jehovahs witnesses is it true that the watchtower predicted the end in 1975?

Question

don't just say no or yes, please show some references.

answer with references from the Watchtower gets best answer.

Answer 1

This so-called "question" makes a remarkable demand... 'prove with references that The Watchtower did not teach something'.

Anti-Witnesses recycle this particular "controversy" from time to time, pretending that Jehovah's Witnesses taught Armageddon would come in 1975. Is that the way Jehovah's Witnesses themselves understood the matter?

In 1975, there was a peak of 2,179,256 active Witnesses preaching from house to house. Did they quit in 1976? No.

By 2005, there were 6,613,829 actively preaching Jehovah's Witnesses, more than THREE TIMES as many!

Even in the United States, Jehovah's Witnesses have doubled their numbers since 1975. The articles of Jehovah's Witnesses which mentioned 1975 did so because it seemed to represent 6000 years since mankind's creation; no connection was made between that year and Armageddon.

Jehovah's Witnesses have long taught that not even Jesus knew the day and hour of Armageddon.

(Matthew 24:3-36) .The disciples approached [Jesus] privately, saying: “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” 4 And in answer Jesus said to them: “Look out... 10 Then, also, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. ...13 But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come. ...36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.


It is sad when the enemies of truth work to spread misinformation regarding this peaceful Christian religion.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.org/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_09.htm

Answer 2

Not exactly.

I do not have the book at hand, but the publication "Life Everlasting in the Freedom of the Sons of God" pointed out correctly that the end of 6,000 years of human history would be in 1975.

Then it went on to say that it would be appropriate if the end of this system occurred in that year. Then the idea took root among some individual witnesses and admittedly was encouraged by some things in our publications.

QUOTE # 1:
“Say, What Does This 1975 Mean?”

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.’

In the years following 1966, many of Jehovah’s Witnesses acted in harmony with the spirit of that counsel. However, other statements were published on this subject, and some were likely more definite than advisable. This was acknowledged in The Watchtower of March 15, 1980 (page 17). But Jehovah’s Witnesses were also cautioned to concentrate mainly on doing Jehovah’s will and not to be swept up by dates and expectations of an early salvation.

QUOTE # 2:
In modern times such eagerness, commendable in itself, has led to attempts at setting dates for the desired liberation from the suffering and troubles that are the lot of persons throughout the earth. 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 made then, and thereafter, stressing that this was only a possibility. 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. It is to be regretted that these latter statements apparently overshadowed the cautionary ones and contributed to a buildup of the expectation already initiated.
END OF QUOTES

We humbly admit our errors and keep on with our study of Scripture to assure that we are doing God's will and keeping in expectation just as Jesus said.

In regard to an earlier belief we had, A. H. Macmillan explained later: “I learned that we should admit our mistakes and continue searching God’s Word for more enlightenment. No matter what adjustments we would have to make from time to time in our views, that would not change the gracious provision of the ransom and God’s promise of eternal life.”

Answer 3

Not in a specific absolute way.

Witnesses were led to believe that Bible chronology indicated it, as already mentioned, beginning with the release of the book "Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God" in 1966. They were also cautioned not to doubt Jehovah's direction by doubting the direction of the "faithful and discreet slave" from whom the idea originated (Jan 15, 1974WT, page 50, paragraph 5, ). But technically, the WT didn't say "Armageddon is definitely coming in 1975."

From a non-technical viewpoint, however, it would have to be said that initially it was the Watchtower leadership - not the Witnesses themselves - who originated the idea. The Witnesses, themselves, put faith in it, because of the WT claim that the Watchtower leadership is being led by Jehovah.

Answer 4

No. I should know. I was baptized in 1973. No such WT article exists that prediced the end in 1975. And why should it. At Matt. 24:36 says that information was something only the Father knows.

Answer 5

Here are the years that the WT has predicted as "the end":

1872 (Daily Heavenly Manna, inside cover page).
1873 (Thy Kingdom Come p. 305), (Thy Kingdom Come, page 305).
1874 (The Finished Mystery, pages, 395), (Finished Mystery, page 386).
1878 (Thy Kingdom Come, page 234).
1914 (The Time is At Hand. Page 101, 1911 Ed), (The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life, p. 87).
1915 (The Time is At Hand, page 101, 1913 Ed).
1918 (The Finished Mystery (SS-7), 1917 ed., p. 398-399).
1925 (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, page 89).
1926 (The Way to Paradise, pages 228, 229).
1972 (The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 152, 1943 edition).
1975 (Awake!, October 8th, l968, page 15).
Before 2000 (The Watchtower, February 15 pp. 51-60, 'The Kingdom Sabbath and Its Lord').

Answer 6

Their cult has predicted the end of the world many many times over

Answer 7

OK, I want to see how they explain this one too.