by Marvin Shilmer 6 Replies latest jw friends
Watchtower Priority?
Today I uploaded a new article to my blog giving reason to question Watchtower’s priorities. It contains an image of a Watchtower letter that many are unaware of despite being out for 10 years. This information may shock readers who are unaware that official Watchtower doctrine lets Jehovah’s Witnesses donate blood.
My article is titled Watchtower Priority? and is available at: http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com/2011/07/watchtower-priority.html
Marvin Shilmer
Marvin the contents of the July 30, 2001 Watchtower letter to Cliff Roche are as you say shocking and very telling. My question to you is: Is the letter authentic and legit or is there a possibility that it has been tampered with?
Jws often feel that "real jws" want use any of the "outs' , conscience matters, etc, and will just refuse all blood products. At least a lot of born ins do. They say that the conscience clauses are to protect the org from lawsuits and no real jws would ever accept them. I have said this before but hope someone will hear it. You are fighting a losing battle on this. Those clauses are only to protect "mother' and nothing else and most jws know this. You won't see this written down anywhere but it is true.
JW GoneBad writes:
"Is the letter authentic and legit or is there a possibility that it has been tampered with?"
The letter is as authentic as it gets. Back at that time there was inside knowledge of Watchtower’s policy allowing Witnesses to donate blood for fractionation and transfusion, but there was nothing in writing from Watchtower.
Brother Roche had a particular medical need as his letter addresses, and my recommendation at the time was that he write Watchtower, ask the question and get it in writing. So this is what he did. Watchtower responded by spilling the beans in writing of what its actual policy is. Accordingly, I not only know the letter is authentic but I also know the back-story.
Anyone who wants or needs to verify the policy content of this letter can phone or write Watchtower as a means of verification.
Marvin Shilmer
Thank you. This letter shows that the Watchtower leadership speaks with a forked tongue. Either JWs endorse and live by a non-blood management policy or they don't.
This Watchtower letterhead document clearly shows that use of blood products is O.K.
Among other things this letter highlights the disunity that exits among JWs regarding the doctrine of obstaining from blood. Most if not many JWs would be surprised by its' contents. 'What the HELL' would be their reply!
Good work Marvin.
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I found my cleaner copies of the letter images shared in this blog article and replaced the lower resolution ones.
Marvin Shilmer
JW GoneBad writes:
"Most if not many JWs would be surprised by its' contents. 'What the HELL' would be their reply!"
That's an understatement!
Not counting HLC members and Watchtower staffers, I have yet to find a single Witness who knows this is Watchtower policy based solely on what Watchtower has published in its literature. Not one!
When I have shared this information with various Witnesses their reactions run from disbelief to shock to anger.
Marvin Shilmer
