Jehovah's Witnesses developed feelings of self-importance and craved worship. Satan influenced Adam and Eve to disobey God, and humanity subsequently became participants in a challenge involving the competing claims of Jehovah and Satan to universal sovereignty. Other angels who sided with Satan became demons. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Satan and his demons were cast down to earth from heaven after October 1, 1914, at which point the end times began. They believe that Satan is the ruler of the current world order, that human society is influenced and misled by Satan and his demons, and that they are a cause of human
Eschatology of Jehovah's Witnesses world in 1969, stated about that promised reign (which would begin at "God's fixed time"): In 1968, a "Watchtower" article asked: "Why Are You Looking Forward to 1975?": Young Witnesses were advised in 1969 to avoid careers requiring lengthy periods of schooling and a 1974 issue of the "Kingdom Ministry" newsletter commended Witnesses who had sold their homes and property to engage in full-time preaching, adding: "Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world's end." In a lecture in early 1975, then vice president Fred Franz selected sundown on September 5, 1975