The Society and 1975.

by Lost in the fog 46 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Finkelstein

  JWS today do not know that the WTS used the 6000 years of mankind's existence 3 times in the 20th century , starting around the early 1900's.

  So what time were the brothers running ahead of themselves ?

  Maybe they were propagating a date to drawn attention to the literature they were publishing

  As in ..... " Christ has returned the end of this system of things is upon us "

  The WTS has been involved in commercialized false prophet charlatanism for over 140 years.

  To confirm that all you have to do is read its literature starting back to the late 1800's
  
• 

  smiddy3

  I am aware of the WT twice using the 6000 years of human existence the last being 1975 ,I thought the earlier one was the late 1800`s .

  I converted in 1960 so I lived through the 1975 debacle ,and while I knew they fudged blaming the R&F for their mistake I still didn`t leave till the early 90`s.

  Silly me.
• 

  Phizzy

  I was worse than you Smiddy3 ! Born in, in the early 1950's, I didn't actually leave until just over a decade ago ! VERY silly me. The 1975 thing was not made a great thing of in my Congregation, virtually ignored, so it had only a minor effect upon me.

  But, I am sure it added to my Cognitive Dissonance, so did contribute to my eventual Freedom. I have found out since that even nearby Congregations did go over the top, one guy sold up all his considerable property holding and his business and went off and Special Pioneered, he left a few year after '75, and is still bitter about the money lost. Had he held on to, and expanded his property Holdings, as he had planned, he would be a multi Millionaire today. Likeable guy though, and still keeps tabs on what J.W's are up to.
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  Finkelstein

  One thing I still wonder about to this day is why didn't JWS (we) back then critically think about why was it that all of this doctrinal teaching of Armageddon soon, Christ has returned, this generation is the last one of the old system of things, came only from the Watchtower Corporation when there were hundreds of Christian faiths that were not saying similar things ?

  In reality what we were really doing was sharing in the sins of apostate false prophets being mentally exploited and manipulated by men running a publishing house.
  
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  BluesBrother

  Like many others I was there. There were several articles highlighting the importance of the then future year 1975. The first time I saw it was in a chart in a study book printed in the late sixties . The momentum grew as years went by.

  We knew that The Society had not actually said that Armageddon would be on or before September 1975 but they sure hinted it strong enough . That was good enough for most of the dubs at the time. I mean, what were. We supposed to think?

  One typical view as voiced by an elder I remember. He said “ I am certain that Jehovah would not allow the Society to be so wrong over this important matter “

  How wrong we were!
• 

  Finkelstein

  The game the WTS played onto people was making people believe in their lies and bullshit all supported by the belief in the bible and their holy spirit driven interpretations of the bible.

  F. Franz made the proclamation that the 6000 years of mankind's existence ending actually in Oct of 1975, a verifiable example of the lying bullshit that guy was up to.

  " Stay Alive Til '75 "

  I knew of a JWS kid that killed himself mostly because this hyped up lying bullshit.
  
  
• 

  Overrated

  There must of been a money making scheme behind the 75 thing for WT. Or something up to no good.
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  Overrated

  Getting it wrong seems to be the track record of Watchtower. When have they got anything right? It's shooting in the dark and hoping you hit something.
• 

  waton

  shot into the dark?

  wt writers believe they have inherited "Peter's keys" to the kingdom [of 1914]. and that god would have to oblige by untying the knotty problems in which they got tangled up in, here on earth.

  wt bought property in Brooklyn prior. in 1975. r&f, bought, sold, mortgaged to pioneer or live it up, seriously though,

  many true believers made great sacrifices, pot in an all out final sprint, no holds barred.
• 

  Phizzy

  " There must of been a money making scheme behind the 75 thing for WT. Or something up to no good."

  I don't think it was a calculated thing, by " The Society", I think they were borne along on the waves of enthusiasm of Mad Freddy Franz, who backed the date, and dropped broad hints in a talk that HE was convinced it would be " the End of the System of Things" by October 1975, though he laughed, and said " But we are not SAYING...." Imagine how that ramped up expectation ! The Oracle had spoken ! But much like the Oracle of Delphi, you could not trust the words, they could mean more than one thing.

  It had the effect of reactivating many in the late 60's and early 70's, and it brought in converts, a good number from both groups drifted off when expectation was unfulfilled.

  False Prophets by any measure !