Jehovah's Witnesses:
Organ Transplant Operations Are Cannibalism
"There are those, such as the Christian witnesses of Jehovah, who consider all transplants between humans as cannibalism..." - (Awake! 1968 June 8 p.21 published by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York - Jehovah's Witnesses).
The Jehovah's Witnesses are well known today for their many rather absurd teachings which seem to go contrary to mainstream Christianity.
Not least of these was their strict rules concerning organ transplants several years ago. They stated quite categorically that any kind of organ transplant was cannibalistic. Which is to say that accepting any organ transplant at all was cannibalism - the equivalent of eating another person's flesh.
Take this quote from The Watchtower in 1967 - November 15th edition on pages 702-704 (Questions from Readers - bound volume) for example and then reflect on how many Jehovah's Witnesses needlessly lost their lives because of following this dreadfully bad medical advice.
Of course, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society several years later changed their policy on this issue but undoubtedly not before many lives were lost.
The question was posed by one W.L. from the U.S.A who asked: (quotes are in bold text)
"Is there any Scriptural objection to donating one's body for use in medical research or to accepting organs for transplant from such a source?"
We are not told the reason why this question was asked but it is safe to assume if W.L. is real that this individual had a concern either for him or herself, or a member of their family or if asked as an elder in the kingdom hall, perhaps the question was posed on behalf of a member of the congregation.
This question was considered important enough to be considered in the above quoted Watchtower magazine. In this case, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah's Witnesses) replied with this quote, straight from the horse's mouth...
"A number of issues are involved in this matter, including the propriety of organ transplants and autopsies. Quite often human emotion is the only factor considered when individuals decide these matters. It would be good, though, for Christians to consider the Scriptural principles that apply, and then make decisions in harmony with these principles so as to be pleasing to Jehovah."—Acts 24:16.
Notice the admonishment here. First, there is the recognition that human emotion should be the deciding factor but then it adds to this by advising Christians (Jehovah's Witnesses) need to consider 'the Scriptural principles that apply'. They are further told they should make these decisions in harmony with those principles only which are pleasing to Jehovah.
This needs to be translated...
What they are in effect saying here is that, since we alone speak for God (Jehovah), because we are God's one and only true earthly earthly organization on the planet, it is advisable that you follow to the letter this directive. If you do so, as God's one and only true representative organization here on earth, you will be pleasing not only us if you follow this advice, but more importantly, you will be pleasing God too.
In other words, if you go contrary to this advice, you will be displeasing the organization and ultimately you will be displeasing God if you do not act in harmony with our advice on this issue.
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society emphasize this point further and goes on further to state and I quote:
"First, it would be well to have in mind that organ transplant operations, such as are now being performed in an attempt to repair the body or extend a life-span, were not the custom thousands of years ago, so we cannot expect to find legislation in the Bible on transplanting human organs. Yet, this does not mean that we have no indication of God's view of such matters."
Here the leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses in New York recognize that there is no 'legislation' in the bible concerning such matters, but true to form (as they usually do) they add to the scriptures their own spin on things.
In stating that 'this does not mean that we have no indication of God's view of such matters', they are in fact stating that they are privy to almighty God's direct advice regarding this issue of organ transplants, despite the fact that God omitted to include this in his inspired word the bible.
This is further proof that they believe that they alone are able to speak for God here on earth as his representative organization. They believe unquestionably they (which is to state the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) ARE God's mouthpiece here on the earth, placed in position by God himself to dictate to all human beings what he thinks mankind needs to think, act and do according to his mandates and rules with no exceptions. In other words, follow our advice or else!
The article in The Watchtower continues:
"When Jehovah for the first time allowed humans to eat animal flesh, he explained matters this way to Noah: "A fear of you and a terror of you will continue upon every living creature of the earth and upon every flying creature of the heavens, upon everything that goes moving on the ground, and upon all the fishes of the sea. Into your hand they are now given. Every moving animal that is alive may serve as food for you. As in the case of green vegetation, I do give it all to you. Only flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat." (Gen. 9:2-4) That allowance was made to Noah, from whom every person now alive descended. Hence, it applies to all of us."
Translation:
Our advice on this matter applies to you (members of the Jehovah's Witnesses). Do not question it.
