[continued from above]
"Blood - Vital for Life .. Cannibals are condemned. Why do we not abhor those who stain their gullet with human blood? Similar is the receiving of alien blood from a cut vein, either through the mouth or by instruments of transfusion. The authors of this operation are held in terror by the divine law, by which the eating of blood is prohibited.. Those who respect life as a gift from the Creator do not try to sustain life by taking in blood." - 1990HCBS 06
"Before submitting to any serious medical procedure, a thinking person will learn the possible benefits and the risks. What about blood transfusions? They are now a prime tool in medicine. Many physicians who are genuinely interested in their patients may have little hesitation about giving blood. It has been called the gift of life.. When doctors transplant a heart, a liver, or another organ, the recipient's immune system may sense the foreign tissue and reject it. Yet, a transfusion is a tissue transplant.. 'Blood has always enjoyed a 'magical' quality,' notes Dr. Louise J. Keating. 'For its first 46 years, the blood supply was perceived as being safer than it actually was by both physicians and the public.' (Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, May 1989) What was the situation then, and what is it now? Even 30 years ago, pathologists and blood-bank personnel were advised: 'Blood is dynamite! It can do a great deal of good or a great deal of harm. The mortality from blood transfusion equals that from either anesthesia or appendectomy. There is said to be approximately one death in 1,000 to 3,000 or possibly 5,000 transfusions. In the London area there has been reported one death for every 13,000 bottles of blood transfused.' -New York State Journal of Medicine, January 15, 1960. Have the dangers since been eliminated so that transfusions are now safe? Frankly, each year hundreds of thousands have adverse reactions to blood, and many die.. A healthy person may tolerate a 50 percent loss of red blood cell mass and be almost entirely asymptotic if blood loss occurs over a period of time.. The conscience of some Witnesses permits them to accept organ transplants if done without blood.. [it] is the most dangerous substance we use in medicine.. to force blood on a Christian would be the equivalent of forcible sex - rape.. Each year thousands die as a result of transfusions; multitudes more get very sick and face long-term consequences.. Witnesses believe that blood removed from the body should be disposed of, so they do not accept autotransfusion of predeposited blood. Techniques for intraoperative collection or hemodilution that involve blood storage are objectionable to them." - 1990HCBS 06-27
"Are You Ready to Face a Faith-Challenging Medical Situation? .. Keep this information where you can quickly find it as needed .. No one thinks much about the possibility of being in a hospital today or tomorrow. Still, 'time and unforeseen occurrence befall us all.' (Eccl. 9:11) Even if you do not accept medical treatment as your preferred form of health care, what will you do to protect yourself from an unwanted blood transfusion should an accident leave you unconscious and you are rushed to a hospital? Yes, an accident or a suddenly deteriorating health situation can abruptly bring you face-to-face with a challenge to your faith. If you should find yourself in a hospital for any reason, what will you do to maintain integrity if someone there tells you that you will die without a blood transfusion? Will you hastily accept that this claim truly represents your condition? Are you fully convinced that you do not want blood? Are you ready to face this challenge to your faith and 'abstain from blood'? -Acts 15:28,29. Successfully resisting an unwanted, spiritually contaminating blood transfusion starts with a firm conviction. Such a conviction must be based on a clear understanding of what the Bible says about blood. Otherwise, you can, in the emotion of the moment, easily be intimidated by someone who claims to know more about the situation than you do. Would you be misled into thinking that maybe doctors know more about blood than God does? Surely, in these circumstances you will want to be 'firmly resolved' to do 'what is right' in Jehovah's eyes, no matter what mere humans may say. (Deut. 12:23-25) But do you have to face this challenge all by yourself? -Eccl. 4:9-12. HOSPITAL INFORMATION SERVICES AND HOSPITAL LIAISON COMMITTEES .. To assist those who need help when faced with a blood transfusion problem, the Society has set up Hospital Information Services at Brooklyn. It has also established 100 Hospital Liaison Committees in major U.S. cities. These committees are made up of more than 600 elders specially trained for this work. Hospital Information Services is able to do research in more than 3,600 medical journals worldwide to locate information on the availability and effectiveness of many forms of bloodless surgery and treatment. It then supplies Hospital Liaison Committees, health care centers, and some doctors with information on these medical advances. (Sometimes Hospital Information Services has sent out medical articles that show what can be done without blood and successfully defused an ongoing confrontation at a hospital.) It keeps the committees posted on favorable court decisions that will assist judges in looking at our cases with added insight. It also maintains records on over 7,000 cooperative physicians so that the committees have up-to-date files to use when blood transfusion problems arise. Hospital Information Services also supervises the training and work of the Hospital Liaison Committees. In the cities where they are located, Hospital Liaison Committees regularly make informative presentations to hospital staffs to improve relations with them. They also poll these staffs to find any additional doctors who will treat us without using blood. These brothers stand ready to help you, but there are crucial advance steps you must take to lay the groundwork for them to do that most effectively. CRUCIAL ADVANCE STEPS-HAVE YOU TAKEN THEM YET? First, make sure all in the family have their personal medical directive document thoroughly filled out-dated, signed, and witnessed. Some brothers arriving at a hospital with an undated and/or unwitnessed document have had its validity challenged. And do all our unbaptized children have their filled-out identification cards? If not, in an emergency involving your child, how do hospital personnel know your position on blood and whom to call? Then see to it that all keep these documents with them AT ALL TIMES. Check this with your children before they go to school each day, yes, even before they go to a playground or recreational area. All of us should be sure that these documents are with us at work, when on vacation, or at a Christian convention. Never be without them! Think what could happen to you if you should arrive in a serious condition at the emergency room of a hospital, unconscious and/or unable to speak for yourself. If you do not have the document with you, and there is no relative or elder yet at the hospital to speak for you, and it is concluded that you 'need blood,' you will likely receive a blood transfusion. Unfortunately, this has happened to some. But when we have the document, it speaks for us, expressing our will. That is why a medical document is better than a medical bracelet or necklace. The latter do not explain our Bible-based reasons for our position and do not have signatures verifying what is stated. A Canadian court decision said about a sister's document: '(The patient) has chosen in the only way possible to notify doctors and other providers of healthcare, should she become unconscious or otherwise unable to convey her wishes, that she does not consent to blood transfusions.' So never be without it! Since our medical directive is designed mainly for dealing with emergency situations, then in elective surgery you would be wise to write out your own personalized, more complete advance directive (based on our medical directive) so that you can include specifics, such as the type of surgery and the names of the doctors and the hospital. It is your right to do this and thus ensure the treatment of your choice. Even though you and the doctor may not anticipate serious problems, explain that this directive is to be followed