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A newly published book contains a chapter on Jehovah’s Witnesses written by Dr. Jon Schiller.[1] Schiller is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
At one time Dr. Schiller was a staff member of Watchtower's Medical Department at its world headquarters.[2] Accordingly he must be very familiar with Watchtower’s blood doctrine, including repercussion to Jehovah’s Witnesses who conscientiously decide it's okay to accept transfusion of donor blood. For sake of readers Schiller addresses this very question in his presentation.
Schiller writes[1]:
A newly published book contains a chapter on Jehovah’s Witnesses written by Dr. Jon Schiller.[1] Schiller is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
At one time Dr. Schiller was a staff member of Watchtower's Medical Department at its world headquarters.[2] Accordingly he must be very familiar with Watchtower’s blood doctrine, including repercussion to Jehovah’s Witnesses who conscientiously decide it's okay to accept transfusion of donor blood. For sake of readers Schiller addresses this very question in his presentation.
Schiller writes[1]:
This is an interesting presentation for several reasons, but here two will be commented on.
If contemporary medical professionals want to know whether Jehovah’s Witnesses face repercussion for conscientiously accepting transfusion of blood, Schiller tells readers such individuals are treated just like unrepentant adulterers.
If contemporary medical professionals want to know precisely what is the repercussion, at best Dr. Schiller soft-peddles the consequence. At worst his presentation on this point is misleading.
What Schiller writes is for sake of medical providers. These professionals are, for the most part, ‘simply not Jehovah’s Witnesses,' and presumably these are the ones he's addressing.
The status of 'simply not being a Jehovah's Witness' represents nothing consequential to the target readership. From their perspective this “repercussion” is no more consequential on a personal level than a Methodist choosing to become a Baptist. But those associated with the Watchtower organization know this is not the case.
The Watchtower organization exerts a doctrinal position on the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses so that a person who is an unrepentant adulterer is to be socially ostracized by fellow members. Family and life-long friends among the religion are required to socially isolate the individual from their personal association. This is a life-altering experience.[3]
Social isolation is a dangerous thing, and to impose it is a very consequential repercussion.
In effect, Watchtower holds a position that enforces its blood doctrine onto Jehovah’s Witnesses under punishment of social death.[3]
It is as authors Guichon and Mitchell write[4]:
Marvin Shilmer
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References
1. Schiller J, Jehovah's Witnesses, in The soul of medicine: spiritual perspectives and clinical practice, edited by John R. Peteet and Michael N, D'Ambra (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 2011), pp. 171-187.
2. Schiller J, Optimal Care for Patients Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses, Anesthesia and Analgesia, April 2007, Vol. 104, No. 4, pp. 755-756.
3. See these articles for full references:
● Coercion to Refuse Blood
● Watchtower’s Gunpoint
● Watchtower doctrine that kills Jehovah’s Witnesses
● Stark Reality Facing Jehovah’s Witnesses on Blood
4. Guichon J, Mitchell I, Free and informed choice in medical treatment: making it safe to choose for Jehovah’s witnesses, BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oct. 2009, Vol. 116, Issue 11, p. 1540.
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