"Humans were allowed by God to eat animal flesh and to sustain their human lives by taking the lives of animals, though they were not permitted to eat blood. Did this include eating human flesh, sustaining one's life by means of the body or part of the body of another human, alive or dead? No! That would be cannibalism, a practice abhorrent to all civilized people. Jehovah clearly made a distinction between the lives of animals and the lives of humans, mankind being created in God's image, with his qualities. (Gen. 1:27) This distinction is evident in His next words. God proceeded to show that man's life is sacred and is not to be taken at will, as may be done with the animals to be used for food. To show disrespect for the sanctity of human life would make one liable to have his own life taken."—Gen. 9:5, 6.
Here you can clearly see the emphasis placed on the issue of 'eating' another human being (alive or dead). They categorically state that to sustain your life by 'eating' (as in considering accepting an organ transplant, hence the article) of another human being is no question about it - cannibalism. Something which is abhorrent to all civilized people.
For further proof of this, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah's Witness) leaders go on to state:
"When there is a diseased or defective organ, the usual way health is restored is by taking in nutrients. The body uses the food eaten to repair or heal the organ, gradually replacing the cells. When men of science conclude that this normal process will no longer work and they suggest removing the organ and replacing it directly with an organ from another human, this is simply a shortcut. Those who submit to such operations are thus living off the flesh of another human. That is cannibalistic. However, in allowing man to eat animal flesh Jehovah God did not grant permission for humans to try to perpetuate their lives by cannibalistically taking into their bodies human flesh, whether chewed or in the form of whole organs or body parts taken from others...."
The first part of the above quoted paragraph from The Watchtower magazine emphasizes the Jehovah's Witnesses belief (inspired by their leaders) that science is not to be trusted (only trust the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in other words). They state that considering such a medical procedure (such as an organ transplant) this is merely 'a shortcut' (they say).
Their advice is that the remedy of any kind of organ failure is in taking in nutrients via food as the real remedy in this situation and nothing else. If you do accept an organ transplant, you are living (they state) 'off the flesh of another human being' Again, they make the statement quite categorically that this IS cannibalism.
Right there the Jehovah's Witness leaders are accusing anyone who has had an organ transplant at a hospital as being a cannibal. Someone who has accepted an organ transplant regardless of who they are or where they live in the world, by accepting an organ transplant they are guilty of cannibalism.
In other words, to accept an organ transplant under whatever circumstances or conditions on the advice of your doctors and hospital medical consultants, they are encouraging and you are practicing cannibalistic behavior in accepting an organ transplant from another human being. Notwithstanding the fact that such an organ transplant may very well save your life.
"Modern science has developed many different types of operations that involve human body parts, some common and usually successful and others experimental and often unsuccessful. It is not our place to decide whether such operations are advisable or warranted from a scientific or medical standpoint. It would be well, though, for Christians faced with a decision in this regard to consider the indication as to God's viewpoint presented in the Scriptures.—Eph. 5:10. ...
It should be evident from this discussion that Christians who have been enlightened by God's Word do not need to make these decisions simply on the basis of personal whim or emotion. They can consider the divine principles recorded in the Scriptures and use these in making personal decisions as they look to God for direction, trusting him and putting their confidence in the future that he has in store for those who love him.—Prov. 3:5, 6; Ps. 119:105."
Translation: God's viewpoint is the only viewpoint that matters. This is our advice. Follow it. Do not question it. Only the scriptures should be followed. We are the interpreter's of those scriptures. Do as we say and do not listen to any other advice lest you lose your life at Armageddon because of disobeying our admonishment to you regarding this matter. We are the enlightened ones not the scientists of this wicked system of things. Their advice though well meaning does not count. You need to follow without question what we say or your life in a paradise earth living forever in perfection according to God's will will be in jeopardy.
If you are seriously ill in hospital and your doctors are telling you that you need an organ transplant to save your life, whose advice is more important? Your doctors advice, or the advice contained in the scriptures which only we (the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society governing body) are competent of discerning on your behalf? Your present life in this present wicked system of things has no value not when it's weighed up against living under God's messianic kingdom of a thousand years ruled over by the 'faithful and discreet (king's and priest's) slave class' (aka the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society - members of the 144,000 with the heavenly hope). Trust us in these matters and you will have the chance of living forever in a paradise earth where no illness and no growing old and frail or illness exists.
(This is essentially what the leaders of the WTBTS corporation were teaching their followers at the time of printing). This policy stayed in place until it was changed in 1980. For 14 years at least this policy remained in force.
