The prophecies about the end of the world
as experienced by a Jehovah’s Witness family
Lecturer : Roberto di Stefano
Critic and Observer of Jehovah’s Witnesses religious movement
Apocalyptic cults: failed utopias and consequences for followers
FECRIS Annual Conference
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Multipurpose hall, Salses-le-Château – France
Contents
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Lecturer’s profile
JW beliefs: doctrinal and eschatological
JW: their message
Failed expectations
1975 expectations and deceptions
JW current message, prophecies and
expectations
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Lecturer’s Profile
Roberto di Stefano
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Born in Alexandria Egypt to a catholic family
Brought-up as Jehovah’s Witness at age 2
Baptized as Jehovah’s Witness at age 12
Served as “Elder” for almost 30 years
Left the movement at age 59, 8 years ago
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JW beliefs: doctrinal and eschatological
More than doctrines, eschatological beliefs have
the highest impact on their life and expectations
You are attracted by their message
You become a witness because of their message
You remain a witness because of their message
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JW beliefs: their eschatological message
SALVATION
The Stick
“End of the world”
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The Carrot
Paradise Earth
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JW beliefs: their Survival condition message
Charles Taze Russell - original belief
- Armageddon period of 40 years 1874-1914
- Culminating with Rapture of the Saints in October 1914
- The conversion of the Jews to Christianity
- The destruction of all human institutions – Political, Commercial, Babylon the Great
- The survival of most of mankind into Paradise Earth
Joseph Franklyn Rutherford - current belief
- Armageddon is the final judgment day for ALL mankind
- Only Jehovah’s Witnesses will survive
- 1936 Armageddon p. 34:
“He is the source of all life, and all creatures who live must serve him. All
will have to take their stand on one side or the other, either for or against
Jehovah, and all who take their stand on God's side must now become his
witnesses.”
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Failed expectations
Dates published by JW
in relation to the “end of the world”
• 539 AD
• 1874
• 1917
• 1935
• 1780
• 1878
• 1918
• 1940s
• 1798
• 1880
• 1919
• 1951
• 1799
• 1881
• 1920
• 1975
• 1829
• 1891
• 1921
• 1986
• 1840
• 1906
• 1925
• 2000
• 1844
• 1910
• 1926
•
• 1846
• 1914
• 1928
• 1872
• 1915
• 1932
20th century
• 2034 (?)
Source: http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/1800s.php
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Last Failed “Prophecy”
1975
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1975 expectations and deceptions
Start of the Millennium
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Chronology – End of 6000 years of existence
Chronology – Length of “The Generation”
Chronology – Sealing & death of Saints
“Sign of the End”
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1975 expectations and deceptions
Chronology
1. End of 6000 years of existence
Creation days (7000 years each)
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
|_______ |_______ |_______ |_______ |_______ |_______ |_______ |
7th day
4026 B.C. ->----------------------------------->1914 AD >----->-1975 ->---------------------->2975
Adam
Christ’s return
end 6000 years
end 7th day
Armageddon -> Millennium
DECEPTION:
Abandoned Silently
- Adam would have lived 37 years before God realized … he needed a woman … Eve!)
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1975 expectations and deceptions
Chronology
2. Within This Generation
(Matthew 24:34) . . .Truly I say to YOU that this generation will by no means pass away
until all these things occur. . .
(Psalm 90:10) . . .In themselves the days of our years are seventy years;
And if because of special mightiness they are eighty years. . .
w1984-05-15 p.4-7 “1914—The Generation That Will Not Pass Away”
1914 >------------------------------------------------------>1994 ?
Christ’s return
Armageddon
DECEPTION:
Abandoned in 1995
w1995-11-01 p.16-21 A “Time to Keep Awake”
- Interpretation changed 6 times
- today would be over 100 years old!
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1975 expectations and deceptions
Chronology
3. 144’000 - Sealing and Death of Saints
33 A.D. ->---------------------------------->1935 >------------->-1975 ->---------> ? Armageddon
Pentecost
Sealing of 144’000
 Death & Rapture
# 120
5000
52’465
10’550
11’824
DECEPTION:
Abandoned in 2007
w2007-05-01 p.31
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Age of last 1935 ‘sealed’ (Anointed) Saints
in 2011 over 95 years old!
Number ‘Anointed’ increase instead of decrease 1994=8’617 2011=11’824
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1975 expectations and deceptions
4. “Sign of the end”
– war, food shortages, earthquakes, man’s behavior …
(Matthew 24:7) 7 “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,
and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another.
