by run dont walk 63 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I was just a little kid when the 1975 thing came about, didn't pay much attention to it, after it was over, my parents told me it was just some people being over anxious, and being about 8 at the time I believed it, now when you research you find some amazing articles.
What do you remember being told about 1975 as the year got closer ?
what do you remember being told about 1975 ???
Everything!!! What do you wanna know?
my parents told me it was just some people being over anxious
That's what the WT wants them to say.
But I know better, like many here do.
I also remember that as 1975 was approaching people would sell their property and serve where the need was greatest.
Others would stock up on food and fuel.
Andy.
I remember it too and all the talks on the end being months or even weeks away
It wasn't our imaginations.
I was new in the org. at that time....with 2 small babies. I remember.
In Indpls, IN, for several YEARS before 1975, we were being prepared for attack & hiding during the Service Meetings.
Elders (and I would assume this direction came from the WTBTS) taught us how to conduct Book Study Meeting in secrecy. How to gather together without the End Police finding us. How to Street Witness without being put in prison. How to get in contact with the Book Study Conductor for secret information on where we were to gather.
We used to have "campaigns" with big brochures during that time. It was strongly stressed each time - "this may very well be the last time our neighbors get the chance to choose life."
Sisters talked about what kind of food to have on hand.......without hoarding - because hoarding would show a lack of faith in Jehovah. Sisters were also cautioned not to lose too much weight - because we might need that body fat. Sisters were also caustioned not to get too heavy.....might not stand up to the "fleeing" part.
I knew several brothers who held onto any word, phrase by the CO to indicate accurate timing of events. "ONLY MONTHS LEFT" was one of the more famous ones.
Elder over in Florence, SC, sold his business, his house - everything - to pioneer. He did. After he found out the world didn't end.........he started another business, bought another house....and is still a jw. Fool.
Btw, the locals around here have bought into what the WTBTS said......"SOME brothers moved ahead of the Society."
Ain't no way..........the direction was from the WTBTS - they know their followers. They trained them.
I can remember the CO looking at his watch.....and counting down the time till 75'. After his visit....a couple of elders did the same thing for awhile.
I remember many rumors also that came from borg influenced statements and publications.......such as a statement in one publication printed in 1960 that stated" In 15 years, the world will not be a safe place to live", which was a quote from the 'worldly' expert on the matter.
I still have a tooth missing I had pulled as I figured I could get a new one in the "New System" in a year......that was 1974 I had it pulled. It's STILL missing and is my daily reminder of this date.
I had a brother who worked for me who was one of the unfortunate ones who sold most of his possesions, for this false date. He was hurt emotionally and financially.
Gumby
waiting
I had forgotten all that preparation stuff.
We were just south of the Laurentian mountains and had images of fleeing up there to hide.
I also remember being told that our studies would be from the Bible only because it would be too dangerous to use the lit. We were also told that once the doors were closed we would be going to people to tell them they were going to die.
edited to add
when I got pregnant in 71 my mother got angry telling me that my baby would never go to school in this system and that I would now be dragging a child with me when we had to flee
My family was resistant to the idea of the end coming in 1975. I can remember one being told by the CO that if they didn't believe the end was coming in 1975 that they were not a true Christian.
Proclaimers Book (1993) p 104(1966) The Witnesses had long shared the belief that the Thousand Year Reign of Christ would follow after 6,000 years of human history. But when would 6,000 years of human existence end? The book Life Everlasting?In Freedom of the Sons of God, released at a series of district conventions held in 1966, pointed to 1975. Right at the convention, as the brothers examined the contents, the new book triggered much discussion about 1975.
At the convention held in Baltimore, Maryland, F. W. Franz gave the concluding talk. He began by saying: "Just before I got on the platform a young man came to me and said, ?Say, what does this 1975 mean??" Brother Franz then referred to the many questions that had arisen as to whether the material in the new book meant that by 1975 Armageddon would be finished, and Satan would be bound. He stated, in essence: ?It could. But we are not saying. All things are possible with God. But we are not saying. And don?t any of you be specific in saying anything that is going to happen between now and 1975. But the big point of it all is this, dear friends: Time is short. Time is running out, no question about that.?
5/1/75 WT p. 285
Another speaker, F. W. Franz, the Society?s vice-president, forcefully impressed on the audience the urgency of the Christian preaching work. He stressed that, according to dependable Bible chronology, 6,000 years of human history will end this coming September according to the lunar calendar. This coincides with a time when "the human species [is] about to starve itself to death," as well as its being faced with poisoning by pollution and destruction by nuclear weapons. Franz added: "There?s no basis for believing that mankind, faced with what it now faces, can exist for the seventh thousand-year period" under the present system of things.
