The following appeared in the October 15, 2000 Watchtower: “Questions From Readers In the light of Bible commands about the proper use of blood, how do Jehovah’s Witnesses 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 […]
For decades the position of the organization was that blood, whether whole or in part was not permissible for Jehovah’s Witnesses to use to sustain life. The September 1961 Watchtower states: “BLOOD TRANSFUSION Over the centuries man’s misuses of blood have taken on many forms. Ancient Egyptian princes used human blood for rejuvenation; others drank […]
Barbara Anderson was a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses from 1954 through 1997. She worked at Watchtower’s headquarters in Brooklyn, NY, from 1982 to 1992 where during her last four years there, she researched the movement’s official history (published in 1993) and did research as well as wrote a number of articles for their Awake! magazine. […]
In connection with baptism, the society recognizes that this is merely a symbol of one’s dedication to do God’s will: “It is thought by some that baptism is a ceremony that brings certain direct spiritual dispensations from God. A careful study of the instructions given by Jesus and his disciples on baptism proves otherwise. Being […]
For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you except these necessary things: to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” Acts 15:28, 29 […]
Since blood transfusions are not taking blood through the mouth how does this go against the Bible injunction? The Watchtower society offers two defenses to this: First, that a blood transfusion is nutrition to the body which makes it the same as eating blood. However, is blood a nutrient like food? Why is it that […]
“For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you except these necessary things: to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” (Acts 15:28, 29) One […]
Definition of doublespeak by Merriam Webster: language used to deceive usually through concealment or misrepresentation of truth; also : gobbledygook dou·ble·speak ˈdəbəlˌspēk/ noun noun: doublespeak; noun: double-speak deliberately euphemistic, ambiguous, or obscure language. “the art of political doublespeak” synonyms: equivocating, evasion, dodging, beating about the bush, pussyfooting (around); William Lutz on Doublespeak – “Doublespeak is […]
Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired statement, but test the inspired statements to see whether they originate with God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 In 1820 at 14 years of age, Joseph Smith received his first vision alone in the forest. Commenting on this, The Watchtower […]
“Before you shut the door on a Jehovah’s Witness,” says an article in the newspaper USA Today, “pause to consider the shameful persecution they suffered not too long ago, as well as the rich contribution they have made to the First Amendment freedoms we all enjoy.” Jehovah’s Witnesses were persecuted in the United States throughout […]