Why did the watchtower teach the Jehovah's Witnesses that ''a vaccination never prevented anything and never will'' when smallpox was world threatening while E Jenner yet in 1796 had a vaccine?

Answer 1

The Watchtower no longer tells members not to get vaccinated. This is now an individual choice. As to the reason 'why?' the Watchtower did at one time teach as presented in the question above and as shown in the link below one can only wonder.

As vaccinations have improved over time and changed the components, the Watchtower has stayed up to date with technology. In times past, some vaccinations may have contained products, including blood, that contradicted The Bible's teaching to abstain from blood.

Therefore, it is currently considered a personal choice whether or not to accept a vaccine.

It has never been proven that a single disease is due to germs. The Golden Age, Jan. 16, 1924, p. 250

"But the dog-rabies-vaccine imposition is the latest.... Rabies! When it has been shown conclusively that there is no such thing as rabies" The Golden Age, Jan. 1, 1923 p.214

1921: "Vaccination never prevented anything and never will, and is the most barbarous practice...We are in the last days; and the devil is slowly losing his hold, making a strenuous effort meanwhile to do all the damage he can, and to his credit can such evils be placed...Use your rights as American citizens to forever abolish the devilish practice of vaccinations." The Golden Age, 1921-oct-12, Page 17.

1935: "Vaccination is a direct violation of the holy law of Jehovah God... I have no alternative. I must obey Jehovah's law." The Golden Age, 1935-apr-24, Page 471.