This man refused life-saving treatment because of his religion

[Karl_3000]

This man refused life-saving treatment because of his religion - days later the rules changed

Please let me quote the news so that you can understand better:

In August this year, 26-year-old Isaac Valdez had an epileptic seizure while browsing in his local library, causing him to convulse and strike his head against the ground. He lost consciousness. Later, in hospital, it transpired Isaac had hit his head with such force it had led to a brain haemorrhage.

Treatment was seriously complicated by the fact that, as a Jehovah's Witness, Isaac carried a "No Blood" card, an indication that he would not accept treatment involving any form of blood transfusion because of his religious beliefs. As a result, a procedure to drain fluid from Isaac's brain did not take place. But his family, from Waxahachie, Texas, were encouraged by the fact that he regained consciousness and even started to talk again. He was able to confirm that he stood by his "no blood" beliefs. The family's relief at his apparent improvement was short-lived. Isaac slipped into a coma and his condition worsened rapidly.

A neurosurgeon told Isaac's family the only way to save his life was an emergency operation, but that it was one that required blood transfusion. His family took the decision to abide by Issac's wishes as a lifelong Witness not to accept such a procedure. Isaac - who his twin brother Jacob Valdez describes as an intelligent man who loved volunteering and helping the elderly - died on 26 August 2026 when doctors turned off his life support.

Just 23 days later, the Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body announced a seismic change in teaching that would, in effect, have given Isaac the religious green light to have the life-saving treatment he had refused. The change suddenly means the vast majority of medical procedures using donated blood are no longer prohibited to followers. Now, decisions on whether to accept such treatments are to be left to individuals. Jacob, already dealing with the death of his twin, was angered at the Jehovah's Witnesses' leadership for not coming to their conclusion sooner. He told BBC News he believes Isaac could well still be alive if they had.

For those that do not want to read the long news, it is about Isaac which is a twin brother of Jacob, he had an epileptic seizure. You know it can happen to anyone at anytime which can be triggered by something. During the seizure attack, he hit his head on the ground and because of that he has brain hemorrhage that made him unconscious. He later gain consciousness, but the doctor told them that he need blood transfusion. He carries "No Blood" card with him and his parents accepted it when he became unconscious again and went into coma. He later died.

The no blood transfusion has been changed by Jehovah witness 23 days later when Isaac died. His brother is blaming them that they ought to have change it before he died. I think I have the parent to blame for it, but I do not know if they their say can override the no blood transfusion card. Not everything should you use religion for. Many years ago, my friends and I have discussed this before, I do not know the reason some people do not try to differentiate what is right from what is not right.

May his soul rest in peace.

[BADecker]

God, who made the univrse in 6 days, is way beyond understanding. But, He promised us life through His Son, Jesus.

We all die... it seems. But God promised to make believers in Jesus alive again. Jesus, Himself, said that death is really only a sleep.

So, if he was a Jesus believer, we will see him again in the new life. But only if we are believers, too.

[Vod]

Just 23 days later, the Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body announced a seismic change in teaching that would, in effect, have given Isaac the religious green light to have the life-saving treatment he had refused. The change suddenly means the vast majority of medical procedures using donated blood are no longer prohibited to followers. Now, decisions on whether to accept such treatments are to be left to individuals. Jacob, already dealing with the death of his twin, was angered at the Jehovah's Witnesses' leadership for not coming to their conclusion sooner. He told BBC News he believes Isaac could well still be alive if they had.

Amazing they can get these new laws by re-reading old witness statements!

A true god could create everything instantly and he wouldn't do stupid things like forget a place to put Adam's penis....

I wouldn't trust a god like that.  i trust the other one more.

[iDEEMEE]

There is a big difference between religion and being a true follower of God. Why change the ‘No blood card’ rule if it was truly a commandment from God. A lot of people are so deep into religion that they don’t have self awareness, reflection and search on Gods word.

I won’t say much because BELIEVE is very powerful and it is futile to try to make people see the faults in some things they believe in.

[_act_]

God, who made the univrse in 6 days, is way beyond understanding. But, He promised us life through His Son, Jesus.

The six days in the Bible is a thousand or millions of years to some Bible scholars. There are some things that we need to interpret ourselves.

Another thing is that what we call days is not real. A day is when the earth make one revolution, but did you know it takes some planets more time. As earth will have one full revolution in a day, it takes venus 243 days.

