by Separation of Powers 18 Replies latest watchtower scandals
From 1967 to early 1980, the Watchtower stated that organ transplants were tantamount to "cannibalism." Then, suddenly, the position was changed to organ transplants being a "conscience matter." So, my question, why the change? I know Barbara Anderson was there during that time...any insights?
SOP
Perhaps someone close to the Governing Body suddenly needed an Organ Transplant, resulting in a very convinient change in doctrine (new light).
They may have followed the progress of Orthordox Judaism. OJs were against transplants early on and then saw the science of it and the ethical/moral aspects.
Poindexter - " Perhaps someone close to the Governing Body suddenly needed an Organ Transplant, resulting in a very convinient change in doctrine (new light)"
I honestly believe this is closer to the truth than you might think.
I agree that it was more likely a pragmatic decision rather than deep Biblical research that precipitated the flip-flop in doctrine. Every oppressive person or organization has rules to fit its own agenda. The rules are usually more stringent for the "little people" such as women, non-pioneers, non-elders and such.
I really believe it's legal in nature. In the 2010 Elders book, in the section regarding what merits a committee meeting, nothing personal health related is mentioned there, not even blood transfusions. I'm not sure if it was in past editions, but something tells me the legal department told them to knock it off!
I often thought someone high up the WT ladder needed a transplant, so they slipped " nu -lite" into the WT and voila!, problem solved.
LoisLane
They realized it was not just a theatrical/experimental last ditch medical procedure. Transplants actually worked. More and more were being done every year.
They realized they were advocating a position with even less Biblical support (If that is possible) than the prohibition on transfusion medicine. They thoroughly understand the mistake they have made with blood and realized they were doing it again. They're not stupid, just heartless.
Organ transplants still unacceptable in 1975 .
"A peculiar factor sometimes noted is a so-called 'personality transplant.' That is, the recipient in some cases has seemed to adopt certain personality factors of the person from whom the organ came." Watchtower 1975 September 1/ 519
1970 idea that the human heart somehow could "think" for a person like the brain. Possibly this above idea was aimed at heart transplants?
[circa 1970]. summer assembly there was huge models of the human heart and brain that were "talking" to each other on stage.
The heart supposedly was the seat of emotions, the brain of intellect.
they tried to make the case that all the scriptures talking about the "heart" were not figurative, but referred to one's literal heart--the organ itself!
Heart - Site of Emotions
In 1971, whilst organ transplants were banned, the Watchtower published an article about the heart. In the article, quoted below, they believed that the heart was were all a persons emotions came from. This was not in a figurative way but very literally. In the below text the Watchtower talks about how heart transplant patients have become psychotic, and even possibly suggesting that they acquired the heart’s previous owner personalities.
Watchtower 1971 March 1 pp.133-9 How Is Your Heart?
"There is a close interrelationship between the heart and the mind, but they are two different faculties, centering in different locations. The heart is a marvelously designed muscular pump, but, more significantly, our emotional and motivating capacities are built within it. Love, hate, desire (good and bad), preference for one thing over another, ambition, fear—in effect, all that serves to motivate us in relationship to our affections and desires springs from the heart."
I'm also in the agreement of probably one of the GB needed a transplant. But then again, the question of why did they change, they change on just about everything else, so why not change about transplants, used to be always NO BLOOD now blood fractions, where do blood fractions come from . . . BLOOD.