During this time, undoubtedly there were many Jehovah's Witnesses who took this advice to heart. Members of the Jehovah's Witnesses...men, women and children who needed an organ transplant were told during these years that if they accepted the organ transplant in question they would be guilty of cannibalism and they would in all likelihood, lose their life at Armageddon for displeasing Jehovah by disobeying the scriptural advice contained in the 'New World' Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
This advice at the time no doubt caused many Jehovah's Witnesses including children to lose their life. They died because of a policy which was later changed out by the leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses in New York. This u-turn was their own admittance that their previous advice regarding the matter of organ transplants being cannibalism was wrong...is also an admittance on their part that they are guilty of manslaughter of perhaps dozens if not hundreds or thousands of individuals around the world in the late 1960's and throughout the 1970's. Those people did NOT deserve to die because of such absurd medical advice at the time by men who were unqualified to hand out such advice.
I call for a government public inquiry into this matter (amongst others) concerning certain practices carried out or advised by the leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) throughout their history. Time and time again the leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses have first stated one thing and introduced a new rule/policy (amongst thousands) only for that rule/policy to be changed out later on but not before many individuals young and old have died or suffered persecution due to their disfellowshipping and shunning practices for questioning the former ruling/s.
The leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) are also registered as a charity in the United Kingdom (International Bible Students Association - IBSA).
They believe they are God's only true spokesmen on the earth today. They say if you are not with them you are against them and are therefore against God himself. If you belong to any other faith or religion, if you are not one of Jehovah's Witnesses you are part of Satan's wicked system of things on 'the broad road leading to destruction' they teach.
The Jehovah's Witnesses preach and teach that in order to receive God's approval you must without fail become one of Jehovah's Witnesses after which your behavior and mind will be further modified according to their protracted indoctrination process which can take many years. They are a mind control cult in every sense of the word and are to be avoided at all costs if you want to preserve your own sanity.
If you ever read George Orwell's book Nineteen Eighty-Four, there you have the tenets of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization. The organization which you are not allowed under ANY circumstances to question.
They believe they alone speak the 'pure language' of truth to the total exception of all other people worldwide. Their written language, although it is English does not say on the surface what you think or believe it is saying. To understand properly 'JW speak' you need to read between the lines, for although it might be English, just like legalese...the words they use can and do often mean something else entirely from it appears to say on the surface. In my opinion as former member (born in 3rd generation) the only one's capable of translating this version of English into normal everyday language are the former members of this cult who have left for daring to question the authority of the Watchtower Society leadership.
These so-called 'apostates' are treated in the most vile manner imaginable by the Jehovah's Witnesses. More often than not they have been disfellowshipped from the organization for daring to question anything they were told by the governing body of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. They have lost their family members and all the friends they knew inside the Jehovah's Witnesses, many of who are themselves extremely fearful of coming out because of the very strict total shunning policy instigated and encouraged by the elders in the kingdom hall's on behalf of the mother organization.
The U-Turn
Watchtower 1980 March 15 p.31 Questions from Readers:
"Should congregation action be taken if a baptized Christian accepts a human organ transplant, such as of a cornea or a kidney?"The reply:
"Regarding the transplantation of human tissue or bone from one human to another, this is a matter for conscientious decision by each one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Clearly, personal views and conscientious feelings vary on this issue of transplantation. It is well known that the use of human materials for human consumption varies all the way from minor items, such as hormones and corneas, to major organs, such as kidneys and hearts. While the Bible specifically forbids consuming blood, there is no Biblical command pointedly forbidding the taking in of other human tissue. For this reason, each individual faced with making a decision on this matter should carefully and prayerfully weigh matters and then decide conscientiously what he or she could or could not do before God. It is a matter for personal decision. (Gal. 6:5) The congregation judicial committee would not take disciplinary action if someone accepted an organ transplant."
Tell that to all of the members of the Jehovah's Witnesses who lost their lives because of this previous rule which was in place for over a decade which policy affected every one of the Jehovah's Witness members around the world.
How many lost their lives quite needlessly is anyone's guess but there is the proof, if any were needed, that there was a change in policy, a complete u-turn many would say regarding the Jehovah's witnesses stance for over a decade regarding organ transplants and cannibalism.
How many lost their relationships with their family members and friends because previously they either considered or accepted an organ transplant to save their life?
How many individuals including children suffered excruciating physical pain for many years because they knew that they were not allowed to accept a needed organ transplant, and all because of a group of old men in New York at the top of their ivory tower obviously had a 'crackly telephone line' to God back in the late 1960's?
These false 'religion' criminals need to be brought to account and the sooner the better in the interests of innocent members of the general public lest they suffer any similar kind of abuses against their person in the future.
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