Update on Europe/Blood Transfusion Issue

September 15, 1998

Dear friend,

I would like to give an update of what is going on in the Watchtower world at this very moment. First, I will give an update concerning the matter of their position regarding blood transfusions, and then some notes from Paul Carden’s visit to Russia recently and what the Watchtower is doing over there:

One of my main objectives on this trip was to revisit the Watchtower’s Russian headquarters in Solnechnoe, some 40 km northwest of St. Petersburg, for first-hand assessment of the cult's progress. When I first toured the site two years ago I was surrounded by cranes, construction equipment, and legions of hardhat-wearing JWs from across Europe crunching across the snowy ground. In June of last year the completed facility was dedicated amid glowing press coverage. In a country that still defines "dismal," its clean, modern buildings rise out of the forest like a brightly colored chunk of Scandinavia dropped from the sky. Over 300 JWs live and work there and fully a third of them are translators who labor in tightly knit teams to convert Watchtower publications from Brooklyn, NY into Russian and 9 other languages. In fact, according to our tour guide, almost everything at this beautiful and expensive facility exists to support this translation effort—including state-of-the art computer software and hardware—so that millions of speakers of languages like Ossetian Azerbaijani, Tatar and Kirghiz will have steady access to the cult's twisted, Christ-denying gospel. (Sadly, little or no Christian literature to refute this destructive heresy exists yet in such languages.)

A guided tour through the Watchtower’s Eurasian nerve center is a sobering experience. I saw displays detailing the persecution inflicted on Russian JWs during the darkest phases of the Soviet era, thanks in large part to their obedient dissemination of the inflammatory ravings of "Judge" Joseph Rutherford, the cult's second president. I saw charts showing the skyrocketing volume of JW literature distribution. (The Solnechnoe facility ships over 300 metric tons of literature—including 2 million full-color magazines—per month by truck, rail, and air freight to JW "publishers" as far away as Vladivostok on the Pacific coast.) I saw wall-sized, pushpin-covered maps showing dozens and dozens of kingdom halls now under construction from the Baltic Sea to the fringes of Central Asia. I saw blueprints for an enormous new "assembly hall" being built next to St. Petersburg's Pionersk subway station -- 1,600 seats, with three additional "kingdom halls" under the same roof. (Little wonder: In 1990 there was only one JW congregation in St. Petersburg; by the beginning of 1997 there were 43, and as of mid-1998 there were 55.) In the Russian Federation alone Watchtower membership is expanding by 25% annually—one of the highest rates in the world. [Paul Carden can be reached at: TheCenters@aol.com or (949) 364-2435.]

Although the influence of the Watchtower is steadily declining in English-speaking countries, largely due to Internet access, they are moving forward rapidly in countries that do not have much information available that is critical of the group. That is apparently why they are doing everything they can to maintain freedom of operations in Europe and Asia, apparently including deceiving the governments about their policies.  France recently decided to rescind their view of the Watchtower in France as a non-profit organization/recognized religion and fined the Watchtower $50 million in back taxes as a result. (One can examine a Report on Cults presented to the National Assembly of France by clicking here.)

Jehovah’s Witnesses are known for their policy regarding blood transfusions being grounds for disfellowshiping. The book, Jehovah’s Witnesses: Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom (1993, pages 183-184) says Witnesses who take a blood transfusion and manifest an unrepentant attitude are disfellowshipped:

Why Blood Transfusions Are Refused

The respect for life shown by Jehovah's Witnesses has also affected their attitude toward blood transfusions. When transfusions of blood became an issue confronting them, The Watchtower of July 1, 1945, explained at length the Christian view regarding the sanctity of blood. It showed that both animal blood and that of humans were included in the divine prohibition that was made binding on Noah and all his descendants. (Gen. 9:3-6) It pointed out that this requirement was emphasized again in the first century in the command that Christians 'abstain from blood.' (Acts 15:28, 29) That same article made it clear from the Scriptures that only sacrificial use of blood has ever been approved by God, and that since the animal sacrifices offered under the Mosaic Law foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ, disregard for the requirement that Christians 'abstain from blood' would be an evidence of gross disrespect for the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (Lev. 17:11, 12; Heb. 9:11-14, 22) Consistent with that understanding of matters, 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.

