the.Ethics.Center

"finding Wisdom in the Dynamic Equilibrium between Living and Dying"

Jehovah's Witnesses

 

An international religious organization holding a uniform teaching in the midst of diverse cultures and customs

 

Basic views regarding medicine:  Seeking and accepting effective medical treatment is encouraged.  It is the responsibility of the individual.  When medical recommendations conflict with religious values, faithfulness to the teaching is expected.  Conflicts usually fall into three categories:  termination of pregnancy, occult or spiritistic treatment approaches, and blood products.

 

Resources for medical professionals:  (1) Refer patients to their local elders for counsel if there is a perceived conflict. (2) Official website access for medical professionals for blood usage information:  (English) jw.org/en/medical-library/ (Spanish) jw.org/es/medical-library/  (3) Through those sites, regional "Hospital Liaison Committees" and central "Hospital Information Services" can be located.

 

Issues regarding death and dying:  No formal rituals are used. Prayers do not call on God to perform miracles, but to support those who are suffering and guide the skills of the medical personnel. Knowing the elements of the religious view of suffering and death can be helpful to medical personnel.  The basic concepts:

          God created the earth as the home of humankind.

          Humans would have lived eternally on earth if the first humans had not sinned.

          Sickness, suffering and death followed the first (original) sin. At present, these are the common lot of all, and are to be expected and endured.

          Faith in Christ leads to escape from the effects of original sin.

          Deliverance comes in the future, through resurrection, which occurs after "the coming of Christ." There will be a restoration, a "new earth/world," as God originally purposed.

 

Deeply held belief strengthens ability to cope, due to a positive view of the future. However, there is another aspect of the religion that warrants mention.  That is the long-standing focus on the apocalyptic passages of Scripture, the expectation of the imminent arrival of  "the new world."  Disappointment over not personally seeing  what has been long hoped for is often a subject addressed.

 

Religious perceptions on medical technology:  Based on the belief that life is sacred and should not be put at risk without good reason, technology is accepted. If death is judged by medical professionals to be imminent and the technology is simply prolonging the process of dying, it is acceptable to withdraw the treatment. It is a decision to be made by the individual, or the surrogate decision maker.  Members are counseled to consider using advance directives. One should not quickly give up hope, but "extraordinary" ("disproportionate") measures are not required. Palliative care measures are usually requested.

 

A subset of technology is transfusion medicine. This has long been a source of tension, with multiple adjustments since the initial position taken in 1949.  Both science and the religious position have evolved.  At present, the religious position rejects, as before, whole blood transfusion.  It also rejects the four first fractionated products: red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma.  Anything fractionated beyond those four are neither recommended nor rejected by the teaching, but are left to each individual conscience for decision.

 

References:  (available at jw.org)

 

(Brochure)  "When Someone You Love Dies"

"Insight on the Scriptures"  Vol. 1 "Death"