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1975
Kuruluş ‘Armagedon 1975’te gelecek’ diye bir şey basmadı. Dokuz yıl boyunca bastığı şey, 1975 sonbaharında biten bir kronoloji, sonun hemen ardından gelip gelmeyeceğine dair yinelenen sorular, ‘yıllar değil, haftalar ya da aylar’ yanıtı ve ‘kalan kısa süre’ uğruna evlerinden vazgeçen üyelere yönelik övgüydü.
Son gözden geçirme: 19. Eylül 2026
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According to this trustworthy Bible chronology 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. ... How appropriate it would be for Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a sabbath period of rest and release, a great Jubilee sabbath
The same chapter asked: ‘How appropriate it would be for Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a sabbath period of rest and release, a great Jubilee sabbath’. At a 1966 convention F. W. Franz was asked whether this meant Armageddon by 1975 and answered, as the 1993 history reports it ‘in essence’, ‘It could. But we are not saying … Time is short.’Source: Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), 1993
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. Nisan 1967
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: 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'.
1966 · pp.29-30 · pars. 41-43 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“According to this trustworthy Bible chronology 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. ... How appropriate it would be for Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a sabbath period of rest and release, a great Jubilee sabbath”
Paragraph 42 adds 'six thousand years of man's existence on earth will soon be up, yes, within this generation'. The 'how appropriate' sentence is par. 43 on p. 30 (not p. 35 as sometimes cited); the p. 35 chart was not checked.
Köken ve doğrulama notu for Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God (book), Chapter 1, pars. 41-43
Güvenilirlik notu.Scan opened and page header '30 LIFE EVERLASTING' confirmed; host is unofficial, so cite alongside w1980 3/15 p.17 and jv p.104, which quote/describe the book.
Taramanın kökeni.Unofficial archive (Watchtower Wayback) OCR'd PDF of the 1966 book (Acrobat paper-capture, 2008). Lending copies also exist on archive.org (lifeeverlastingi00watc) but are access-restricted. Copyright 1966; short quotation only.
15. Nisan 1967 · p.236 · par. 25 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“According to a more recent calculation of the Bible timetable, six thousand years of man's existence will end in the latter half of the year 1975, which is well within this century. The Bible millennium is ahead of us”
Contrasts Ussher's 1996 date with the Society's 1975 calculation.
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, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man's existence coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ.
Our chronology, however, which is reasonably accurate (but admittedly not infallible), at the best only points to the autumn of 1975 as the end of 6,000 years of man’s existence on earth. It does not necessarily mean that 1975 marks the end of the first 6,000 years of Jehovah’s seventh creative “day.” … It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years.
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. Ağustos 1968
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: 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'.
15. Ağustos 1968 · pp.494-501 · pars. 29-30, 37 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“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, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man's existence coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ.”
The same paragraph (30) continues: 'Our chronology, however, which is reasonably accurate (but admittedly not infallible), at the best only points to the autumn of 1975 as the end of 6,000 years of man's existence on earth. It does not necessarily mean that 1975 marks the end of the first 6,000 years of Jehovah's seventh creative "day." ... It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years.' Par. 29: 'in the fall of the year 1975 ... it will be 6,000 years since the creation of Adam'. Par. 37: 'They have not dedicated their lives to serve Jehovah only until 1975.'
Two months later Awake! asked ‘What Will the 1970’s Bring?’ and answered that the six thousand years ‘will evidently finish in the autumn of the year 1975’ and that ‘the 1970’s will certainly see the most critical times mankind has yet known’.Source: Awake!, 8. Ekim 1968
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. Ekim 1968
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: Covered by the general 1980 acknowledgement.
8. Ekim 1968 · pp.13-15 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“That seven-year period will evidently finish in the autumn of the year 1975. Does this mean that the above evidence positively points to 1975 as the time for the complete end of this system of things? Since the Bible does not specifically state this, no man can say. However, of this we can be sure: The 1970's will certainly see the most critical times mankind has yet known.”
Sub-heading 'When Do 6,000 Years End?'; adds 'If the 1970's should see intervention by Jehovah God ... that should surely not surprise us.' Awake! before 1970 is not on wol.jw.org.
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. Mayıs 1968
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: Proclaimers p.104 fn. h cites this article as one of the cautionary ones.
1. Mayıs 1968 · pp.271-273 · pars. 5, 8 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“Eight years from the autumn of 1967 would bring us to the autumn of 1975, fully 6,000 years into God's seventh day, his rest day. ... Does this mean that the year 1975 will bring the battle of Armageddon? No one can say with certainty what any particular year will bring.”
Cautionary sentence sits inside an article urging readers to treat the old system as 'a sinking ship'.