Does this mean that we know exactly when God will destroy this old system and establish a new one? Franz showed that we do not, for we do not know how short was the time interval between Adam?s creation and the creation of Eve, at which point God?s rest day of seven thousand years began. (Heb. 4:3, 4) But, he pointed out, "we should not think that this year of 1975 is of no significance to us," for the Bible proves that Jehovah is "the greatest chronologist" and "we have the anchor date, 1914, marking the end of the Gentile Times." So, he continued, "we are filled with anticipation for the near future, for our generation."?Matt. 24:34.
10/1/75 WT p. 579SINCE a new Jewish lunar year began in September 1975 a significant point in human history was reached. What was that? According to the Bible?s count of time, mankind then completed 6,000 years of existence on earth. Yes, the first man Adam, if he had chosen to remain obedient under God?s rulership, would have still been alive and 6,000 years old in September of this year.
Does this mean, then, that mankind has now reached 6,000 years into the 7,000-year period that God ?blessed and made sacred? as his great "rest day"? Does it mean that Christ?s millennial Kingdom rule, as the final 1,000 years of that "rest day," is to be reckoned from September 1975??Gen. 1:27, 31; 2:2, 3; Rev. 20:1-6.
No, it does not mean that. Why not? Well, the Bible record shows that God?s creations on the "day" just preceding that 7,000-year "rest day" did not end with Adam?s creation. It shows a time lapse between the creation of Adam and that of his wife, Eve. During that time, God had Adam name the animals. Whether that period amounted to weeks or months or years, we do not know. So we do not know exactly when Jehovah?s great "rest day" began, nor do we know exactly when it will end. The same applies to the beginning of Christ?s millennial reign. The Bible provides us no way to fix the date, and so it does us no good to speculate when that date may be.?Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 24:42, 44.
However, the Bible?s time clock does indicate to us that 6,000 years of human history end in this year 1975.
Hear it from his own mouth:
Witnesses know the Society expected Armageddon in 1975 and led members in error but current Witnesses I have talked to about it feel satisfied that the Society has done a sufficient job of explaining their behavior and have admitted their error and have, in their opinions, made amends satisfactorily. They wish to close the book on a mistake forgiven. They are like children who desire a relationship with their parents even though those parents are prone to error, human mistakes and occasional bad behavior.
To others, the Society is a social club and those Witnesses are basically skeptical, not very religious and view meetings as social appointments and service as exercise and a requirement for continued acceptance in the club. Many are habitual Witnesses. Of the current Witnesses, most do not even like critical thinking and can't understand why we do it. They see critical thinking as a flaw needing correction.
Those Witnesses have a sense of honor, a loyalty. They are comfortable. They can't see how their lives would be better without involvement, at some level, in the Watch Tower Society.
Their children who quit attending meetings and quit service and got disfellowshipped or decided to announce disassociation, were always dispensable to the long time Witness parents. They were always feeling, deep down, a sort of disloyalty to the Society for having the children in the first place. The Society was right, in their minds, this was not the time to have children. Look how they turned out. If we lived in ancient Israel, we would kill them and we would cast the first stone. They are easy for the parents to shun.
The phone sets on the hall table. The mother sits and rocks while the high school picture is still on the same shelf. She never looks at it. The father has the TV on with the sound off, a half a beer on the table, while he reads the Watchtower for tomorrow's meeting. No thoughts, no feelings for unfaithful adult children.
Current Witnesses mostly do not ever talk about 1975. It is not important to them. It is only important to former Witnesses.
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The best quote on 1975 I have is:
Did 1975 bother me? It most definitly did bother me. Instead of everyone being involved in something worthwhile, we were all eagerly awaiting the end of this wicked old system of things. We wasted all our time knocking on doors spreading hype and didn't really accomplish anything to be proud of some 27 years later. We didn't do one charitable work, we didn't heal one person, we didn't love the sick or help the needy, we didn't even watch out for each other. We didn't save one soul, we didn't live forever on this earth. We were lost in a vision of granduer, a lie. It was a waste of time!
libra_spirit http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=34622&page=2&site=3#462253
Aug 15 2002
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*** w86 3/15 p. 19 Allow No Place for the Devil!
