by Sea Breeze 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
How many of you here remember 1975? I hope the newer generations never forget.
The true believers got shamed for it. Those who were hedging their bets, fared much better. I lived through this nightmare when I was 12 years old. I was badly disoriented and jaded when it failed. I couldn't figure out why it was wrong for kids to lie, but when so-called godly adults did it, it was OK.
I turned 16 in 1975, I remember that very well. If I bring up 1975 to my relatives, they gaslight me, telling me that it didn’t happen. I WAS THERE, IT HAPPENED. I remember Sunutko’s talk, “Stay Alive Till ‘75”.
At the district assembly in summer of 1976, Fred Franz came to the convention and pointed his finger at the audience. He said it was OUR FAULT the end didn’t come, because we were expecting it. I remember thinking to myself, You are a f##+ing liar.
1975--I hope the newer generations never forget.
1975...............What about it!
That was almost 30 years before I was born.
That's like telling me....don't forget 1727???
@ Biahi
That's pretty amazing that you witnessed both the false prophecy and the shaming, direct from the platform. It is astonishing to me that people would put up with that kind of mental abuse. Seems like I was the only one in my family that it seemed to bother.
That was almost 30 years before I was born.
@liam
That's exactly why you shouldn't forget about it. Once the eyewitnesses die off, the whole thing could get swept under the rug.
I'm curious though; in your opinion what percentage of JW's in your general age group know nothing about it?
Sea Breeze, of course we all heard of 1975, it hard not to, considering the Internet reveals everything these days. But PIMI parents tell us that it was over zealous publishers that made a big deal of it, not God's Organization.
The magazines you pointed out shows that the WT did have some of the responsibility in coercing the members that 1975 was significant, but the publishers that believed it to the point of selling their homes and quitting their jobs to pioneer also bear some responsibility.
Not everyone sold their homes and not everyone quit their jobs to pioneer. That's what gives the WT credence when they say "It was overzealous publisher that are at fault"
Since the young people like me or younger never "Felt" the emotional High of 1975, it means nothing to us. It's like reading stories about the followers of Marshall Applewhite, the leader of the Heaven's Gate cult, which believed in extraterrestrial salvation and organized a mass suicide in 1997
The stores are interesting, but we don't lose sleep over it or talk about it with each other. It was something in the past that didn't affect us. And the people that followed him to the death were just people who for some reason believed Applewhite had some type of "Divine Knowledge"
Just like the PIMI Jehovah Witnesses of today that still follow everything 11 old men in New York say, "Even if it doesn't make sense from a human standpoint"
Or people who believe Biden was the best President the United States ever had, and AOC should be the Next President of the USA.
There seems to be two types of humans on the planet.
Those who want to know the truth and investigate, research, and dig in.
And those who believe everything they are told and wont do the hard work of researching, investigating, and digging in to find the facts. Because it takes time to do the work.
And sometimes, people want comforting lies instead of Unpleasant truths.
I dont remember 1975 but its the reason my parents became jw's.
I'm curious though; in your opinion what percentage of JW's in your general age group know nothing about it?
Just on a related topic, somone who witnessed the generation change of 1995 would have to have been born about 10-15 years earlier to remember and appreciate what it meant. That person would now be 40-45 years old. Time goes too quick.
From the late 60s until 1976 Watchtower beat the drum of 1975 weekly at the book study (Freedom of the Sons of God", even Bible Studies were given only 6 months because "the end is so soon!....then it was crickets in 1976.JWfacts has a great summary:
"From 1966 to 1975, the Watchtower regularly implied that Armageddon would arrive in 1975. However, ask one of Jehovah's Witnesses about this date and they will invariably deny there ever being such statements. The following exhaustive list of quotes show Watchtower left little to the imagination regarding 1975.
In 1980, Watchtower admitted "considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975" from information printed in its publications.
The Watchtower strongly implied the end would come in 1975.
