ClaimBlood doctrineverified1940sExplicit statement

Blood doctrine · Claim record

The organisation's own 1993 history states that the sanctity of blood was discussed in The Watch Tower of 15 December 1927 and that the 1 December 1944 Watchtower 'specifically mentioned blood transfusions', before the full 1945 treatment.

Claim ID claim-blood-1927-1944-earlier-discussionsConcerns 1 December 1944Explicit statement

The claim and its evidence

Explicit statement · 1 December 1944 Verified

The organisation's own 1993 history states that the sanctity of blood was discussed in The Watch Tower of 15 December 1927 and that the 1 December 1944 Watchtower 'specifically mentioned blood transfusions', before the full 1945 treatment. Source: Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (book), 1993Source: The Watch Tower, 15 December 1927 (unverified)Source: The Watchtower, 1 December 1944 (unverified)

Show the evidence (3 sources)
Primary JW publication Verified

Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (book), “Recognized by Our Conduct”

1993 · p.183 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“When transfusions of blood became an issue confronting them, The Watchtower of July 1, 1945, explained at length the Christian view regarding the sanctity of blood.”

Also: 'Earlier discussions of the sanctity of blood appeared in The Watch Tower of December 15, 1927, as well as The Watchtower of December 1, 1944, which specifically mentioned blood transfusions.' And: 'beginning in 1961 any who ignored the divine requirement, accepted blood transfusions, and manifested an unrepentant attitude were disfellowshipped'.

Provenance and verification note for Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (book), Recognized by Our Conduct

Confidence note. Opened on WOL; p. 183 confirmed.

Corroborated by. src-w-1987-0301-history-chart, src-w-1961-0115-qfr-disfellowshipping

Notes. The organisation's own dating of 1945 and 1961.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-jv-1993-recognized-by-conduct

Primary JW publication Unverified

The Watch Tower

15 December 1927 · p.371 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“(not opened)”

Cited by the 1993 Proclaimers book (jv p. 183) as an earlier discussion of the sanctity of blood; discovery sites say it applied the Noachian blood prohibition to all people.

Provenance and verification note for The Watch Tower

Confidence note. No English scan located on archive.org (only Jan-Mar 1927 issues are there). Existence attested by jv p. 183 (verified).

Corroborated by. src-jv-1993-recognized-by-conduct

Notes. The Wesleyan College 'Watchtower 1927-1928' item on archive.org is a student newspaper, not this publication.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-w-1927-1215-sanctity-blood

Primary JW publication Unverified

The Watchtower

1 December 1944 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“(not opened)”

jv p. 183: 'The Watchtower of December 1, 1944, which specifically mentioned blood transfusions.'

Provenance and verification note for The Watchtower

Confidence note. No scan located. Existence attested by jv p. 183 (verified).

Corroborated by. src-jv-1993-recognized-by-conduct

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-w-1944-1201-transfusion-mention

Claim page

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-blood-1927-1944-earlier-discussions/. 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.