in case of any unexpected developments. -Prov. 22:3. The next important step is to talk to the necessary medical personnel that you will have to deal with in either elective or emergency treatment. To whom especially should you speak? TALK TO MEDICAL PERSONNEL .. THE MEDICAL TEAM: This is a time when the fear of man must not prevail. (Prov. 29:25) If you appear unsure, someone may decide you are not sincere. When surgery is needed, elective or emergency, you or the nearest family member must with determination ask some pointed questions of the head of the surgical team. One important question is, Will the team respect the patient's wishes and in all circumstances treat without blood? Without this assurance you would not be well protected. State plainly and with dignified conviction what your wishes are. Make it clear that you want alternative nonblood medical management of your problem. Calmly and confidently discuss both your own advance medical directive and also the hospital's release from liability form. If the surgeon is unwilling to work with your wishes, you will save time if you ask the hospital administrator to locate another doctor for you. That is part of his job. ANESTHESIOLOGIST: Of all on the medical team that you need to talk to before surgery, YOU MUST NOT FAIL TO SPEAK TO THIS DOCTOR. Charged with keeping you alive while the surgeon operates, the anesthesiologist is the one who makes decisions about such matters as the use of blood. So you are not fully protected by just talking to the surgeon. Hence, you must speak with and convince the anesthesiologist as to your position, determining whether it will be respected or not. -Compare Luke 18:3-5. The usual practice, it seems, is for the anesthesiologist to visit the patient briefly rather late on the night before surgery-too late if he is opposed to your stand on blood. Insist that the surgeon preselect a cooperative anesthesiologist that you can talk to well in advance of elective surgery. Then there will be time to locate another one if the first one is unwilling to abide by your wishes. Do not let anyone try to talk you out of this right to be satisfied with the anesthesiologist for your surgery. To all of these, you must make clear your nonnegotiable stand: No Blood.. Do not hesitate to ask for help. Some have waited too long to get help and put their very lives in danger. VALUABLE HELP IN A TIME OF NEED .. Note the following procedure for obtaining needed help: (1) As soon as you or a loved one faces either elective or emergency surgery where there is a confrontation because the hospital wants to use blood; or (2) if your medical situation or that of a loved one deteriorates seriously; or (3) if in the case of a child (or an adult), the doctor, a nurse, or an administrator says they are going to get a court order, then: call your local elders if you have not already done so. (Indeed, because of our position on blood, it is the course of wisdom to alert our elders anytime we have to go to a health care facility.) Next, if it is deemed necessary, the elders will call the nearest Hospital Liaison Committee. If you wish, some Hospital Liaison Committee members may come to the hospital at this time to help you. -Isa. 32:1,2.. LOADED QUESTIONS TO WATCH OUT FOR .. You should know that there are some questions that doctors and others pose that are not always asked with good motive. The one most frequently asked by doctors (and by some judges) is: 'Would you rather die (let your child die) than accept a 'lifesaving blood transfusion'?' If you say yes, that would be correct in a religious sense. But that reply is often misunderstood and at times even produces adverse court decisions. You must remember that you are not in the ministry in this situation.. They will brand you a religious fanatic, unable to make rational decisions when life is at stake. In the case of children, they will see you as a negligent parent who refuses so-called 'lifesaving' medical treatment. But you are NOT denying medical treatment as such.. You must understand that in asking these questions, some are usually looking for a way around your refusal to accept blood. Do not inadvertently give it to them! So how would we avoid that misunderstanding? You could reply: 'If blood is forced on me in any way, it would be the same to me as being raped. I would suffer the emotional and spiritual consequences of that unwanted attack on me for the rest of my life. I would resist with all my strength such a violation of my body without my consent. I would make every effort to prosecute my attackers just as I would in a case of rape.' The strong, graphic impression must be made that a forced transfusion is to us a repugnant violation of our bodies. It is no casual matter. So hold your ground.. We have also seen what the Society has lovingly done to provide help in a time of need. What must you do with this information to be sure you are ready to face a faith-challenging medical situation? First: Have a family discussion to rehearse these matters and to work out what you will say and do, especially in an emergency. Next: See that you have all the documents you need. Then: Make it a matter of serious prayer to Jehovah to back you up in your firm resolve to 'keep abstaining from blood.' Obeying his law on blood assures us of his favor for endless life. -Acts 15:29; Prov. 27:11,12. If any medical situation deteriorates seriously to the point where a transfusion is being threatened, check this box as to what you should do: 1. Call elders in your congregation to assist you. 2. Have elders call the nearest Hospital Liaison Committee if needed. 3. The Hospital Liaison Committee can assist you in speaking to doctors and others. 4. The Hospital Liaison Committee can help you" - 1990KMIN 11 01 3-6
"Do Jehovah's Witnesses accept injections of a blood fraction, such as immune globulin or albumin? Some do, believing that the Scriptures do not clearly rule out accepting an injection of a small fraction, or component, taken from blood.. In view of the command to 'abstain from blood,' some Christians have felt that they should not accept an immune globulin (protein) injection, even though it was only a blood fraction. Their stand is clear and simple - no blood component in any form or amount. Others have felt that a serum (antitoxin), such as immune globulin, containing only a tiny fraction of a donor's blood plasma and used to bolster their defense against disease, is not the same as a life-sustaining blood transfusion. So their consciences may not forbid them to take immune globulin or similar fractions.. It is significant that the blood system of a pregnant woman is separate from that of the fetus in her womb; their blood types are often different. The mother does not pass her blood into the fetus. Formed elements (cells) from the mother's blood do not cross the placental barrier into the fetus' blood, nor does the plasma as such. In fact, if by some injury the mother's and the fetus' blood mingle, health problems can later develop (Rh or ABO incompatibility). However, some substances from the plasma cross into the fetus' circulation. Do plasma proteins, such as immune globulin and albumin? Yes, some do. A pregnant woman has an active mechanism by which some immune globulin moves from the mother's blood to the fetus'. Because this natural movement of antibodies into the fetus occurs in all pregnancies, babies are born with a degree of normal protective immunity to certain infections. It is similar with albumin, which doctors may prescribe as a treatment for shock or certain other conditions. Researchers have proved that albumin from the plasma is also transported, though less efficiently, across the placenta from a mother into her fetus. That some protein fractions from the plasma do move naturally into the blood system of another individual (the fetus) may be another consideration when a Christian is deciding whether he will accept immune globulin, albumin, or similar injections of plasma fractions. One person may feel that he in good conscience can; another may conclude that he cannot. Each must resolve the matter personally before God." - 1990WTWR 06 01 30-1
"He describes blood as 'the most dangerous substance we use in medicine.'" - 1990WTWR 07 15 30
