Jehovah’s Witnesses, particularly those in positions of oversight, need to fully come to grips with the toll in human lives and suffering the Watchtower’s bizarre policies on blood have amassed over the past sixty or seventy years.
In this section we will examine some of the stories that illustrate the impact the policy has had on those indoctrinated, unduly influenced and in some cases coerced by Watchtower leaders.
Between Blood and Eternity: The Choice No One Would Want to Make
Matteo Fortin Independent writer and psychology graduate, UK These stories are hard to tell. They deal with blood, with life and death, and with choices that carry weight long after the moment has passed. With people who cling to belief even when the cost becomes...
A Life Lost to Loyalty
The 1977 Death of a Favorite Aunt This account comes from a former Jehovah’s Witness who disassociated himself over 25 years ago, spurred in part by the organization's stance on blood and its shifting prophetic interpretations. While he has moved on from the...
Tell Your Story – Honor Their Sacrifice – Help Save Lives
The Impact of Watchtower’s Blood Policy We are documenting the impact of the Watchtower’s blood transfusion policy on Jehovah’s Witnesses and their families. Our mission is to honor the memory of those who have been affected by or lost their lives due to this policy....
The Choice That Killed Christian: A Story of Faith, Fear, and Fatal Decisions
As told by Christine Bowra The fluorescent lights in the hospital corridor hummed overhead as Dr. Martinez closed Christian Munzer's chart with a he avy sigh. Fifty-two years old, esophageal cancer, remarkable response to treatment abroad, and now facing a choice that...
A Life-Threatening Upbringing
By Beninu Andersen I am a 4th generation Jehovah's Witness who disassociated 18 years ago in 2001. My father was a major figure in the organization—a computer science professor who developed software for translating the New World Translation into Danish and other...
When Belief Overrules Survival
As told by Charise Mayhay My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and although medical options were available that could have prolonged—or even saved—her life, she refused surgery. Her decision wasn’t based on a fear of medicine or lack of information. It was...
Family Choices, Silent Heroes — Grandpa Gust’s life was saved by his nephew
As a little girl, I observed that my Grandpa Gust had a damaged eye. I was told the story of his accident many times — how he had almost died, but a talented brain surgeon saved his life. However, I never knew the full story … until now. I am a 4th-generation...
Kalila Danisi – The Heartache and History of the Jehovah’s Witness Blood Doctrine
Kalila Danisi Is it truly acceptable for a 20-year-old to die from a potentially preventable cause? This question compels me to stop procrastinating and write about the poignant ethical dilemma faced by Jehovah’s Witnesses regarding blood transfusions. Interestingly,...
Components of Blood are the Issue
By Dieter 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...
Personal Research on Blood Transfusions May Have Saved My Life
By Tami Davis on September 29, 2019 Before telling you my story, you should know that I was born to Jehovah's Witness parents and baptized at twelve-years of age. Like all Witnesses, I was well-versed in the No-Blood doctrine. My parents had practice sessions with me...
Hematologist Helps Open the Eyes of Pregnant JW
I looked forward to the birth of my third child. I had decided on a surgical birth (my third cesarean). Since each subsequent cesarean is more likely to become complicated, I would be at a higher risk of blood loss during and after the operation, and as an active...
Chaunte Cardwell – from Near Death to Freedom
Shortly after I was born, my parents decided to become Jehovah’s Witnesses. My dad was an elder, and everyone in our family pioneered during the summer while I was growing up. I was baptized in 1986 at thirteen years of age, in Ogden, Utah. We were the picture-perfect...