Gary and Beth Septer: “Jehovah Is Close to the Brokenhearted”
Em 2019 a organização publicou um vídeo de seis minutos em que um pai e uma mãe descrevem a perda do filho de onze anos. Ele é apresentado como um relato de perseverança e de oração atendida. É também um registro primário, na voz da própria organização, do que a política de sangue exigiu de uma família em 1991 e 1992.
Última revisão em 19 de setembro de 2026
O vídeo
Official video · JW Broadcasting (JW.org)
Gary and Beth Septer: “Jehovah Is Close to the Brokenhearted”
Interviews and Experiences · Endurance · First published 19 de agosto de 2019 · Duration 6 min 15 s · Verificado
Gary and Beth Septer describe their son Jerod’s diagnosis with lymphoma in mid-1991 at the age of eleven, the family’s refusal of blood transfusion, an investigation by Child Protective Services that was later dropped, the support of their congregation, Jerod’s death at home in June 1992, and their hope of seeing him again in the resurrection. A narrator closes by presenting the account as evidence that Jehovah answered their prayers.
Key moments (from the official captions)
0:21
“Jerod was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in the middle of 1991.”
0:27
“…in no way would we accept a blood transfusion, and neither would Jerod.”
0:36
Child Protective Services investigated for negligence and later “backed completely away from that”.
1:52
Congregation members filled the hallways of a hospital “1,500 miles … away from our home”.
2:26
“He died in June of 1992. He was at home.”
2:35
His last words to his parents: “Work hard so we can all be together again.”
4:58
“We look forward to seeing Jerod again, having him back with us.”
5:31
Narrator: “They asked for wisdom when seeking medical treatment for Jerod.”
Timestamps and quotations are taken from the official English captions file published alongside the video. The video was watched via the official player; no copy was downloaded or stored.
JWTruth.org does not host, download or alter this video. The official player on JW.org provides captions in many languages.
O que o vídeo estabelece
Declaração explícita · 19 de agosto de 2019Verificado
Num vídeo oficial da JW Broadcasting publicado pela primeira vez em 19 de agosto de 2019, Gary e Beth Septer relatam que seu filho Jerod foi diagnosticado com linfoma em meados de 1991, aos 11 anos, que nem eles nem Jerod aceitariam uma transfusão de sangue, e que ele morreu em casa em junho de 1992. O vídeo não diz se uma transfusão foi recomendada do ponto de vista médico nem que papel, se é que teve algum, a recusa desempenhou em sua morte. Source: JW Broadcasting (JW.org video), 19 de agosto de 2019
A posição da organização ou explicação posterior: O vídeo apresenta a experiência da família como um exemplo de perseverança e de oração atendida, e informa que o serviço de proteção à criança (Child Protective Services) investigou e depois se retirou.
Mostrar as provas (1 fonte)
Publicação primária das Testemunhas de JeováVerificado
19 de agosto de 2019 · Duration 6 min 15 s; category ‘Endurance’ (VODIntExpEndurance); media key pub-jwb_E_201908_4_VIDEO · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Jerod was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in the middle of 1991. We started trying to figure out how we could get him the treatment that he needed, of course, but in no way would we accept a blood transfusion, and neither would Jerod.”
Official captions, 0:21–0:36. The captions record that Child Protective Services investigated the family for negligence and later ‘backed completely away from that’ (0:36–0:53); ‘He died in June of 1992. He was at home.’ (2:26–2:35); and a closing narration that the parents ‘asked for wisdom when seeking medical treatment for Jerod’ (5:31–5:35). The video does not state whether a transfusion was recommended by his doctors or what role, if any, refusal played in his death.
Nota de procedência e verificação for JW Broadcasting (JW.org video), Gary and Beth Septer: “Jehovah Is Close to the Brokenhearted”
Nota de confiança.Title, first-published date (19 August 2019), duration and category taken from the JW.org media API record for this item; the official English captions file (WebVTT) was opened and read in full on 19 September 2026, and the quoted lines and timestamps are taken from it. No copy of the video was downloaded or stored.
Notes.The video page on JW.org requires JavaScript; the link opens the official player. JW.org does not offer an embed code, so the site presents a preview card rather than an embedded player.
Consultado em. 19 de setembro de 2026 · Identificador da fonte.src-jwb-2019-08-septer-video
Three things are stated plainly by the parents themselves: that Jerod had lymphoma, that neither he nor they would accept a transfusion, and that he died at home in June 1992. A fourth is stated by the narrator: that the parents “asked for wisdom when seeking medical treatment for Jerod”.Source: JW Broadcasting (JW.org video), 19 de agosto de 2019
O que o vídeo não estabelece
Ele não diz se os médicos de Jerod recomendaram uma transfusão, nem que componente estaria envolvido.
Ele não diz que papel a recusa teve, se é que teve algum, na morte dele. O linfoma numa criança é uma doença grave. O vídeo não dá informação alguma sobre o tratamento dele, sobre a intensidade desse tratamento ou sobre o prognóstico, e não tiramos nenhuma conclusão desse silêncio.
Ele não diz por que o Child Protective Services (o serviço norte-americano de proteção à criança) investigou, nem com que base se retirou, além da declaração dos pais de que “eles perceberam que não tínhamos sido negligentes”.
