WT Society holds EXTREME Responsibility for 1975 and False Expectations

by flipper 140 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  flipper

  Of course that goes without saying. However- many JW's who have come into the JW organization from like 1985 forward virtually may have no knowledge of the WT Society's 1975 debacle and false predictions of the end times or Armageddon predictions. Just like in in the book 1984 by George Orwell the WT Society has a way of not only erasing it's history so no newer Witnesses will be aware of their false predictions, but also they are re-writing their history as if those false predictions never happened.

  So for those of you here who may have never read or heard of how whipped up into an emotional frenzy Witnesses were in the years just before 1975 by the WT Society claiming the end was any day now- this threads for you. To see the PRESSURE that was put on JW's by the WT Society to get rid of everything before " Armageddon " . My good friend On The Way Out bought Mrs. Flipper and me the book " The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses " by Heather and Gary Botting and it's been a fascinating read . ( Yeah OTWO finally are halfway through the book ! LOL )

  This quote occurs on pg. 46 from the May 1974 Kingdom Ministry and it shows how EXTREMELY the WT Society promoted JW's to just drop ALL responsibility as if the alleged " Armageddon " was coming tomorrow. It states, " Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly THIS IS A FINE WAY TO SPEND THE SHORT TIME REMAINING before the wicked world's end " . Uh-huh.

  That was written 39 years ago and sadly many JW's DID exactly that ! Sold their homes, went bankrupt , quit jobs - for what and why ? Because the WT Society TOLD them to and that it was a good thing to do. They were duped, manipulated, and conned because as you know- NO " Armageddon " came. I remember being 15 years old in 1974 and watching crazy as hell Circuit Overseers giving talks on the stage yelling out " friends, brothers and sisters ! If Jehovah wills we will have another assembly in 1975, but it may very well be in the Paradise and new system ! This convention in the summer of 1974 may very well be our LAST one in this old world ! " It was ridiculous to see the emotional frenzy and turmoil this created inside JW's.

  So for the sake of newer exiting Witnsses since 1985 - WHAT did any of you folks here observe personally and eyewitness back in the early 1970's or just before 1975 ? Would love to hear from you about the craziness that existed back then and how the extreme " end of the world " attitudes affected JW's and their behavior . And any other comments are welcome here as well with whatever you have to say. Thank you very much and a big Peace Out to everybody ! Mr. Flipper
• 

  Gopher

  I experienced the 1975 thing very personally, and could not agree more. Below is a further sampling of quotes showing the enthusiasm / pressure about the 1975 idea that the Watchtower later blamed on some of its followers being too enthusiastic [about listening to their 1975 spiel]. They can deny it all they want, but the year 1975 was featured in their publications like no other year was (except for 1914).

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  "...there are only about ninety months left before 6000 years of man's existence on earth is completed.... The majority of people living today will probably be alive when Armageddon breaks out, and there are no resurrection hopes for those who are destroyed then." Kingdom Ministry, 3/68, p. 4.

  "In view of the short time left, a decision to pursue a career in this system of things is not only unwise but extremely dangerous." Kingdom Ministry, 6/69, p. 3.

  "Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world's end." Kingdom Ministry, 5/74, p. 3.

  "Are we to assume from this study that the battle of Armageddon will be all over by the autumn of 1975, and the long-looked-for thousand-year reign of Christ will begin by then? Possibly, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man's existence coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ. If these two periods run parallel with each other as to the calendar year, it will not be by mere chance or accident but will be according to Jehovah's loving and timely purposes. Our chronology, however, which is reasonably accurate (but admittedly not infallible), at the best only points to the autumn of 1975 as the end of 6,000 years of man's existence on earth. It does not necessarily mean that 1975 marks the end of the first 6,000 years of Jehovah's seventh creative 'day.' Why not? Because after his creation Adam lived some time during the 'sixth day,' which unknown amount of time would need to be subtracted from Adam's 930 years, to determine when the sixth seven-thousand-year period or 'day' ended, and how long Adam lived into the 'seventh day.' And yet the end of that sixth creative 'day' could end within the same Gregorian calendar year of Adam's creation. It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years." (Watchtower, August 15, 1968, p. 499, "Why Are You Looking Forward to 1975?")

  At all assembly points where it was released, the book was received enthusiastically. Crowds gathered around stands and soon supplies of the book were depleted. Immediately its contents were examined. It did not take the brothers very long to find the chart beginning on page 31, showing that 6,000 years of man's existence end in 1975. Discussion of 1975 overshadowed about everything else. "The new book compels us to realize that Armageddon is, in fact, very close indeed," said a conventioner. Surely it was one of the outstanding blessings to be carried home!
  Watchtower 10/15/66 pg.628-9

  [Note: I think the book they were talking about in the next quote was the WT Society's 1966 release "Life Everlasting In Freedom Of The Sons of God"]

  But, without a doubt, nothing has created more interest in this textbook than the first chapter with its chart and fine information regarding the 7,000 years of God's rest day. The observation that 1975 may well mark the beginning of mankind's great Jubilee has intrigued many.
  Watchtower 1/1/67 pg.29

