The Vancouver Sun
June 14, 2000, Wednesday, FINAL
Paul Gillies, spokesman for the Jehovah's Witnesses in Britain, said the church's teaching about
blood has not changed and not taking blood is still a ''core value'' of the religion.
''It is quite possible that someone who was under pressure on an operating table would take a blood
transfusion because they did not want to die. The next day they might say they regretted this
decision. We would then give them spiritual comfort and help. No action would be taken against
them. We would just view it as a moment of weakness.''
______________________________________________________________________
St. John's Telegram
September 10, 2000 Sunday Final Edition
Spokesman James Pellechia dismissed as misleading news reports that the longstanding policy had
been reversed. The group acknowledges that it has ended its practice of "disfellowshipping" -- or
excommunicating -- members who receive blood transfusions. But Pellechia said that a Jehovah's
Witness who has a transfusion automatically "revokes his membership."
"It has the same effect," said Pellechia.
______________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2000 AllAfrica, Inc
Africa News
October 5, 2000
"The doctors were doing everything possible and had put the child on blood supplements. I hope the
parents would have a change of heart and allow ... blood transfusion," Mbangweta said.
Meanwhile, Clement Samabona, spokesman of the Jehovah Witnesses' Watch Tower Society in
Zambia said the refusal by the parents to consent to blood transfusion was their personal belief and
not that of the Church.
"There is no policy in the Church which bars anyone from blood transfusion, it is all a personal
choice that anyone is entitled to," Samabona said.
______________________________________________________________________
These 3 articles were written within 4 months in 2000.
Seems a perfectly clear policy...?
(I apologize for the lack of links, the articles are from a database.)