"Is it proper for a Christian to receive an injection of a blood fraction, such as immune globulin or albumin? Responding to God's law, Christians do not accept blood transfusions of the major blood components - plasma, red cells, white cells, or platelets. Some of Jehovah's Witnesses, however, have conscientiously felt able to receive an injection of one of the small protein fractions of the plasma. Interestingly, some of these proteins naturally pass from the bloodstream of a pregnant woman to the separate blood system of her fetus." - 1990WTWR 08 15 29
"Individuals with medical problems who are facing the blood issue need special assistance. Even before they enter the hospital, some may need help in making sure that medical and legal papers are fitting and that the necessary medical personnel have been spoken to in order to avoid a transfusion.. Reasons for disfellowshipping .. failure to abstain from blood" - 1991PAYF 021/95
"Blood in or as Medicine .. 'Those who drag in the use of human blood for internal remedies of diseases appear to misuse it and to sin gravely. Cannibals are condemned. Why do we not abhor those who stain their gullet with human blood? Similar is the receiving of alien blood from a cut vein, either through the mouth or by instruments of transfusion. The authors of this operation are held in terror by the divine law.' Yes, even in centuries past, people saw that God's law ruled out both the taking of blood into the veins and the taking of it through the mouth. Realizing this may help people today to understand the position that Jehovah's Witnesses take, one that accords with God's stand. While highly valuing life and appreciating medical care, true Christians respect life as a gift from the Creator, so they do not try to sustain life by taking in blood.. The reality is that blood transfusions are fraught with many risks. They can even be fatal.. Appreciation for this value helps Jehovah's Witnesses to be resolved not to misuse blood, even if a physician sincerely claims that a transfusion is vital. He may believe that potential benefits of a transfusion outweigh the health risks posed by the blood itself. But the Christian cannot ignore an even graver risk, the risk of losing God's approval by agreeing to a misuse of blood.. If you have children, are you sure that they agree with and can explain the Bible - based stand on transfusions? Do they truly believe this stand to be God's will? Are they convinced that to violate God's law would be so serious that it could put at risk a Christian's prospect for everlasting life? Wise parents will review these matters with their children, whether they be very young or almost adults. Parents may hold practice sessions in which each youth faces questions that might be posed by a judge or a hospital official. The goal is not to have a youth repeat by rote selected facts or answers. It is more important that they know what they believe, and why. Of course, at a court hearing, the parents or others might present information about the risks of blood and the availability of alternative therapies. But what a judge or an official would likely seek to learn from speaking with our children is whether they maturely understand their situation and options and also whether they have their own values and firm convictions." - 1991WTWR 06 15 09-10/15/18
"How strenuously should a Christian resist a blood transfusion that has been ordered or authorized by a court? God's law must be obeyed!..if a court-authorized transfusion seemed likely, a Christian might choose to avoid being accessible for such a violation of God's law..If a Christian did put forth very strenuous efforts to avoid a violation of God's law on blood, authorities might consider him a lawbreaker or make him liable to prosecution. If punishment did result, the Christian could view it as suffering for the sake of righteousness." - 1991WTWR 06 15 31
"In another case a 16-month-old baby with meningitis was becoming more anemic. As is often the case, the anemia was due to many blood samples being routinely taken for testing purposes." - 1991YEAR 037
"beginning in 1961 any who ignored the divine requirement, accepted blood transfusions, and manifested an unrepentant attitude were disfellowshipped from the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses" - 1993PROC 183-4
"Overcoming life's challenges in South Asia .. Severely wounded in a motor vehicle accident, a Jehovah's Witness woman who required a major surgery wrote as follows: 'For nine days the battle regarding a blood transfusion continued - my fight to live in harmony with my conscience by refusing it, the doctors' fight to convince me to accept it.'" - 1994AWAK 01 22 21
"Bloodless Heart Transplant .. Last October, three-year-old Chandra Sharp was admitted to a hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A., with a heart that was not only enlarged but also failing. She was undernourished, her growth stunted, her weight only 19 pounds, and she needed a heart transplant. She was given only a few weeks to live. Her parents agreed to the transplant but not to blood transfusion. They are Jehovah's Witnesses. This was no issue with the surgeon, Dr. Charles Fraser. The Flint Journal of Michigan reported on December 1, 1993: 'Fraser said the Cleveland Clinic and other medical centers are becoming adept at performing many surgeries - including transplants - without the infusion into the patient of other people's blood. 'We have learned more about how to conserve blood, and how to prime the heart-lung machine with solutions other than blood,' said Fraser.' He then added: 'Some specialty hospitals have for decades been doing major cardiovascular operations without blood transfusions.. We always try to do surgery without (transfused) blood.'" - 1994AWAK 05 22 07
"Youths who have 'power beyond what is normal' .. A Jehovah's Witness girl with leukemia was quoted as saying, she 'would fight and kick the IV pole down and rip out the IV no matter how much it would hurt, and poke holes in the blood.'" - 1994AWAK 05 22 13
"Contaminated Blood Given to Hemophiliacs .. 'Blood has become a two-billion-dollar-a-year business. The pursuit of profits from it has resulted in a gigantic tragedy in France. HIV-contaminated blood caused the death of 250 hemophiliacs in AIDS-related illnesses, with hundreds more infected.' -The Boston Globe, October 28, 1992, page 4. 'An 'unholy alliance' of medical negligence and commercial greed led to the death of some 400 German hemophiliacs, with at least 2,000 additional ones infected with HIV-contaminated blood.' -Guardian Weekly, August 22, 1993, page 7. Canada had its own blood scandal. 'It is estimated that more than 700 Canadian hemophiliacs were treated with HIV-infected blood. The government was warned in July 1984 that the Red Cross was distributing AIDS-contaminated blood to Canadian hemophiliacs, but the contaminated blood products were not withdrawn from the market until a year later, August 1985.' -The Globe and Mail, July 22, 1993, page A21, and The Medical Post, March 30, 1993, page 26." - 1994AWAK 05 22 31
"Is the RhIG shot made from blood? Yes. The antibodies that make up the shot are harvested from the blood of individuals who have become immunized or sensitized to the Rh factor.. Genetically-engineered RhIG not derived from blood may become available in the future. Can the Christian conscientiously take RhIG?.. This journal and its companion, The Watchtower, have commented consistently on the matter* .. some Christians have concluded that to them it does not seem a violation of Bible law..' The decision whether to take RhIG remains finally, though, a matter for each Christian couple to decide conscientiously.. * See The Watchtower of June 1, 1990, pages 30,31; June 15, 1978, pages 30,31; and How Can Blood Save Your Life?, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc." - 1994AWAK 12 08 23-7