  'What about the year 1975? What is it going to mean, dear friends?' asked Brother Franz. 'Does it mean that Armageddon is going to be finished, with Satan bound, by 1975? It could! It could! All things are possible with God. Does it mean that Babylon the Great is going to go down by 1975? It could.
  Watchtower 10/15/66 pg.631

  In their new book, Famine—1975!, two noted food experts, William and Paul Paddock, make this forecast for the future, on page 61:"By 1975 civil disorder, anarchy, military dictatorships, runaway inflation, transportation breakdowns and chaotic unrest will be the order of the day in many of the hungry nations.
  Watchtower 4/15/68 pg.227
• 

  designs

  Some in our area near Los Angeles sold their homes and moved to where the 'need was great'. Of course for my generation the greatest impact came from not going to college and pioneering instead. Those are years lost and educational opportunites you can't get back.

  One local Presiding Overseer would announce the countdown in months leading up to 1975, 36 24, 23, 22 12....
• 

  BlindersOff1

  Evil --------------Manipulative------------------Creepy

  Everything they wrote included sneaky cunning phrases obviously there

  for plausible deniability .

  It makes me sick.

  I lived through it as a kid .
• 

  Ding

  One local Presiding Overseer would announce the countdown in months leading up to 1975, 36 24, 23, 22 12....

  Designs, did that P.O. leave after 1975 turned out to be nothing, or was he one of the ones who couldn't remember having said anything about 1975, blaming false hopes on rank and file members of the congregation?

  Even worse than blaming the JWs, now the GB has tried to turn their own "failed expectations" into a virtue by comparing themselves to a watchful fire ranger who alertly reports every sighting of smoke. He may have been wrong, but at least he is on the watch.

  They ignore the fact that the smoke they reported (specific dates) had no basis in reality; it only existed in their minds. What good is a fire ranger who repeatedly reports nonexistent smoke?

  They also ignore the fact that fire rangers do not claim to be the spirit-directed faithful and discreet slave, God's sole channel of communication to man in the last days, whose every pronouncement must be believed and obeyed without question.
• 

  bigmac

  those of us--pre--75---obviously realised it was all a test by the governing body----they just wanted to find those stupid enough to make them elders in the post 75 years.

  its amazing how all these years later this silly little cult still exists-----have the followers no brain cells at all?
• 

  never a jw

  "Armageddon in 1975" is an excellent book. I found a site to get it. I am not sure if that's the one I got the book from. Be cautious.

  http://www.4shared.com/office/LBhDVLeg/armageddon_in_1975.html
• 

  DATA-DOG

  I was a baby in 1975, and only heard my Mother mention it once in passing. She was a teen when her family studied, and I don't think any of them ever knew much about 1975. When I started studying it I was blown away. Listening to the audio from conventions makes it so obvious that they were hedging their bets. If something happened they could claim credit, if not...well, we know what happened.

  The real kicker that no honest, reasoning person can ignore is the numerous quotes from the WTBTS concerning 1975. I love this one. " Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly THIS IS A FINE WAY TO SPEND THE SHORT TIME REMAINING before the wicked world's end " .

  A true faithful and discreet slave would have put the brakes on any speculation. How hard would it have been to say " " Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. While preaching is a Christian duty, it should be remembered that no one know the day and the hour. It would be the course of wisdom to refrain from selling off one's belongings. Christians should be shrewd and plan for the future even though we are only " temporary residents. " God's word is very clear in this regard, and it would be unwise for any to speculate as to the time of the end." Or something similar. It would have been easy for God's sole channel to put to rest any misunderstandings held by the brothers and sisters. The truth is the the Leadership, not the lowly rank & file, started the hype. After all, the WTBTS is a top-down organization.. To this day no apology has been given. A truly meek group of men would apologize, even for errors that did not occur on their watch. By assuming the mantle of a prophet, they inherit the responsibility of a prophet.
• 

  Finkelstein

  WT Society holds EXTREME Responsibility for 1975

  Mostly because it was an orchestrated out right lie.

  The calculation that F Franz used of 6000 years of mankind's existence from Adam up to October of 1975

  is an incalculable calculation, by using the bible's resources or any other means.

  Most JWS don't even know that the WTS. under C T Russell used this supposed calculation during his time as the head writing editor of the WTS.

  Exploiting people's ignorance is what the WTS. does with success unfortunately.
• 

  Gopher

  Mostly because it was an orchestrated out right lie.

  They deliberately ginned up excitement to increase their membership numbers, their sales and the loyalty of their followers. All of this, without regard to what would happen after the end wouldn't come in 1975.
  
  They were temporarily buoyed by the "1914 generation not passing away" prophecy, but then they changed even that in 1995.

  Now they will deny they ever did it. But anyone who was around the organization at that time knows the real deal, and they are disingenous if they try to deny it or say there wasn't huge excitement based around the year of 1975. This is no "apostate lie". Many of us saw it with our own eyes.