My father was a Jehovah's Witness for 33 years, in his
personal spiritual beliefs, before he passed due to his fight with Leukemia, from chemo therapy complications at Providence
Hospital, in Mobile, Ala. He was Pentecostal, and Church Of God before that time. In his fight with this disease, he also
had a troubling continuing internal soul searching spiritual battle going on. For he one day might be faced with the decision
of accepting, or not accepting blood, or products derived from blood, to improve his quality of life. As a Jehovah's
Witness, he was taught, believed, as well had taught others himself, blood by way of transfusion, or by product should never
be used, nor should one ever eat, or drink it. I have often said, decisions we must make in life's path, change drastically,
when it is we who are involved in knowing we are soon to be passing on, or it is a loved one. I sadly but proudly watched
him fight this battle of wills, so important to him, me too to know he was at peace with it all, so we all could be too. We
watched him study for long hours, watched as he turned, searched from God in prayer, and scripture for answers he could
ethically live in comfort with, knowing true in his heart God's will was done. I am pleased to say, I was able to share a
few scriptures, listen, laugh, cry, love, understand, and not judge, as well as offer a none biased in-put in this
heavy decision he was faced to make. I marveled as always, at his intense dedication to researching yet another
question he needed answered from God, and his word. He told me once he passed, what I did with the personal knowledge of his
final treatments as well his personal decision, was up to me to share, if I thought it might help just one person. Dad
loved helping all, even to the end, and this was his last public thoughts which might comfort someone. His sermons became
shorter with age, and pain, but his message shines clearly through. Dad always searched the truth of things, but, was always
ready to change his beliefs, when new facts where discovered. He too believed people could change, he was always ready to
give one a second, third, forth, chance or more, whatever it took, and was the most forgiving person I have ever known. I
believe this will help others, knowing how it tortured him so, to make a blood use choice, in his final days. My father
did in the end use blood related treatments to aid in his comfort, length, as well quality of life. Those who witnessed the
last life path he had to travel, as well pain endured, fully understand why. I, nor do I believe anyone, would change
a thing in that heavy weighted decision. Before doing so, he wrote this final article on his scriptural thoughts, and search
in the use of blood in disease/surgery related treatments, and blood transfusions
. If you or a loved one are faced with this most difficult decision, we send you each prayers for comfort, wisdom,
as well great strength, and maybe my father's thoughts may aid you as it helped him in making his choice. So it tis with
the greatest of honor, I share with you again, my hero, my favorite speaker, and teacher,,,
my dad,,,
~
" Sacred Blood "
One should not eat blood ~ Gen. 9:4
Men risked their Life Blood to get David a drink of water, and he
poured it out as a symbol of the sacredness of Blood, and life.
2 Sam. 23:16 ~ 17.
Person's can abstain from fornication, Idols, and obvious unclean
things in Jehovah's eyes, by simply turning away, by not being involved or even touching these un-clean things. One can't
do the same with Blood. Animals must be dressed for eating. Blood will come in contact while it's being dressed. Also, all
Blood cannot be drained from meat that is to be consumed, even after cooking. Individuals eating meat will always consume
some Blood products.
As noted above, God's laws forbid the eating of Blood as a food
by way of mouth. There was a reason for this. Blood is a life giving fluid, and is to be respected as such. To consume Blood
by way of mouth as a food, is showing disrespect. In so much that Blood eaten by way of mouth, travels through the digestive
tract, and is discarded as a waste product. A clear disrespect for Blood as sacred, and life giving.
Blood on the other hand, given
by way of transfusion is not discarded as a waste product, and it is not ingested by way of mouth. Rather, it is life
sustaining, and is retained inside the body giving life support. Honoring, and respecting it as life giving, as set forth
in God's scriptures.
~
William Clifford Elmore
copyright: 08/01/2001
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