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Doctrine changes · Claim record

In August 1961 The Watchtower told a reader that donating one's eyes after death for transplant involved no Scriptural principle and was for each individual to decide.

Claim ID claim-doctrine-transplants-1961-personal-matterConcerns 1 August 1961Explicit statement
Explicit statement · 1 August 1961 Verified

In August 1961 The Watchtower told a reader that donating one's eyes after death for transplant involved no Scriptural principle and was for each individual to decide. The Watchtower, 1 August 1961

Show the evidence (1 source)
Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “Questions From Readers (donating one's eyes after death)”

1 August 1961 · p.480 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“it does not seem that any Scriptural principle or law is involved. It therefore is something that each individual must decide for himself.”

Answer to a reader asking whether the Bible forbids giving one's eyes after death for transplant to a living person; the answer treats it as a personal matter and says no one should criticise either choice.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Opened on wol.jw.org; wording confirmed; page 480 confirmed from the library's page marker.

Notes. Earlier position before the 1967 'cannibalism' answer.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-w-1961-0801-qfr-organ-donation

Claim page

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