As was discussed in the Summer 1998 issue of the Free Minds Journal, several countries in Europe have begun to reassess their tolerance of certain religious groups, in an effort to stem the tide of extremist organizations and those that might endanger the health or lives of their members, or who might be perceived to harm the State. In Bulgaria, it was necessary for the Watchtower to placate the government by making the following statements regarding an issue of denying blood transfusions to its members.

This is taken from the Communiqué issued by the Secretary to the European Commission of Human Rights, INFORMATION NOTE No. 148 on the 276th Session of the European Commission of Human Rights (Strasbourg, Monday 2 March - Friday 13 March 1998)

- KHRISTIANSKO SDRUZHENIE "SVIDETELI NA IEHOVA" (CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES) v. Bulgaria (Application No. 28626/95)

The case concerned the refusal to re-register the applicant association pursuant to a 1994 law, and the alleged suppression of its activities and those of its members. In settlement, the Government agreed to introduce legislation as soon as possible to provide for civilian service for conscientious objectors, as an alternative to military service, and to register the applicant association as a religion. The applicant undertook with regard to its stance on blood transfusions to draft a statement for inclusion in its statute providing that members should have free choice in the matter for themselves and their children, without any control or sanction on the part of the association.

The Watchtower Society has agreed, in a legally binding document, to allow Jehovah's Witnesses a free choice regarding blood transfusions. Much excitement was generated both on the Internet and in print concerning the change in doctrine. This was especially good news to all of us, regardless of whether we oppose the Watchtower or not, because it meant the saving of lives. Yet our joy was short-lived, as the "mother" declared nothing had changed. Yet, when pressed for a response regarding their seemingly hypocritical stance (allowing blood transfusions in Bulgaria and apparently nowhere else) the Watchtower sent out an official press release on April 27, 1998:

BULGARIA TO RECOGNIZE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AS A RELIGION:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACCEPTS AMICABLE SETTLEMENT

On March 9, 1997, the European Commission of Human Rights decided to accept the amicable settlement agreed to by the Government of Bulgaria and the Christian Association of Jehovah's Witnesses (Khristianski Sdruzhenie "Svideteli nu Iehova"). Word of this decision reached the attorneys for the Witnesses on March 20, 1998.

Bulgaria has agreed to grant the Christian Association of Jehovah's Witnesses recognition as a religion. Bulgaria also agreed to create without delay a bill that will allow alternative civilian service for those whose conscience will not allow them to engage in military service. The agreement also includes an acknowledgment that each individual has the freedom to choose the type of medical treatment he receives. With the amicable settlement, the Witnesses agreed to withdraw their complaint against Bulgaria.

Jehovah's Witnesses are pleased that, through open communication, an amicable settlement was made between the Christian Association of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Government of Bulgaria. The terms of the agreement do not reflect a change in the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses. Rather, the agreement reflects an increased understanding of the concerns and actions of both parties.

The complaint before the Commission came because, on June 28, 1994, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers refused to renew the Association's registration as a religion. Following this decision, "various measures were taken against the activities of [Jehovah's Witnesses] and of its members. These included arrests, dispersal of meetings held in public and private locations and confiscation of religious materials," according to the Commission report.

"The more than 2,000 associated with Jehovah's Witnesses in Bulgaria feel confident that this agreement will allow them the freedom to practice their religion in Bulgaria," said Alain Garay, one of the attorneys for the Witnesses. "Not only is this a step forward for religious freedom in Bulgaria but it sets an example for religious freedom in all states with membership in the Council of Europe."

Jehovah's Witnesses, an international Christian brotherhood, number some five million worldwide. Presently, over 85,000 congregations, in some 230 lands, operate in conjunction with 104 branch offices.

Even European news reporters discovered the hypocrisy of the situation. Note the following email received by the "Official site of The Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood Elders and Hospital Liaison Committee Members" at: http://www.visiworld.com/starter/newlight/index.htm

        Update 4-27-98

Dear Sirs,

I'm a Finnish journalist.

