Here's the closest WT ever came to an apology... 5 years too late and full of loaded language:.
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"With the appearance of the book Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God, and its comments as to how appropriate it would be for the millennial reign of Christ to parallel the seventh millennium of mans existence, considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975. Unfortunately, however, along with such cautionary information, There were other statements published that implied that such realization of hopes by that year was more of a probability than a mere possibility. There were statements made then, and thereafter, stressing that this was only a possibility. It is to be regretted that these latter statements apparently overshadowed the cautionary ones and contributed to a buildup of the expectation already initiated....In saying anyone, the Watchtower included all disappointed ones of Jehovah's Witnesses, hence including persons having to do with the publication of the information that contributed to the buildup of hopes centered on that date. (Watchtower, March 15, 1980, p. 17-18)
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> "Considerable expectation": Yes. Created and promoted by Watchtower.
> "Implied": No implications by WT ! Elaborate timelines, talks by F. Franz and other WT heavy-hitters, countless articles encouraging JWs to sell their homes and Pioneer, do not go to college, not enough time left in this system, etc.
> "Apparently": well, when WT was hyping 1975, they had no problem with "apparently" and were, instead, fully supporting any JWs who were sacrificing all for WT- going so far as to praising such actions in the literature as a good example to follow. Only after the failure did definitely become "apparently".
> "build-up of expectation": WT was building up expectation for 8 years prior to 1975 beginning with the Life Everlasting book in 1967. Again, since WT is the only entity that is allowed to formulate then publish its doctrines, then promote them, only WT is responsible for the failure, not the R&F JW.
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However, WT went on to criticize and condemn those JWs who left the Organization after the massive failure of 1975, saying they lacked faith. It also did not welcome back those it disfellowshipped for doubting that date and exposing WT's false prophecy thereafter.
And, WT has, for all practical purpose, washed the 1975 date from its history. In the Proclaimers book under "notable dates", nothing is mentioned of the 1975/Armageddon failed prophecy nor of the huge loss of JW membership after that year as a result. An honest apology would certainly include at least acknowledging the failure and WT's culpability.