(2 Timothy 3:1-5) . . . in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here.
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural
affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without
love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up [with pride], lovers of pleasures
rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its
power.
DECEPTION:
Only sign left !!!
- Common and ordinary for human beings since the age of time
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1975 – Impact of Failure
– On the Watchtower’s Organization
– On individual members
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1975 – Impact of Failure
On the Watchtower’s Organization
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1975 – Impact On the Watchtower’s Organization
Rate of increase in % in number of publishers
Annual average increase in %
1970->1975
+ 9.5%
peak point
1975->1980
+ 1.1%
low point
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+ 13.5% in 1974
- 1.4% in 1978
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Rate of increase in % in number of publishers
Annual average increase in %
1940->1975
+ 10.8%
peak point
1975->2011
+ 3.5%
low point
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+ 38.45%
- 18.4%
in 1940
in 1945
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1975 – Impact of Failure
On individual members
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1975 – Impact On individual members
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Sold house & property
Left their rewarding job
Gave up education
Built-up food stock
1966
Postponed dating / marriage
Postponed having kids
Took on debts
Gave-up medical treatments / operations
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How members are indoctrinated
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How members are indoctrinated
Mind control techniques to recruit & retain
Between the many techniques:
• The power of an illustration, image, picture
• The overwhelming number of articles
• The weight of words
Ending up in:
- Absolute loyalty to the Organization
- Blind belief and commitment
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The power of an illustration
Armageddon according to Jehovah’s Witnesses
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The overwhelming number of articles -> 66 !
1975 – just an opinion?
The Watchtower (16)
The Watchtower (16)
October 15, 1966, pp. 627-631; x 10
January 1, 1967, pp. 28-29;
February 1, 1967, pp. 73-79;
April 15, 1967, pp. 229-237;
May 1, 1967, pp. 259-262;
July 15, 1967, pp. 444-447;
April 15, 1968, pp. 227-230;
May 1, 1968, pp. 270-277;
August 15, 1968, pp. 488-494;
August 15, 1968, pp. 494-501; x 10
December 15, 1968, pp. 750-756;
February 1, 1969, pp. 68-71;
July 15, 1969, pp. 425-431;
September 1, 1969, pp. 517-524;
October 1, 1969, pp. 592-598;
October 15, 1969, pp. 612-625;
February 15, 1970, pp. 117-120;
May 1, 1970, pp. 265-271;
May 1, 1970, pp. 271-277;
September 1, 1970, p. 539;
September 15, 1971 pp. 559-564;
October 15, 1971, pp. 612-625;
December 15, 1973, pp. 739-742;
January 1, 1974, pp. 5-8;
April 1, 1974, pp. 195-197;
June 15, 1974, pp. 375-380;
July 1, 1974, pp. 397-400;
October 15, 1974, pp. 632-639;
December 15, 1974, pp. 759-766;
March 15, 1975, pp. 183-189;
May 1, 1975, p. 285;
July 15, 1975, p. 445
Awake! (14)
October 8, 1966, pp. 17-20;
November 8, 1966, p. 26;
January 22, 1967, p. 26;
September 8, 1967, p. 29;
January 8, 1968, p. 19;
February 22, 1968, p. 31;
July 22, 1968, p. 30;
September 22, 1968, p. 29;
October 8, 1968, pp. 13-16 x 10
January 22, 1969, p. 15;
January 22, 1970, p. 6;
December 22, 1970, p. 10;
July 8, 1971, p. 7;
October 8, 1971, pp. 7, 27-28;
Awake! (13)
October 8, 1971, pp. 7, 27-28;
April 8, 1972, p. 16;
July 22, 1972, p. 12;
October 22, 1972, pp. 9-12;
June 22, 1973, pp. 3-6;
July 8, 1973, p. 29;
September 22, 1973, p. 29;
October 8, 1973, p. 5;
October 8, 1974, pp. 18-22;
November 8, 1974, p. 10;
December 22, 1974, p. 29;
February 22, 1975, p. 29;
April 22, 1975, p. 29.
Books, brochures (7)
- Life Everlasting - In Freedom of the Sons of God 1966, pp. 26-30, 35, 357;
- The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life 1968, pp. 9, 88-89;
- Is the Bible Really the Word of God? 1969, p. 125;
- Aid to Bible Understanding 1971, p. 1100;
- Paradise Restored to Mankind - By Theocracy! 1972, p. 282;
- God‘s Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached 1973, pp. 14, 44;
- 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah‘s Witnesses, pp. 240, 256.
