JWTruth.orgDocumented comparison resource
Search

Blood doctrine · Claim record

In June 2000 The Times and The Guardian reported that the Governing Body had voted to allow members to accept transfusions if they repented; the organisation replied that the doctrine had not changed and that only procedure had.

Claim ID claim-blood-2000-guardian-report-disputedConcerns 15 June 2000Context
Context · 15 June 2000 Disputed

In June 2000 The Times and The Guardian reported that the Governing Body had voted to allow members to accept transfusions if they repented; the organisation replied that the doctrine had not changed and that only procedure had. The Guardian, 15 June 2000The Times (London), 14 June 2000Jehovah's Witnesses — Official Statement to the Media on Blood Transfusions, 15 June 2000Deseret News (Associated Press), 24 June 2000

The organisation’s position or later explanation: 'this scriptural position has not changed'.

Show the evidence (4 sources)
Reputable reporting Verified

The Guardian, “Transfusion row rocks Jehovah's Witnesses”

15 June 2000 · Stephen Bates · Guardian News & Media

“The witnesses' British headquarters at Watch Tower House in north London described the decision, which will be conveyed to members at Kingdom halls across the country by letter as “a minor procedural change”.”

Reports a Governing Body vote 'of eight to four' that members accepting transfusions 'may not be automatically expelled and shunned, so long as they repent'; spokesman Paul Gillies: 'if they are no longer living by the rules they have excluded themselves'; the church said the decision 'was clarification of existing rules and a simplification of the process of excommunication'.

Official source Link not auto-checkable

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. theguardian.com is blocked for WebFetch/WebSearch here; retrieved with curl (browser UA) and confirmed headline, byline, date (2000-06-15T00:56Z) and text. No Guardian item exists at /uk/2000/jun/14/stephenbates; the 14 June story was The Times (Ruth Gledhill).

Corroborated by. src-ap-2000-0624-deseret, src-jw-2000-0615-media-statement

Notes. The article's 'thousands' death figure is an assertion, not data.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-guardian-2000-0615-bates

Reputable reporting Unverified

The Times (London), “U-turn on blood transfusions by Witnesses (as cited)”

14 June 2000 · Ruth Gledhill · Times Newspapers

“(not opened)”

The '14 June 2000 British newspaper' article referred to in the organisation's media statement.

Link not auto-checkable No online copy located.

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. thetimes.co.uk blocked; article not opened. Headline as given by secondary sources.

Corroborated by. src-jw-2000-0615-media-statement

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-times-2000-0614-gledhill

Primary JW publication Supported

Jehovah's Witnesses — Official Statement to the Media on Blood Transfusions, “Official Statement to the Media on Blood Transfusions”

15 June 2000 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (statement); copy hosted by CESNUR

“This represents a procedural change instituted in April 2000 in which the congregation no longer initiates the action to revoke membership in such cases. However, the end result is the same”

Responds to 'an article published in the June 14, 2000, issue of a British newspaper' said to have 'incorrectly publicized' a doctrine change; 'this scriptural position has not changed'.

Archived or alternative copy

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Opened the CESNUR copy; the original jw-media.org page is no longer online. Wording corroborated by AP's report of spokesman Pellechia.

Scan provenance. Copy of the statement on the CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions) website

Corroborated by. src-ap-2000-0624-deseret, src-guardian-2000-0615-bates

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-jw-2000-0615-media-statement

Reputable reporting Verified

Deseret News (Associated Press), “Jehovah's Witnesses still ban most blood transfusions”

24 June 2000 · Associated Press · Deseret News

“a Jehovah's Witness who has a transfusion automatically “revokes his membership.””

Spokesman J. R. Pellechia; 'The group acknowledges that it has ended its practice of “disfellowshipping”'; 'It has the same effect'.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Opened the syndicated AP copy (apnews.com blocked).

Corroborated by. src-jw-2000-0615-media-statement

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-ap-2000-0624-deseret

Claim page

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-blood-2000-guardian-report-disputed/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.