Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Accept Medical Treatment_MOST
Content
5/16/13
Do Jehovah’s Wi tnesses Accept M edi cal Tr eatment?
Jehovah’s Witnesses THE TH E WATCHTOWER FEBRUARY FEB RUARY 2011 Our Readers Ask . . .
Do Jehovah’ Jehovah’s s W itnesses Accept Medical Medical T reatment? Jesus said sai d that “persons in health do not need a physic physician, ian, but the the ailing ai ling do.” (Matthew (Matthew 9:12) 9:12) He thereby implied that that there is no Scriptu Scrip tural ral objection to getting getti ng help help from medical medic al professionals. professi onals. Thu Thus, s, Jehovah’s Jehovah’s Witnesses gladly accept medicine medic ine and medical medi cal treatment. treatment. They They want want to maint mai ntain ain good goo d health and to prolong life. In fact, like the first-century Christian Luke, some of Jehovah’s Jehovah’s Witnesses W itnesses are phy p hysic sicians. ians. —Colossians 4:14. 4:14. However, Jehov Je hovah’ ah’s s Witnesses Witnesses do not accept accept types of tr eatment eatment that that conflict with Bible Bi ble principles. pri nciples. For example, they they do not accept blood transfusions transfusions because the Bible Bi ble forbids forbid s the taking of blood to sustain the body. (Genesis (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:1-14; Acts 15:28, 29) 29 ) God’s Word also prohibits health treatments or procedures that involve the use of “uncanny power,” or spiritism.— Isai saiah ah 1:13; Galatians 5:19-21. 5:19-21 . Many healthhealth-care care professi p rofessionals onals provide lifesaving li fesaving treatments treatments that do not conflict conflict with Bible Bi ble standards. Such treatments, treatments, which which many Witnesses Witnesses choose to accept, accep t, are often of a better quality than those that ignore i gnore what God requires. Of course, there are many opinions when it comes to matters of health. What may benefit one person might not help another. Thus, individuals searching for an accurate professional diagnosis and treatment treatment of an illness illness may wish to get a second medical medi cal opinion. opi nion.— —Proverbs 14:15. 14:15. Not every Witness will make the same medical medi cal choices. Where no Bible Bib le law is at stake, stake , God’s Word Wo rd allows for differences differences of o f conscience among Christians. (Roman (Romans s 14:2-4 1 4:2-4)) Each Ea ch individual, therefore, therefore, should should investigate any a ny proposed treatment treatment and ensure ensure that it does do es not conflict with his or her Bi bletrained conscience.—Galatians conscience.—Galatians 6:5; Hebrews 5:14. 5:14 . A Witness Witness will will view the the making making of each decision decisi on as if he he were were a driver approaching approaching a busy busy intersection. If he just followed the cars ahead and sped through the intersection, he could cause serious serio us damage. A wise driver d river will slow down and evaluate evaluate the flow of traffic traffic before b efore proceeding. procee ding. Likewise, Lik ewise, Witnesses W itnesses do d o not rush rush into making medical medic al decisio deci sions, ns, nor nor do they blindly blindly follow follow popular popular www.j w. w.or g/ g/en/publ ic icati on ons/mag az azi ne nes/wp20110201/j eh ehovahs- wi wi tn tnesses- ac accept- me medi ca cal -t -tr ea eatment/
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5/16/13
Do Jehovah’s Wi tnesses Accept M edi cal Tr eatment?
opinion. opi nion. Instead, they they weigh their their options op tions and examine examine Bible Bi ble principles before making maki ng a decisio deci sion. n. Jehovah’s Jehovah’s Witn Wi tnesses esses certainly appreciate appreci ate the hard hard work and dedica ded ication tion of those who who provide medical medic al care. They are also grateful for the the welcome relief from illn i llness ess that that those individual i ndividuals s provide.
Copyright © 2013 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
www.j w. w.or g/ g/en/publ ic icati on ons/mag az azi ne nes/wp20110201/j eh ehovahs- wi wi tn tnesses- ac accept- me medi ca cal -t -tr ea eatment/
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Do Jehovah’s Wi tnesses Accept M edi cal Tr eatment?