There is a big difference between religion and being a true follower of God. Why change the ‘No blood card’ rule if it was truly a commandment from God. A lot of people are so deep into religion that they don’t have self awareness, reflection and search on Gods word.

According to my findings online, nowhere in the Bible that says there should be no blood transfusion. If you save a life in a way no other person is hurt, it is not a sin. In blood transfusion, no one gets hurt.

[Doan9269]

This man refused life-saving treatment because of his religion -

Some will be claiming they know Jesus and yet they are not doing the footprint of what he made, isn't he the same man that healed the seek and delivered the oppressed, but today's religion will come in different dimension whereby people begin to give wrong teachings to people and they will be brainwashed.

I wonder where government cannot interfere to some severe cases like this, when a religious belief is against humanity intervention and protocols, we have to know what we wanted and take it as a privilege that we are not part of those that are having wrong mentality over how life should be treated.

[Marvelockg]

So, if he was a Jesus believer, we will see him again in the new life. But only if we are believers, too.

The issue is not whether or not we will see him at the resurrection morning, rather, it’s a discussion of being overly religious and neglecting principles and wisdom that God has given to us as a means of having a good life while we are resident here on earth. Same God the jehovah witness worship is the one that gave knowledge to medical doctors to come up with basic procedures that stands to help those that are sick. If your ailments is not demonically engineered, there’s no point rejecting medical expertise. Doing so doesn’t make you more religious

[Roseline492]

This is a very heartbroken story considering how the person died with the belief the church later abolish, so actually some of the churches Doctrine is the problem most people in the society is having today, they formulate things that wasn't even on the holy book and made people to see it as the truth, I'm not condemning or judging any religion of what they're doing but however when it comes to life is very absurd for a religion to speak against a medical intervention that could restore health into the person. meanwhile this doctrine was not only practice by the Jehovah's Witness but there are still other regular churches with the same belief and to me is wrong and I wouldn't deprive myself of a good health because of belief.

[letteredhub]

Religious leaders personal teachings and rules has actually fucked up many minds , misleading them and calling it God's laws. But how's God's law now being easily changed by the course of time.

Everything in the world according to the bible chronicle all things were created by God and that includes blood because God created humans, how's is it that the very blood created by God is spoken to be a single when a transfusion from one person to another is done for the purpose of saving a life. A lot people are really high on this opium called religion more than they are high in God Himself.

[Aanuoluwatofunmi]

Don't allow others blindfolded you all in the name of religious beliefs, I remember there was a time that a particular denomination announces that their members should not be allowed to use the television for any reason, claiming that it was an instrumentation for the devil's advocates, but today, things have gone better and they are civilized to understand the benefits of using the television positively and now encourage members to use it on like before, anything that our conscience does not support should be kicked against regardless of those that are giving us wrong teachings.

[Mhizlove]

As a believer, you should study the word of God on your own and avoid listening to others' teachings, don't get me wrong here, because they interpret the Bible according to their own understanding. I bet if he had been studying according to his own understanding, he would not have lost his life along the line, because I don't see any passage in the bible that says blood transfusion is diabolical or a sin. Rather, the bible says that we should stay very far away from consuming blood and not about receiving blood through transfusion

[Rockson1]

I'm not happy with this, imagine someone losing his life just because of religious, what wrong with blood transfusion and made Jehovah witness change that doctrine since they know that it is the best, apart from this incident, do you know how many person that has lost due what they made them to believe, it saddens my heart people could allow their minds to be messed up in this manner in believing nonsense.

Whether the parents and the brothers of this guy blame the church or not, the fact remains that they were not forced into believing anything, imagine what ignorance has caused the family, I know of a church that say they don't take medication,.they call themselves faith something something, but I have trying to see if I can find somewhere in the holy book that said we should not take medication, all of this are just doctrines set by humans, this is just too bad.

[9ja Amaka]

So, if he was a Jesus believer, we will see him again in the new life. But only if we are believers, too.

The issue is not whether or not we will see him at the resurrection morning, rather, it’s a discussion of being overly religious and neglecting principles and wisdom that God has given to us as a means of having a good life while we are resident here on earth. Same God the jehovah witness worship is the one that gave knowledge to medical doctors to come up with basic procedures that stands to help those that are sick. If your ailments is not demonically engineered, there’s no point rejecting medical expertise. Doing so doesn’t make you more religious

You're wrong. Did he follow the doctrine of his church? Yes or no?

