After a short hiatus, Apostate: JW is back. And what better way to return than by exploring one of the most defining — and devastating — themes in Jehovah’s Witness history: failed prophecies.
From Charles Taze Russell’s claims of Christ’s invisible return in 1874, to Rutherford’s bold promises about 1925, to the worldwide disappointment of 1975, the Watchtower has built its identity on declaring “the end is near” — only to move the goalposts again and again. Along the way, real people have paid the price: lost education, careers put on hold, families broken, retirements sacrificed, and futures stolen.
In this episode, we trace over a century of failed predictions, explore how the Governing Body has redefined and excused each one, and ask what these patterns reveal about spiritual authority, truth, and hope. If you’ve ever wondered, “How could I have believed this?” or “Why didn’t I see it sooner?” — this episode is for you.
