Refusal of blood transfusions by Jehovah's Witnesses
The cult forbids Jehovah's Witnesses to receive blood transfusions. If a Witness accepts a blood transfusion, he will be reprimanded, will be told that he's lost everlasting life and god's favor and will be expelled from the cult (in the past they were disfellowshipped, but now the cult considers that this is "disassociation", consequences are the same : no one in the cult will speak to him anymore, including the familly members if they are also in the cult). It is not a personnal choice. The cult demands its members to refuse blood. They are not allowed to donate or store they own blood for transfusion purposes (autologous transfusion is forbidden). It was first in 1944 that the Watchtower articulated a position against blood transfusion. This presentation we find in the following statement (The Watchtower December 1st, 1944 p. 362) :
Doctrine changes on blood through time by the Watchtower :
What is the Hospital Liaison Committee (HLC)?
The Watchtower established the Hospital Liaison Committee (CLH) in 1979 to enforce
the refusal of blood transfusion in hospitals. The purpose of this structure is to provide contact information for cooperative surgeons
with the refusal of blood, to put pressure on Jehovah's Witnesses and their families in situations where a transfusion is necessary,
to put pressure on medical staff, and to support the work of the Elders in "visit groups" in large cities.
Here is the famous "No Blood" card that Jehovah's Witnesses have to sign and keep on themselves to make sure they do not get blood transfusions in case they are not able to express themselves. Some call it the "Blood Card":
See also :
Children sacrifices.
Awake! May 22, 1994, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Front cover illustration of dead Jehovah's Witnesses children who refused a blood transfusion.
This same Awake! May 22, 1994 p.2 "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, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Front cover illustration of dead Jehovah's Witnesses children who refused a blood transfusion.
This same Awake! May 22, 1994 p.2 "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."
Jehovah's Witnesses are forbidden to receive blood transfusions. However, with the passing of time, the Watchtower allows them to accept different alternatives or components coming from blood. But we have to be careful, although in certain situations there might be alternatives, it is not always the case. Exemple : if an adult suffers from anemia, it is not an emergency situation, his/her life is not immediatly at stake, we can try alternatives before using a blood transfusion if he/she opposes it. But there are situations where there are no alternatives. Exemples : a person who just had a car accident and is seriously hurt with important blood loss, there are no alternatives. Another exemple : a premature baby whose red blood cells are low, there are no alternatives. There are also other exemples we could discuss. Also, the Watchtower frightens its followers by telling them they might get an infection from blood such as HIV if they accept a transfusion. What it doesn't tell them, it's by allowing them to receive some componants from blood, they are just as likely to get HIV that way! Anyway, today, with all the screening tests done on blood samples, the chance to get an infection from a blood transfusion is minimal or non-existent. Also, the Watchtower doesn't forbid anymore the organ transplants since 1980, yet, there is also a chance to get HIV that way! We can see that its leaders are hypocrites and manipulate their followers. And, be careful, a new study shows that there is a 30% increase chance to die from receiving these blood substitutes. The Watchtower in its propaganda promotes that there are "alternatives" to blood transfusions. It won't like this news !
Some news :
Part 1
Part 2
Jehovah's Witnesses : forced transfusion on a minor(french). tvaendirect.com. 29 juin 2009.