"Would it be proper to accept a vaccination or some other medical injection containing albumin derived from human blood? Frankly, each Christian must personally decide on this. God's servants rightly want to obey the directive found at Acts 15:28,29, to abstain from blood. Accordingly, Christians will not eat unbled meat or products such as blood sausage. But God's law also applies in the medical area. Jehovah's Witnesses carry a document stating that they refuse 'blood transfusions, whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets, or blood plasma.' What, though, about serum injections containing a tiny amount of a blood protein? Witnesses have long realized that this is a matter for private decision in accord with each one's Bible-trained conscience. This was pointed out in 'Questions From Readers' of The Watchtower of June 1, 1990, which discussed serum injections that a physician may recommend if one is exposed to certain diseases. The active components of such injections are not blood plasma per se but antibodies from the blood plasma of those who have developed resistance. Some Christians who feel that they can in good conscience accept such injections have noted that antibodies from the blood of a pregnant woman cross into the blood of the baby in her womb. 'Questions From Readers' mentioned this, as well as the fact that some albumin passes from a pregnant woman to her baby. Many find this noteworthy, since some vaccines that are not prepared from blood may contain a relatively small amount of plasma albumin that was used or added to stabilize the ingredients in the preparation. Currently a small amount of albumin is also used in injections of the synthetic hormone EPO (erythropoietin). Some Witnesses have accepted injections of EPO because it can hasten red blood cell production and so may relieve a physician of a feeling that a blood transfusion might be needed. Other medical preparations may come into use in the future that involve a comparatively small amount of albumin, since pharmaceutical companies develop new products or change the formulas of existing ones. Christians may thus want to consider whether albumin is part of a vaccination or other injection that a doctor recommends. If they have doubts or have reason to believe that albumin is a component, they can inquire of their physician. As noted, many Witnesses have not objected to accepting an injection that contains a small quantity of albumin. Still, anyone wanting to study the matter more thoroughly before making a personal decision should review the information presented in 'Questions From Readers' of The Watchtower of June 1, 1990." - 1994WTWR 10 01 31
"'The doctors decided to provide alternative treatment. Plasma was extracted from the blood, and thus antibodies attacking my blood cells and kidney tissues were removed. I was then given injections of Ringer's solution together with albumin. I had discussed this treatment with the doctors and gave them written permission to administer it.'" - 1995AWAK 02 22 21
"Seminars to Improve Relations Between Doctors and Jehovah's Witnesses .. The liaison committee members have been trained to handle many common questions raised by both hospitals and physicians, occasionally even Witnesses themselves. This might include issues like the acceptability of immunoglobulins or albumin, the use of cryoprecipitate or medical techniques such as hemodilution, extracorporeal circulation, the cell saver, or hemodialysis." - 1995AWAK 03 22 20
"In contrast with the disheartening evidence, a happier account was put before Justice Krever on May 25, 1994, in Regina, Saskatchewan. William J. Hall, a 75-year-old man with severe hemophilia, told how he successfully manages his condition using alternatives to blood products. And he does not have AIDS. As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, Mr. Hall has avoided blood and blood factors because of his religious conscience." - 1995AWAK 06 08 21
"Treasure the Real Life .. The Law given to the Israelites required abstinence from blood. (Leviticus 17:13, 14) Christians are not under the Mosaic Law. But they realize that the command not to eat blood predated the Law; it had earlier been given to Noah after the Deluge. (Genesis 9:3,4; Colossians 2:13,14) This command applied to all the offspring of Noah, from whom all nations of the earth have descended. (Genesis 10:32) In addition, the Mosaic Law helps us to see the reason for God's insistence on the sanctity of blood. After forbidding the Israelites to consume blood of any kind, God said: 'The soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have put it upon the altar for you to make atonement for your souls, because it is the blood that makes atonement by the soul in it.' (Leviticus 17:11) Blood was reserved by God for sacrificial use upon the altar. His law on the sanctity of blood reveals his authority over all life on the earth. (Ezekiel 18:4; Revelation 4:11) Seeing our life from Jehovah's standpoint, we realize that it does not belong to us but is only entrusted to us by God.. To 15-year-old Kumiko, a blood transfusion to treat her deadly leukemia was the worst possible option. Trying to lengthen her life by this means for a few weeks, months, or even years was not worth what it would cost her in the long run. Having dedicated her present life to Jehovah God as one of his Witnesses, she respected the sanctity of life and blood. Although her father and other relatives strongly opposed her stand, Kumiko stood firm. Her doctor once asked her: 'If your God forgives failures, wouldn't he forgive you even if you accepted a blood transfusion?' Kumiko refused to compromise and thus repudiate her Bible-based belief. 'Keeping a tight grip on the word of life,' she maintained her stand. (Philippians 2:16) As her unbelieving grandmother said, 'Kumiko would not abandon her faith.' Soon the attitude of her father and her grandmother as well as that of the attending doctors changed. Kumiko's strong faith in Jehovah God, who can resurrect her from the dead, moved many hearts. While still alive, she entreated her father: 'Even if I die, I will be resurrected in the Paradise. But if you are destroyed at Har-Magedon, I won't see you. So please study the Bible.' Her father just kept saying: 'When you get well, I will.' But when Kumiko died from her relentless illness, her father put into her casket a note that said: 'I'll see you in Paradise, Kumiko.' After the funeral service, he spoke to those who attended the service and said: 'I promised Kumiko that I would see her in Paradise. Although I still can't believe it because I have not studied enough, I am determined to look into it. Please help me.' Others in her family also started to study the Bible. Kumiko had true respect for life and wanted to live. She appreciated all that her doctors did to save her present life. By complying with instructions in the Creator's manual, however, she proved that she treasured the real life. For millions, that will be everlasting life on a paradise earth. Will you be among them?" - 1995WTWR 01 15 06-7
"Because of such dangers, the Center for Bloodless Surgery utilizes alternatives to blood transfusions, including the reinfusion of a patient's own blood, a technique that some Witnesses may find unobjectionable under certain circumstances." - 1995WTWR 08 01 30
"OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S LAW ON BLOOD REWARDED .. Recently a viral fever broke out in epidemic form in some parts of the state of Kerala (India). This disease severely damages the kidneys and leads to the need for dialysis. Blood transfusions are commonly administered. In one city 14 people were admitted to the hospital with this disease. One of these patients was a Witness, an elder in the local congregation. He was told that blood transfusion was the only available treatment. The elder explained his Scriptural beliefs and firmly refused blood. (Acts 15:28,29) After much argument the doctors said that he would die because of his rejection of a blood transfusion. The other 13 patients received blood. Tragically, all of them died within a few days. The brother was the only survivor! Hospital authorities were very surprised. The medical staff was greatly impressed by the regular visits made by members of the congregation. After he was discharged from the hospital, the brother went to thank the doctors, but they said: 'Why do you thank us? Thank your God, Jehovah. He is the One who saved you. Please pray for us also to your God, Jehovah.' BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS RECONSIDERED .. In this gloomy age of AIDS, the greatest threat to a hospital patient's health may lurk in the operating room. 