Two days ago in a local Christian Radio-Station was a debate where a local Watchtower branch-office committee member was interviewed. There was also discussion on blood and on the Bulgarian case and I decided to inform you on some observations I made.

It seems that the Watchtower leaders interpret words and texts in their own way. Here is my pretty much verbatim quote on how this Finnish JW leader commented the case in Bulgaria:

"...this deal by Bulgaria is such that when the European human-rights court gave two weeks ago a decision, that the Bulgarian government must register Jehovah's Witnesses, that Jehovah's Witnesses cannot be classified as a destructive sect or religion, so Jehovah's Witnesses do not tell what a particular individual does, so this deal means this, that every individual has a full freedom of conscience to do, and Jehovah's Witnesses do not tell in a centralized way what someone does or does not do. And that's what that deal means."

He said this and other things relating to this Bulgarian case in a way that it seemed that nothing is changed. As though whole time every JW has had a individual freedom of conscience to do as he wants. No coercion from the Society. Everybody freely chooses not to take transfusions. I hope you get my meaning.

If the Bulgarian decision is interpreted this way by the Society it means that Society is bluffing big way. In this case the Society should be demanded to use language that cannot be open to various interpretations as words seem to mean totally different thing to the Society than they mean to a normal reader.

I'm afraid that this interpretation may reflect the way the Society is going to view the Bulgarian case. Nothing changes. This is just another verbal slight-of-hand from the Society.

Yours,

Pasi Turunen

 

click here to see letter sent to someone who writes in regarding the Bulgaria/blood issue!

 

Watchtower’s New Agenda

...His mind slid away into the labyrinthine world of doublethink. To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies... to forget, whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again, and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself--that was the ultimate subtlety: consciously to induce unconsciousness, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed. Even to understand the word "doublethink" involved the use of doublethink. (1984, p. 32,33)

I have reason to believe that the Watchtower’s Legal Department as well as their rule-enforcing Service Department have both come up with a new plan designed to ward off lawsuits in the years ahead, and to improve their public appearance, while at the same time using a high level of deception regarding their true motives. The degree of "doublespeak" we have seen in the last few months suggests that they will publicly announce they do not disfellowship anyone automatically for any act.

An example scenario would be: Brother Jones, who works along with other elders in making sure Witnesses receive the proper treatment at hospitals (known as members of the Watchtower’s Hospital Liason Committees) reports to Brooklyn that Sister Smith was in a car accident and lost a lot of blood. Her husband, also a Jehovah’s Witness, makes the decision for her to accept blood, as she is unconscious and is about to die. She receives a blood transfusion and lives through the operation. Two weeks later she and her husband are called before a Committee Meeting and asked why she was allowed to be given blood. Scriptures are read and the Bible and Watchtower logic are appealed to, citing the ban on receiving blood for Jehovah’s people. Sister Smith anguishes over the possibility of being disfellowshipped for breaking God’s law on blood, and the committee decides not to disfellowship her, as she has a truly repentant attitude, and also was not the one who made the decision. Brother Smith, on the other hand, knew that she had to have blood or die, and makes his case before the elders. After the meeting, Brother Smith is told he will be disfellowshipped for willfully breaking God’s law.

In this way, the Society can say that no one is automatically disfellowshipped, which looks good to those on the outside world, but in reality receiving a blood transfusion is STILL A BIG SIN TO THE WATCHTOWER, and anyone not fully expressing hatred and loathing for their act of sin WILL be disfellowshipped. So nothing has really changed. The Watchtower is CORRECT in saying that their doctrines regarding the Bible have not changed. They are also correct in saying that no one is automatically disfellowshipped. (They have had accused sinners come before such committees for years in order to ascertain whether to disfellowship them or not, generally based on their supposed repentance and degree of remorse.)

This is just another example of their "theocratic warfare" with outsiders, in making a statement that appears that they have changed, when in reality they have not. I expect more of such "public affairs" chicanery in the near future. Stay tuned!

Randall Watters

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