information aimed at reaching other Witnesses and at catching the attention of headquarters officials. The latest piece to be published there is a public statement by reform-minded members of the JW Hospital Liaison Committees. Excerpts shed light on the reformers' thinking:

We are a group of brothers working at present for the Hospital Liaison
Committees in different places and countries. . . .

Many positive things can be said regarding alternative non-blood therapies,
there is no denying that. At the same time the facts are, that our work
would not be necessary if medical science were to find a replacement for
blood. However, in August of 1997, blood is still a valuable product for
saving lives and sometimes we overlook the benefit and the importance of
using it. Even among the HLC members who have many years of experience in
their assignment, you can find a complete ignorance of why blood is used.
These brothers have been trained through Seminar's I and II, and the only
thing that many know about blood, is that it is a dangerous medical
treatment and should be avoided. Not just because of Biblical reasons, but
because they believe that it is bad medicine, and that there are good
alternative products available.

. . . What is blood? This may seem like a
simple question to answer, but it is not, for there are a number of blood
components that the Society permits Witnesses to take. Are these components
not also blood, and how is it decided which parts of the blood are
acceptable, and which are not? Since it is acceptable to introduce these
"allowed components" into to our bodies, it is understandable that Witnesses
and medical personnel are confused by our position? Although this question
has been in the minds of many brothers, no one dares to deal with the
question publicly. Why?

. . . During the surgery doctors use Blood Aspiration with Automatic Anticoagulant Mixing, and the blood is collected
into a Blood Reservoir. It is then drained by gravity into the Blood Bag,
and stored in a lowered position until it is filled. When the Blood Bag is
filled, it is raised to the top of the assembly, and the blood is reinfused.
Although it is hard to see the blood as still being a part of the
circulatory system, the brothers accept the procedure once they are told
that the Society has approved of its use, and that it does not violate any
scriptural principles.

Albumin:
Albumin is another problem. We accept albumin as a matter of conscience,
although the blood contains more albumin than white blood cells, which we
must reject. Many doctors are also confused by this position, but they
usually are so respectful, and most of them think that there are religious
principles involved although a clear contradiction exists. What doctors
donÌt know, and we are not permitted to explain to them, is that this
position is clearly an organizational ruling for the members, and lacks any
logical reason or scriptural support. . . .

. . . Some members of the HLC's feel that
the Society has overemphasized the benefit of Erythropoietin. . . . many
brothers donÌt know that the real benefit of an EPO treatment comes usually
after 2-4 weeks. In about 3 days one can find a small reticulocyte response,
within 7 days for hematocrit response, and the final and necessary benefit
usually comes after 2-4 weeks. This is important to understand, particularly
in a case of acute blood loss.

. . . Many cases have ended in tragedy, cases where our
brothers were attended by a cooperative doctor, who was not qualified and
lacked the required experience to handle the case. Often times because the
doctor was not able to offer anything to adequately replace blood therapy.
The sad part is that many HLC members do not realize that Witness patients
often die because of a lack of commitment and the use of alternative
treatment in the hospitals. The only real cooperation is often to simply let
the patient die, and that is unacceptable. . . .

Minor Children:
The most depressing feature of being a member of a HLC is when our children
are involved. Why has the Society completely failed to gain one legal case
when it comes to minor children? It is obvious, there is nothing so
effective as human blood to transport oxygen and today there is nothing to
replace its use in the medical field. . . . As members of the HLC's we have been
eye witnesses of cases where cooperative doctors have followed the parents
wishes for alternative non-blood therapy, and the results have sometimes
been tragic, with just one more unnecessary death being the result.

A Question of conscience?
One of the arguments we use and present to the doctors has to do with the
emotional damage done to a person whoÌs conscience is violated by forcing a
medical treatment made of human blood. Every reasonable person understands
that it is unacceptable to force a treatment that violates a persons
conscience. With most Witnesses, however, their conscience does not really
enter the picture. They are simply responding to a situation based upon how
the Society has ruled on it. When we as as JehovahÌs Witnesses look back and
remember the wounded and dead brothers who did not accept vaccinations,
blood serums, organ transplants or hemophiliac treatments, we must
acknowledge that they took their stand largely because of an organizational
policy and prohibition forced upon them. These positions have now been
abandoned by the leadership, and we rarely if ever see brothers refusing
vaccinations, organ transplants, or any of the blood components on the
Society's approved list. This fact alone should cause anyone involved in
these situations to pause and reflect seriously about the real issues
involved. Is the issue truly one of conscience, and if so, whoose
conscience?

In Conclusion:
We are a group of members of the HLC's that have been carefully considering
these points, and we would like to conclude this consideration with the
following thoughts. In particular, we direct our comments to the brothers in
Hospital Information Services for Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn.'