'There is no way we can make the blood supply completely sterile,' says Dr. Richard Spence, who for more than a decade has directed the Center for Bloodless Surgery at Cooper Hospital-University Medical Center in Camden, New Jersey, U.S.A. Not surprisingly, the center treats many of Jehovah's Witnesses, whose Bible-based refusal of blood transfusions is well-known. (Leviticus 17:11; Acts 15:28,29) However, a number of non-Witness patients are showing up at the center as well, concerned about the potential dangers of transfusing blood, which include the contracting of hepatitis, AIDS, and other diseases. 'The rise of AIDS has shown the need for screening blood,' notes the Courier-Post Weekly Report on Science and Medicine. 'But some cases can still slip through the screening process because someone could have the virus before it would show up on a test.' Because of such dangers, the Center for Bloodless Surgery utilizes alternatives to blood transfusions, including the reinfusion of a patient's own blood-a technique that some Witnesses may find unobjectionable under certain circumstances. Another treatment involves the use of drugs that stimulate the patient's blood production. Additionally, a synthetic blood substitute is occasionally employed to bolster the delivery of oxygen without the need for transfused blood. 'Jehovah's Witnesses want the best medical care,' says Dr. Spence, 'but they want alternatives to transfusions.' Jehovah's Witnesses are thankful for the cooperation and assistance they have received from doctors who respect their religious convictions. As a result, they have indeed received 'the best medical care' and have maintained a clean conscience before Jehovah God. -2 Timothy 1:3." - 1995WTWR 09 15 24-5
"Near Death - I am writing regarding the article 'Doctors Learned From My Near Death.' (December 22, 1995) Is not erythropoietin buffered with a small percentage of albumin, a blood protein? -R.P., United States In some cases, yes, and each Christian must personally decide whether or not to accept medications that contain small amounts of albumin. For a detailed discussion, please see 'Questions From Readers' in the October 1, 1994, and June 1, 1990, issues of 'The Watchtower." - 1996AWAK 11 08 30
"Kingdom Proclaimers Report .. 'Shining as Illuminators in the World' .. JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES stand out as unique and often receive bad publicity because of their not accepting blood transfusions. This position, however, is solidly based on the Bible. It shows that God condemns the misuse of blood, since blood is precious in his eyes. (Genesis 9:3,4; Leviticus 17:14) As a result of examining the Scriptures on this subject, Jehovah's Witnesses conclude that the Bible's directive to 'abstain from blood' would clearly include the modern practice of transfusing blood. -Acts 15:19,20,28,29. In recent years members of the medical community, as well as the courts in some countries, have come to support Jehovah's Witnesses on this issue. For example, in Denmark a young mother who was acquainted with the Bible's view of blood died as a result of an automobile accident. Because of her refusal to accept a blood transfusion, her doctors fueled a month-long campaign of hostility by the media against Jehovah's Witnesses. The young woman's parents requested an inquiry, and in April 1994 a decision was announced by Denmark's Commission of Patients' Complaints. It stated that the patient died, not because she refused blood, but because of medical malpractice. The decision was based on investigations by the Board of Forensic Medicine and the health authorities. In a circular to all health-care facilities in Denmark, the National Board of Health stated that doctors have an obligation to give Jehovah's Witnesses the best available alternative treatment, taking into consideration their refusal to accept blood. Another case involved Dan, a 15-year-old Witness who died of leukemia. In this case doctors respected Dan's brave decision to reject a blood transfusion. This resulted in a widespread press campaign in which the media blamed the doctors for Dan's death. Many, however, did not agree with the negative propaganda. For example, the headmaster at the school that Dan had attended was present at the Kingdom Hall for the funeral. He expressed shock over the unfair news coverage of Dan's death. After approaching a Witness coworker with several questions about Jehovah's Witnesses, he accepted a copy of the video Jehovah's Witnesses-The Organization Behind the Name. The video so impressed him that he arranged for all the teachers in the school to view it. Later, the video was shown to all the students, one class at a time. Denmark's minister of health also disagreed with the bad publicity Dan's doctors received. He stated that the doctors had done the right thing in respecting Dan's mature decision and well-founded faith. There are millions of Kingdom proclaimers who render obedience to God's laws. Because of their obedience, they stand out, 'shining as illuminators in the world.' -Philippians 2:12,15." - 1996WTWR 02 01 15
"As regards the alleged involvement of children, the [WTBTS] submits that children cannot become members of the association but only participate, together with their parents, in the religious activities of the community. In respect of the refusal of blood transfusion, the applicant association submits that there are no religious sanctions for a Jehovah's Witness who chooses to accept blood transfusion and that, therefore, the fact that the religious doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses is against blood transfusion cannot amount to a threat to public health." - Sworn testimony submitted by the WTBTS in evidence before the European Commission of Human Rights on 7/3/1997, Application No. 28626/95
"Show Respect for Life and Blood .. As you bring your life into harmony with God's standards, you come to appreciate how precious life truly is. Let us now discuss a third requirement of God. We must show respect for life and blood. Life is sacred to Jehovah. It should be, for he is the Source of life. (Psalm 36:9) Why, even the life of an unborn child inside its mother is precious to Jehovah! (Exodus 21:22,23) Blood represents life. Therefore, blood too is sacred in God's eyes. (Leviticus 17:14) It should come as no surprise, then, that God expects us to view life and blood as he does. What does respect for life and blood require of us? As Christians, we do not take unnecessary risks with our lives just for excitement. We are safety conscious and therefore make sure that our cars and homes are safe. (Deuteronomy 22:8)" - 1997WTWR 01 15 21
"Another question on the minds of several doctors related to group pressure. What would happen, the wondered, if a Witness wavered and accepted a blood transfusion? Would he be ostracized by the Witness Community? .. disobeying God's law certainly is a serious matter, something for the congregation's elders to examine.. Doubtless such a Witness would feel very bad and be concerned about his relationship with God.. elders wound want, as in all judicial cases, to temper firmness with mercy. -Matt. 9:12,13; John 7:24. The stand of the Witnesses respecting the sanctity of blood is a doctrinal belief rather than an ethical viewpoint subject to periodic review, he was told. The clear Biblical command leaves no room for compromise. (Acts 15:28,29) Violating such a divine law would be as unacceptable to a Witness as condoning idolatry or fornication." - 1997WTWR 02 15 19
"By works and example, Christianity's Founder, Jesus Christ, encouraged love of God and love of neighbor, not intolerance and fanaticism.. Does it strike you as odd that something as potentially elevating and ennobling as the teachings of the Bible should be misused to promote intolerance, bigotry, and hatred? Actually, it is not those teachings of the Bible that make religion unpalatable to many. Rather, it is a corruption of them.. misunderstandings today often result in estrangement and even prejudice. For example, a few people have viewed Jehovah's Witnesses as religious fanatics because of reports about their refusal to take blood transfusions." - 1999AWAK 02 22 04-6
