In a letter dated January 3, 1995 Watchtower sent to elders a list of information elders should have before contacting its designated Hospital Liaison Committee (HLC) in relation to one of Jehovah’s Witnesses facing a blood transfusion matter.[1] One item on this list is the subject of this article.
Before contacting the HLC elders are to learn “How resolute is the patient in his determination to refuse blood transfusions.”[2]
Since inception of Watchtower’s teaching against blood transfusion it has received complaints against it from within the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses.[3-8]
Lack of support for this teaching is also evidenced in letters from Watchtower to its appointed elders where Watchtower shares concern about failure among Jehovah’s Witnesses to activate and maintain documents provided to express resolute support of its blood doctrine. Specifically, in 1993 Watchtower shares report that up to 50% of Witnesses had not maintained their Medical Directive cards, and in 2000 Watchtower reported a large majority of Witnesses had not completed the Durable Power of Attorney documents addressing blood transfusion.[9-10]
Given the feedback from Witnesses, and given Watchtower’s direct observations, it is little wonder Watchtower feels it necessary to ascertain “How resolute” a given Witness patient is to abide by Watchtower’s blood doctrine.
That Watchtower believes such a question is in need of answer is testimony to a lack of support for its blood teaching in the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and that Watchtower is fully aware of this lack of support among the general population of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Marvin Shilmer
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References:
1. Watchtower letter to its appointed elders in the United States, dated January 3, 1995. Snippet view:
2. List accompanying Watchtower’s January 3, 1995 letter:
3. “Not only as a descendant of Noah, but now also as one bound by God’s law to Israel which incorporated the everlasting covenant regarding the sanctity of life-sustaining blood, the stranger was forbidden to eat or drink blood, whether by transfusion or by the mouth.”—(The Watchtower, December 1, 1944 p. 362)
4. “That article made reference to God’s command to his consecrated people not to eat or drinking blood. In commenting thereon, some Watchtower readers have said that such prohibition against eating and drinking blood applied only to the Jews under the Mosaic law covenant but not to Christians who are under the new covenant.”—(The Watchtower, July 1, 1945 p. 199.)
5. “Repeatedly we are confronted with requests for information on blood transfusion, particularly for us to pronounce a sanction of this medical practice.”—(The Watchtower, May 1, 1950, p. 143.)
6. “One of Jehovah’s witnesses who claims to be of the anointed remnant recently went to the hospital and took a blood transfusion, voluntarily.”—(The Watchtower, August 1, 1958, p. 478.)
7. “Your reasoning has led you to conclude that the medical use of blood from live donors would not be prohibited.”—(Watchtower to R. Jensen, a Watchtower appointed elder, dated May 30, 2001, p.1)
8. “It appears from the correspondence, in questioning what has been published by "the faithful and discreet slave," the following are the main questions that you have raised: Since the Bible prohibits the eating of blood, would not use of even a fraction of blood also be prohibited? Since taking a transfusion is not technically "eating" blood, does the Bible actually prohibit taking blood by transfusion for medical reasons? Also, you feel the illustration as to abstinence from alcohol used on pages 130 and 131 of the Bible Teach book is inaccurate and misleading. Additionally, you observe that our position on blood fractions seems to change as time goes along, suggesting to you that other changes may be expected.”—(Watchtower to a Watchtower appointed elder, dated 2006, p.1)
9. Watchtower letter to its appointed elders in the United States, dated December 1, 1993, p. 1.
10. Watchtower letter to its appointed elders in the United States, dated December 1, 2000, p. 1.
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