KNOCKING - DVD Release / What to Expect/ Scenes

by Joker10 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Joker10

  The KNOCKING DVD comes with a 48-page Study/Discussion Guide. It includes information about the making of the film, all the main characters, their early history, expansion, civil rights, their community structure, their preaching methods, and distribution of literature ( that adds up to their annual operation expense of over a billion dollars).

  Some DVD scenes include:
  People from Stratton, Ohio being interviewed along with the Mayor.
  Baptisms being performed.
  Holocaust surviors returning to the camps.
  Elders talking about their beliefs.

  Included is a Lecture Series:

  Jehovah's Witnesses in the Courts

  • Legal Legacy
    Post 9/11: Jehovah's Witness Relevancy
    The Landmark Cases
    Voltaire Notion
    Knocking and Litigating

  Jehovah's Witnesses and Medicine

  • Saying No to Blood
    Jehovah's Witnesses + AIDS = Bloodless Surgery
    Ethical Dilemmas
    Bloodless Mavericks vs. Blood Transfusion Conservatives
    Children and Bloodless Surgery
    Medical Legacy

  Jehovah's Witnesses and the Holocaust

  • Rare Martyrs
    The Nazi Deal
    Why We Suffer
    Peculiar Pacifism
    Christians Who Resisted
    When a Jew Converts
    Knocking: Anti-Semitic?
    Co-existing Religions
    Why Dissent Matters

  Jehovah's Witnesses in Nazi Germany

  • German Beginnings
    Unlike Other Christians
    A Threat to Nazis
    1933 Letter to Hitler
    Speaking Out
    A Unique Choice
    Purple Triangles
    Special Treatment?
    Historical Lessons

  This PBS program has done more positive for Jehovah's Witnesses than what opposers have managed to do with the media in at least a decade, in my opinion.
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  TheKings

  so is this pro-jdub or anti ?
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  Blueblades

  Please clearify what positive results came from that pbs program. What are the numbers before and after.

  Blueblades
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  AlanF

  Joker10 said:

  : This PBS program has done more positive for Jehovah's Witnesses than what opposers have managed to do with the media in at least a decade, in my opinion.

  Not really. I saw a pre-screening of the "Knocking" documentary last Wednesday night at the University of Colorado in Boulder. It was followed by a half-hour panel discussion by three academics, then by another half-hour of audience questions posed to the producers. Most of the audience appeared to be college students and professors. At least two JWs were there.

  The documentary told the stories of two very different JWs, in a fairly sympathetic way -- sympathetic in terms of their human stories, not their stories as JWs per se. One story was of a 23 year old JW man who had liver failure. He was on a bunch of different medicines and still lived with his parents. He couldn't get a liver transplant because most hospitals wouldn't do it without blood, and bloodless surgery for a liver transplant is still considered experimental so most hospitals didn't want to chance losing a precious liver in an experiemental procedure. Eventually the young man's father volunteered to donate part of his liver, and UCLA medical center performed the surgery. It was successful, and a year later the young man was alive and well. What the documentary failed to comment on -- and a great many viewers will pick this up -- is that the young man would have been forcibly disassociated had he had a regular liver transplant, and he would have lost his entire family and his attractive fiancee. So anything the documentary presents as positive in terms of the JW blood stance will be negated by this realization. The grandmother, not a JW and quite critical of them, was allowed to comment on camera that JWs are a destructive cult. She described how non-JW family members are actively excluded from the lives of JWs.

  During the question session, I commented on how disfellowshipping and shunning is destructive to families. I described how my own and my brother's immediate and extended families have been shattered both by JW exclusionism and by active shunning. The producers agreed that this was destructive on the part of the JWs. Immediately afterward, another participant commented that such shunning is really a form of violence. Most of the audience agreed, judging the many agreeing noises, and the producers said that that's a good point that they probably should have covered in the documentary.

  After the sessions, I had short but pleasant conversations with both producers. I suggested that, if they wanted to get hold of human drama stories, they ought to interview some ex-JWs and they'd have a lot more than they could handle. They could do another PBS presentation about this, to balance what "Knocking" sets forth. Both suggested that I email them by way of reminder, which I have done. So we'll see what happens.

  AlanF
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  fullofdoubtnow

  It includes information about the making of the film, all the main characters, their early history, expansion, civil rights, their community structure, their preaching methods, and distribution of literature

  Perhaps they should make a "Knocking - part two" documentary, and include thier doctrinal flip flops, failed prophecy, shunning rules, asssociation with the UN, shielding of paedophiles, and indoctrination techniques, just for balance, of course.
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  rolling rock

  Nice post Alan. I have always enjoyed your posts... Chad
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  AudeSapere

  Immediately afterward, another participant commented that such shunning is really a form of violence. Most of the audience agreed, judging the many agreeing noises, and the producers said that that's a good point that they probably should have covered in the documentary.

  I remember several threads where JWD posters attempted contacting the producers to encourage them to include this very issue. Seems that the request was denied.

  -Aude.
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  Juan Viejo

  Agreed. There should be a part 2 to this documentary. Having been on both sides of this situation I understand how the Witnesses can look very good in a prefunctory examination. They show a lot of love and fellowship between each other. They are typically an easy going, peaceable bunch. Most are extremenly honest and could be trusted with your house or car keys, your wallet, or your wife. They don't cuss much, don't smoke, and for the most part are moderate in their use of alcohol. All those points should be emphasized. But hey - the same description would apply to Mormons and many other religious groups.

  The other side of the coin should be explored as well. I know of no religion that actively discourages individual reading and study of the Bible, freedom of expression and outside research. They tell their followers that everything they need to know can be found in the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. They deny that they shun anyone, and then go out of their way to ignore, avoid, or just plain shutout completely former friends, family members and former spouses. They want to preach their "truth" to you, but shut their ears to any kind of dialogue or debate - even non-confrontational discussion. The classic example is that Witness overseer that was called to testify about shunning who lied in the witness chair under oath. When he was read direct passages from the Watchtower discussing shunning and disfellowshipping, his immediate response was not that it was from the Watchtower publications, but rather if the attorney had found the quotations on an "apostate website."

  Unless you've been on both sides of the issue you really can not judge the Witnesses fairly. The documentarians need to take that next step and really explore the underbelly of the Witness society.

  JV
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  Thegoodgirl

  Thanks for speaking up at that conference, Alan F.
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  purplesofa

  AlanF

  Thanks for going and letting us know how it went. So glad you got to ask a question and made them think there is more to the story and another side to it.

  purps