As we speak, there is something that your church believes in that you also believe in. I can't prove it, but I know I'm right. The man died for what he believed in, whether he was deceived or not, he is going to resurrect again as a believer.

Religion is not the cause here. Religion can be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc. It is the church doctrine that has deceived this brother.

[Accardo]

meanwhile this doctrine was not only practice by the Jehovah's Witness but there are still other regular churches with the same belief and to me is wrong and I wouldn't deprive myself of a good health because of belief.

Doctrines are what keeps believers apart, Catholics, Apostolic, Lutheran Churches etc. are all believers of Christ, but it'll surprise you to know that at some point parents who believe in Catholicism never allowed their daughters to marry to a man from a different Church, not religion. Doctrine is totally terrible and a lot of believers follow and adhere to those doctrines more than they practice their religion, some believers refuse to take drugs when they're sick, as a result of following a doctrine.

[Dreadboost]

People misinterpret the bible a lot. Especially in the wrong way. God created the body parts knowing there would be fault. He gave man the knowledge to treat these sicknesses, but do they think he is the one who made those religious rules that are breaking society? It isn't God. Not the one I serve.

Man, in over-knowing nature, made these rules to maintain what they call religion. Others will take what a man who woke up from sleep decides and make decisions that affect their life.

[Abdul Sami786]

So, if he was a Jesus believer, we will see him again in the new life. But only if we are believers, too.

The issue is not whether or not we will see him at the resurrection morning, rather, it’s a discussion of being overly religious and neglecting principles and wisdom that God has given to us as a means of having a good life while we are resident here on earth. Same God the jehovah witness worship is the one that gave knowledge to medical doctors to come up with basic procedures that stands to help those that are sick. If your ailments is not demonically engineered, there’s no point rejecting medical expertise. Doing so doesn’t make you more religious

As far as I know religion has not forbidden us from getting any disease treated except for the forbidden things.But what is being stated is that we should be treated irrespective of whether it's a small disease or a severe one, and the Quran has already said so.However religion prohibits us from doing a few things that are part of polytheism such as wearing amulets, visiting a court and worshipping someone other than Allah.On these things, religion makes certain restrictions on us, which we have to accept.Otherwise, if the disease is serious and life threatening, it is very important to receive treatment.But when there is somebody who is not getting treatment even with all these knowledge, then we should respect his decision.

[Don Saga]

~snip

This is complete nonsense, it's murder in its purest form. People would keep killing themselves to honor stupid religious beliefs that men made. Where was it ever recorded in the Bible that blood transfusion is a sin? The father of the man should also be ashamed of himself and not blame the religious leaders for the changes in their laws.

There is no Jesus Christ that would miraculously make a damaged brain repaired, because why was surgeries and operations created in the first place?

[Sticky Bomb]

As a Christian, you should be able to differentiate between laws and rules. The only law given by God is the ten commandments and anything apart from it is a rule made by man of which can be adjusted based on situations. There is no place in the ten commandments that it was stated that you should not accept blood transfusion when needed. Christians shouldn't follow rules at their own detriment, it hurts when someone looses his/her life due to such beliefs on rules.

[BIT-BENDER]

How can he blame any one, why does he need to law to be changed to help his brother, I have seen this a lot in the hospital settings where people let their religious beliefs interfere with their treatment.
I honestly think it's time that not only is that doctrine held responsible also the patient relatives, because when the patient is unconscious to sign or give consent it falls to the patient relatives so they have the right to give the go ahead.
Also the country need to step in and look into some doctrine that will only cause harm to the followers.

[Marykeller]

Sorry to say this, Jehovah Witness Church has put many people to their early grave.

I am from one of the African countries, I know how the people(Jehovah Witness) from my country get to abide by this foolish rule of no taking blood transfusion from any body even at death, that God Almighty will heal and save them from it.

Blood transfusion is not the only thing the church members of Jehovah Witness were ban to. There are many other things that were ban for them. Things like, Not to celebrate Christmas, Easter, Valentine's, birthdays. Not to vote, nor join politics, no to watch movies or music. The one that I found annoying is for them not to marry from another church. They should marry from the same church