Malyon D
Hospital Liaison Committee for Jehovah's Witnesses, Luton.
J Med Ethics. 1998 Dec;24(6):376-81. doi: 10.1136/jme.24.6.376.
What makes Jehovah's Witnesses tick? What motivates practitioners of medicine? How is benevolent human behaviour to be interpreted? The explanation that fear of censure, mind-control techniques or enlightened self-interest are the real motivators of human conduct is questioned. Those who believe that man was created in "God's image", hold that humanity has the potential to rise above selfishly driven attitudes and actions, and reflect the qualities of love, kindness and justice that separate us from the beasts. A comparison of general medical ethics and disciplines, and those of the Jehovah's Witness community, is made in this context. The easy charge that frequent deaths result from refusal of blood transfusions is examined. The central source of antipathy towards Jehovah's Witnesses, namely the alleged imposition of extreme and even harmful refusal of blood therapy on our children is addressed. Of course, "...few dilemmas are likely to be resolved wisely or satisfactorily by a blinkered adherence to abstract principles alone. Solutions to most cases will be dictated by a combination of factors. The support of medical ethics by Jehovah's Witnesses, and their willingness to share in reasoned and ethical debate, while at the same time holding firm to their religious and conscientious principles are emphasised.
耶和华见证人的行为动机是什么？医生的行医动机是什么？如何解读人类的善举？那种认为对指责的恐惧、精神控制技巧或开明的利己主义是人类行为真正动机的解释受到了质疑。那些相信人类是按照“上帝的形象”被创造出来的人认为，人类有潜力超越自私驱动的态度和行为，展现出爱、善良和正义等使我们有别于野兽的品质。在此背景下，对一般医学伦理和学科与耶和华见证人社群的伦理和学科进行了比较。审视了那种因拒绝输血而频繁导致死亡的简单指责。探讨了对耶和华见证人反感的核心根源，即所谓对我们的孩子强行施加极端甚至有害的拒绝血液治疗的做法。当然，“……仅仅盲目地坚持抽象原则，很少有困境能得到明智或令人满意的解决。大多数案例的解决方案将由多种因素决定。文中强调了耶和华见证人对医学伦理的支持，以及他们愿意参与理性的伦理辩论，同时坚定地秉持其宗教和良心原则。
