Critics of Jehovah`s Witnesses/Blood
Advertisement
Question
Andrew (and other experts)-
My name is Cassandra, and I'm a freelance reporter and graduate student at Columbia Journalism School. I'm working on a story about JWs and blood transfusions, and wondering if you or anyone you know has lost a family member due to the refusal of a blood transfusion. Also, conversely, looking to speak with anyone who refused a transfusion and got Drs to cooperate with other means...Any and all information or guidance would be greatly appreciated. I can be reached via email at: csv2113@columbia.edu
THanks so much for your time,
Cassandra
Dear Cassandra,
One of the best resources I know of on this subject is:
http://www.ajwrb.org/
The "Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood" is a group of former Witnesses and/or current Witnesses clandestinely participating in a reform movement, since open dissent is not tolerated, and any Witness known to be participating in any reform movement would be immediately expelled, as top-down hierarchies such as Jehovah's Witnesses do not tolerate dissent or change from within.
There is a lot of information available on that site on the topic of Jehovah's Witnesses and their position regarding blood transfusions, including email addresses for contacting some of the members who are either hiding their identity or have already exited the organization and therefore have nothing further to lose by their participation in a reform movement.
My perspective is that manipulations and deceptions which result in a loss of life due to blood transfusion is only one aspect of a larger problem. All manipulation and deception by cultish organizations which undermines personal freedoms and family ties carries serious moral and social consequences for a free society. Lives are lost due to needless medical-related deaths and higher suicide rates, and quality of life is deeply affected for many millions because of cult manipulation and deception which results in dysfunctional lives and destroyed families.
This one large problem with multiple manifestations is largely ignored in the United States, where the problem appears to be greatest, because of US Constitutional protections for religious freedom and seperation of church and state.
However, I feel it is an oversimplification on the part of constitutional thinkers to use a law meant to protect freedoms as a means of protecting those who are depriving people of their freedoms. And more significantly, it is a case of following the letter and ignoring the spirit of the law.
It is somewhat simple, with a bit of study, to identify which organizations are using the finite tactics of cult mind control and which are not, since there are only a finite set of perhaps a dozen main tactics which all cult organizations employ. Those who are exerting such control and thereby undermining freedoms should not enjoy the same legal protections as legitimate religious organizations who do not exercise dishonest control, should they? And yet they do, based on misinformation or misinterpretation of the issues.
Also the mental health establishment often misdiagnoses symptoms of cult mind control for arbitrary reasons. The establishment seems to accept as real only those conditions which are popularly accepted, dismissing the coherent, compelling, and on-target work of cult researchers such as Robert J. Lifton, Margaret T. Singer, Leon Festinger, John D. Goldhammer, Steven Hassan, and others. Personally, I think the main reason the mental health industry does not accept the reality of cult mind control is because they cannot imagine such an extreme reality without having seen it from the inside, and cults are masterful at creating false impressions for those seeing from the outside. Those who have insider experience know the value of these respectable researchers, and the seriousness of the threat.
So I applaud your story, and encourage you to consider the wider ramifications as you research and write this story. I hope that more people will begin to take the dangerous cult phenomenon more seriously.
I personally do not have any first-hand experience with deaths as a result of refusal, but the AJWRB group, for which I provided a link probably can provide pertinent data. Jehovah's Witnesses are indoctrinated with information about doctors who are occasionally willing to support them in the medical use of non-blood transfusion alternatives, so that information should be somewhat readily available, although again I do not have a personal first-hand reference to offer.
Best wishes,
Andrew
Related Articles
Andrew
Expertise
I don't object to Witness theology, but rather their use of social pressure & deceptive manipulations to undermine family ties and control minds. (This may seem contradictory to Witnesses, who draw no distinction between spiritual belief and organizational policy.) I do not engage in theological debate. I support persons impacted by an experience with the Witnesses and advocate early education for everyone so that they can protect themselves from cults by understanding what to watch out for. (It's not what most people think.)
