He calls himself the Liberal Elder and asked us to disguise his voice. Let me start off by saying that Witness teachings on blood have been in a state of perpetual change. Most Witnesses and doctors are very unclear about the Watchtower's current blood policy since it's been revised so many times. The organ transplant issue came up in 1967, beginning of 67. That lasted for 13 years and then was finally dropped in 1980.
Blood transfusions continue to be banned.
The essence of the argument is that a blood transfusion is in fact the equivalent of eating blood. So what they've done now is in effect created a new law for Jehovah's Witnesses, saying that it's wrong to sustain life by means of blood. That's the expression you consistently hear used in the Watchtower and by Witnesses. There's no doubt. We would estimate about 3 a day so that the figures we are talking about are perhaps 1,000 Witnesses or more per year.