The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has said members can now make their own decision whether to take or give the four main components of blood according to their conscience.
This was said in a statement released by the organization’s World Headquarters in Warwick, New York and made available on its website yesterday.
“The decision to accept red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood is an individual matter of conscience,” the statement says.
It said that “each Witness must decide whether or not to donate blood for the specific and stated purpose of supplying components or fractions for use by another person.”
But the organization maintained its view on whole-blood transfusion was unchanged.
“The religious refusal of whole-blood transfusions, a core teaching based on the command to ‘abstain from blood’ (Acts 15:20), is unchanged,” the statement stated.
“Blood is still sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses, and they continue to view life and blood as precious gifts from God,” said Paul Gillies, international spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at the organisation’s World Headquarters.
We understand that decisions affecting blood components are a question of conscience between each Witness and his God, Jehovah.
The organization stated the change “follows previous updates on blood fractions and the use of one’s own blood in medical procedures.
“They are a matter of individual conscience because the Bible does not comment on such decisions, it added. “That same logic has now been applied to the four main constituents of blood.
The statement claimed that on medical care, “Jehovah’s Witnesses love life and want the best available medical care. They don’t perform faith healing and they look for doctors who can give effective therapy that is in line with their wishes, values and beliefs.
Gillies said local churches will not meddle in members’ personal decisions.
Personal decisions which are matters of individual conscience are not the concern of congregations. We shall continue to respect the personal choices of our fellow believers.
“We also appreciate the many talented and caring doctors who provide quality medical care that respects our personal wishes about blood,” he stated.
The organization says Jehovah’s Witnesses number “over nine million worldwide, in congregations in more than 200 lands”.
Earlier this month, the religious community updated its position on the use of a member’s own blood for surgery and other medical operations.
The clarification meant that individual Witnesses could decide for themselves whether their blood could be withdrawn, preserved and then returned to them in the course of medical treatment, although the organization continued its position of not accepting blood from another person.
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