From Our Readers
Parents’ Rights As a doctor, I would like to express my feelings regarding the article “Doctors Tried to Take Our Daughter Away.” (October 22, 1989) This article will serve only to aggravate mutual misunderstanding and cause confrontation.
In some cases blood is the only logical and appropriate therapy, and a doctor [in France] is morally and legally obliged to administer it. Witnesses should therefore not be offended if a doctor (1) obtains a court order for blood treatment or (2) chooses not to treat the patient at all. Doctors ask that Jehovah’s Witnesses accept the consequences of their choice; that they not set themselves up as martyrs but make their stand quite clear. For example: “I refuse blood because I want to obey God’s law (not because I am scared of AIDS or hepatitis).” Doctors ask that they act in a consistent and responsible manner and not try to moralize.
J. L. P., M.D., France
Jehovah’s Witnesses appreciate the hard work and dedication of doctors. We endeavor to cooperate with them and ask only that they respect our Bible-based determination to ‘abstain from blood.’ (Acts 15:29) Jehovah’s Witnesses are prepared to face the consequences of this religious stand. Nevertheless, it is well-established that blood transfusions carry many lethal risks, and there are alternate medical ways of management that do not expose one to those risks. If a doctor is unwilling to cooperate in this regard, he is obliged to make this clear to his patients. In the case in question, the physician agreed to respect his patient’s wishes but then reneged. The parents thus felt that they had to take drastic action. Nevertheless, the article did not urge parents to withhold medical care. Rather, it served to encourage parents to “become more specific in questioning their doctor as to just what he or she would do under specific circumstances.” By demonstrating that effective nonblood treatments often exist, the article also served to highlight that the Biblical prohibition on ingesting blood is reasonable, even from a medical standpoint.—ED.
Modeling Careers I appreciated the article “Young People Ask . . . What About Modeling Careers and Beauty Contests?” (January 8, 1990) It really made me see the pitfalls involved. I now realize that whether we have physical beauty or not, it is our spiritual beauty that counts.
S. W., England
Poland Conventions My heartfelt thanks for carrying me (in my mind’s eye) to the conventions in Poland. (December 22, 1989) As I read the article, tears of joy just kept streaming down my face. Sometimes the anxieties of life cause us to lose sight of Jehovah’s great love. How grand to see such love shown among true Christians!
K. D., United States
Wayward Siblings Thank you so much for the article “Young People Ask . . . How Could They Do That to Me?” (November 8, 1989) I too have an older brother who has left Jehovah’s organization. Many times I find myself thinking of the heartache and pain this has caused my parents, as well as me. Your article was so encouraging to me. I realize now that while some failure may lie with my parents, my brother failed to respond to their training.
L. R., United States
Phobias I keep a copy of the wonderful article on phobias (February 8, 1987) handy. I’ve lived with panic attacks for years. But I’m always encouraged to keep going when I reread the paragraphs that spoke of persistence and prayer to Jehovah.
M. B., United States