There was a recent story about the jailing of a little boy’s parents who refused medical help for their child.  The child died. Actually, it’s an age-old story that I’ve heard throughout my life.

In some of the other cases, the state was able to intervene and remove the children and/or their siblings from their homes. These actions were taken because in each case, the child needed a blood transfusion. Instead, the parents’ wanted to rely only on prayer for the child’s healing. That was motivated by the parents’ particular religious belief that forbids blood transfusions.

There are many religious groups like the Jehovah Witnesses that have the belief that blood transfusions (given or received) are unbiblical. Their belief is based on the passage in Leviticus 3: 17. It reads, “This shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood.”

I think if these groups took into account other biblical considerations, they would conclude that blood transfusions certainly are acceptable to God…

• The injunction is against eating animal and bird blood (Leviticus 7: 25-27).
• That’s backed up by God’s instructions on how to slaughter animal or fowl in a way that the blood isn’t eaten (Leviticus 17: 13, 14).
• What we eat is digested into the stomach and passes out of us (Matthew 15: 17). Blood transfusions are injected into the veins and then go to the cells.
• Blood transfusions are a life-saving measure (Luke 9: 56). It is in accordance with one of the things Jesus is known for doing—healing.
• Jesus made allowances for the giving of blood (John 15: 13) since life is in the blood (Deuteronomy 12: 23).