(Ex-)Witnesses: I know how upsetting it is to experience doubts (or anger) about your experience. Time does not heal this wound until you first remove the splinter, which takes more time and effort than you may realize. So, unless you have already put in that time and effort, don't be surprised if you are deeply affected long after the experience. But there is good news! You're NOT an enemy of God for doubting or for failing to meet the requirements of a human organization. An organization that lies cannot be the exclusive spokesman for the God of Truth. Tell me where you're at. I'll understand. I can show you how to begin or continue your recovery and make a life for yourself worth living.
Non-Witnesses: Describe your experience with your friend/relative who is (becoming) a Witness. I can help you understand the Witness indoctrination and social dynamics that are affecting him or her. I can help you put your options into perspective. Keep in mind that people do make their own choices (even though they may sometimes do so under outside influence) and you may not be able to affect this person's choices, even though they impact on you. After all, you do not have the arsenal of tactics that a cult does (and wouldn't want to). A few people manage to save their friend/relative, but don't count on it. What you can count on is navigating the maze more successfully by becoming more informed about your own options.
Experience
I was a Witness for 30 years, and a volunteer at their headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, for a year. I have attended meetings with many Witness congregations across the United States, a thorough cross-section, carefully observing patterns of behavior. Although being a Witness was difficult, and I gradually had more and more doubts about Witness teachings--I was a true believer, so I kept trying to make it work somehow. I stopped attending meetings in 1997 only after receiving an answer to a prayer about doing so, and have since been actively involved in recovery. This includes both my own and supporting others in theirs. Recovery can include reading books, communicating with others in recovery, and participating in support groups and/or therapy. It always involves reclaiming one's own mind and discovering the other sides of the issues that you have been blinded to in the past.
My gradual awakening was socially, psychologically, and spiritually tumultuous. I lost everything from my former life. My suffering was substantial.
But I have gained everything, so it was worth it. Only after beginning my recovery did I gain social, psychological, and spiritual healing and growth, peace of mind, and self-respect. Only then did I discover who I am; and--for the first time--the meaning of real brotherly love.
For more resources on this topic, try these web sites:
http://freeminds.org/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freedomofmind/
Education/Credentials
Like most Cult Recovery Counselors, I am a cult survivor. I have life experience, not professional training. Also I feel no need to apologize for that. People with professional training cannot understand what it is like to survive a cult unless they have been through it themselves, which few professional therapists have. Understanding what really happened and what works in this unusual social context is as important as psychological training. Most professional therapists are not specifically trained to support cult survivors. Those who are represent a rare and precious resource.
I sometimes refer people to professional therapists regarding deep personal issues. But surviving a cult is a broad experience with other dimensions. Professional therapy can be very helpful as part of your recovery process, assuming that you choose the right therapist. When choosing a therapist, remember that you are the client and they are a service provider. You are the one who holds authority about the relationship. You get to interview the therapist and decide which one to employ.
Be sure to ask what specific training and experience they have around recovery from cult mind control. Most therapists do not have relevant training. Some carry serious misunderstandings about what cult mind control is; and therefore will misunderstand your struggle. So it pays to be selective as a consumer of professional therapy services.
Past/Present Clients
The Witness organization is not like other churches. Most non-Witnesses really cannot imagine what it is like to be a Witness. The organization has unimaginably extensive rules and monitoring that affect every aspect of life, so there is no privacy and no sense of personal independence. "Independent thought" is considered their greatest "sin".
The organization insists on absolute conformity, and claims to directly represent God; so dissent is not tolerated, and authority is totalitarian. Being a Witness is more like living in China or the former Soviet Union than being a member of a religion as you know it. It was the research of Robert J. Lifton, who was studying--not religions--but totalitarian governments, who first began to illuminate the problem of religious cults around the world, which employ exactly the same tactics as totalitarian governments. His work remains a cornerstone for Cult Recovery Counselors still today. (This may be why many governments are tolerant of cults, to avoid exposing their own control tactics.)
Witnesses often experience unusually dysfunctional lives and an extensive array of personal problems stemming from broken family ties, stunted social development, inner unrest resulting from repressed doubts, inability to defend boundaries, and an extreme, persistent feeling of irrational shame. I can help people impacted by an experience with the Witnesses by revealing in detail the policies and social dynamics in the Witness organization that cause these problems.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.