Jehovah’s Witnesses are no strangers to the legal system. The Watchtower Society has fought and won numerous landmark court battles before the highest courts in many lands. This is well-known in the legal community and among Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The blood transfusion policy has brought the Watchtower and many Jehovah’s Witnesses into direct conflict with the courts and authorities – especially where children and adolescents are involved. They have published, printed and distributed binding legal documents as well as directives and a great deal of “advice” on medicine.
In this section we take a closer look at these issues and consider the legal ramifications of their blood policy as well as what potential may exist for protecting children and adolescents and holding the Watchtower responsible for the results of their policies on blood.
The Watchtower’s Medical Expert
Article contributed by S. Sparrow The January 2000 issue of the Awake! magazine, published by the Watchtower Society Bible and Tract Society of New York and distributed worldwide, featured articles endorsing bloodless surgery and promoting bloodless medicine as a safe...
Jehovah’s Witnesses and Blood – Tens of Thousands Dead in Hidden Tragedy
While the Watchtower has never published either actual statistics or estimates of the impact of their blood policy on Jehovah's Witnesses, it is well-known in the medical community that the policy has caused or contributed to numerous premature deaths among followers...
Watchtower’s Approved Blood Transfusions
The Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses in general still cling to the "no blood" mantra. As you will see in this section, that claim is extraordinarily dishonest. The Watchtower has approved the use of all red cell, white cell, platelet and plasma derivatives. The list...
Watchtower “No Blood Card”
The "No Blood Card" that Jehovah's Witnesses carry has experienced significant changes over the years, as you will see in this article. It was simply referred to as "the blood card" for many decades, then came to be called "the Advanced Medical Directive". Another...
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Blood Transfusions, and the Tort of Misrepresentation.
After the death of her mother, we were contacted by Kerry Louderback-Wood. She later wrote the following article for the Journal of Church and State's Autumn 2005 issue. The article shows how the Watchtower Society might be held legally responsible for failure to...
Watchtower Commits Perjury
In a shocking development, we have learned the Watchtower Society perjured itself before the European Commission on Human Rights. This is a commission that operates under authority of the World Court, and to which the Watchtower Society apparently submitted a false...
Agency Law and the Watchtower Society
Those considering legal action against the Watchtower Society (hereafter WTS) may wish to explore the potential for holding them liable for negligently providing inaccurate medical advice. The WTS has placed itself in the role of divinely inspired and spirit directed...