Köken ve doğrulama notu for The Watchtower, Making Wise Use of the Remaining Time
Güvenilirlik notu.Opened on wol; page markers 271 and 272/273 confirmed. The wording 'within a few years at most the final parts of Bible prophecy...' attributed by some discovery sites to pp.272-273 was not found in this article.
If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. ... Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers.
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.
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. Mayıs 1969
22. Mayıs 1969 · pp.13-14 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. ... Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers.”
Ties the statement to 'the generation that observed the beginning of the "last days" in 1914' and advises against planning for college.
Köken ve doğrulama notu for Awake!, What Future for the Young? (article addressed to young people)
Güvenilirlik notu.Wording confirmed in an excerpt scan of pp. 13-14 only; the passage lies within it. The article title is not visible in the excerpt and is taken from secondary citations; the passage is often cited as p. 15, which the scan does not support.
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, Mayıs 1974
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: The Watchtower 15 July 1976 p.441: 'it is not advisable for us to set our sights on a certain date, neglecting everyday things'.
Mayıs 1974 · p.3 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“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.”
Reports a US peak of 20,394 pioneers and asks readers whether they can adjust their affairs to pioneer.
The autumn of 1975 passed. The Watchtower of 1 October 1975 recorded that ‘mankind then completed 6,000 years of existence on earth’, in an issue that also carried an article titled ‘Why Delay?’.Source: The Watchtower, 1. Ekim 1975The organisation’s own statistics, in its own definitions, then fell for two years.
Worldwide peak publishers by service year, 1975 to 1978 (the organisation’s own figures and wording)
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’; it gives no worldwide figure in its narrative.Source: 1980 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1980
The Yearbooks attribute the decrease to some who ‘did not share in giving a witness each month’ and ‘others became inactive’; the 1993 history says that ‘in 1975, there was disappointment … As a result, some withdrew from the organization’, while calling the number ‘relatively small’. We state the figures and the organisation’s explanation; we do not assign a cause.Source: 1979 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1979Source: Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (jv), 1993
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. Ekim 1975
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: 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.'
1. Ekim 1975 · p.579 · par. 1 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“Since a new Jewish lunar year began in September 1975 a significant point in human history was reached. What was that? According to the Bible's count of time, mankind then completed 6,000 years of existence on earth.”
Published as the autumn of 1975 arrived; the issue also carries 'Why Delay?'.
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: 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'.
1977 · p.23 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“This year there was a peak of 2,248,390 Kingdom publishers ... In 1975 the peak was 2,179,256. ... the hours were fewer, namely, 359,258,019 hours, to compare with 382,296,208 ... There are not as many pioneer publishers as the year before—114,026 ... to compare with 130,225”
Notes 'some 16,000 fewer pioneers' and that 'some publishers ... did not spend as much time in the field service as formerly'.
1979 · p.23 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“There has been an overall 1.4-percent decrease in the number of Kingdom publishers. ... there were 2,086,698, on the average, who shared in making known the 'good news' compared with 2,117,194 the year before. The peak number of publishers came to 2,182,341, which is also below that of last year.”
Adds: 'a number did not share in giving a witness each month, and others became inactive.'
1980 · pp.11-12 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“After a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands, recent months have seen a definite upswing. ... It was also happifying to see increases this year, though not large, in such lands as the United States and Great Britain.”
The sentence concerns Nigeria and the Philippines ('the reports from such lands as Nigeria and the Philippines. After a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands, recent months have seen a definite upswing'), and the following sentence concerns the United States and Great Britain; it is not a worldwide statement and the narrative gives no worldwide peak figure.
If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting 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.
İlk karşılık sorumluluğu bireyin üzerine yıktı: “Başarısız olan, onu aldatan ve hayal kırıklığına uğratan Tanrı’nın sözü değildi; … kendi anlayışı yanlış öncüllere dayanıyordu.”
15 March 1980
‘It is to be regretted’
With the appearance of the book Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God ... considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975. ... 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
Dört yıl sonra kuruluş, “umutların o yıla kadar gerçekleşmesinin yalnızca mümkün olmaktan öte muhtemel olduğunu ima eden başka ifadelerin de yayımlandığını” ve bunların uyarı niteliğindeki ifadeleri “görünüşe göre gölgede bıraktığını” kabul etti.
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. Temmuz 1976
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: This is the organisation's explanation; it places the error with the individual's understanding.
15. Temmuz 1976 · pp.440-441 · pars. 15-16 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting 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.”
Par. 16 addresses 'one who counted heavily on a date'.
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. Mart 1980
Kuruluşun tutumu ya da sonraki açıklaması: Proclaimers p.633 repeats the substance: the idea was 'sometimes stated as a possibility, sometimes more firmly'.
