By Dieter Parczany
Dieter & Manuel Parczany
During the early 1990’s, I was a member of the Hospital Liaison Committee (HLC) in Berlin, Germany. Since I was a Jehovah’s Witness elder with special training and knowledge about Watchtower’s blood policies, I served as the chairman of the committee. I was also completely convinced that I practiced what I preached since I had refused to allow my dying 8-year-old son to have a blood transfusion from the beginning of his therapy until his death in 1990.
While I served on the HLC, I was in a unique position to help JWs because from 1989 – 2004 I worked as an administrative assistant in the Hematology/Oncology Department at the prestigious university clinic—Charite—in Berlin. Working there I was familiar with the latest developments in the use of blood and blood components; although I left the Watchtower organization in January of 1998.
But long before that, in 1974, I attended the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. While there, I became acquainted with senior writer and later helper to the Governing Body, Gene Smalley, and his wife, Anita. Anita was also from my home town of Berlin, Germany.
In 1993 or 1994 Gene and Anita stayed at our home in Berlin. During their long visit, we had many conversations about a wide variety of organizational and biblical subjects.
During one of those chats, I mentioned to Gene that if we really wanted to keep interpreting Acts 15 as a commandment from God to not take blood, would it not make sense to interpret it as a commandment about whole blood and not about components of blood?
Current Watchtower Policy on Blood Components & Fractions
I argued that if we could accept this and refrain from making arbitrary rules about blood components, we could save a lot of lives in the future, since transfusing blood components is standard medical treatment.
Gene did not contradict my reasoning, which did not surprise me. I believe it made perfect sense to him. But there was big problem with my rational analysis and he brought me back to reality when he said, as best that I can recall, “We cannot change this. Think about all the faithful ones who died.”
I swallowed hard and said nothing. I could not refute his logic. Gene’s advice made sense from a legal point of view. Mind you, I was being unduly influenced by Watchtower’s group think, not yet able to think clearly, speak up and act on my own free will.
Dieter Parczany
Today I’m in a much different place and must tell you what’s on my mind. All Jehovah’s Witnesses, and every hospital, doctor, nurse, lawyer or judge who has to deal with a true-believing Witness, when they refuse a blood transfusion, must be be aware of the following fact:
So-called “blood transfusions” are usually not transfusions of whole blood. It is standard medical treatment, has been for many years, to transfuse only components of blood, like red cells (erythrocytes), white cells (leukocytes), platelets (thrombocytes), or plasma, according to what it is appropriate to the medical condition of a patient.
Even if Jehovah’s Witnesses correctly interpret the commandment in Acts 15:29 “To abstain from blood”, I strongly believe it is reasonable to think the abstention command could only apply to whole blood, with all its components. Why? Because the verse does not discuss components, just blood as a “whole” substance.
To illustrate my point: Who would conclude that someone receiving oxygen as a medical treatment is drinking water (or taking water into their body)? It’s true that oxygen is one of the primary components of water. However, the fact is that oxygen, in itself, is not water. The same is true with blood: red cells (erythrocytes), white cells (leukocytes), platelets (thrombocytes), or plasma are not blood. They are primary components of blood as oxygen is a primary component of water.
Additionally, the “red” color of blood does not prove anything. Bone marrow (which JWs are allowed to accept) is red and much more similar in consistency to “whole” blood than red cells (erythrocytes), white cells (leukocytes), platelets (thrombocytes), or plasma.
It should also be noted that hemoglobin (a large blood fraction of the red cell)—the protein that actually transports oxygen—is “red” and approved for use by Watchtower’s leaders. When it is used for a transfusion into a JW patient, it looks just like blood. It would be hard to tell the difference.
These are not inconsequential theological and medical concepts. This is personal. In 1990 our eight-year-old son, Manuel, died from cancer after two years of chemotherapy and radiation. Since we had refused the transfusion of blood components, Manuel could only receive reduced dosages of chemotherapy and radiation, and this likely led to a higher probability of a relapse and to his death.
My misguided beliefs, as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, had a very dramatic and detrimental impact on my life and my family.
The feeling of being a victim, and the accumulated guilt, has motivated me to tell my story, which I first published under my pen name (Peter Porjohn) in a book titled, “Acquiring Freedom from Fundamentalist Religious Thinking”.
It is my wish that in the near future all responsible doctors or nurses treating a Jehovah’s Witness patient will be able to comfortably say, “We do not want to give you a blood transfusion. To save your life, or the life of your loved one, we are recommending that a component of blood be administered.”
