News and Current Events January 6, 2001 British Medical Journal The Watchtower has ceased disfellowshiping members whoaccept blood transfusions and now permits hemoglobin and many other bloodproducts. The medical community is beginning to focus attention on thisirrational policy. This link takes you directly to the BMJ.   Medical ethics communityfocuses on WTS blood policy The Watchtower has come under heavy scrutiny by the medicalethics community. Read the ground breaking series of articles appearingin the October, 2000 issue of the Journal of Medical Ethics.   Watchtower Society approvesHemopure for Jehovah's Witnesses In a remarkable development, the Watchtower has permittedthe use of an oxygen carrying hemoglobin solution made from cow's blood.   Watchtower Society bloodpolicy changes again In a very important development, the June 15, 2000 Watchtowerpresentsan exhaustive "Questions From Readers" article detailing further changesin the blood policy that will affect millions of Jehovah's Witnesses andsave thousands of lives.   Watchtower Society ceasesdisfellowshiping action The Watchtower has announced that it will no longer disfellowshipmembers who accept blood  transfusions - Why?   "Don't ask, don't tell"policy urged Dr. Osamu Muramoto a regional ethics advisor in the USAis suggesting that the Watchtower Society adopt a "don't ask, don't tell"policy regarding the use of those blood components the WTS does not permitits members to accept.   American College of EmergencyPhysician's Scientific Assembly AJWRB hosts information booth at the 1999 ACEP conferencein Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.   AreWitnesses permitted free speech and freedom of conscience?   AJWRB members in the UnitedStates, Netherlands, and UnitedKingdom have been disfellowshipped for questioning the Watchtower bloodpolicy!

Didyou know that the Watchtower now permits Jehovah's Witnesses to take allof these blood fractions? 

Percentage of total weightof blood

At one time Jehovah’s Witnesses prohibited the use ofevery blood fraction shown here, excluding water. Over the years, the Watchtowerhas gradually permitted each fraction to be used, first globulin, thenthe clotting factors, plasma proteins and finally hemoglobin in June of2000. Is it reasonable to use all of these blood products and claim to“abstain from blood?” Since the diagram totals 100% many have asked, "Whatis forbidden?" Articles Whatis a blood transfusion?   DoJehovah's Witnesses really abstain from blood?   H.L.C.members voice their concerns   Modernscience refutes WTS blood fraction policy   Watchtowerofficials commit perjury?   TheBulgarian blood crisis - What has happened to the Watchtower Society?  

Whydoes this site exist? Thepurpose of this site is to provide other Jehovah's Witnesses with somevery important information regarding the use of blood and blood fractions.Those in the media, legal and medical professions will also find this sitehelpful. This material has been prepared by the Associated Jehovah's Witnessesfor Reform on Blood, some members of which are serving as Elders and HospitalLiaison Committee members in various congregations and branch facilitiesthroughout the world. Whyyou should visit often. Itis our sincere belief that the Watchtower Society may once again modifyits blood doctrine. This is a life and death issue for thousands of Jehovah'sWitnesses. We will post updates on this site as new information becomesavailable. In the meantime, we encourage Witnesses to fully educate themselveson the issues so that they can make an informed and conscientious choiceregarding the use of blood or blood products. Additionally, we encourageWitnesses to seek alternative non-blood therapies under the adviceof qualified medical professionals who can best advise you as to the risksand potential benefits of both accepting or rejecting the use of allblood products, regardless of whether or not these products are presentlyapproved for use by the Watchtower Society. Ourhope: Thatall of Jehovah's Witnesses will be allowed to freely choose whetheror not they will accept various forms of blood therapy or products withoutfear of being disfellowshipped or shunned. That the Watchtower Societywill acknowledge that some Witnesses, after carefully studying the scripturesand medical science, have concluded that it isnot a violation of God'slaw to accept blood or blood products since these do not serve as foodin the body.

ManyJehovah's Witnesses believe that a blood transfusion is a liquid tissueor organ transplant, not a meal, and hence does not violate the scripturaladmonition to "abstain from [eating] blood."

Thecover of the May 22, 1994 Awake! magazine showing  photos of 26 children,with the caption: "Youths Who Put God First." Inside the magazine states,"In former times thousands of youths died for putting Godfirst. They are still doing it, only today the drama is playedout in hospitals and courtrooms, with blood transfusions the issue." (italicsours) How many more childrenwill die in between now and the time when the Watchtower finally completesthe transition to making the use of blood a matter of conscience?

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