Quoting your own words during Seminars I and II, we are supposed to be
"trained professionals" in our area of providing information about
alternative nonblood management and cooperative doctors. That's fine, we
have seen many blessings and the very good results of that work. We also
hope that medical science can find something to replace the present blood
products used in the medical field. What a blessing, not just for us as
Jehovah's Witnesses, but for all people of the earth. Certainly all of the
doctors are going to rejoice when a replacement for blood becomes available,
and surely it will immediately be applied in hospital protocols and
procedures for emergency care.

But, despite what is going to happen in the near future, discovering new
synthetic blood products, new diseases and infections, or something else,
the real questions are still going to be in our minds: Is the SocietyÌs
blood doctrine actually correct? Why do so many brothers enter into an inner
conflict about the issue when they consider the biblical facts? Has the
Society really provided us with the truth, and all of the Biblical facts
regarding blood? Do they realize that in accepting some minor blood
components they have created a tremendous contradiction in their firm stand?
Where are the serious and solid arguments against stored autologous blood
transfusions? Do they appreciate that their position kills many precious
minor children, unless the legal system steps in to provide protection for
their life and health? Should our main concern as JehovahÌs Witnesses be to
look for medical alternatives, or to confront ourselves with the biblical
facts about life and blood?

Your brothers,
A group of Members in Hospital Liaison Committee's

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What follows is a letter we received from an H.L.C. brother who has come
face to face with the problems, and has come forward to voice his concerns:

I am a regular reader of the different material and information about blood
at the Net. Also I have the special privilege to be part of a HLC (Hospital
Liaison Committee). However, I understand that we are working in a very
dangerous field because of so many contradictions in our blood doctrine.
Personally I suffer and often work with a deep feeling of guilt,
particularly when our brothers need to go through unnecessary pain and
death. I can personally testify to about 4 deaths of our brothers, where
they could have been saved. How? These brothers and sisters could have been
saved if available alternative treatment approved by the Society had been
used. But why did they not use it? The doctors could not use the treatments
because the Witness patients objected on the grounds that the treatments
contained fractions of human blood. These patients were not able to explain
why the Society approves these treatments, but after the HLC explained to
the brothers, and the doctors, the Society's position - they agreed. Sadly,
in these 4 cases I have been through, the patients died because the
necessary treatment was used too late.

I have shared the pain and loss with these brothers, hugging them, talking
with them, sitting together with them in cold hospital corridors just to
share some fellowship, and human compassion. These poor innocent brothers
are victims and they can't understand and explain their position except for
being faithful to organizational directives. First they abstain completely
from all alternative blood products, but if the organization gives their
approval, then in a matter of seconds they change their mind and heart.
Let me be very clear - I am ready to leave this assignment, I can't continue
to support this cruel doctrinal enforcement. Precious children and wonderful
Jehovah's Witnesses are dying for nothing. There is just one thing that
keeps me in this HLC. We are three brothers in different places that are not
supporting the Society's view. If someone in Brooklyn reads this, then I
want them to know that we have been very successful in our work, among
doctors and brothers, as to distributing information about our internal
problems. We are not pushing the matter, we respect the individuals choice
in this decision. But we also hope that Society could take note of what is
going on, and in the name of the truth, love and justice, do what they must
do for our dear brothers.

I want to use this opportunity to thank the Liberal Elder and some others
out in the Net who hopefully can be a valuable tool in saving lives and
changing erroneous doctrines.
Your Brother,
A Member of HLC

It is our hope, and our belief that many more sincere brothers will come
forward and join us as we seek an end to the needless deaths and suffering.
We will act as an intermediary between HLC brother's, or organization
officials who would like to communicate with the HLC members who wrote this
treatise. You may email us at jwreformers@nymserver.com

"Reform? Hah! Why not just leave?" That is the initial reaction of many when they first hear about the reform movement inside the Watchtower organization. But a closer look at the reformers and their motives makes their course of action understandable.

Some would gladly leave the sect, if it did not mean leaving behind their mate, their children, other relatives, and life-long friends. But, with these "held hostage," they stay inside and work secretly for reform — while also making subtle efforts to help their loved ones develop a personal relationship with God through his Son.

Other JW reformers are in a position similar to that of the Apostles and early disciples when they still met in JerusalemÌs temple and synagogues and viewed Christianity as a movement to transform Judaism. They persisted until they were thrown out.

One prominent reformer had nearly lost faith in God as a JW elder exposed to the hypocrisy of the leadership and their many man-made teachings. Trapped due to his personal circumstances, he undertook reform efforts as an act of desperation—only to find Christ through his research. Although still actively involved at Kingdom Hall, he now belongs to the true religion, "the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven." (Hebrews 12:23 NIV)