How many Jehovah's Witnesses left the organization after failed 1975 predictions?

Question

Are there any reliable sources for the number of people who left or disassociated after the year 1975 failed to live up to expectations? I've heard up to 1/3 left... but I have no idea if that is correct.

achtung_heiss: Are you saying no one left because of the 1975 controversy? That contradicts the personal testimonies of many former Jehovah's Witnesses.

NMB: These are valid questions, IF the organization had not backpedaled in the years leading up to 1975. The 1975 buildup, as I understand it, hit its peak in 1967/68. Only after 1974 did the organization change course, since it became evident that 1975 would come to nothing.

Perhaps the most famous Watchtower quote endorsing the idea that 1975 would be the end:

"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.—1 John 2:17"
(Kingdom Ministry, May 1974 pg.3)

Answer 1

Lots. According to
1975 yearbook, 2,021,432 publishers peak for 1974
..4,550,457 attended the memorial
1976 yearbook, 2,179,256 publishers peak for 1975
..4,925,643 attended the memorial
1977 yearbook, 2,248,390 publishers peak for 1976
..4,972,571 attended the memorial

These are statistics from Jehovah's witness own literature, but I have no reason to doubt it. Notice the lack of increase from 1975-1976. Assuming a linear increase, it appears that *about* 400,000 left.

One point: JW literature warned members *before* 1975 that 1975 might not be a significant year and, in any case, should *not* be presumed to be the "end of the world". This article made it *clear* that 1975 *could* be the last year of the "biblical 6th day", but that this was by no means certain. The article warned *quite firmly* against believing that any world-changing events were prophesied to happen in that year. If you're *really interested* in pursuing this, I may (with considerable cajoling) be persuaded to find that article again.

The point is, the "1975 predictions" were (apparently) not approved or authorized by the Watchtower Society. I know a JW personally who was a member then and who claims that these "predictions" were believed by individuals (not him) without authorization from the leadership in NY.

Jim, not a JW but definitely a Christian

Answer 2

I'm going to go with the idea that you were told/heard/believe that Jehovah's Witnesses beleived that the big "A" was coming in 1975.
I would ask you the following questions, then.

1. If it were truly taught that 1975 was going to be the end, why announce district conventions for 1976 at the 1975 ones ?

2. Knowing that a lot of long term work and planning is involved in making arrangements for district conventions, including making arrangements for the use of stadiums and coliseums, etc., why make them if you truly taught and believe the end was going to occur before you could use them ?

3. While I'm not sure of the exact number of magazines printed then, but if 1975 was being taught as the end why produce what would have to have been an overabundance considering the number of Witnesses then ? Why produce magazines for October, November, and December of 1975 since the governments were going to be gone and there would be no way to deliver them ?

4. If it was really being taught that the end was coming in 1975, why were so many congregations building new Kingdom Halls ? I check on this locally and within a 200 mile radius six congregations were planning, starting, or just finishing new halls.

5. Why start the next class of Gilead school since they wouldn't be needed if it was being taught that the end was coming in 1975. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe these groups graduate in the spring and the fall of the year, so in reality even the group that would have graduated in the spring really wouldn't have been needed.

The following figures come from the Jan 15th issue of the Watchtower magazine for the year cited. These are the AVERAGE not PEAK figures.
1974 1,656,673
1975 2,021,432
an increase of 364,759
1976 2,179,256
an increase of 157,824
1977 2,138,537
a decrease of 40,719
1978 2,117,197
a decrease of 21,340
1979 2,086,698
a decrease of 30,499
or a total decrease of 92,558.

Did these leave because of misunderstanding what was said? I don't know. Some may have, others have left for other reasons.

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

At least your brother pugwashjw above admits this is true about predicting 1975 Attention Hot.

Hope the asker locks this admission in before he removes it.

Because one of the two of you makes the other a liar.

After the death of Russell on Oct. 31, 1916, a Missouri lawyer named Joseph Franklin Rutherford took over the presidency of the Watch Tower Society which was known then as the International Bible Students Association. In 1931 he changed the name of the organization to "The Jehovah's Witnesses."
After Rutherford's death, Nathan Knorr took over. After Knorr, Frederick William Franz became president.
The Society was led by Mr. Henschel who died in 2003.
Don Adams, a 50-year veteran of the organization, named president of the organization, and seven lower-ranking members will make up the new board.

Answer 5

"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority."-Acts 1:7, New Inter. version.

"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 ... it may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years." [ WT August 15, 1968 pg. 499]

Above is one of the many quotes from the Watchtower Bible and tract Sociaty.....DIRECT QUOTE>more to come

When one studies the publications of the Watchtower between the years 1968-1975, it becomes evident that instead of being "faithful and discreet," the Watchtower Magazine, once again inspired and nourished a false hope in its followers by displaying a lamentable indiscretion in its claims (disclaimers and all) concerning the uneventful year of 1975. [37]

Do not pursue higher education. There is very little time left! Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service, your goal. [WT3/15/69 pg.171]

"Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and properties and planning to finish out the rest of their days in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world's end." [Kingdom Ministry, May 1974,pg.3]


http://towerwatch.com


nuff said?

Answer 6

About 1 million was the attrition from October 1975 to about 1980

Answer 7

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.co.uk/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_09.htm

Answer 8

It should be clarified, yet again, that 1975 was never predicted by Jehovah's Witnesses as the end of the world, despite the fact that this canard assiduously makes the rounds with fascinating fidelity. It reminds me of the oft-repeated rumor that Jayne Mansfield, the American blond bombshell actress, was beheaded in the car accident that took her life. She was not. But no matter how many times both rumors are cleared up, people still spread them.

I first began studying with Jehovah's Witnesses in 1972. Never was there any sort of "prediction" concerning 1975. It was mentioned that, chronologically, 1975 could mark the end of a particular day in humanity, as JiimPettis mentioned above. I distinctly remember learning that myself. However, repeatedly, the literature warned Jehovah's Witnesses that 1975 was not being predicted as anything cataclysmic; asking them why they were looking toward that date. My own study conductor very firmly told me that some Witnesses were truly getting carried away and there was no need to do that; that it was unscriptural to point towards 1975 as something definitive. Did some Witnesses get carried away? Absolutely. Some did things too stupid to mention here. Some, like a well-known music performer, seemed to have gotten baptized for that reason alone.

In truth, this foolishness weeded out many who probably should have not been Jehovah's Witnesses in the first place. For if you are serving Jehovah God on account of a date, or so you can get material goods without paying for them, or because you want to save your neck, then you are not serving Jehovah God at all. You are serving yourself. And when the so-called "date" fails to materialize what you personally wanted, what does that say about you? Quite a bit. Sometimes events tend to prune the garden. Perhaps this was a needed pruning.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 9

some did as some thought the end of 6000 yrs could possibly begin the 1000 yr reighn of Christ but the first article in the 75 watchtower said thre was no wy to figure out when the end would come exactly.

Answer 10

Probably a lot did, and the society will never again consider trying to name any dates.
We will now...wait.
the Society has actually grown stronger for it.

(Psalm 38:15) For on you, O Jehovah, I waited; You yourself proceeded to answer, O Jehovah my God.

(Psalm 130:6) My soul [has waited] for Jehovah More than watchmen for the morning, Watching for the morning.