Watchtower’s Answer Shows Blood Doctrine Is False

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Watchtower’s blood doctrine forbids Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept transfusion of red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma. Jehovah’s Witnesses who conscientiously accept transfusion one of these blood constituents does so under threat of Watchtower’s organized communal shunning policy whereby the Jehovah’s Witnesses, including family members, are required to completely shun the person as though dead. The sole exception is for essential family business.[1,2]

But the Bible nowhere makes mention of blood constituents such as platelets and white cells. So what is the basis for Watchtower’s position in respect to these products from blood?

In correspondence dated February 1, 2007 a writer asks Watchtower this question:

“Will you please explain the basis for refusing blood fractions such as platelets and leukocytes when the Bible is just as silent about these as it is about hemoglobin and albumin from blood?”

In correspondence dated February 21, 2007 Watchtower answered this question by providing the basis for its religious position. Since the Bible does not mention these components of blood, Watchtower turns to nature for its basis. Watchtower replied say,

“As to blood’s medical uses, a careful examination of what has been published by Jehovah’s Witnesses will reveal that our consistent position has been that whole blood of any of one of its four primary components—plasma, red cells, white cells, and platelets—should not be used. That is how unfractionated blood components settle out naturally. In its still unbroken-down state, each separated primary component, regardless of its respective percentage of whole blood, can still represent basically what blood as a whole symbolizes: the life of the creature.”

The problem with that answer by Watchtower is that it is demonstrably false. That is to say, blood does not settle out naturally into four primary components of plasma, red cells, white cells, and platelets. In the natural setting blood settles into two primary parts known as clot and serum. Hence the very basis Watchtower uses to support its religious position on separated blood components is false.

Knowing the very reason why Watchtower’s blood doctrine prohibits transfusion of platelets is false, how do my brothers among Jehovah’s Witnesses find any morality in supporting and defending this doctrine, let alone teaching it as valid?

Marvin Shilmer
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References:

1. “If a baptized member of the faith willfully and without regret accepts a blood transfusion, he indicates by his own actions that he no longer wishes to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. The individual is no longer viewed as a member of the Christian congregation because he no longer accepts and follows the Biblical prohibition to abstain from blood.”—(Watchtower letter to All Hospital Liaison Committee Members, dated June 16, 2000)

2. See article “Display Christian Loyalty When a Relative Is Disfellowshipped [or Disassociated]” in Our Kingdom Ministry, published by Watchtower, August 2002 p. 3

3. Images of correspondence dated February 1 and 21, 2010 (click to enlarge):