A small group of people belonging to a certain religion, called Jehovah's witness do not accept blood transfusion or blood products, based on biblical readings.
Blood represents life and is sacred to God. After it has been removed from a creature, the only use of blood that God has authorized is for the atonement of sins. When a Christian abstains from blood, they are in effect expressing faith that only the shed blood of Jesus Christ can truly redeem them and save their life.
There are no particular issues relating to blood transfusions, but although organ donation has been permitted it is a complicated issue for Muslims and will often be met with reluctance. The decision would lie with the individual and their family in consultation with their local religious leader.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Bible (Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:10, and Acts 15:29) prohibits ingesting blood and that Christians should therefore not accept blood transfusions or donate or store their own blood for transfusion. Specifically, their beliefs include: Blood represents life and is sacred to God.
There was never any papal prohibition of blood transfusion. It is a myth that needs to be dispelled if the full extent of the Catholic Church's support for blood and organ donation is to be appreciated.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that a human must not sustain his life with another creature's blood, and they recognize no distinction "between taking blood into the mouth and taking it into the blood vessels." It is their deep-seated religious conviction that Jehovah will turn his back on anyone who receives blood ...
Christians neither drink human blood nor eat animals' blood. Blood donation or transfusion is not a religious matter, but purely a medical issue. God has never referred to it as sinful; instead He has given to man the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to administer same to save the lives of His people.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that it is against God's will to receive blood and, therefore, they refuse blood transfusions, often even if it is their own blood. The willing acceptance of blood transfusions by Jehovah's Witnesses has in some cases led to expulsion from and ostracisation by their religious community.
DIET - Jehovah Witnesses believe it is forbidden to eat blood or blood products. Although meat is usually acceptable, because animals are bled after slaughter, some Jehovah Witnesses may be vegetarian. Patients may wish to pray silently before eating and at other times.
The denomination requires adherence to a strict moral code, which forbids premarital sex, homosexuality, gender transitioning, adultery, smoking, drunkenness and drug abuse, and blood transfusions.
What's the rarest blood type? AB negative is the rarest of the eight main blood types - just 1% of our donors have it.
Equally the Quran says that: 'If anyone saves a life, it is as if he saves the lives of all humankind'. Thus many Muslims understand from this verse that donating one's organs is a blessed act. In 1995, the Muslim Law (Sharia) Council UK issued a fatwa, religious edict, saying organ donation is permitted.
Allah s.w.t says in the Qur'an, Surah Al-Ma'ida (5:3): " Forbidden to you (for food) are : dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine , and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah". This clearly insists that blood is prohibited to be consumed by the Muslim as it is considered to be filthy and harmful.
Jehovah's Witnesses – According to the Watch Tower Society, the legal corporation for the religion, Jehovah's Witnesses do not encourage organ donation but believe it is a matter best left to an individual's conscience. All organs and tissues, however, must be completely drained of blood before transplantation.
Do blood transfusions change your DNA? No, receiving a donation does not alter the patient's DNA. Interestingly, though, in most people, it is possible to detect a very small amount of the donor's DNA in the recipient's blood for a few days after the transfusion.
BELIEFS RELATED TO HEALTH CARE
Jehovah's Witnesses accept medial and surgical treatment. They do not adhere to so-called “faith healing” and are not opposed to the practice of medicine.
Jehovah's Witnesses reject foods containing blood but have no other special dietary requirements. Some Jehovah's Witnesses may be vegetarian and others may abstain from alcohol, but this is a personal choice. Jehovah's Witnesses do not smoke or use other tobacco products.
According to Jehovah's Witnesses, cremation is permissible. Whether a dead person is cremated or not, Jehovah is not limited in his ability to restore the person to life with a new body.
The Witnesses refrain from celebrating birthdays because they believe that birthday feasts have pagan roots. Jehovah's witnesses believe that evil influences and spirits get the opportunity to attack the celebrant during birthdays. Also, Jehovah's witnesses argue that early believers never celebrated their birthdays.
Tennis champion Serena Williams was raised in the Jehovah's Witness faith and continues to practice many of her beliefs stemming from the religion today. The Jackson family was raised in the Jehovah's Witness faith, but several of the family members, including sister Janet, no longer practice the religion.
DISCUSSION OF TRANSFUSION ALTERNATIVES
Multiple transfusion alternatives have been developed, and many are generally acceptable to a Jehovah's Witness patient, including tranexamic acid, prothrombin complex concentrate, and fibrin glue.
In particular, when the patient is a minor, consent must be given by both parents or legal guardian. If parents are not in agreement or refuse the blood transfusion, consent must be requested at the probate judge; taking into account the degree of maturity of the minor, it is advisable to obtain his/ her assent.
But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.”
All Christians are encouraged to become organ, blood and tissue donors “as part of their ministry to others in the name of Christ, who gave His life that we may have life in its fullness.”