How faith in fate breeds extremism 

In the early days of the Christian church, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, believers were first called Christians in Antioch, but they were often derided as a cult for their unwavering devotion to Christ’s teachings. This label reflected societal suspicion towards a group perceived as separatist and fervent.

Today, similar perceptions surround certain sects within Christianity, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose practices raise questions about extremism. This editorial explores the psychological underpinnings of such extremism, its manifestation in Jehovah’s Witnesses’ doctrines, and the profound human implications, including avoidable deaths and social isolation.

Extremism in Christianity can be psycho-analysed as a form of ideological rigidity, where adherence to interpreted scriptures supersedes human welfare, often bordering on occult-like insularity. Psychologically, it fosters a sense of elite belonging, but at the cost of alienating members from broader society, leading to lost friendships and family ties. In Jehovah’s Witnesses, the practice of witnessing, which involves door-to-door evangelism, exemplifies this. Members are encouraged to prioritise proselytising, often delineating them from what many view as God’s miracles in modern life, such as advancements in medicine and surgery. This isolation can manifest as a collective delusion, where the group’s interpretation of divine will overrides empirical evidence, potentially turning humane intentions into harmful outcomes.

Central to this is the sect’s distorted belief in healing. Jehovah’s Witnesses interpret biblical passages, such as Acts 15:29, to prohibit blood transfusions, viewing them as unbiblical. This stance has led to numerous avoidable deaths. Globally, estimates suggest that approximately 1,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses die annually from refusing blood transfusions, with up to 100,000 such deaths since the doctrine’s inception in the mid-20th century. Beyond transfusions, other preventable fatalities occur, including complications from surgeries where blood alternatives fail, such as in cases of severe anaemia or haemorrhage during childbirth. Historical refusals of vaccinations, though now largely reversed, contributed to outbreaks, while organ transplants are accepted only if bloodless, increasing risks. These deaths, often framed as faithful waiting for Jehovah’s miracle, ironically overlook the miracle of medical discovery itself, a gift that has saved millions worldwide.

A recent outrage on X, formerly Twitter, highlighted these issues. In early December 2025, popular Nigerian X user Mensah Omolola, known as Aunty Esther, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Nigerians rallied, donating over ₦30 million within 48 hours for her treatment at Lakeshore Cancer Center in Lagos. Preliminary tests, including biopsies and imaging scans, confirmed the cancer’s spread, necessitating chemotherapy. However, when doctors recommended a blood transfusion to manage anaemia before proceeding, Aunty Esther backed out, citing her Jehovah’s Witness faith. She forfeited the remaining donations, opting for costlier bloodless alternatives, which sparked widespread fury. On X, the platform saw over 150,000 engagements across related posts within days, with users lamenting that the ₦30 million could have funded treatments for 50 to 100 other patients in Nigeria’s strained healthcare system.

The incident ignited a flood of personal stories. Many former members recounted excommunication, or disfellowshipping, for accepting transfusions or questioning doctrines, leading to shunned family ties. One X user shared losing a child to sickle cell complications due to refused blood, subsequently leaving the faith and turning atheist, citing “orientational damage” from rigid teachings. Others highlighted restrictions: members are forbidden from marrying non-believers, with over 80 per cent of unions reportedly intra-faith, and advised against certain university courses, such as those in philosophy or military sciences, to avoid worldly influences. These narratives amassed thousands of likes and reposts, underscoring how such practices foster isolation and psychological distress.

In response to these beliefs, some Nigerian teaching hospitals have adapted. The University College Hospital in Ibadan has protocols for Jehovah’s Witnesses, employing bloodless techniques like cell salvage and erythropoietin therapy to stimulate blood production. An X user, a medical professional, detailed in a viral thread how these methods “therapise” patients, engineering alternatives to transfusions. Success rates vary, with about 70 per cent survival in elective surgeries, but emergencies see higher mortality. When successful, members attribute it to Jehovah’s miracle, reinforcing the doctrine.

Ironically, the sect’s headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, invests heavily in legal defence rather than medical innovation. Reports indicate they spend millions annually hiring lawyers to fight court cases upholding the right to refuse transfusions. One X user poignantly noted this paradox: “Brooklyn will spend any amount to hire lawyers for their members, but cannot save lives with medicine.” This litotes underscores the irony, where legal victories preserve doctrinal purity at the expense of human life, with over 500 documented court cases worldwide since the 1960s.

Similar extremism appears in broader Nigerian Christian practices, such as the belief among some women to birth “like a Hebrew woman,” referencing Exodus 1:19’s swift deliveries. This cultural-religious narrative discourages caesarean sections, viewed as a lack of faith. In Nigeria, where maternal mortality stands at 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, refusing CS contributes to thousands of annual fatalities from complications like obstructed labour. Health experts estimate that embracing surgical interventions could reduce this by 30 per cent, yet faith healers promote vaginal births as divine, often at fatal cost.

Is this extremism in its purest form, harming individuals without mass violence, or a form of mercy killing through consecrated belief? Unlike early Christian “cults,” whose persecution stemmed from societal opposition, modern sects like Jehovah’s Witnesses self-impose isolation, potentially veering into harmful rigidity. While faith offers solace, when it overrides life-saving miracles like medicine, it demands scrutiny. Society must balance respect for beliefs with protecting vulnerable lives, perhaps through education and dialogue. In the end, true witnessing to Jehovah might lie in embracing all His provisions, including those discovered by human ingenuity.