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Questions From ReadersThe Watchtower—1959 | October 15
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being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah. In union with him you, too, are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.”
Thus the Scriptures make it very clear that it is not the mortal body of the individual Christian that is the temple of God, but that the members of the Christian congregation as spiritual stones are built on Christ Jesus the foundation cornerstone as one spiritual temple of God.
● Although it is unscriptural for a Christian to accept another person’s blood in transfusion, would it be allowable for a dedicated Christian to have some of his own blood removed and then put back into his body during an operation?—W. D., U.S.A.
According to the method of handling blood prescribed by the Bible, blood when taken from a body was to be poured out on the ground as water and covered over with dust. (Lev. 17:13, 14; Deut. 12:16, 23, 24; 15:23; 1 Chron. 11:18, 19) This is because life is in the blood and such shed blood is held sacred before Jehovah God. The covenant regarding the sanctity of blood stated after the Flood is still binding today, and it covers both animal and human blood, whether one’s own or another’s. Consequently, the removal of one’s blood, storing it and later putting it back into the same person would be a violation of the Scriptural principles that govern the handling of blood.—Gen. 9:4-6.
If, however, hemorrhaging should occur at the time of an operation and by some means the blood is immediately channeled back into the body, this would be allowable. The use of some device whereby the blood is diverted and a certain area or organ is temporarily bypassed during surgery would be Biblically permissible, for the blood would be flowing from one’s body through the apparatus and right back into the body again. On the other hand, if the blood were stored, even for a brief period of time, this would be a violation of the Scriptures.
The use of another person’s blood to “prime” any device employed in surgery is objectionable. In this case the blood would circulate through the system of the patient, becoming mixed with his own. Again, if one’s own blood would have to be withdrawn at intervals and stored until a sufficient amount had accumulated to set a machine in operation, this too would fall under Scriptural prohibition. The ones involved in the matter are in the best position to ascertain just how the blood would be handled and must bear responsibility before Jehovah for seeing that it is not handled unscripturally.
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AnnouncementsThe Watchtower—1959 | October 15
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Announcements
FIELD MINISTRY
“I am awake!” people will often say, and no doubt they are awake to many things. Yet how easy it is to overlook matters vital to one’s well-being! To aid people to be awake to matters of greatest importance, during October Jehovah’s witnesses will offer a year’s subscription for the magazine Awake! for $1. New subscribers will receive free three enlightening Bible booklets.
A STUDY OF GOD’S PURPOSE
Here are two extremely popular aids in your study of the Bible, “Your Will Be Done on Earth” and From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained. Each provides a thorough study of God’s purpose on the theme expressed in its title. Both are hard-bound editions, beautifully illustrated, with gold-embossed covers. Both will be sent postpaid on your contribution of $1.25. Send today and receive free the two booklets God’s Way Is Love and God’s Kingdom Rules—Is the World’s End Near?
“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS
November 22: When God Speaks Peace to All Nations, ¶1-28. Page 612.
November 29: When God Speaks Peace to All Nations, ¶29-35, and Concern for Man’s Survival into Peace. Page 619.
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