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International Bible Students Association Founded
In 1872, the International Bible Students Association was founded by Charles Taze Russell. Charles Taze Russell was an Adventist pastor, who taught that in 1914, Armageddon would begin. In the Jehovah's Witness religion, Armageddon is an event in which all believing Jehovah's Witnesses would go to Paradise, and all non-believing peoples would perish. This association was the beginning of the Jehovah's Witness religion, but others were also formed out of it, as seen in the image. -
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania Founded
In 1884, Charles Taze Russell created the publishing company that would later be known as the Watchtower. The Watchtower has produced nearly all the pamphlets and paper material for the religion, and was fundamental for attracting its early followers. -
Failed Prediction of 1914
1914 came and went, proving Russell's theory wrong. Russell went back on his word and said that 1914 was the beginning of the end, instead, not the beginning of Armageddon itself. Russell also said that the generation of people from 1914 would not die before Armageddon began, but this statement has also been redacted. -
Disfellowshipping Begins
In 1952, it became standard practice for all Jehovah's Witnesses to shun (disfellowship) any baptized people who either have left the religion or have accepted blood transfusions, which is against the religion's beliefs. The practice of disfellowshipping is said to be "loving" by the religion, but in reality, is destructive to both those disfellowshipped and those who once were close with the disfellowshipped person. -
Governing Body Founded
In 1971, the official Governing Body was founded. Previously, the Governing Body had been identified within the Board of Directors at Watchtower, but in 1971, an official group of spiritual leaders was formed out of these members and other men. The Governing Body is responsible for forming the religion's doctrines, publication materials, and taking care of international operations. Today the Governing Body has 7 members and they are based in Warwick, New York. -
Stay Alive Till '75
The religion proposed a new beginning of Armageddon in 1975. This prediction failed, and the religion has let this event fall into relative obscurity, as many of its younger followers will not have heard of it. -
Crisis of Conscience Published
In 1981, former Governing Body member Raymond Franz left the religion. In 1983, he published Crisis of Conscience, a book detailing his life in the religion and what made him decide to leave it. This book has been instrumental in the deconstruction process for many Jehovah's Witnesses leaving the religion. -
JW Broadcasting Begins
In 2014, the religion began JW Broadcasting, a YouTube channel and page on its site where it would create videos for followers of the religion. One notable series of videos from JW Broadcasting are Caleb and Sophia, a series of animated videos targeted toward JW children. These videos would go viral on YouTube, shared by non-believers, and at the religion's expense. -
Australian Royal Commission Hearing Begins
In 2015, the Australian Royal Commission began its hearing into Jehovah's Witnesses' child sexual abuse cases in the nation. The hearing ended with a choice for the religion: either it could begin reporting its child sexual abuse cases or it could not and its tax-exempt status would be revoked. The former was chosen by the religion.