Por isso não afirmamos que uma transfusão o teria salvado, e pedimos aos leitores que não façam essa afirmação com base nesta página.
A política na época
When Jerod was ill, the organisation’s published position was the one set out in the 1990 brochure, which named whole blood and its four primary components as things Witnesses ‘do not accept’.Source: How Can Blood Save Your Life? (brochure), 1990Storing his own blood in advance of treatment was also excluded by the position later restated in 2000. The video’s wording, “in no way would we accept a blood transfusion”, reflects that position as a matter of conscience for the family, and the organisation presents their adherence to it as faithfulness.
Witnesses do not accept transfusions of whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets, or blood plasma.
1990 · footnote to par. 12 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Witnesses do not accept transfusions of whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets, or blood plasma.”
The footnote continues by referring readers to The Watchtower of 1 June 1990, pages 30–31, for minor fractions such as immune globulin. The section describes non-blood volume expanders (saline, dextran, Haemaccel, lactated Ringer’s solution, hetastarch) as acceptable.
Nota de procedência e verificação for How Can Blood Save Your Life? (brochure), Quality Alternatives to Transfusion
Nota de confiança.Text opened on JW.org on 19 September 2026 and the footnote wording confirmed. The 1990 publication year is the brochure’s own imprint date as catalogued by the Watchtower Online Library (publication code hb); the JW.org page does not display a year.
15 de outubro de 2000 · pp.30-31 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Hence, we do not donate blood, nor do we store for transfusion our blood that should be ‘poured out.’ That practice conflicts with God’s law.”
The question asked was: ‘In the light of Bible commands about the proper use of blood, how do Jehovah’s Witnesses view medical procedures using one’s own blood?’ The article said that depositing one’s own blood weeks before surgery ‘directly contradicts’ Leviticus and Deuteronomy, while procedures in which the patient’s blood stays in a continuous circuit (haemodilution, cell salvage, heart-lung machines, dialysis) were left for each Christian to decide.
18 de setembro de 2026 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“After further prayerful consideration, the Governing Body has decided that this same principle applies to the four primary components of whole blood—red cells, white cells, plasma, and platelets—that are derived from another person’s blood. Therefore, each Christian must make his own personal decision about the use of these four primary components in all medical and surgical care.”
The article also states that Witnesses ‘do not accept transfusions of whole blood, nor do we donate blood that would be used as a whole blood transfusion to another person’, that each Christian must decide whether to donate blood ‘for the clearly expressed purpose of providing components or fractions’, and that it reflects what was shared in the 2026 Governing Body Update #6 and will appear in a future issue of The Watchtower.
Notes.The article carries the note: ‘This article reflects what was shared in the 2026 Governing Body Update #6 and will appear in a future issue of The Watchtower.’ It also states the Governing Body ‘is not authorized to “go beyond the things that are written”’ (1 Corinthians 4:6).
Consultado em. 19 de setembro de 2026 · Identificador da fonte.src-jw-2026-0918-qfr-respect-life
Placed beside this video, the change can be described precisely and without overreach. A family in Jerod’s position in 2026 could accept the four primary components without any congregational consequence. Whether that would have changed a particular child’s outcome is a clinical question that the record does not answer. What the record does show is that the rule, and therefore the choices, are not the same as they were in 1992, and that the organisation now says the Governing Body is ‘not authorized to “go beyond the things that are written”’ because the Scriptures ‘do not comment’ on the products concerned. It has not said whether that reasoning applied to its earlier position; readers can compare the two.Source: JW.org (Questions From Readers), 18 de setembro de 2026
Como tratamos este material
Gary e Beth Septer são pessoas vivas que escolheram contar a sua história publicamente pelo canal da sua organização. Nós os citamos de forma breve e fiel, criamos um link para o vídeo oficial em vez de hospedá-lo, e evitamos qualquer julgamento sobre eles. O luto e a sinceridade deles não estão em questão. O tema desta página é a política publicada que eles seguiam, e o que aconteceu com ela desde então.
Fontes citadas nesta página
Show all 4 sources, in date order
Each opens a full record with links, provenance and a confidence note.
Publicação primária das Testemunhas de JeováVerificado
19 de agosto de 2019 · Duration 6 min 15 s; category ‘Endurance’ (VODIntExpEndurance); media key pub-jwb_E_201908_4_VIDEO · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Jerod was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in the middle of 1991. We started trying to figure out how we could get him the treatment that he needed, of course, but in no way would we accept a blood transfusion, and neither would Jerod.”
20 de março de 2026 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Christians are not under the Mosaic Law. However, we obey the apostolic command to ‘abstain from blood.’ Furthermore, the Bible does not comment on the use of a person’s own blood in medical and surgical care. Therefore, like other choices about health care, each Christian must make his own decision about the use of his own blood in all medical and surgical care.”
18 de setembro de 2026 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“After further prayerful consideration, the Governing Body has decided that this same principle applies to the four primary components of whole blood—red cells, white cells, plasma, and platelets—that are derived from another person’s blood. Therefore, each Christian must make his own personal decision about the use of these four primary components in all medical and surgical care.”
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