Witnessign to Jehovah's Witnesses on the Issues of Life and Death Decisions - Research Paper Example

? Witnessing to Jehovah’s Witnesses on the Issues of Life and Death Decisions Full Modern civilization now puts its emphasis on the respect for individuals and this includes the ideas, beliefs and ideologies of a person. For a better world to exist, this would be an ideal notion that everyone might agree with and even advocate. However, there is also the fact to be considered that there are differences among individuals that usually make it difficult for an ideal world to be had. Individuals in a family have different perspectives which usually cause misunderstandings. Likewise, individuals in organizations, fraternities or even churches have this similar problem. No matter how similar people’s beliefs are, there are always points of differences where contradictions among members occur and these should be understood and respected to achieve the old adage, ‘Live and let live.’ This paper will look into the situation of a couple who are faced with a decision considering the medical condition of the young woman as dictated by their beliefs. The woman suffers from severe pain and abdominal cramps and is found to have ectopic pregnancy. The doctor explains the situation and the remedy and warns the couple that if the woman does not undergo the operation, blood transfusion and other procedures needed to be done, she would die. Being members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the couple believe that the entire procedure is entirely against their beliefs. So, the question of whether they will push through with the procedure to save the young wife’s life or not receive medical attention at all and face the sting of death, is upon their shoulders. The following discussion will offer the possible result of this decision-making the couple is to make. Blood transfusion is one of the major concerns of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ beliefs and in fact to this day, the most debated among its beliefs. It is believed by critiques that such belief reflects their rejection of modern science and the extreme literalism of their exegesis (Horton, 2006). Witnesses prohibit members from receiving blood transfusions based on Acts 15:20 (Schmidt, 1993) so that in this view, the couple would most likely decline the idea of the operation to save the life of the woman. Spiritual beliefs could be difficult to debate about when such circumstances occur so that the medical team should be as well versed with different belief systems as they are with the technicalities of their profession. With such a weapon, they can try to convince patients to concede to whatever is needed to make an operation successful however; they should also know their limitations and boundaries so as not to desecrate what patients consider important for them. Most physicians with their educational training would desire to save a life and in the aforementioned situation, would like to save the life of the wife. A medical practitioner could probably try to convince the couple by looking closely at their basis for their belief found in Leviticus 17:11-14. It can be noted that the scripture prohibits men to eat blood and blood transfusion is not the same as eating. It is the desire of a loving God for His people to live in health and wellness and therefore would want the woman to live healthy and well. The same scripture claims that blood is life (NIV, 2005) that is why blood transfusion is a means of giving life to the patient. In addition, according to James Sire, the Witnesses’ argument about Acts 1520 is based on a false analogy. He agrees that blood transfusion is not the same as eating blood. He even claims that it is far different from intravenous feeding because the blood goes straight to the blood vessels and does not undergo the process food does, passing through the stomach to be processed before being distributed to the different parts of the body through the blood (Schmidt, 1993). One of the reasons that Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse blood transfusion is the fact that there have been those who underwent blood transfusion and who got sicker instead of getting healthy because of infected blood (watchtower.org, 2006). This is indeed a valid argument to be considered especially so that there are a lot of malpractices that let infected blood get into blood banks. One cannot blame a patient to be concerned about his future health just because of blood transfusion that might infect him so that this is a good point the couple may be making in their decision to decline the operation. On the part of the doctor, it would help a lot if he would actively involve the people concerned with the search for blood donors. For instance, he could suggest the couple to ask donors from family and friends whom they know to be healthy and assure them that tests are performed to make sure that there would be no mismatch of blood types or whatever it is that may cause infections or complications. Of course, it is also important to explain to the concerned party the dangers that they may be facing throughout the procedure and after it so that they will be well-informed of what to expect. However, in the case that is being discussed, time is of essence and the physician cannot risk wasting time in other procedures. One could then vouch for the cleanliness of the blood to be administered and has to make sure that the patient will be given the best care there is so that their fears would not come true. In case such efforts have been made and the couple still decides not to push through with the operation, then the physician has to respect their decision. Jehovah’s Witnesses believes that life begins at conception and deliberately induced abortion is viewed as the willful taking of human life (jw-media.org, 2012). As such, the removal of the ‘developing cells’ would be viewed by the couple to be a deliberate act of taking the fetus’ life. This is perceived as murder. Whatever the situation may be, Witnesses believe that once the sperm cell meets the egg cell and they merge to develop as a human being, there is already life and that should be given the same respect as a full grown, well-developed baby. Therefore, although the couple understands the danger of their circumstance; that the woman may die if the procedure will not push through, there is the great possibility that they will not want to proceed with the operation because it is equivalent to abortion. Although the pregnancy is abnormal and presents great danger to both the mother and child, getting rid of the ‘developing cells’ would be against the couple’s belief about respect for life. On the part of the medical practitioner, it could be explained that the situation calls for the operation and is not a deliberate destruction of life but instead it is an act to save a life. One could probably argue that the baby is as good as dead even before the operation and saving another life is of a greater concern now. The wife can still have babies in the future if she gets the operations and live however, if she does not, she will die together with the baby and the possibility that she will have children in the future will be dead as well. One may in the most gentle manner, also argue that if the couple consider having the operation as deliberately taking the life of the unborn fetus, not taking the operation would be a deliberate act of taking the life of the wife. For the