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1975 – The weight of words
*** km 5/74 pp. 3-6 How Are You Using Your Life? *** - excerpts
This is something for all of us to give serious thought to: It would be entirely
inappropriate for us, while professing to be Jehovah’s people, to try to live our lives
with regard to ourselves only. As the apostle Paul wrote: “You do not belong to
yourselves, …
Are we not thankful that Jehovah God has purchased us … with the life of his own
dear Son … Does it not cause you to want to show Jehovah your deep
appreciation? … Are there ways in which you could share more fully in doing the
will of God?
Jehovah makes clear … that his will for us [is to] accomplish … a great work … we
have such a short time left now in which to complete the Kingdom-preaching …
Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that not reason to increase our
activity?
By carefully and prayerfully examining our own circumstances, we also may find
that we can spend more time and energy in preaching during this final period
before the present system ends. Many of our brothers and sisters are doing just
that.
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1975 – The weight of words
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.
… pioneer ranks include many who have health limitations, as well as
some persons with families … do not be too quick to dismiss the
possibility that you, too, may be able to pioneer. Give it careful and
prayerful consideration. …an analysis will reveal that your life is
encumbered with needless weights
ask yourself: How am I using my life? Can I make adjustments that will
enable me to pioneer? If I can, will failure to do so indicate to Jehovah
that I am living to satisfy personal desires, rather than to do His will?
So do not delay in giving serious consideration to this matter of how
you are using your life.
*** km 5/74 pp. 3-6 How Are You Using Your Life? *** - excerpts
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The weight of words
• Km 1974-05 “How Are You Using Your Life?”
• Personal experiences:
– Mimma: 35 years after
– Silvano: how he ruined his life
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How about today?
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What about today?
Have they changed their message or
their mind control techniques?
What are their last prophecies and
current expectations?
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What about today?
Their today’s message
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JW – Has their message changed?
- w1989 9/1 p. 19 §7 “Remaining Organized for Survival Into the
Millennium”
“Only Jehovah’s Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the
‘great crowd’, as a united organization under the protection of the
Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the
impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil”.
- w2006 5/15 p. 22 §8 “Are You Prepared for Survival?”
“During … Flood, Noah was a faithful ‘preacher of righteousness.’
(2 Peter 2:5) In these last days … Jehovah’s people are making known …
good news about the possibility of surviving into the new world.
(2 Peter 3:9-13) Just as Noah … preserved in the ark, survival of
individuals today depends on their faith and their loyal association
with the earthly part of Jehovah’s universal organization.”
Read: “baptized and active (preacher) Jehovah’s Witness”
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What about today?
Their today’s mind control techniques
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Continued Indoctrination
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2012-02-01 “The truth about Armageddon”
2012-02-01 “When will the war of Armageddon come”
Weekly WT congregation study 2012
• 2012-01-15 “Learn Watchfulness from Jesus’ apostles”
• 2012-02-15 “Imitate Jesus’s example of Watchfulness”
• 2012-03-15 “Maintain your sense of urgency”
• 2012-03-15 “Do not look at ‘the things behind’”
• 2012-04-15 “Jehovah safeguards us for salvation”
• 2012-05-15 “Trust in Jehovah; the God of ‘Times & Seasons’”
• 2012-06-15 “Jehovah reveals what ‘must shortly take place’”
• 2012-07-15 “Let Jehovah lead you to True Freedom”
• 2012-09-15 “How this World will come to an End”
• 2012-09-15 “Peace for a thousand years – and beyond”
• 2012-10-15 “Obey God and benefit from his Sworn Promises”
The overwhelming number of articles
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Youngster’s indoctrination
Keep the hope alive in your family
Rejoicing in our hope
“The Watchtower” March 15 – page 24
Note: Family head studying with children the Noetic illustration of the End of one World and its
application to the current days, as taught by Jesus. Drawing Parallels!
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What about today?
Their last prophecies and current
expectations
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Today’s expectations
Start of the Millennium
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Chronology – End of 6000 years of existence
Chronology – Length of “The Generation”
Chronology – Sealing & death of Saints
“Sign of the End”
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What do JW expect to happen today?
Satan will maneuver both governmental and military agencies into an all-out assault on those
who worship Jehovah God.
The scale of the attack will be global. The response from Jehovah God will be of a magnitude
greater than any action that he has taken in the past.
