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Historically the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses has never fully endorsed the Watchtower organization’s ban on accepting transfusion of blood.[1-3] For this reason clinicians have experience with Witness patients who see no reason (biblical or otherwise) to refuse transfusion of blood when accepting the therapy represents the best opportunity to improve health and/or preserve life.
A question arises of whether these patients are coerced by fellow members of the religion, including close family members, to refuse blood transfusion therapies forbidden by the Watchtower organization under pain of its shunning program.
The following excerpts from reputable sources demonstrate that such coercion is likely to occur in the presence of other members of the religion and that it does occur.
The initial sequence of articles come from the early 1950s and they are included in this article to demonstrate the extent some Witnesses have been willing assert themselves to inappropriately influence others' treatment options, including family members who have not yet taken up membership in the religion. Later references show how coercion is still going on though in a more structured and sophisticated way.
Historically the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses has never fully endorsed the Watchtower organization’s ban on accepting transfusion of blood.[1-3] For this reason clinicians have experience with Witness patients who see no reason (biblical or otherwise) to refuse transfusion of blood when accepting the therapy represents the best opportunity to improve health and/or preserve life.
A question arises of whether these patients are coerced by fellow members of the religion, including close family members, to refuse blood transfusion therapies forbidden by the Watchtower organization under pain of its shunning program.
The following excerpts from reputable sources demonstrate that such coercion is likely to occur in the presence of other members of the religion and that it does occur.
The initial sequence of articles come from the early 1950s and they are included in this article to demonstrate the extent some Witnesses have been willing assert themselves to inappropriately influence others' treatment options, including family members who have not yet taken up membership in the religion. Later references show how coercion is still going on though in a more structured and sophisticated way.
For more on the subject of the Watchtower organization and coercion of Jehovah’s Witnesses to refuse blood see the article Sending the Wrong Message.
Marvin Shilmer
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References:
1. Blood — How Resolute?
2. 80% Accept Blood Transfusion
3. Blood — What Happened at Watchtower in 1945?
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