15. Mart 1980 · pp.17-18 · par. 5 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“With the appearance of the book Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God ... considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975. ... 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”
The organisation's fullest acknowledgement about 1975.
“The Society never said 1975.” It did not say ‘Armageddon in 1975’. It published the 1975 chronology in a book, at least four magazine articles and a Kingdom Ministry, asked in print whether Armageddon would be over by then, answered ‘possibly … weeks or months, not years’, and in 1980 conceded that published statements implied probability.Source: The Watchtower, 15. Ağustos 1968Source: The Watchtower, 15. Mart 1980
“Cautionary statements were published.” True, and quoted here (‘No one can say with certainty’, May 1968; Franz, 1966). The 1980 article itself says the cautionary statements were ‘overshadowed’.Source: The Watchtower, 1. Mayıs 1968
“Individual brothers speculated.” The May 1974 Kingdom Ministry, the organisation’s monthly bulletin for congregation meetings, praised members selling their homes as ‘a fine way to spend the short time remaining’.Source: Kingdom Ministry, Mayıs 1974
Güvenilirlik. 1967–1980 dergileri, Krallık Hizmetimiz ve Yıllıklar Watchtower ONLINE KÜTÜPHANE’de okundu; sayfa numaraları oradaki sayfa işaretlerinden alındı. Life Everlasting (1966) resmî olmayan bir arşiv kopyasından okundu ve kuruluşun bu kitap hakkında 1980 ve 1993’te yaptığı kendi betimlemeleriyle destekleniyor. Sık sık 1 Mayıs 1968 tarihli Gözcü Kulesi’ne atfedilen bir cümle (“en fazla birkaç yıl içinde…”) o makalede yer almıyor ve kullanılmıyor. Derecelendirme: güçlü ima, kuruluş tarafından 1980’de kabul edildi.
Bu sayfada atıfta bulunulan kaynaklar
Show all 16 sources, in date order
Each opens a full record with links, provenance and a confidence note.
1966 · pp.29-30 · pars. 41-43 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“According to this trustworthy Bible chronology 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. ... How appropriate it would be for Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a sabbath period of rest and release, a great Jubilee sabbath”
15. Nisan 1967 · p.236 · par. 25 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“According to a more recent calculation of the Bible timetable, six thousand years of man's existence will end in the latter half of the year 1975, which is well within this century. The Bible millennium is ahead of us”
1. Mayıs 1968 · pp.271-273 · pars. 5, 8 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“Eight years from the autumn of 1967 would bring us to the autumn of 1975, fully 6,000 years into God's seventh day, his rest day. ... Does this mean that the year 1975 will bring the battle of Armageddon? No one can say with certainty what any particular year will bring.”
15. Ağustos 1968 · pp.494-501 · pars. 29-30, 37 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“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, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man's existence coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ.”
8. Ekim 1968 · pp.13-15 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“That seven-year period will evidently finish in the autumn of the year 1975. Does this mean that the above evidence positively points to 1975 as the time for the complete end of this system of things? Since the Bible does not specifically state this, no man can say. However, of this we can be sure: The 1970's will certainly see the most critical times mankind has yet known.”
22. Mayıs 1969 · pp.13-14 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. ... Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers.”
Mayıs 1974 · p.3 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“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. Ekim 1975 · p.579 · par. 1 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“Since a new Jewish lunar year began in September 1975 a significant point in human history was reached. What was that? According to the Bible's count of time, mankind then completed 6,000 years of existence on earth.”
15. Temmuz 1976 · pp.440-441 · pars. 15-16 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting 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.”
1977 · p.23 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“This year there was a peak of 2,248,390 Kingdom publishers ... In 1975 the peak was 2,179,256. ... the hours were fewer, namely, 359,258,019 hours, to compare with 382,296,208 ... There are not as many pioneer publishers as the year before—114,026 ... to compare with 130,225”
1979 · p.23 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“There has been an overall 1.4-percent decrease in the number of Kingdom publishers. ... there were 2,086,698, on the average, who shared in making known the 'good news' compared with 2,117,194 the year before. The peak number of publishers came to 2,182,341, which is also below that of last year.”
1980 · pp.11-12 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“After a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands, recent months have seen a definite upswing. ... It was also happifying to see increases this year, though not large, in such lands as the United States and Great Britain.”
15. Mart 1980 · pp.17-18 · par. 5 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“With the appearance of the book Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God ... considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975. ... 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”
1993 · p.104 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“The book Life Everlasting—In Freedom of the Sons of God, released ... in 1966, pointed to 1975. ... Brother Franz ... stated, in essence: 'It could. But we are not saying. All things are possible with God. But we are not saying. ... But the big point of it all is this, dear friends: Time is short.'”