- w 2012-02-01 p.7 “The truth about Armageddon”
“How this world will come to an End” - w 2012-09-15 p.4
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JW and the end of the world – 2034?
*** w03 12/15 p. 15 Our Watchfulness Takes On Greater Urgency ***
“Warned of ‘Things Not Yet Beheld’”
6 In Noah’s day, Jehovah declared: “My spirit shall not act toward man indefinitely in
that he is also flesh. Accordingly his days shall amount to a hundred and twenty
years.” (Genesis 6:3) The issuance of this divine decree in 2490 B.C.E. marked the
beginning of the end for that ungodly world. Just think what that meant for those then
living! Only 120 years more and Jehovah would bring “the deluge of waters upon
the earth to bring to ruin all flesh in which the force of life is active from under the
heavens.”—Genesis 6:17.
7 Noah received the warning of the upcoming catastrophe decades in advance, and he
wisely used the time to prepare for survival. “After being given divine warning of
things not yet beheld,” says the apostle Paul, “[Noah] showed godly fear and
constructed an ark for the saving of his household.” (Hebrews 11:7) What about us?
Some 90
years have passed since the last days of this system of things
began in 1914. We are certainly in “the time of the end.” (Daniel 12:4) How should
we respond to warnings we have been given? “He that does the will of God remains
forever,” states the Bible. (1 John 2:17) Now is therefore the time to do Jehovah’s will
with a keen sense of urgency.””
120 years
1914 >
> 2034
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JW and the end of the world – 2034?
120 Years
B.C.
2490 >-------------------------------------------------------> 2610
Noetic decree
Flood
A.D.
1914 >-------------------------------------------------------> 2034
Christ’s parousia
Armageddon(?)
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The end is yet to come
Don’t worry !
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Jehovah’s Witnesses & the end of the world
Armageddon is still around the corner
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Thank you!
THE END
Of the speech … not the world!
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1975 – Impact On the Watchtower’s Organization
Publishers
Year
publ.
% increase
p.a.
5 years
1970
1 384 782
10.2%
1971
1 510 245
9.1%
1972
1 596 442
5.7%
1973
1 656 673
3.8%
1974
1 880 713
13.5%
1975
2 062 449
9.7%
1976
2 138 537
3.7%
1977
2 117 194
-1.0%
1978
2 086 698
-1.4%
1979
2 097 070
0.5%
1980
2 175 403
3.7%
36 years
9.8%
1.1%
1939->1975
47 143
11.1%
1975->2011
7 395 672
3.5%
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1975 – Impact On the Watchtower’s Organization
Newly Baptized ratio to Publishers & hours
Year
publ.
Baptized
ratio
Hours
ratio
1970
1 384 782
164 193
11.9
267 581 120
1 630
1971
1 510 245
149 808
9.9
291 952 375
1 949
1972
1 596 442
163 123
10.2
291 894 945
1 789
1973
1 656 673
193 990
11.7
300 468 676
1 549
1974
1 880 713
297 872
15.8
371 132 570
1 246
1975
2 062 449
295 073
14.3
382 296 208
1 296
1976
2 138 537
196 656
9.2
359 258 019
1 827
1977
2 117 194
124 459
5.9
321 424 305
2 583
1978
2 086 698
95 052
4.6
307 272 262
3 233
1979
2 097 070
113 672
5.4
318 974 347
2 806
1980
2 175 403
113 779
5.2
339 427 608
2 983
1990
3 846 311
301 518
7.8
895 229 424
2 969
2011
7 395 672
263 131
3.6
1 707 094 710
6 488
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1975 expectations and deceptions
1. Chronology
Creation days (7000 years each)
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
|_______ |_______ |_______ |_______ |_______ |_______ |_______ |
7th day – Millennium
4026 B.C. ---------------1914 AD------1975 AD--------------------- 2975 AD
Adam
Christ’s return end 6th millennium
end 7th day
(Adam would have lived 37 years before God realized … he needed a woman … Eve!)
silently abandoned since
2. Within a Generation
The 1914 would have seen the end. 1914->1994. Interpretation changed 6 times –
abandoned in 1995 (today they would have been 100-120 years old)
3. Rapture of the Holly ones
Sealing of 144’000 ->1935: 1975 ~60 - abandoned in 2007 - Watchtower May 1 2007
p.31 (today they would have been 110 years old)
4. “Sign of the end”
Mt.24; Luc 21; Marc 13 – war, food shortages, earthquakes … Only one left
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