Regarding your post #335, where you talk about Jehovahs Witnesses needing to know about blood types...here is a little story...
Acquaintances of mine(I say acquaintances, rather than friends, as these people are Jehovahs Witnesses themselves, thus they consider me not as a friend, but rather as an acquaintance), work in a hospital lab, as lab technicians...one aspect of their job, required drawing blood from the patients in the hospital, and then testing the blood for blood typing, in case of need of transfusions...I have always found this to be rather odd..
The lab tech, is a Jehovahs witness, and according to his faith, blood transfusions are a sin, as well as what he calls 'taking in of blood'...that includes eating steak rare, with the blood oozing, and a couple of other quirky things...at least this is what he tells me...they are to abstain completely from taking in blood of any sort, from any source, as it is a sin...
Yet, he earns his living which he uses to support himself and his family, by drawing the blood of others, whose direct purpose is to provide the means of medically safe transfusions, which he considers to be a sin...I always found this to be somewhat contradictory...when I questioned him on this, he himself admitted that he himself had moral questions concerning his beliefs about blood transfusions, considering his job and what it involved...
I asked him if he ever considered doing something else in the medical field, and he said no, he had not...Its difficult for me, a non-Jehovahs witness to reconcile the fact, that someone who believes those who receive blood transfusions are committing a sin, and yet his job, and his diligence to that job, permit this person to commit what he considers to be a 'sin'...
I am not judging this man, as well I should not...I am just pointing out, I find his situation, well, odd..from what he tells me, he also finds it odd..
On the matter of Christian Scientists...I have worked for several years in nursing homes, and have taken care of 3 Christian Scientist ladies...as anyone who works in a nursing home realizes, you always wash your hands before and after you take care of any resident...I have sometimes wondered, if they felt my washing my hands before I took care of them, somehow violated their religious beliefs...
What always upset me the most about taking care of them, is that when they were at the end of their lives, we were always forbidden to take their vitals, and also forbidden to give them any type of med which would alleviate their pain and suffering...no even aspirin was allowed...I am not sure if this is indicative of all Christian Scientists, or just the ones that I took care of(remember these were elderly ladies, who came to Christian Science as youngsters, thus they were taught early on in time, and I am not sure if Christian Science changes from time to time)...Its very distressing to take care of someone and watch them die in extreme pain, and be unable to alleviate that pain...but as workers in the nursing home we had to abide by their wishes, taken from their religion, and not take their vital signs, or give them meds of any sort...
Its quite amazing, what different interpretations of the Bible, different religions espouse...
I don't think I could handle that.
Re: the Witness working in the blood lab. Reminds me of the last line of John Ross' Unintended Consequences.(from memory, it's the thought that counts)
The First Lady: Dear, I know Jews can't eat pork, but can they raise hogs?
Pres: Huuh?
FL: I coulda sworn Mr. Mann said something about feeding the pigs.
[the hero had fed them dismembered ATFers, Mr. Mann was going to give them the director.]
Actually, the Witness sounds like he's in the same position as a Catholic helping an abortionist, although I imagine that blood sins are not considered as serious as murder.