"Do Jehovah's Witnesses accept any medical products derived from blood? The fundamental answer is that Jehovah's Witnesses do not accept blood. We firmly believe that God's law on blood is not open to reform to fit shifting opinions. Still, new issues arise because blood can now be processed into four primary components. In deciding whether to accept such, a Christian should look beyond possible medical benefits and risks. His concern should be what the Bible says and the potential effect on his relationship with Almighty God. The key issues are quite simple. As an aid to seeing why that is some consider some Biblical, historical, and medical background. Jehovah God told our common ancestor Noah that blood must be treated as something special. (Genesis 9:3,4) Later, God's laws to Israel reflected the sacredness of blood: 'As for any man of the house of Israel or some alien resident..who says any sort of blood, I shall certainly set my face against the soul that is eating the blood.' By rejecting God's law, an Israelite could contaminate other; thus, God added: 'I shall indeed cut him off from among his people.' (Leviticus 17:10) Later, at a meeting in Jerusalem, the apostles and older men decreed that we must 'abstain from blood.' Doing so is as vital as abstaining from sexual immorality and idolatry. -Acts 15:28,29. What would 'abstaining' have meant back then? Christians did not consume blood, whether fresh or coagulated: nor did they eat meat from an unbled animal. Also ruled out would be foods to which blood was added, such as blood sausage. Taking in blood in any of those ways would violate God's law. -1 Samuel 14:32,33. Most people in ancient times would not have been troubled over the consuming of blood, as we can see from the writings of Tertullian (second and third centuries C.E.). Responding to false charges that Christians consumed blood, Tertullian mentioned tribes that sealed treaties by tasting blood. He also noted that ' when a show is given in the arena, (some) with greedy thirst have caught the fresh blood of the guilty..as a cure for their epilepsy.' Those practices (even if some Romans did them for health reasons) were wrong for Christians: 'We do not include even animals' blood in our natural diet,' wrote Tertullian. The Romans used food containing blood as a test of the integrity of real Christians. Tertullian added: 'Now, I ask you, what sort of a thing is it, that when you are confident (that Christians) will turn with horror from animals' blood, you should suppose them greedy for human blood?' Today, few people would think that the laws of Almighty God are at issue if a physician suggested their taking blood. While Jehovah's Witnesses certainly want to keep living, we are committed to obey Jehovah's law on blood. What does this mean in the light of current medical practice? As transfusions of whole blood became common after World War II, Jehovah's Witnesses saw that this was contrary to God's law - and we still believe that. Yet, medicine has changed over time. Today, most transfusions are not of whole blood but of one of its primary components: (1) red cells; (2) white cells; (3) platelets; (4) plasma (serum), the fluid part. Depending on the condition of the patient, physicians might prescribe red cells, white cells, platelets, or plasma. Transfusing these major components allows a single unit of blood to be divided among more patients. Jehovah's Witnesses hold that accepting whole blood or any of those four primary components violates God's law. Significantly, keeping to this Bible-based position has protected them from many risks, including such diseases as hepatitis and AIDS that can be contracted from blood. However, since blood can be processed beyond those primary components, questions arise about fractions derived from the primary blood components. How are such fractions used, and what should a Christian consider when deciding on them? Blood is complex. Even the plasma - which is 90 percent water - carries scores of hormones, inorganic salts, enzymes, and nutrients, including minerals and sugar. Plasma also carries such proteins as albumin, clotting factors, and antibodies to fight diseases. Technicians isolate and use many plasma proteins. For example, clotting factor VIII has been given to hemophiliacs, who bleed easily. Or if someone is exposed to certain diseases, doctors might prescribe injections of gamma globulin, extracted from the blood plasma of people who already had immunity. Other plasma proteins are used medically, but the above mentioned illustrate how a primary blood component (plasma) may be processed to obtain fractions. * Footnote: See 'Questions From Readers' in The Watchtower of June 15, 1978, and October 1, 1994. Pharmaceutical firms have developed recombinant products that are not taken from blood and that may prescribed in place of some blood fractions used in the past. Just as blood plasma can be a source of various fractions, the other primary components (red cells, white cells, platelets) can be processed to isolate smaller parts. For example, white blood cells may be a source of interferons and interleukins, used to treat some viral infections and cancers. Platelets can be processed to extract a wound healing factor. And other medicines are coming along that involved (at least initially) extracts from blood components. Such therapies are not transfusions of those primary components; they usually involve parts or fractions thereof. Should Christians accept these fractions in medical treatment? We cannot say. The Bible does not give details, so a Christian must make his own conscientious decision before God. Some would refuse anything derived from blood (even fractions intended to provide temporary passive immunity). That is how they understand God's command to 'abstain from blood.' They reason that his law to Israel required that blood removed from a creature be 'poured out on the ground.' (Deuteronomy 12:22-24) Why is that relevant? Well, to prepare gamma globulin, blood-based clotting factors, and so on, requires that blood be collected and processed. Hence, some Christians reject such products, just as they reject transfusions of whole blood or of its four primary components. Their sincere, conscientious stand should be respected. Other Christians decide differently. They too refuse transfusions of whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets, or plasma. Yet, they might allow a physician to treat them with a fraction extracted from the primary components. Even here there may be differences. One Christian may accept a gamma globulin injection, but he may or may not agree to an injection containing something extracted from red or white cells. Overall, though, what might lead some Christians to conclude that they could accept blood fractions? SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR THE DOCTOR .. If you face surgery or a treatment that might involve a blood product, ask: Do all the medical personnel involved know that, as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I direct that no blood transfusions (whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets, or blood plasma) be given to me under any circumstances? If any medicine to be prescribed may be made from blood plasma, red or white cells, or platelets, ask: Has the medicine been made from one of the four primary blood components? If so, would you explain its makeup? How much of this blood-derived medicine might be administered, and in what way? If my conscience permits me to accept this fraction, what medical risks are there? If my conscience moves me to decline this fraction, what other therapy might be used? After I have considered this matter further, when may I inform you of my decision? 'Questions From Readers' in The Watchtower of June 1, 1990, noted that plasma proteins (fractions) move from a pregnant woman's blood to the separate blood system of her fetus. Thus a mother passes immunoglobulins to her child, providing valuable immunity. Separately, as a fetus' red cells complete their normal life span, their oxygen-carrying portion is processed. Some of it becomes bilirubin, which crosses the placenta to the mother and is eliminated with her body wastes. Some Christians may conclude that since blood fractions can pass to another person in this natural setting, they could accept blood fraction derived from blood plasma or cells. Does the fact that opinions and conscientious decisions may differ mean that the issue inconsequential? No. It is serious. Yet, there is a basic simplicity. The above material shows that Jehovah's Witnesses refuse transfusions of both whole blood and its primary blood components. The Bible directs Christians to 'abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from fornication'. (Acts 15:29) Beyond that, when it comes to fractions of any of the primary components, each Christian, after careful and prayerful meditation, must conscientiously decide for himself. Many people would be willing accept any therapy that seems to offer immediate benefit, even a therapy have know health risks, as is true of blood products. The sincere Christian endeavors to have a broader, more balanced view that involves more than just the physical aspects. Jehovah's Witnesses appreciate efforts to provide quality medical care, and they weight the risk/benefit ratio of any treatment. However, when it comes to products derived from blood, they carefully weigh what God says and their personal relationship with our Life-Giver. -Psalm 36:9. What a blessing for a Christian to have such confidence as the psalmist who wrote: 'Jehovah God is a sun and a shield; favor and glory are what he gives. Jehovah himself will not hold back anything good from those waking in faultlessness. O Jehovah .. happy is the man that is trusting in you'! Psalm 84:11,12." - 2000WTWR 06 15 29-31
