Old Light/New Light; Red Light/Green Light

"The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became the truth." -George Orwell, 1984

Jehovah’s Witness spokesperson standing before a podium dressed in a bespoke suit and displaying a teeny beard:

New Light Alert! We interrupt your regularly scheduled program for some late-breaking New Light. As of March of 2026, Jehovah’s Witnesses can use their Bible-trained consciences to decide whether they will  allow their own blood to be drawn and stored in advance for medical procedures such as a scheduled surgery with a risk of significant blood loss. What a divine revelation from Jehovah!

Journalist: So now JWs don’t have to risk their lives by refusing to take an emergency blood transfusion based on an obscure interpretation of a first century prohibition against eating blood?

Spokesperson: No, the prohibition still stands. JWs must abstain from blood. They cannot take red or white blood cells; plasma or platelets. But they can decide whether they will take blood fractions. Or the red and white blood cells, plasma and platelets in their own blood that has been stored. 

Journalist:  So, no red or white blood cells but they can take a fractional amount of red and white blood cells?

Spokesperson: If their conscience allows. JW rely on their Bible-trained consciences to make important decisions. 

Journalist: Wait, so Witnesses can just use their consciences to decide whether they want to risk their lives or their children’s lives by refusing to accept any medical treatment that requires blood? They don’t have to choose martyrdom like 15-year-old Joshua Walker? 

Spokesperson: True, but if their conscience tells them to take a blood transfusion, they will be excommunicated. Unless they repent.

Journalist: But they don’t have to repent from using a blood fraction or from using their stored blood?

Spokesperson: Correct.

Journalist: This seems a bit confusing. In 2006, the Watchtower, Bible, and Tract Society publication, What Does God Require of Us? states,

Remember, Jehovah requires that we abstain from blood. This means that we must not take into our bodies in any way at all other people’s blood or even our own blood that has been stored. 

And in 2016,  the Keep Yourselves in God’s Love book published by the Watchtower, Bible, and Tract Society said:

“Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize that “abstaining from . . . blood” means not accepting blood transfusions and not donating or storing their own blood for transfusion.”

So if a Witness’ conscience told her that it was fine and dandy to store her own blood prior to surgery in 2006 or 2016; would she have been subject to excommunication?

Spokesperson: Yes, unless she was repentant.

Journalist: Why would she need to show subjective repentance from taking an action that the Governing Body said that it was o.k.to take 10 years later?

Or better yet, what if she had rejected the option to store her own blood for a later transfusion in 2016 and died only to have that forbidden medical option allowed in 2026, wouldn’t that make her death a senseless tragedy?

Spokesperson: No, it’s always best to listen to Jehovah. This wasn’t New Light in 2006. Or 2016. It’s 2026 New Light.

Journalist: I think you misspoke.

Spokesperson (checks notes): When?

Journalist: You said that it would have been better to listen to Jehovah and refuse to store her own blood in 2016.

Spokesperson: Exactly.

Journalist: But this New Light is promulgated by the Governing Body-not Jehovah. Which is it - listening to Jehovah or obeying the Governing Body?

Spokesperson: There is no difference- the Governing Body is God’s mouthpiece.

Journalist: So the Governing Body can simply change a doctrine to, I don’t know, maybe to stop the JW religion’s deregistration in Belgium in 2021 and Norway 2024, and Witnesses have to fall in line?  Isn’t the New Light simply a nominal change to keep the Watchtower, Bible, and Tract Society from losing tax-protected status?

Spokesperson: No, spiritual light just gets brighter in God’s due time. It’s totally unrelated to ongoing litigation in Europe wherein a court is weighing these same issues. 

Journalist: If you say so. But wouldn’t an Almighty God know that storing your blood is fine in 2016? Why would he mislead his “mouthpiece” by giving your Governing Body bad info?

Spokesperson: Jehovah doesn’t give the Governing Body bad info. The Governing Body simply understands doctrinal issues more clearly at various points in time.

Journalist: You’ve used a lot of words to say that the Governing Body sometimes gives bad advice. They make mistakes.  So, how does the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society retract incorrect information? How do they apologize to members when they realize that they communicated incorrect interpretations of Scripture?

Spokesperson: That’s not necessary. Old light is simply no longer printed. 

Journalist: It sounds as if a devout Jehovah’s Witness could get whiplash with all of the switching between Old and New Light. 

I have another question. How does the New Light get revealed? Do the current Governing Body members take a vote? If so, does it have to be unanimous or does the majority win?

Spokesperson: These matters are decided confidentially.

Journalist: Let me understand. Millions of JWs have to obey the Governing Body. The Governing Body interprets Scripture and makes policy. If they communicate the wrong info, JWs are still expected to follow the wrong info until the Governing Body issues New Light without retracting Old Light, even if the stakes are high as in, Can I accept the medical treatment that my doctor says is necessary to save my life? And when the Governing Body finally understands what God is trying to tell them, there is no need for them to apologize.

This sounds like a good gig with little to no liability. How can someone apply?

Spokesperson: Pardon?

Journalist: Let’s say that a rank and file JW member from Podunk, Alaska wants to be on the Governing B. Should she send in a resume? Should she wait until an opening is published on JW.org?

Spokesperson: That’s not how it works.

Journalist: How does it work? How are Governing Body members chosen? What’s the criteria that a Governing Body hopeful has to meet? It sounds as if this group of leaders have quite a bit of influence on the lives of rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses. Who gets to vote on who is promoted to the God’s Mouthpiece positions? Is it done in a secret conclave like the cardinals meeting to elect a pope?

 You can simply direct me to the Watchtower or any of your hundreds of publications that describes the process.

Spokesperson: Governing Body appointment criteria isn’t in print.

Journalist: So no one knows when a Governing Body position opens up or how someone gets chosen, but it’s safe to say that only men are considered for the job.

Spokesperson: Of course.

Journalist: And after reviewing the demographic composition of the Governing Body, it helps your chances to be white?

Spokesperson: No, that’s not…

Journalist: Do all of the white, male Governing Body get the New Light at the same time? Does God speak to them directly? Or, does one GB member present an idea and the others vote yay or nay? Now, if that’s the case, it would be important to know how each Governing Body member voted and why.

How many times did the Governing Body have to vote on storing your own blood before the verboten became acceptable? Was it voted on in 2006? 2016? Did members' votes change, and if so, why?

Spokesperson: That’s all the time that we have for questions.