husband, it would be murder and for the wife, it is suicide. Sometimes, there are just things that are difficult to understand and difficult to explain and the role of physicians in such circumstances is not to further confuse the patients and their loved ones but to offer them the chance to choose the best option that is offered. This should not be a time to insist their personal beliefs but a time to show that in their profession, patients are not seen as nonsense or uneducated but that they are respected as much as they respect themselves. One of the reasons why encouraging the Witnesses to proceed with the operation could be a difficult task is their hope that there will be a re-creation of all things (Glazier & Hellwig, 1994) and a resurrection that will reunite people with their loved ones. Physical pain may be a difficult thing to face however they can argue that the pain the young wife is going through is only temporary because when she dies, she will suffer no more. The same is true with their unborn child. They believe that even if they did not yet see the child face to face, they have the hope that during resurrection, they will be able to see and recognize him to be their unborn child. The Witnesses do not believe that young children or unborn babies die and become angels as the Roman Catholic Church teaches but that they wait in the grave until they are awakened in the resurrection. In addition, they believe that adults do not suffer in the lake of fire but will also wait in their graves and be given another chance of salvation during the resurrection (Glazier & Hellwig, 1994; watchtower.org, 2010). To them, death is not something to be feared but to be welcomed. It is just like sleeping where they feel nothing at all but is a time of rest. With such beliefs, the couple has a high possibility of rejecting the doctor’s advice and would rather face the difficulties their circumstances bring, avoid going against their faith and hope to be re-united with each other during resurrection. In this case, the physician should still try as much as possible to offer all the help he could give to the couple especially the young woman but has to make sure to show all the respect that they deserve and desire. The physician may still offer professional advices and help like giving medicines that would help ease the pain as the patient awaits death. For some physicians, it may seem to them a personal failure when they are not able to save the lives of patients when they can and this could have a devastating effect on their belief in themselves and their professional capabilities. However, doctors should also give themselves credit and respect about how they respect other people’s beliefs. The ideology of Jehovah’s Witnesses that God is the giver of life and the taker of it, will also have a great impact on the couple’s decision. They believe that God has all the right to take the life that He has given to mankind in whatever manner He wants to. Strongly believing this, it would be easy for the couple to accept their fate and yield to whatever God planned for them. If it has been appointed for the wife and the unborn baby to die in such a situation, they would gladly accept it without question and bitterness because they know that someday, they will rise again and live. However, one could still try to encourage the couple that indeed, God plans people’s lives, when and how they die but sometimes, such circumstances are not actually how one is supposed to die but are just parts of the trials of life. If a physician explains in a sensible manner the facets of life, how religion impacts the decisions and attitudes of people in facing these facets and how people should respond to such circumstances in response to God’s purpose, recognizing that purpose and understanding it all; the couple might at some point, come to understand further God’s purpose in their lives and make a decision that is in agreement to the physician’s beliefs. When one looks deep in the teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, there are a lot of contradictions where one could find holes that could be used to let members or believers review their beliefs. These contradictions should be held important not only by ministers but also by professionals like the physicians who might meet patients in the middle of such life and death situations and help and guide them in decision-making. Witnesses are not prohibited to seek medical help so this is rather a good chance for physicians to help extend their assistance to the best they can in similar circumstances if they are well-oriented with different beliefs. For instance, Jehovah’s Witnesses allow members to decide for themselves regarding organ transplant. If this is the case, they should also be given the chance to decide about blood transfusion and not be dictated or even prohibited against it. It could be argued upon that in an organ transplant, blood is also included in the process. So, if this is accepted, then transfusion should also have the same treatment. Whatever beliefs patients have, medical practitioners are expected to be as professional as they should but in addition; they should also be widely educated about cultures and religions because it is inevitable that they deal daily with people from all walks of life. If they are well-rounded with different cultures and are skilled in dealing with people, health care providers and the medical team should always remember what is most important as mentioned earlier, respect. Not just respect for individuals but more so, respect for their beliefs. It is important for health care providers to do their responsibilities in saving lives but it is also important for them to respect individual lives and the decisions of patients to take or reject medical help as defined by the experts. In conclusion, physicians and patients should always have good communication, being open to each other but not arguing against each other. Arguments could be healthy if it is taken on a professional level where both parties are able to listen to each other and consider the sensibilities being made. However, when it comes to decision-making, the burden still lies on the patients and physicians should not take the decisions personally but accept that their offer to help through their expertise is not all that matters. Again, each should understand and live the adage, ‘Live and let live.’ References Horton, David. (Ed.) (2006). The Portable Seminary: A Master’s Level Overview in One Volume. Bloomington, Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers. Glazier, Michael, & Monika K. Hellwig. (Eds.). (1994). The Modern Catholic Encyclopedia. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press. Schmidt, Alvin J. (Ed.). (1993). Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House. n.a. (2005). Archaeological Study Bible: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House. n.a. (2006). I Accepted God’s View of Blood: A Physician Tells His Story. Watchtower: Jehovah Witnesses Official Website. Retrieved from: http://www.watchtower.org/e/20031208/article_01.htm n.a. (2012). Our View of Medical Care. Jehovah’s Witnesses Official Media Website. Retrieved from: http://www.jw-media.org/aboutjw/article02.htm#prolongation n.a. (2010). Will the Dead Live Again? The Resurrection: A Glorious Prospect. Watchtower: Jehovah Witnesses Official Website. Retrieved from: http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050501/article_02.htm Read More