"In the light of Bible commands about the proper use of blood, how do Jehovah's Witness view medical procedures using one's own blood? Rather than deciding solely on the basis of personal preference or some medical recommendation, each Christian ought to consider seriously what the Bible says. It is a matter between him & Jehovah. Jehovah, to whom we owe our lives, decreed that blood should not be consumed. (Genesis 9:3-4).. In the Law for ancient Israel, God limited the use of blood because it represented life. He decreed: 'The soul (or life) of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have put it upon the altar for you to make atonement for your souls.' What if a man killed an animal for food? God said: 'He must in that case pour its blood out and cover it with dust.' (Professor Frank H. Gorman writes: 'The pouring out of the blood is best understood as an act of reverence that demonstrates respect for the life of the animal and, thus, respect for God, who created & continues to care for that life.') (Leviticus 17:11,13) Jehovah repeated this command again and again. (Deuteronomy 12:16; 24:15-23) The Jewish Soncion Chumash notes: 'The blood must not be stored but rendered unfit for consumption by pouring itout on the ground.' No Israelite was to appropriate, store, and use the blood of another creature whose life belonged to God. The obligation to keep the Mosaic Law ended when Messiah died. Yet, God's view of the sacredness of blood remains. Moved by God's holy spirit, the apostles directed to 'abstain from blood.' That command was not to be taken lightly. It was as important morally as abstaining from sexual immorality or idolatry. (Acts 15:28,29; 29:21-25). When donating and transfusing blood became common in the 20th century, Jehovah's Witness understood that this practice conflicted with God's Word. (The Watchtower of July 1, 1951, answered key questions about this subject, showing why transfusions of donated blood are not appropriate.) Occasionally, a doctor will urge a patient to deposit his own blood weeks before surgery (preoperative autologous blood donation, or PAD) so that if the need arises, he could transfuse the patient with his own blood. However, such collecting, storing, and transfusing of blood directly contradicts what is said in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Blood is not to be stored; it is to be poured out - returned to God, as it were. Granted, the Mosaic Law is not in force now. Nevertheless, Jehovah's Witnesses respect the principles God included in it, and they are determined to 'abstain from blood'. Hence, we do not donate blood, nor do we store for transfusions our blood that should be 'poured out.' That practice conflicts with God's law. Other procedures or tests involving an individual's own blood are not so clearly in conflict with God's stated principles. For instance, many Christians have allowed some of their blood to be withdrawn from testing or analysis, after which the sample is discarded. Other more complex procedures involving one's blood may also be recommended. For example, during certain surgical procedures, some blood may be derived from the body in a process called hemodilution. The blood remaining in the patient diluted. later his (what about hers) blood in the external circuit is directed back into him, thus bringing his blood count closer to normal. Similarly, blood that flows into a wound may be captured and filtered so that the red cells can be returned to the patient; this is called cell salvage. In different process, blood may be directed to a machine that temporarily carries on a function normally handled by body organs (for example, the heart, lungs, or kidneys). The blood from the machine is then returned to the patient. In other procedures, blood is diverted to a separator (centrifuge) so that damaging of defective portions of it can be eliminated. Or the goal may be to isolate some of a blood component and apply that elsewhere on the body. There are also tests in which a quantity of the blood is withdrawn in order to tag it or to mix it with medicine, where upon it is put back into the patient. The details may vary, and new procedures, treatments, and tests will certainly be developed. It is not our place to analyze each variation and render decision.' 'A Christian must decide for himself how his own blood will be handled in the course of a surgical procedure, medical test, or current therapy. Ahead of time, he should obtain from the doctor or technician the facts about what might be done with his blood during the procedure. Then he must decide according to what his conscience permits. QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF .. If some of my blood will be diverted outside my body and the flow might even be interrupted for a time, will my conscience allow me to view this blood as still part of me, thus not requiring that it will be 'poured out on the ground'? Would my Bible-trained conscience be troubled if during a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure some of my own blood was withdrawn, modified, and directed back into (or onto) my body? Christians should bear in mind their dedication to God and obligation 'to love him with their whole heart, whole soul, whole strength, and whole mind.' (Luke 10:27) Unlike most in the world, Jehovah's Witnesses highly treasure their good relationship with God. The Life-Giver urges all to trust in Jesus' shed blood. We read; 'By means of him (Jesus Christ) we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses.' -Ephesians 1:7" - 2000WTWR 10 15 30-1
"Disease Free Or Fraught With Danger? Blood-borne disease worries conscientious physicians and many patients. Which disease? Frankly, you cannot limit it just to one; there are indeed many. After discussing the more well-known diseases, Techniques of Blood Transfusion (1982) addresses 'other transfusion-associated infectious diseases,' such as syphilis, cytomegalovirus infection, and malaria. It then says: 'Several other diseases have also been reported to be transmitted by blood transfusion, including herpes virus infections, infectious mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus), toxoplasmosis, trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness and Chagas' disease), leishmaniasis, brucellosis (undulant fever), typhus, filariasis, measles, salmonellosis, and Colorado tick fever.' The pope survived being shot. After leaving the hospital, he was taken back for two months, 'suffering a great deal.' Why? A potentially fatal cytomegalovirus infection from the blood he received. Actually, the list of such diseases is growing." - Jehovah's Witnesses website at www.watchtower.org, file Transfusions_how_safe.htm, downloaded 1/3/2001
The Watchtower's measured grasp exhibited above leaves one in no doubt whatsoever as to how reliable, accurate, competent, reasonable, responsible, impartial and consistent it has been as a teacher and guide. This is even more important given that this teacher claims the status of God's sole representative on Earth, prophetlike, uttering words put by God into its very mouth and so on. Accordingly, using the past as a rough guide to the future, one should rightly assess whether the Watchtower will decide - after a few more thousand extra deaths - that its teachings on blood too were entirely in error, and quietly reverse them.