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15 Yes, Jehovah's people have had to revise expectations from time to time. Because of our eagerness, we have hoped for the new system earlier than Jehovah's timetable has called for it. But we display our faith in God's Word and its sure promises by declaring its message to others. Moreover, the need to revise our understanding somewhat does not make us false prophets or change the fact that we are living in "the last days," soon to experience the "great tribulation" that will pave the way for the earthly Paradise. How foolish to take the view that expectations needing some adjustment should call into question the whole body of truth! The evidence is clear that Jehovah has used and is continuing to use his one organization, with "the faithful and discreet slave" taking the lead.
*** w84 12/1 p. 18 Keep Ready!
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14 True, some expectations that appeared to be backed up by Bible chronology did not materialize at the anticipated time. But is it not far preferable to make some mistakes because of overeagerness to see God's purposes accomplished than to be spiritually asleep as to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy? Did not Moses make a 40-year miscalculation in trying to act ahead of time to remove Israel's affliction? (Genesis 15:13; Acts 7:6, 17, 23, 25, 30, 34) Were not Christ's apostles overanxious to see the Kingdom established, not to speak of their complete misunderstanding as to what the Kingdom really is? (Acts 1:6; compare Luke 19:11; 24:21.) Were not the anointed Christians in Thessalonica impatient to see "the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ" and "the day of Jehovah"?2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2.
15 There is nothing basically unscriptural in using chronology in efforts to learn "the appointed time" for the fulfillment of God's purposes.
*** w79 7/1 p. 29 How Jehovah Guides His People
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17 However, during these "last days," have erroneous views about this system's end or telos (Greek) been held in advance by some of Jehovah's servants? Yes, they have. Some of these views involve the length of time it would take for the end to come. Out of zeal and enthusiasm for the vindication of Jehovah's name, Word and purposes, and the desire for the new system, some of his servants have at times been premature in their expectations. This is similar to the view that the disciples had as to the imminence of God's kingdom in their day. (Acts 1:6) But because expectations have at times been premature and so have not been fulfilled, does this mean that God has somehow changed his purpose? Not at all. "My own counsel will stand, and everything that is my delight I shall do," says Jehovah. (Isa. 46:10) Hence, Jehovah's purposes, and time, for establishing a righteous new order are firmly fixed.
Awake! 1993 3/22 Why So Many False Alarms?
[Footnotes]Jehovah's Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus' second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions 'in the name of Jehovah.' Never did they say, 'These are the words of Jehovah.' The Watchtower, the official journal of Jehovah's Witnesses, has said: "We have not the gift of prophecy." (January 1883, page 425) "Nor would we have our writings reverenced or regarded as infallible." (December 15, 1896, page 306) The Watchtower has also said that the fact that some have Jehovah's spirit "does not mean those now serving as Jehovah's witnesses are inspired. It does not mean that the writings in this magazine The Watchtower are inspired and infallible and without mistakes." (May 15, 1947, page 157) "The Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic." (August 15, 1950, page 263) "The brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers. (2 Tim. 3:16) And so, at times, it has been necessary, as understanding became clearer, to correct views. (Prov. 4:18)"-February 15, 1981, page 19.
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I remember all the hype mentioned above. It was rampant, and it came from the top: co's, do's, bethel. I knew a bro who sold his house in order to pioneer the last few yrs of this world. My sis put off dental work. Strangely, after the initial panic in and around 1966, i never bought into it that much. I guess i was a faithless bastard, even back then.
SS
Do I remember 1975....?? Sure do...!!!. Took many bashing because my Hubby said it was garbage( but Ole faithful snickered) I quit my job as a buyers asst.... Was offered a Asst managers job in Toronto( by the BAY ( who I worked for in Montreal) with a house etc: But ole Faithful declined I didnt want all that blood on my shoulders ---had to go warn everyone Armegedon was coming..When it didnt happen??? My husband asked WELL???? I told him to read Jonah 4:11...." He Jehovah! wanted to save all those who didnt know their right hand from their left!!!!"Frank( hubby) is Dead- Melanie daughter ( who would never see Kindergarten) is dead- 42 yrs> old Alan who would laugh at my beliefs- is dead 46yrs old.. .Annmarie is a devote JW mustnt talk to this apostate -only in dire trouble....Hey I am out here in that Spiritual paradise with you bunch of apostates >All having fun at Joys,> Simons, & I am sitting at this ruddy machine having flash backs!!! who started this thread anyway!!!!
The devil made me do it!!!!!!