"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 man's 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." Watchtower 1980 Mar 15 p.17
Regular implications that 1975 would bring Armageddon resulted in many Jehovah's Witnesses firmly believing this was going to be the end.
The growth rate of publishers before and after 1975 proves the significance of 1975 for Jehovah's Witnesses and the affect of Armageddon's failure to eventuate at that time."- wait! There's more!
...."
The idea that 1975 would culminate in the end of the world was introduced in 1966.
"The published timetable resulting from this independent study gives the date of man's creation as 4026 B.C.E. According to this trustworthy Bible chronology six thousand years from man's creation will end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in the fall of 1975 C.E. So six thousand years of man's existence on earth will soon be up, yes, within this generation. So in not many years within our own generation we are reaching what Jehovah God could view as the seventh day of man's existence. How appropriate it would be for Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a sabbath period of rest and release, a great Jubilee sabbath for the proclaiming of liberty throughout the earth to all its inhabitants! This would be most timely for mankind. It would also be most fitting on God's part, for, remember, mankind has yet ahead of it what the last book of the Holy Bible speaks of as the reign of Jesus Christ over earth for a thousand years, the millennial reign of Christ. It would not be by mere chance or accident but would be according to the loving purpose of Jehovah God for the reign of Jesus Christ, the 'Lord of the Sabbath,' to run parallel with the seventh millennium of man's existence." Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God 1966 pp.26-30
"Does God's rest day parallel the time man has been on earth since his creation? Apparently so. In what year, then, would the first 6,000 years of man's existence and also the first 6,000 years of Gods rest day come to an end? The year 1975. It means that within a relatively few years we will witness the fulfilment of the remaining prophecies that have to do with the "time of the end"." Awake! 1966 Oct 8 pp.19-20
"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!" .. 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. Does it mean that the attack of Gog of Magog is going to be made on Jehovah's witnesses to wipe them out, then Gog himself will be put out of action? 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." Watchtower 1966 Oct 15 pp.629,631
In 1967, Watchtower wrote that "sudden death" was "only a few short years ahead of us" and to come within the generation that had seen both world wars.
"the danger of sudden death is staring you in the face. ... That is exactly the case with the warning that we speak of here, and there are reasons why it can truly be said to be the most urgent warning ever given. ... It is to come within the generation that has already seen two world wars and it is only a few short years ahead of us." Watchtower 1967 Apr 15 pp.243-244
At the 1967 District Convention, Wisconsin Sheboygan District Overseer Brother Charles Sinutko presented the talk "Serving with Everlasting Life in View", making the following statement:
"Stay Alive to Seventy Five"
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"Well now, as Jehovah's Witnesses, as runners, even though some of us have become a little weary, it almost seems as though Jehovah has provided meat in due season. Because he's held up before all of us, a new goal. A new year. Something to reach out for and it just seems it has given all of us so much more energy and power in this final burst of speed to the finish line. And that's the year 1975. Well, we don't have to guess what the year 1975 means if we read the Watchtower. And don't wait 'till 1975. The door is going to be shut before then. As one brother put it, "Stay alive to Seventy-Five""
In November 1968, District Overseer Duggan announced at the Pampa Texas Assembly that "not really a full 83 months remains, so lets be faithful and confident and … we will be alive beyond the war of Armageddon…," which therefore slated Armageddon by October 1975.
"83 Months remain"
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Similar comments flowed through the Watchtower during the late nineteen sixties, showing that the concept Armageddon would arrive in 1975 was encouraged, with terms such as "there is only 6 years left" used as a count down to the end.
"Just think, brothers, there are only about ninety months left before 6,000 years of man's existence on earth is completed. Do you remember what we learned at the assemblies last summer? The majority of people living today will probably be alive when Armageddon breaks out, and there are no resurrection hopes for those that are destroyed then." Kingdom Ministry 1968 Mar p.4
"The immediate future is certain to be filled with climactic events, for this old system is nearing its complete end. Within a few years at most the final parts of Bible prophecy relative to these "last days" will undergo fulfilment." Watchtower 1968 May 1 p.272
The August 15 issue of the 1968 Watchtower went into great detail to prove that 1975 really is the end of 6000 years, giving credence to 1975 speculation.