Jehovah’s Witnesses THE TH E WATCHTOWER FEBRUARY FEB RUARY 2011 Our Readers Ask . . .
Do Jehovah’ Jehovah’s s W itnesses Accept Medical Medical T reatment? Jesus said sai d that “persons in health do not need a physic physician, ian, but the the ailing ai ling do.” (Matthew (Matthew 9:12) 9:12) He thereby implied that that there is no Scriptu Scrip tural ral objection to getting getti ng help help from medical medic al professionals. professi onals. Thu Thus, s, Jehovah’s Jehovah’s Witnesses gladly accept medicine medic ine and medical medi cal treatment. treatment. They They want want to maint mai ntain ain good goo d health and to prolong life. In fact, like the first-century Christian Luke, some of Jehovah’s Jehovah’s Witnesses W itnesses are phy p hysic sicians. ians. —Colossians 4:14. 4:14. However, Jehov Je hovah’ ah’s s Witnesses Witnesses do not accept accept types of tr eatment eatment that that conflict with Bible Bi ble principles. pri nciples. For example, they they do not accept blood transfusions transfusions because the Bible Bi ble forbids forbid s the taking of blood to sustain the body. (Genesis (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:1-14; Acts 15:28, 29) 29 ) God’s Word also prohibits health treatments or procedures that involve the use of “uncanny power,” or spiritism.— Isai saiah ah 1:13; Galatians 5:19-21. 5:19-21 . Many healthhealth-care care professi p rofessionals onals provide lifesaving li fesaving treatments treatments that do not conflict conflict with Bible Bi ble standards. Such treatments, treatments, which which many Witnesses Witnesses choose to accept, accep t, are often of a better quality than those that ignore i gnore what God requires. Of course, there are many opinions when it comes to matters of health. What may benefit one person might not help another. Thus, individuals searching for an accurate professional diagnosis and treatment treatment of an illness illness may wish to get a second medical medi cal opinion. opi nion.— —Proverbs 14:15. 14:15. Not every Witness will make the same medical medi cal choices. Where no Bible Bib le law is at stake, stake , God’s Word Wo rd allows for differences differences of o f conscience among Christians. (Roman (Romans s 14:2-4 1 4:2-4)) Each Ea ch individual, therefore, therefore, should should investigate any a ny proposed treatment treatment and ensure ensure that it does do es not conflict with his or her Bi bletrained conscience.—Galatians conscience.—Galatians 6:5; Hebrews 5:14. 5:14 . A Witness Witness will will view the the making making of each decision decisi on as if he he were were a driver approaching approaching a busy busy intersection. If he just followed the cars ahead and sped through the intersection, he could cause serious serio us damage. A wise driver d river will slow down and evaluate evaluate the flow of traffic traffic before b efore proceeding. procee ding. Likewise, Lik ewise, Witnesses W itnesses do d o not rush rush into making medical medic al decisio deci sions, ns, nor nor do they blindly blindly follow follow popular popular www.j w. w.or g/ g/en/publ ic icati on ons/mag az azi ne nes/wp20110201/j eh ehovahs- wi wi tn tnesses- ac accept- me medi ca cal -t -tr ea eatment/
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5/16/13
Do Jehovah’s Wi tnesses Accept M edi cal Tr eatment?
opinion. opi nion. Instead, they they weigh their their options op tions and examine examine Bible Bi ble principles before making maki ng a decisio deci sion. n. Jehovah’s Jehovah’s Witn Wi tnesses esses certainly appreciate appreci ate the hard hard work and dedica ded ication tion of those who who provide medical medic al care. They are also grateful for the the welcome relief from illn i llness ess that that those individual i ndividuals s provide.
Copyright © 2013 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
www.j w. w.or g/ g/en/publ ic icati on ons/mag az azi ne nes/wp20110201/j eh ehovahs- wi wi tn tnesses- ac accept- me medi ca cal -t -tr ea eatment/
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