As I was one of those people who were around during the build-up to 1975, I thought that some of the newer converts might be interested to see how the society arrived at this date with such confidence.
Firstly, we need to see how 1914 figures in this. We need to appreciate, that although the date 1914 is arrived at retrospectively - that is it was assumed initially to be the date of Armageddon, only later was it re-written as the date when Satan was thrown out of Heaven and Jesus ascended to his throne.
The society tied this in with the scripture “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur”, assumed that a “generation” was the average life-span of 70 years, tacked it onto 1914 to arrive at 1984 but also mentioned that some would live to 80 years owing to “special strength”, then mentioned that this generation would “by no means pass away” so that quite a wide time slot was available for Armageddon to arrive. This window of time then provided endless opportunities for JW’s to be kept in a permanent state of anticipation as various events unfolded. Armageddon was always, in my experience, never be more than 10 years away.
In the mid 60’s various speakers at District assemblies began to introduce the idea that the 6000 years of “Man’s creation” was almost over, and that Armageddon would arrive when this time was up. This is how it worked:
It was generally assumed that each creative day lasted for 7000years. Adam, the last creation, was created at the end of the sixth 7000 year day. According to JW’s, Adam was created in 4026 BC. Witnesses believe that the earth MUST be restored to it’s original paradise condition by the end of the last 7000 year day, God’s rest day. Add 7000 years to 4026 BC, allow for the fact that there was no year Zero and you finish up at 2975 AD. All that is now necessary is to accept the fact that it will take a millennium – 1000 years – for the clean up of earth and Armageddon survivors to be completed by 2975 AD. So now we take the 1000 years off this date to arrive at the time that this big clean up starts. Yup! 1975! Well within the "generation" of 1914 too!
Easy eh? Armageddon MUST arrive by then if the last creative day finished in 4026 BC. Almost unbelievably, the Boyz ‘n Brooklyn never gave a thought to the fact that Adam was not God’s last creation. Or maybe he was, then he wasn’t. Whatever, when yet another prophecy failed to materialise, the society leapt on to the fact that we had no way of knowing when EVE was created. So this gave them some breathing space. Even then they committed themselves that Adam would probably have been on in his own for “Probably just months, not years”. Using that argument, Adam would have been at least 27 years old before Eve was created, we are in 2002AD, 27 years on from Adams’ supposed 6000th birthday.
Since those days, the society has had virtually no comments to make about 1975, most dubs are now too young to know much about it all or too old to care. Only us silver fifty- sixty – somethings who have left the org, have any actual recollections about the sense of urgency and haste that permeated our lives back then. Whatever happens , please don’t fall for the dub line that “some believed something just might happen” in 1975. Everyone KNEW that 1975 was THE year. Anyone who claims otherwise is lying through their teeth!
Englishman.
Truth exists;only falsehood has to be invented. -Georges Braque