"Do we know that the seventh year from now will conclude the 6,000th year since Adam was created? And if we live to that year 1975, what should we expect to happen?" Watchtower 1968 Aug 15 p.488
"WHAT about all this talk concerning the year 1975? Lively discussions, some based on speculation, have burst into flame during recent months among serious students of the Bible. Their interest has been kindled by the belief that 1975 will mark the end of 6,000 years of human history since Adam's creation. The nearness of such an important date indeed fires the imagination and presents unlimited possibilities for discussion.
2 But wait! How do we know their calculations are correct? What basis is there for saying Adam was created nearly 5,993 years ago? Does the one Book that can be implicitly trusted for its truthful historical accuracy, namely, the Inspired Word of Jehovah, the Holy Bible, give support and credence to such a conclusion?
35 One thing is absolutely certain, Bible chronology reinforced with fulfilled Bible prophecy shows that six thousand years of man's existence will soon be up, yes, within this generation! (Matt. 24:34) This is, therefore, no time to be indifferent and complacent. This is not the time to be toying with the words of Jesus that "concerning that day and hour nobody knows , neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matt. 24:36) To the contrary, it is a time when one should be keenly aware that the end of this system of things is rapidly coming to its violent end. Make no mistake, it is sufficient that the Father himself knows both the "day and hour"!
36 Even if one cannot see beyond 1975, is this any reason to be less active? The apostles could not see even this far; they knew nothing about 1975. All they could see was a short time ahead in which to finish the work assigned to them." Watchtower 1968 Aug 15 p.494 Why Are You Looking Forward to 1975?
"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 1968 Aug 15 p.499
"The fact that fifty-four years of the period called the "last days" have already gone by is highly significant. It means that only a few years, at most, remain before the corrupt system of things dominating the earth is destroyed by God." Awake! 1968 Oct 8 p.13
"Many schools now have student counselors who encourage one to pursue higher education after high school, to pursue a career with a future in this system of things. Do not be influenced by them. Do not let them "brainwash" you with the Devil's propaganda to get ahead, to make something of yourself in this world. This world has very little time left! Any "future" this world offers is no future! Wisely, then, let God's Word influence you in selecting a course that will result in your protection and blessing. Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry, with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service your goal. This is a life that offers an everlasting future!" Watchtower 1969 Mar 15 p.171
"If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the "last days" in 1914, Jesus foretold: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur."-Matt. 24:34. Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in highschool and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!" Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15
"Bible chronology which indicates that Adam was created in the fall of the year 4026 B.C.E. would bring us down to the year 1975 C.E. as the date marking 6,000 years of human history with yet 1,000 years to come for Christ's Kingdom rule. So whatever the date for the end of this system, it is clear that the time left is reduced, with only approximately six years left until the end of 6,000 years of human history." Watchtower 1970 May 1 p.273
In the Awake! 1971 October 8, a timeline was presented with the caption "As we near the end of 6,000 years of human history in the mid-1970's there is the thrilling hope of a grand relief." In the timeline the "Millennial reign of Jesus Christ" starts on the six thousandth year.
