What do Jehovah's Witnesses believe about organ transplantation?

Answer 1

Only if our conscience allows it. The reason some do not is because,

between November 1967 and March 1980 we couldn't have anything to do with such practices.

This was because our magazine The Watchtower stated on pages 702-704 of the 15th November 1967 issue that

''sustaining one's life by means of the body or part of the body of another human........would be cannibalism, a practice abhorrent to all civilized people.''

''When men of science suggest removing the [diseased] organ and replacing it directly with an organ from another human, this is simply a shortcut. Those who submit to such operations are thus living off the flesh of another human. That is cannibalistic.''

Then on page 31 15th March 1980 The Watchtower stated

''Regarding the transplantation of human tissue or bone from one human to another, this is a matter for conscientious decision by each one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Some Christians, might feel that taking into their bodies any tissue or body part from another human is cannibalistic.........

It is a matter for personal decision. The congregation judicial committee would not take disciplinary action if someone accepted an organ transplant.''

Answer 2

Since 30th March 1980 the current understanding of Jehovah's Witnesses is that organ transplants are a matter for conscientious decision by each one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

From 15th November 1967 until 29th March 1980, the then current understanding was that organ transplants were viewed as being the same as cannibalism and so were not allowed.

The Watchtower 15th Nov 1967 pages 702-704 says

''Those who submit to such operations are thus living off the flesh of another human. That is cannibalistic.

God did not grant permission for humans to try to perpetuate their lives by cannibalistically taking into their bodies human flesh, whether chewed or in the form of whole organs or body parts taken from others''