarah" said she wouldn't because it's in the bible (now I already know at this point that she is a Jehovah's Witness and the whole class knows I'm a Christian). I walked over to my desk to get my bible and looked up the scripture in Acts that she was referring to (I can't recall the chapter and verse, but it's where Christians are instructed to abstain from sexual immorality....and blood.). To her, it was so clear. I of course could not get into a debate with her due to being in school and being her teacher, but I was left wondering...if I had not been in school and it had come up, how would I have responded to that interpretation? Anyone have any advice?

Well, what many people overlook is that the issue raised in Acts 15 had to do with the how Gentiles were to be received into the believing community seeing that at time, that the majority of believers were Jewish. There were four requirements laid out: Abstain from fornication, Idolatry, from meat that had come from a strangled animal and blood. The last two were Jewish dietary commandments. The commandment not to eat blood is not a Jewish tradition, but is a commandment from the Law of Moses.

Now, this would seem very rude and audacious in our current Christian culture, but the Jewish believers sent out a letter to the Gentile believers basically stating, "if you want to fellowship with us, you must comply with these four stipulations."

These four stipulations form the bare essentials required to enjoy table fellowship with an observant, Orthodox Jewish person. As stated, the last two were dietary commandments. Jews do not eat blood. Part of the preparation is to make sure every drop of blood is expunged from the meat they eat. They even check their egg yolks before cooking eggs to make sure there are no red "blood spots"in the yolk.

The blood being abstained from is animal blood and this for the sake of human consumption. There is no hermeneutic way to force that passage to refer to not receiving a blood transfusion from another person in an emergency situation.

[Guest Vote for ted!]

One thing I know about JW's is they are more interested in focusing on "issues" than the Truth. They avoid the Salvation issue by trying to justify their life through proper "behaviours".

Sad that you were in a school setting and couldn't give her the Gospel. Maybe sometime!

[OneLight]

One thing I know about JW's is they are more interested in focusing on "issues" than the Truth. They avoid the Salvation issue by trying to justify their life through proper "behaviours".

Sad that you were in a school setting and couldn't give her the Gospel. Maybe sometime!

Hi Vote For Ted ... who are you, really ... come out from behind that mask!

[mathqueen]

I know who it is!!!

[MorningGlory]

One thing I know about JW's is they are more interested in focusing on "issues" than the Truth. They avoid the Salvation issue by trying to justify their life through proper "behaviours".

Sad that you were in a school setting and couldn't give her the Gospel. Maybe sometime!

Hi Vote For Ted ... who are you, really ... come out from behind that mask!

I know who it is too....and I believe she is being held hostage!

[Elbit Pada]

I have a book that talks about that as well!! Thanks for the reminder (I forgot about that part). I'm not sure how I could address that with a JW and how I would phrase that ("well what you are saying is not really from the bible but from what someone is telling you to believe)??????

Just ask her.

A lot of times if you play stupid, people will open up to you.

It works for me.....but then again, I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree.

Good plan Man. Some people might call it stupid (not the brightest bulb... lol; or manipulative...I call it Biblical because the Word tells us to be wise like serpents but harmless like doves. If that isn't what you just described I don't know what is.

[Elbit Pada]

One thing I know about JW's is they are more interested in focusing on "issues" than the Truth. They avoid the Salvation issue by trying to justify their life through proper "behaviours".

Sad that you were in a school setting and couldn't give her the Gospel. Maybe sometime!

Hi Vote For Ted ... who are you, really ... come out from behind that mask!

I know who it is too....and I believe she is being held hostage!

Won't be for long...you can't keep a good woman down!!!

[OneLight]

One thing I know about JW's is they are more interested in focusing on "issues" than the Truth. They avoid the Salvation issue by trying to justify their life through proper "behaviours".

Sad that you were in a school setting and couldn't give her the Gospel. Maybe sometime!

Hi Vote For Ted ... who are you, really ... come out from behind that mask!

I know who it is too....and I believe she is being held hostage!

Won't be for long...you can't keep a good woman down!!!

Go toward the light!

[meagain]

I know who it is!!!

Does her name begin with *B* and end with*t*