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Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Bible prohibits ingesting blood and that Christians should not accept blood transfusions or donate or store their own blood for transfusion.〔''Keep Yourself in God's Love'', Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 2008, page 77.〕 The belief is based on an interpretation of scripture that differs from that of other Christian denominations.〔(Manya A. Brachear, "More doctors honor religious objections to blood transfusions", Chicago Tribune, 9 October 2012. )〕 It is one of the doctrines for which Jehovah's Witnesses are most well known. Watch Tower Society publications teach that the Witnesses' refusal of transfusions of whole blood or its four primary components—red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma—is a non-negotiable religious stand and that those who respect life as a gift from God do not try to sustain life by taking in blood,〔"Be Guided by the Living God", ''The Watchtower'', June 15, 2004, page 22.〕 even in an emergency.〔"Godly Respect for Blood", ''The Watchtower'', September 1, 1986, page 25.〕 Witnesses are taught that the use of fractions such as albumin, immunoglobulins and hemophiliac preparations are "not absolutely prohibited", and are instead a matter of personal choice.〔 The doctrine was introduced in 1945, and has undergone some changes since then. Members of the religion who voluntarily accept a transfusion and are not deemed repentant are regarded as having disassociated themselves from the religion by abandoning its doctrines and are subsequently shunned by members of the organization.〔Jehovah's Witnesses Public Affairs Office press release, June 14, 2000.〕 Although accepted by the majority of Jehovah's Witnesses, a minority does not endorse this doctrine.〔Lee Elder, The Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood, "Why some Jehovah's Witnesses accept blood and conscientiously reject official Watchtower Society blood policy", ''Journal of Medical Ethics'', 2000, Vol 26, pages 375-380.〕〔(Tom Blackwell, "Without fanfare, Jehovah’s Witnesses quietly soften position on blood transfusions", ''National Post'', 20 December 2012. )〕 The Watch Tower Society has established Hospital Information Services to provide education and facilitate bloodless surgery. This service also maintains Hospital Liaison Committees, whose function is to provide support to adherents. ==Doctrine== On the basis of various biblical texts, including , , and , Jehovah's Witnesses believe: * Blood represents life〔''How Can Blood Save Your Life'', published by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1990 p. 24, "God told all mankind that they must not eat blood. Why? Because blood represents life."〕 and is sacred to God.〔''Awake!'', August 2006 p. 11, "He also gave them his reason, equating blood with the soul, or life, of the creature. He later said: 'The soul (life ) is in the blood.' In the eyes of the Creator, blood is sacred. It represents the precious gift of life that each living soul possesses."〕〔''The Watchtower'', June 15, 2004 p. 21〕 After it has been removed from a creature, the only use of blood that God has authorized is for the atonement of sins.〔''The Watchtower'', February 1, 1997 p. 29〕 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.〔 * Blood must not be eaten or transfused,〔〔''The Watchtower'', June 1, 1969 pp. 326, 327〕 even in the case of a medical emergency.〔''The Watchtower'', September 1, 1986 p. 25〕 * Blood leaving the body of a human or animal must be disposed of.〔 * Certain medical procedures involving blood fractions or that use a patient's own blood during the course of a medical procedure, such as hemodilution or cell salvage, are a matter of personal choice, according to what a person's conscience permits.〔October 15, 2000 Watchtower, p. 31〕 * A baptized Witness who unrepentantly accepts a blood transfusion is deemed to have disassociated himself from the religion by abandoning its doctrines and is subsequently subject to organized shunning by other members.〔〔 Certain medical procedures involving blood are specifically prohibited by Jehovah's Witnesses' blood doctrine. This includes the use of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and blood plasma. Other fractions derived from blood are not prohibited. Watch Tower publications state that some products derived from one of the four primary components may be so similar to the function of the whole component and carry on such a life-sustaining role in the body that "most Christians would find them objectionable".〔''The Watchtower'', June 15, 2004 P.24 par. 16〕 For procedures where there is no specific doctrinal prohibition, individuals are to obtain details from medical personnel and then make a personal decision.〔''The Watchtower'', March 1, 1989, p. 31〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jehovah's Witnesses and blood transfusions」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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