What is RaptureTok? The 1914 Origin: Jehovah's Witnesses Founder Did It First | Charles Taze Russell
November 7, 2025
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48:06Now PlayingWhat is RaptureTok? The 1914 Origin: Jehovah's Witnesses Founder Did It First | Charles Taze Russell
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as posted by the channelWhat is RaptureTok? In September 2025, millions watched as Pastor Joshua Mhlakela predicted the rapture would happen on September 23rd. When it didn't, he moved the date to October 6th. This viral phenomenon became known as #RaptureTok - but this EXACT scam happened 110 years ago, and the man who did it founded Jehovah's Witnesses.
This is the full story of Charles Taze Russell, the 1914 rapture prediction, and how failed prophecies created one of the world's largest religions.
In September 2025, TikTok exploded with rapture predictions from Pastor Joshua Mhlakela. Thousands believed the world would end on September 23rd. When nothing happened, he moved the date to October 6th. Sound familiar?
This EXACT scam happened 110 years ago—and the man who did it founded what became Jehovah's Witnesses.
Charles Taze Russell predicted the rapture would occur in October 1874. When nothing happened, he claimed it happened "invisibly." Then he predicted October 1914 would bring the end of all world governments. Wrong again. So he moved it to 1915. Then 1918. His successor predicted 1925.
But Russell's story gets DARKER. His wife divorced him on grounds of mental cruelty. The divorce trial included shocking testimony about inappropriate behavior with their adopted daughter, Rose Ball. He was caught committing perjury in court about his education. He sold fraudulent "Miracle Wheat" for 60 times the normal price—$60 per bushel when regular wheat cost $1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture tested it and found it was WORSE than regular wheat. He created shell companies to hide assets from his ex-wife and fled to Brooklyn to avoid an arrest warrant for unpaid alimony.
Despite all these public scandals, Russell's organization survived his death in 1916 and eventually became Jehovah's Witnesses—which today has 8.7 million members worldwide.
This is the story of how failed rapture predictions, miracle wheat fraud, divorce scandals, and perjury created one of the world's most recognizable religions. From TikTok in 2025 to Brooklyn in 1914, the rapture scam playbook hasn't changed.
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