One quote from Jehovah's Witness apologist author Rolf Furuli:
"The Watchtower Society .. I view it the same way that my students view me, as a teacher" [3]
I sincerely hope that statement is incorrect - and not only for the sake of your students, Mr. Furuli.
As for me, I do not subscribe to the Watchtower's teaching that in God's view:
"Individual persons are of small importance" - 1939SALV 50
which institutional attitude lies at the very heart of this tragedy re blood transfusions - for tragedy it is, which has been shown to have cost the lives of many thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses already. I congratulate Doctor Muramoto and others on his efforts to date and urge him to continue - "for the sake of the children, and for those whose voice is not heard" due to the repressive techniques of this distressing cult.
Love
Prominent Bethelite.
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' own BIBLICAL "ENCYCLOPEDIA", INSIGHT INTO THE SCRIPTURES, 1988, VOL. I, pp296-7 (capitalization mine):-
"As a major city of the northern kingdom under Jeroboam, BETHEL .. BECAME RENOWNED AS A CENTER OF FALSE WORSHIP. At Bethel, in the extreme south of the newly formed kingdom of Israel .. Jeroboam set up the GOLDEN CALVES in his effort to dissuade the people of his realm from going to the temple at Jerusalem. (1 Ki 12:27-29) With its own religious house and altar, a SPECIALLY INVENTED FESTIVAL TIME .. BETHEL BECAME A SYMBOL OF RANK APOSTASY FROM TRUE WORSHIP. (1 Ki 12:31-33) Jehovah God did not delay in expressing his disapproval .. to Bethel to pronounce judgment against the ALTAR used in connection with CALF WORSHIP.. The prophets Amos and Hosea .. proclaimed GOD'S CONDEMNATION of the RELIGIOUS CORRUPTION CENTERED AT BETHEL.. Hosea .. warns that ITS CALF IDOL served by foreign-god priests will come to be a CAUSE FOR MOURNING.. The prophet Amos spoke in similar vein, showing that, no matter how frequent the sacrifices offered by the people at Bethel's altars, their pious pilgrimages to that place ONLY CONSTITUTED THE COMMISSION OF TRANSGRESSION, AND WARNING THAT JEHOVAH'S BURNING ANGER WOULD BLAZE AGAINST THEM INEXTINGUISHABLY. (Am 3:14; 4:4; 5:5,6)"
The international and various national headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses are also all called "BETHEL" - there are none so blind as those who will not see.
KEY TO WATCHTOWER SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS QUOTED
NAME
AWAK - Awake! periodical
BMLG - Blood, Medicine and the Law of God
COND - Consolation (Dutch) periodical [translated]
CONS - Consolation periodical (replaced by Awake!)
DIEA - Demons Infest Earth's Atmosphere
FOTM - Faith On The March (written by WTBTS Vice-President, endorsed in 1957WTWR 05 15 302-4, foreword by WTBTS President)
GAGE - The Golden Age periodical (replaced by Consolation)
GAGM - Luz Y Verdad periodical (The Golden Age of Mexico) [translated]
HCBS - How Can Blood Save Your Life?
JWQB - Jehovah's Witnesses and the Question of Blood
KMIN - Our Kingdom Ministry periodical (U.S.)
MSAT - Make Sure of All Things
PAYF - Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock: Acts 20:28 [Circulation strictly restricted to Jehovah's Witness "Elders"]
PROC - Jehovah's Witnesses, Proclaimers of God's Kingdom
RFTS - Reasoning From The Scriptures
SALV - Salvation; disclosing God's provision for man's protection from disaster and salvation to life everlasting in complete happiness; a text book for the Jonadabs
SV13 - Souvenir Notes of the Bible Students' Conventions, Asheville, NC [quoted in What Pastor Russell Said, 1917, Q666-3]
TSMF - The Truth Shall Make You Free
UWTG - United in Worship of the Only True God
WTWR - The Watchtower, Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom (includes Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence (July 1879 - December 15 1907) and The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence (January 1 1908 - February 15 1939; 'Watch Tower' made into one word on October 15 1931, 'Presence' replaced by 'Kingdom' January 1 1939)) periodical
YCLF - You Can Live Forever In Paradise on Earth
YEAR - Yearbook of the Jehovah's Witnesses annual
YYGB - Your Youth - Getting the Best Out of It
FORMAT
The format is 'yyyyNAME mm dd page' for periodicals and 'yyyyNAME page' for other publications, where the date of publication is mm/dd/yyyy. ".." is used to show that text is omitted, without loss of context or compromise to fairness. Material inserted within square brackets is not commentary but is to facilitate abbreviation.
NOTES
[1] The conscience of the individual Jehovah's Witness as a basis for refusing blood - Rolf J. Furuli, 23 February 2001 http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/322/7277/37#EL52 ; Re: Muramoto's reply R. Furuli, The conscience of the individual Jehovah's Witness - Rolf J. Furuli, 4 March 2001 http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/322/7277/37#EL66 ; Muramoto's new interpretation of the meaning of the concept "informed consent" - Rolf J. Furuli, 13 March 2001 http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/322/7277/37#EL87
[2] For example, in many of the quotes provided in this material, and elsewhere too e.g. in 1993WTWR 10 15 32.
[3] Re:Muramoto: Questions unanswered by Furuli - Rolf J. Furuli, 5 March 2001 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/322/7277/37#EL74
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Material forwarded by the Prominent Bethelite.