In a future post on AJWRB, I will share with you chapter seven of my book, which details my personal struggle with the Watchtower’s blood doctrine. And it is my hope that my story, Manuel’s story, will prevent needless death for someone in your family, especially if you are still one of Jehovah’s Witnesses or share their views on blood.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe and teach that Levitical Law , Leviticus 17:13 still applies.
13 And if any Israelite or foreigner living among them hunts down a wild animal or bird that may be eaten, he must drain its blood and cover it with dirt. 14For the life of all flesh is its blood.
For a JW to receive any blood fraction, it must first be established that the fractions come from blood that was first poured out on to the ground and covered with dirt. (Yes, it is ridiculous)
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not want to hear about this contradiction. When I last brought it up to a practicing JW nurse, he just turned his head. Hypocrisy becomes a way of life.
The discussion about fractions or whole blood is moot. You cannot have fractions unless you begin with whole blood, donated blood. Watchtower condemns the donating, storage and processing of blood. They condemn, in fact, the entire blood industry.
This issue matters to me as I recently had open heart surgery. I lost a great deal of blood and I gave the doctor permission, from the get go, to use blood in the event that I might perish.
I have choice words for the governing ones in Watchtower.
You said that…
“Jehovah’s Witnesses believe and teach that Levitical Law, Leviticus 17:13 still applies.”
That is not true we do not believe that law still applies. The law given to Noah is the older law that applied to all mankind. We believe that the law Moses mediated was done away with. However, the principles found in the law teach us what Gods thoughts are on the mater of blood.
Personally, I would not knowingly take any blood fraction because of the principle found in Leviticus 17:13.
Persoannly my conscience tells me that blood should not be used in any way in medicine. I would not impose my conscience on someone else though.
That must mean you refuse to have blood drawn for medicinal reasons. Such as for blood labs to test you for high cholesterol, triglycerides, vitamin deficiencies, and many other things also?
Raised in the truth and this only highlights you have to use your own judgement when it comes to your health.i.e. marijuana for pain or deep mental health issues. Never leave your health in the hands of a man who is not qualified. Thank you for sharing.
I had a brother back in 1972 who needed blood and my parents faithfully let him die. He was ten years old. I recently had surgery due to cancer and I accepted the blood they gave me. I am not a doctor who went to university for many years to save lives. I leave it up to them to decide since they know best.
On another note, after my brother died a few years later my mother took her life. It’s not just the person who was denied a blood transfusion that died but those around him who allowed it have to live with such guilt that for some only know one way out of that guilt and that is suicide like my mother. Watchtower has a lot of blood on their hands and for those that are thinking of joining the cult please do your research. It is a cult!!!
We are sorry for your loss. Please feel free to contact us if you would be open to publishing his story and photo. It can serve as a memorial and reminder of the deep price paid by supporters of the Watchtower’s irrational policy.
Thank you, sir.
So-called “blood transfusions” are usually not transfusions of whole blood. It is standard medical treatment, has been for many years, to transfuse only components of blood, like red cells (erythrocytes), white cells (leukocytes), platelets (thrombocytes), or plasma, according to what it is appropriate to the medical condition of a patient.
Would you provide medical references that back this up? Something to share with JWs to get them thinking?
“Why is whole blood split three ways?”
“What happens to a whole blood donation?”
These topics can be found at: mytransfusion.com.au
Blood transfusion and WT policy around the use of blood is just one small part, albeit one with grave consequence, of the problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Whole blood, white cells, red cells and platelets, and minor blood fractions are just a distraction from the real issue with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Doctrinally there is no substance to their belief system as a whole and yet they continue to deprive people of the opportunity to live their life to the fullest, drive people to suicide when they can no longer live by their ridiculous rules and in general leave no exit path that doesn’t result in trauma in some way or another. This impacts a far greater number of people than their policy on blood. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying this isn’t an issue. It just seems that if you are still encumbered by their full body of beliefs sans their position on blood you are denying the real issue. You know, like “straining out the gnat and gulping down the camel”. Trying to bring about change in a totally flawed belief system strikes me as pointless at best. When the WT has to create new definitions for words that are in general use in the language there is a very serious and fundamental problem with the entire system. I do admire your efforts but the question stands. If you succeed in bringing about this change what then? Do you accept their entire hypocritical, dogmatic body of beliefs without question or do you find another windmill to tilt at?
AJWRB is a resource for current and former JWs and the medical professionals who treat them. Our mission is promote free and fully informed patient decisions regarding the use of blood products.