AJWRB presents - Jehovah's Witnesses, the Watchtower and NEW LIGHT ON BLOOD


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The Watchtower Society has officially notified its members (see diagram from 6-15-04 Watchtower) that they may now use hemoglobin (red cells without the membrane) - the largest of all blood components which transports oxygen throughout the body. We welcome these developments.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Accepting Blood Transfusion (pdf Download)

Does Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Leadership Believe Its Own Blood Doctrine? (pdf Download)

Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood Transfusions, and the Tort of Misrepresentation

BBC interview with the author

Review of the June 15, 2004 Watchtower Addressing Medical Use of Blood

The Watchtower Society Redefines the Guidelines for Use of Blood Products

The Watchtower Society insists there is no change in policy - compare the published statements and documents below:

Watchtower Blood policy in 1961:
“If you have reason to believe that a certain product contains blood or a blood fraction…if the label says that certain tablets contain hemoglobin…this is from blood...a Christian knows, without asking, that he should avoid such a preparation. - The Watchtower 11/01/1961, p. 669

Is it wrong to sustain life by administering a transfusion of blood or plasma or red cells or others of the component parts of the blood? Yes!...the prohibition includes "any blood at all." - Blood, Medicine and the Law of God, 1961, pp. 13, 14

Watchtower Blood policy in 2006:
"...when it comes to fractions of any of the primary components, each Christian, after careful and prayerful meditation, must conscientiously decide for himself."
The Watchtower 2000; June 15:29-31
See also Watchtower Advance Directive, page 11, 1.3(b)

Change from 1961 or no change?

AJWRB has documented numerous changes in the Watchtower's blood policy over the years. If you are a Jehovah's Witness and want additional confirmation of these facts, you should ask an elder who is an HLC member or phone the WT Society (718) 560-5000. Don't permit your loved one to die unnecessarily.

If you find the Watcthower's position difficult to make sense of, you are not alone. To learn more, read, "Why some Jehovah's Witnesses accept blood and conscientiously reject official Watchtower Society blood policy" by Lee Elder (Journal of Medical Ethics) - To read click here

"In former times thousands of youths died for putting God first. They are still doing it, only today the drama is played out in hospitals and courtrooms, with blood transfusions the issue."
Awake! - May 22, 1994, p.2 (Official Jehovah's Witness publication)
These JW kids died prematurely - do you know why?

Test your knowledge about Jehovah's Witnesses, the Watchtower and blood.

Watchtower policy permits the transfusion of cow's blood?

True or False - see answer

Watchtower Society approves Hemopure for Jehovah's Witnesses

In a truly remarkable development, the Watchtower Society has ruled that a new oxygen carrying solution made from cow's blood can be used by (JWs) Jehovah's Witnesses. This despite the Watchtower Society's purported biblical ban on the storage/use of animal blood. Nonetheless, members may not pre deposit their own blood or even use certain tiny human blood products like platelets that are frequently required during chemotherapy.

Internal Opposition to WTS Policy Mounts

Some Jehovah's Witnesses believe that a blood transfusion is a liquid tissue or organ transplant, not a meal, and hence does not violate the biblical admonition to "abstain from [eating] blood." The Watchtower Society attempts to deny these members, many of them born to JW parents, a free choice in their medical care by means of controls and sanctions - namely enforced shunning by JW family members and friends. They have been persecuted for their conscientious beliefs by their own religious organization which presents itself as a champion of human rights.
AJWRB members in the United States, Netherlands, and United Kingdom have been disfellowshipped for questioning the Watchtower's irrational blood policy.

Watchtower policy permits the use of some but not all of these blood components.

True or False - see answer

Percentage of total weight of blood

At one time Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) prohibited the use of every blood component shown here. The Watchtower has gradually permitted each component to be used, first globulin, then the clotting factors, plasma proteins and finally hemoglobin in June of 2000. The Watchtower still insists that JWs “abstain from blood”. Since permitted blood
components total 100% many have asked, "What is actually forbidden?". Permitted blood components are processed from donated, stored blood. JWs benefit from the blood components donated by others but they are forbidden from donating to the blood supply. Is such a policy ethical and in accordance with well established Christian principles?

Research Articles

What is a blood transfusion?

Do Jehovah's Witnesses really abstain from blood?

Watchtower blood policy changes

Watchtower ceases disfellowshiping members who accept blood?

H.L.C. members voice their concerns

Why science refutes WTS policy blood fraction policy

Watchtower officials commit perjury?

Watchtower leaders caught in deception

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Contact AJWRB

Watchtower Society policy makes modern day martyrs out of Jehovah's Witness kids.

True or False-see answer

The cover of the May 22, 1994 Awake! magazine showing photos of 26 children, with the caption: "Youths Who Put God First." Inside the magazine glorifies Witness children who died supporting WTS policy.

President Vladimiro
Naranjo

"This is a form of murder, moreover, first degree murder...Religious freedom is not absolute, there are limitations, a religion that attempts to claim the life of a person cannot be legally permitted." - Constitutional Court of Colombia. Learn more

What's New
Recent medical articles & other developments

Trauma - Life in the E.R.(Video) - bloodless treatment leads to death

What can I do?

(1) Ask JWs you know or who call at your door, "how does the Watchtower decide which parts of blood God permits?"

(2) Support AJWRB's educational work which has helped thousands of JWs reconsider their position.