The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses announced a 'clarification' of its teaching on Friday, saying it came after extensive prayer and consideration. According to major media reports, leaders of Jehovah's Witnesses are modifying their prohibition on receiving blood transfusions on religious grounds, now allowing members to decide whether to allow their own blood to be drawn and stored in advance for scheduled surgeries with a risk of significant blood loss. The organization is retaining its wider prohibition against receiving transfusions of others' blood, a procedure routinely used with patients after accidents, violence, or other blood loss.
Gerrit Lösch, a Governing Body member, stated, 'Each Christian must decide for himself how his own blood will be used in all medical and surgical care. This includes whether to allow his own blood to be removed, stored, and then given back to him. What does this mean?
' The long-held prohibition on blood transfusions is one of the most distinctive and controversial teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, and Jehovah's Witnesses are almost alone in their beliefs about blood transfusions. Jehovah's Witnesses share many Christian beliefs but diverge from most other churches on key theological issues, such as the nature of Jesus and biblical prophecy. S.
2 million in more than 200 countries and territories. News of the imminent policy change leaked out in recent days on Reddit and other social media forums for former Jehovah's Witnesses. Some ex-members are critical of the religious organization's policies and assert it is insular and authoritarian.
The policy shift has some value but is inadequate, according to some ex-members. Many commenters questioned why the ban on transfusions wasn't lifted entirely for one of the same reasons cited by Lösch regarding the use of one's own blood, that the Bible doesn't comment on it. ' He also alleges that those who defy such a policy could be shunned by the church.
Melin stated, 'They're softening this to a conscience matter when it involves your own blood. From my perspective, it doesn't go far enough.