1975

Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God (1966) said that 'six thousand years from man's creation will end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in the fall of 1975 C.E.', and that it would be 'appropriate' for God to make that seventh millennium 'a sabbath period of rest and release'. Source: Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God (book), 1966Source: The Watchtower, 15 april 1967

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: The Watchtower 15 March 1980 p.17: the book's comments meant 'considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975'; Proclaimers p.104 reports F. W. Franz telling a 1966 convention 'It could. But we are not saying'.

The Watchtower of 15 August 1968 ('Why Are You Looking Forward to 1975?') asked whether Armageddon 'will be all over by the autumn of 1975' and answered 'Possibly', saying any gap between the end of 6,000 years and Christ's reign 'may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years'. Source: The Watchtower, 15 augustus 1968

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: The Watchtower 15 March 1980 p.17 admitted that some statements 'implied that such realization of hopes by that year was more of a probability than a mere possibility' and that these 'overshadowed the cautionary ones'.

Awake! of 8 October 1968 ('What Will the 1970's Bring?') said the 6,000 years 'will evidently finish in the autumn of the year 1975', that 'no man can say' this positively points to 1975 as the end, but that 'the 1970's will certainly see the most critical times mankind has yet known' and that divine intervention in the 1970s 'should surely not surprise us'. Source: Awake!, 8 oktober 1968

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: Covered by the general 1980 acknowledgement.

The Watchtower of 1 May 1968 calculated the autumn of 1975 as 'fully 6,000 years into God's seventh day' and, asked whether 1975 'will bring the battle of Armageddon', answered 'No one can say with certainty what any particular year will bring' — while urging readers to treat the old system as 'a sinking ship'. Source: The Watchtower, 1 mei 1968

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: Proclaimers p.104 fn. h cites this article as one of the cautionary ones.

Awake! of 22 May 1969 told young readers: 'you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things... this corrupt system is due to end in a few years', and that 'as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers', discouraging plans for college. Source: Awake!, 22 mei 1969

Kingdom Ministry of May 1974 reported 'brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service' and called this 'a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world's end'. Source: Kingdom Ministry, mei 1974

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: The Watchtower 15 July 1976 p.441: 'it is not advisable for us to set our sights on a certain date, neglecting everyday things'.

The autumn of 1975 passed without Armageddon; The Watchtower of 1 October 1975 marked that 'mankind then completed 6,000 years of existence on earth' and asked 'Why Delay?'. Source: The Watchtower, 1 oktober 1975

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: Proclaimers p.633: 'in 1975, there was disappointment when expectations regarding the start of the Millennium failed to materialize. As a result, some withdrew from the organization.'

Worldwide peak publishers fell from 2,248,390 (1976 service year) to 2,223,538 (1977) and 2,182,341 (1978); the 1979 Yearbook reported an 'overall 1.4-percent decrease' in average publishers (2,086,698 v 2,117,194) and that 'others became inactive'. The 1977 Yearbook had already noted about 16,000 fewer pioneers and 23 million fewer hours than in 1975. The 1980 Yearbook reports increases in 1979 'though not large' in lands such as the United States and Great Britain, and an upswing in Nigeria and the Philippines 'after a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands'. Source: 1976 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1976Source: 1977 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1977Source: 1978 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1978Source: 1979 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1979Source: 1980 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1980

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: The yearbooks attribute the decline to 'various factors' and to some not reporting each month; Proclaimers p.633 says 'the number who defected was relatively small'.

The first official response, in July 1976, told anyone 'disappointed' to adjust 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'. Source: The Watchtower, 15 juli 1976

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: This is the organisation's explanation; it places the error with the individual's understanding.

In March 1980 The Watchtower acknowledged that, alongside cautionary statements, '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.' Source: The Watchtower, 15 maart 1980

Het standpunt van de organisatie of haar latere verklaring: Proclaimers p.633 repeats the substance: the idea was 'sometimes stated as a possibility, sometimes more firmly'.