However, even though the Society has been wrong about many things, was 1975 really one of them? Did the Governing Body of the Watchtower Society really say that Armageddon was going to happen that year?
No. But they didn't have to.
While it is true that the words "1975 is going to be the year that we see the outbreak of Armageddon" were never uttered, nor a derivative thereof, it does not necessarily mean that the Society is completely guiltless. Their words hinted that it was "probable" that Armageddon would happen that year - even admitting as much themselves!
"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...there were...statements published that implied that such realization of hopes by that year was more of a probability than a mere possibility."-The Watchtower, March 15, 1980, pg. 17
In addition to the written word, which we will review later in the article, there were also pictures that appeared in publications that helped to bolster enthusiasm.
Even the growth in the numbers of Kingdom publishers before 1975 and a drop afterward shows that something spectacular was supposed to happen in that year. Check out the charts below that measure the growth around that year:
On his website, dear brother Perimeno scanned a copy of book that helped to stress "Armageddon's imminence" in 1975. The book can be seen be clicking here. Read for yourself what the Society said on this matter.
How exactly did people react with this doom and gloom teaching? Let us see.
In the American talk-show, The View, one of the hosts on there was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. After another host on the show received an invitation to the "Keep on the Watch!" District Convention, the conversation turned to the "prophecies" of the Jehovah's Witnesses (Watchtower Society). The woman said, "I remember back when I was young, being a Jehovah's Witness, they foretold that 1975 was the date, that the Armageddon , is what it's called, the Armageddon was going to come and a lot of people sold their property and houses because they thought the end of the world was coming...I waited - waited - it came and went. Now its like, its close."
I heard another story that took place in Mexico. A sister (who wasn't in the Truth then) remembers an airplane flying over her city and a man dropping fliers from it. When they picked the fliers up they all read that the end was coming in 1975. It wasn't until later that she found out which religion the man had to have been a part of. We can only hope that this poor brother was not stumbled out of the Truth due to this.
The Society, fortunately, tried to stop people from doing and saying these kinds of things. Brother Franz even said at a district convention:
"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.The Watchtower, Oct. 15, 1966, pg. 631
What was Franz referring to? Well, earlier in that same Watchtower article it was said, "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."
That new book emphasized a great deal about 1975 and people noticed it! They started throwing their hope into that year. Many people came into the Truth because of it. One Kingdom Ministry article even said:
"Since the summer of 1973 there have been new peaks in pioneers every month. Now there are 20,394 regular and special pioneers in the United States, an all-time peak. That is 5,190 more than there were in February 1973! A 34-percent increase...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."-May 1974, pg. 3
The Watchtower Society made this a good thing. 'Oh how wonderful, selling their homes!' Ask someone today about this, people selling their homes, and they criticize the poor people who were duped into believing the false expectations of the Society despite Jesus' warning: "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father."-Matthew 24:36
Other brothers and sisters decided that they should not have children.
"Today there is a great crowd of people who are confident that a destruction of even greater magnitude is now imminent. The evidence is that Jesus' prophecy will shortly have a major fulfilment, upon this entire system of things. This has been a major factor in influencing many couples to decide not to have children at this time."-Awake! Nov. 8, 1974, pg. 11
It cannot be said that the idea that "Jesus' prophecy will shortly have a major fulfillment" is what influenced these people. It was the idea that Jesus was returning in 1975 that had the influence. But how could that be, since Brother Franz said that we shouldn't be definite about anything involving 1975? The Proclaimers book says that "statements were published on this subject, and some were likely more definite than advisable." (Pg. 104) In a talk entitled, "Choosing the Best Way of Life" the Society (kind of) admitted their guilt in regard to 1975. The effect? "The brothers also appreciated the candor of this same talk, which acknowledged the Society's responsibility for some of the disappointment that some felt regarding 1975."-Yearbook, 1980, pg. 7
This was good because, at first, the Society blamed the brothers and sisters for raising their expectations:
"If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting his viewpoint, seeing that it was not the word of God that failed or deceived him and brought disappointment, but that his own understanding was based on wrong premises."-The Watchtower, July 15, 1976
Actually, though, whose fault was it for raising the brothers expectations? With words like these in articles and publications from the Society, it can be seen without a doubt where the blame lies.
"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 fulfillment of the remaining prophecies that have to do with the "time of the end."Awake! Oct. 8, 1966, pg. 19-20
"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!Oct. 8, 1968, pg. 13
Different brothers were giving talks with statements like this one by a District Overseer: "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 the….As one brother put it, 'Stay alive to Seventy-Five.'"
One Awake! article even told young ones "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." (May 22, 1969, pg. 15) Brothers and sisters who questioned these predictions using Matthew 24:36 as a defense were told by the Society, "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." 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."-The Watchtower Aug. 15, 1968, pg. 500
I guess many brothers and sisters were taken in by that statement because the Society continues to request this same thing of us by telling us to ignore clear Scriptural points in favor of their interpretations - and numerous brothers do.
1975 was an epoch year for Jehovah's Witnesses. This year was the year that people started to look at our actions and failed predictions and say 'See! Jehovah's Witnesses are false prophets.' Before that, it seemed that they focused more on our doctrine. From this point, the Watchtower Society gave apostates and anti-JW's ammunition to use against us.
The Governing Body and brothers on the writing staff continue to make mistakes. For example, the statement was made that "the apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity. He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century." (The Watchtower, Jan. 1, 1989, pg. 12, para. 8) Interestingly, later, when the bound volume came out, the statement was changed to "a work that would be completed in our day." Just look on the CD-Rom to see that.
Another statement made regarding the end (which was not changed later) was found in another issue of The Watchtower:
"In the early 1920’s, a featured public talk presented by Jehovah’s Witnesses was entitled “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” This may have reflected overoptimism at that time. But today that statement can be made with full confidence. Both the increasing light on Bible prophecy and the anarchy of this dying world cry out that the end of Satan’s system is very, very near!-Jan. 1, 1997, pg. 11, para. 18
What if this system goes on past 2057? 2067? 2077? It very well could, and the Watchtower Society (if there still is one in any of those years), although few will remember that statement, will have been wrong again.
This goes to show us that we should "not put [our] trust in nobles, not in the son of earthling man."-Psalm 146:3
With Sincere Christian Love and Affection,
Brother Ebed Abodah
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