Appendix C Jehovah’s Witnesses’ various opinions on health care
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In the last section of the book we present several photocopies of the earlier issues of the Watchtower Society’s magazines, which prove that the position of the Watchtower Society on protective vaccinations, transplants or blood transfusions was fluctuant.
Polish edition includes photocopies of some publications, accompanied by important fragments.
Polish edition of The Golden Age (Złoty Wiek) November 1, 1931 p. 327.
 1 listopada 1931
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str.327
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The original in English:
The Sacredness of Human Blood
(...) This plainly suggests that much of the looseness of our day along sexual lines may be traceable to the easy and continued violation of the divine commands to keep human and animal blood apart from each other. With cells of foreign blood racing through his veins man is not normal, not himself, but lacks the poise and balance which make for self-control. (...) Vaccination is a direct violation of the everlasting covenant that God made with Noah after the flood. (...) Vaccination has never saved a human life. It does not prevent smallpox. (...) The man that makes it his business to pollute the blood of man with all manner of filth taken from the blood of animals is committing one of the most criminal offenses toward God that was ever committed by man. (The Golden Age February 4, 1931 pp. 293-295).
Polish edition of the Watchtower (Strażnica) No. 14, 1968 p. 13.
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The original in English:
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 cannibalismu, a practice abhorrent to all civilized people. (…) Those who submit to such operations are thus living off the flesh of another human. That is cannibalistic. (The Watchtower November 15, 1967 p. 702, underline is added).
Polish edition of the New Day (Nowy Dzień), No. 3, 1936 p. 48
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„Transfuzja krwi jest dzisiaj już w codziennym użyciu i przy stosowaniu jej nie ma obawy wypadków, których przyczyny przez długi czas nie można było odkryć (...) Wielu ludzi mogłoby czuć pewną instynktowną odrazę do takiej operacji w swoim rodzaju makabrycznej. Ale kiedy się nad tym spokojnie zastanowimy, dojdziemy do wniosku, że jest to wynalazek mogący oddać ludzkości wielkie usługi. Krew jednego zmarłego może ratować życie kilkunastu umierającym. Ten jedynie wzgląd powinien już przekonać wszystkich do tego rodzaju operacji, która w istocie swojej nie ma nic zdrożnego” (Nowy Dzień (New Day), No. 3, 1936 p. 48, article entitled Krew zmarłego ratuje życie umierającym).
English counterpart of the article is lacking. Here is our translation:
“Currently, blood transfusion is in everyday use and there is no fear of harmful results, since they were not discovered for a long time (...) Many people could feel disgusted of undergoing such a macabre operation. But when we reflect on it, we come to conclusion that this kind of invention can give humanity great services. The blood of one deceased person can save lives of a dozen or so dying people. This one consideration should convince everyone to this kind of operation, which in its essence is nothing wrong.” (New Day, Polish edition, No. 3, 1936 p. 48, article entitled Blood of deceased ones saves lives of dying people).
Polish edition of the Watchtower (Strażnica) Rok XCIV [1973] No. 11 p. 17.
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Original in English:
Some persons, however, object to changes in viewpoint, changes in understanding of certain scriptures or procedures. For example, since the 1940’s Jehovah’s witnesses have refused to give or accept blood transfusions, whereas prior to that they did not take this position. (The Watchtower August 15, 1972 p. 501, emphasis added).
Polish edition of the Watchtower (Strażnica) No. 17, 1967 p. 5.
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Original in English:
Then the taking of blood is just as despicable to you as cannibalism. Think of eating of the flesh of another human creature! It is shocking! Is drinking human blood any different? Does bypassing the mouth and putting it directly into the veins change it? Not at all! (The Watchtower July 1, 1966 p. 401).
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