"And now, as the year 1975 opens up, some thousands of the anointed remnant, still alive on this earth, look ahead to realizing that joyful prospect. The increasing "great crowd" of their sheeplike companions look forward with them to entering the New Order without interruption of life. In the New Order Jehovah God will add to the "length of days" of the anointed remnant on earth to the point of satisfying the members thereof. It remains to be seen whether they will be yet retained here on earth to see the start of the resurrection of the earthly dead and to meet faithful witnesses of ancient, pre-Christian times. They would enjoy that, before being taken off the earthly scene to the heavenly reward with Christ." Watchtower 1974 Dec 15 p.766
Watchtower was still promoting such expectations in 1975. During an Assembly part on February 10th, 1975 in Los Angeles, Fred Franz referred to Live Everlasting Life in Freedom of the Sons of God, saying:
"And then if we turn to page 35 we are starting to see the year nineteen hundred and seventy five, where we actually are. And, what does it say with regard to 1975? It says, the end, now notice this, the end of the six one thousand year day of man's existence in early autumn. And then it carries us beyond that, beyond this year, the next date is 2075. So you see, we haven't much left till this year 1975. It going to end at sundown of September the 5th, and that immediately after September the the 5th, why the millennial kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ must begin in order to fulfil the final thousand years of God's great seven creative days, and they're expecting the great tribulation to occur and the destruction of Babylon the Great and the annihilation of all the political systems of this world and then the binding of Satan and his demons and their abyssing to occur before this year is ended, this year nineteen hundred and seventy five, and immediately thereafter the thousand year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ to begin. Now that is all it says about the year 1975. (Audience applauses.)"
This is a 8mb audio file of Franz's speech and may take a few seconds to start.
The May 1st, 1975 Watchtower refers to a similar speech Fred Franz delivered at the March 2nd, 1975 graduation program for Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.
"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." Watchtower 1975 May 1 p.285
The Watchtower publications dwelt extensively on how bad world conditions were, using secular quotes to support that the world could not continue beyond 1975. For instance, Awake! 1968 Oct 8 included the following quote on page 15;
"… U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson said in 1960: "I know enough of what is going on to assure you that, in 15 years from today [or, by 1975], this world is going to be too dangerous to live in."
Also from the same page:
"One of the greatest problems, beyond man's solving, is the coming food shortage due to the population explosion. In the book Famine-1975! food experts W. and P. Paddock state:
"By 1975 a disaster of unprecedented magnitude will face the world. Famines, greater than any in history, will ravage the undeveloped nations.”
"I forecast a specific date, 1975, when the new crisis will be upon us in all its awesome importance."
"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.""
Humans were said to be on the verge of starvation, poisoning or nuclear destruction.
"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." Watchtower 1975 May 1 p.285
It wasn't a weak suggestion. JWs in my town who remodeled homes, built new homes, started apprenticeships, applied for realtor's licenses, or had children, were admonished from the platform for "Playing shuffleboard on a sinking Titanic!" I had relatives who sold homes, quit jobs, and moved to where the need was great. (they suffered greatly later).
My mom racked up credit card debt expecting "people throwing their money in the street" and the destruction of the credit card companies at Armageddon.
I quit a great Silicon Valley job, and started working part time and pioneering (after non stop "counseling by local elders and the CO, and soon left for Bethel).
Speaking up or against the Watchtower's calamity howling = labeled: APOSTATE with loss of privileges or worse...
Yes, I will never forget.
A few years ago at a conference a video was shown set in 1975 where a fanatic couple had sold everything to go preach, while another couple was skeptical when they saw these decisions. In the video the wise couple was the skeptical couple. What the video didn't say was that it was the organization that was responsible for fanaticism and that at the time the fanatics were the examples to follow. So the lesson of the video was...: don't pay too much attention to what the organization says! Don't worry, I've been doing it for decades.
Balaamass2
Thanks for posting all that data ref. 1975. I remember it all like it was yesterday, having been eleven years old when it all started with the release of the book Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God.
the WT did have some of the responsibility in coercing the members that 1975 was significant
Yeah - just some!
Speaking up or against the Watchtower's calamity howling = labeled: APOSTATE with loss of privileges or worse...
So very, very true.
These days, it seems like every man and his dog would try to have us believe that they "never really bought into it" when asked about the 1975 fiasco. Yet back in the day, I don't recall ever hearing a single JW expressing doubts about that date - for the reasons you have just stated.
No wonder, either, when the concluding sentence of a 1974 Circuit Assembly talk about that date stated confidently "We still stand by our date of 1975" (followed by the thunderous applause of the audience).
