RUMOR CONTROL: JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
It was recently reported in a British paper that the leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses faith "after an
extraordinary U-turn" were now allowing followers of the religion to accept blood transfusions. It turns out that the
change is that if someone willfully accepts a transfusion they will be viewed as revoking their own membership in the
religion rather than the congregation initiating this step- a fine distinction. Below is an excerpt from the Jehovah's
Witnesses' Official Statement to the Media (6/15/2000)- italics added.
If one of Jehovah's Witnesses accepts a blood transfusion in a moment of weakness and then later regrets the action, this
would be considered a serious matter. If a baptized member of the faith willfully and without regret accepts blood transfusions he indicates by his own actions
that he no longer wishes to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. The individual revokes his own membership by his own actions,
rather than the congregation initiating this step. This represents a procedural change
instituted in April 2000 in which the congregation no longer initiates the action to revoke membership in such cases.
However, the end result is the same; the individual is no longer viewed as one of Jehovah's Witnesses because
he no longer accepts and follows a core tenet of the faith. However, if such an individual later changes his mind, he may
be accepted back as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. This position has not changed
Another press release, also released June 15, addresses other aspects of this issue. It states that:
The Watchtower's Hospital Information Services can be reached at (718) 625-3600.
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If one of Jehovah's Witnesses is transfused against his or her will, Jehovah's Witnesses
do not believe that this constitutes a sin on the part of the individual. This position
has not changed.
Spiritual assistance would be offered to help the person regain spiritual strength. This
position has not changed.
Witnesses have long refused those major (blood) components. But some have felt that their
conscience would permit accepting fractions derived from one of the major blood components. The article in the June 15, 2000,
issue of The Watchtower repeats this long-standing view, illustrating it with some recently developed fractions derived from
major blood components. Jehovah's Witnesses encourage physicians to speak with patients so as to determine what the individual
will accept according to his religious beliefs and personal conscience. In 1988, Jehovah's Witnesses initiated a program to help
both physicians and Witness patients. This program, Hospital Information Services, assists in resolving issues involving the
medical use of blood to the satisfaction of patient and doctor.
Thanks to Rev. Mary Martha Thiel for bringing this issue to our attention.