The leadership of the Jehovah Witnesses has backtracked from its traditional position, saying members now have the choice to chose weather to donate or to be donated blood.
The Church announced the change in a statement issued by its World Headquarters in Warwick, New York, and published on its website on Friday.
The Church had since inception rejected the practice of blood transfusion, describing it as ungodly.
The new change which was endorsed by its Governing Council raises questions of old Christian beliefs and many who must have passed adhering to the gospel.
According to the statement, the decision to accept red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood is now regarded as a matter of personal conscience for individual Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The organisation also said members must personally decide whether to donate blood when it is clearly intended for the production or use of blood components or fractions for another person.
However, the organisation stressed that the change does not extend to whole-blood transfusions, which remain prohibited under its religious teachings.
“The long-standing refusal of whole-blood transfusions on religious grounds, a core teaching based on the command to ‘abstain from blood’ (Acts 15:20), is unchanged,” the statement said.
Paul Gillies, an international spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at the organisation’s World Headquarters, said the group continues to regard blood and life as sacred.
“Blood remains sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continue to regard life and blood as precious gifts from God,” Gillies said.
“We recognise that medical decisions involving blood components are a matter of conscience between each Witness and their God, Jehovah.”
The organisation explained that the latest adjustment follows previous changes concerning blood fractions and the use of a person’s own blood during medical procedures.
It said the Bible does not specifically address individual decisions regarding the four main components of blood, and therefore members should make such decisions according to their personal conscience.
“Since the Bible does not comment on such decisions, they are a matter of individual conscience. That same reasoning has now been extended to the four main components of blood,” the statement said.
The four components affected by the new position are red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets.
The organisation maintained that Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to seek medical treatment and do not practise faith healing.
“Jehovah’s Witnesses love life and want the best available medical care. They do not practise faith healing, and they seek out doctors who can provide effective treatment in accord with their wishes, values and beliefs,” the statement said.
Gillies further explained that local congregations would not intervene in members’ individual decisions concerning blood components.
“Congregations do not involve themselves in personal decisions that rest with the individual conscience. We will continue to respect and support the personal decisions of our fellow believers,” he said.
“We are grateful, too, for the many skilled and compassionate physicians who provide quality medical care that respects our personal wishes regarding blood.”
