Some notes/observations on the new DVD:
Introduction:
Mention of "Advertise the King and his Kingdom" from 1922 Cedar Point Convention blended seamlessly with preaching post 1925 and beyond. No mention of what Bible Students were specifically told to advertise in 1922.
Barr uses the term, "Rank and file" --First time I've heard that from an actual JW source.
Honest mention of Rutherford's incendiary message against organized religion. "...Religion had its origin with Satan who employed religion to reproach Jehovah God."
Treasurer Richard E. Abrahamson speaks of early sound-car work (Prior to portable phonographs) in the first person. --Does not appear aged enough to have participated.
You Are My Witnesses:
Columbus Ohio 1931 convention. Adoption of name, "Jehovah's Witnesses." (Decent lookalike for Rutherford.) Acknowledgement of group identity created by formal name.
However no mention of obvious fact that Unique Beliefs + Group Identity + Formal Name = An Organized Religion.
Earthly hope, 1935 convention and identity of "Great Multitude." Brief glimpse of "Universal War Near" placard on van. (JW view of salvation becomes exclusivistic as a direct result of Great Crowd teaching.) Preaching work becomes more important.
No Part Of The World:
Face The Facts lecture delivered by Rutherford at Royal Albert Hall in 1938. "Stinging message" against Roman Catholic Church. --No mention of Declaration Of Facts.
Neutrality doctrine fleshed out
Rutherford slams Charles Coughlin. Madison Square Garden incident.
Taught By Jehovah:
Rutherford's final public appearance and death (A young Nathan Knorr and Haydon Covington can be seen with Rutherford.)
"Some felt that these events [Second World War] could lead directly into Armageddon." No mention that Rutherford had been among them.
"In spite of this in 1942 Nathan H. Knorr....spoke at a convention about a Bible prophecy that indicated that significant events had to occur first." (Poor lookalike for Knorr and poor imitation of Knorr's mannerisms. --Young pup probably never saw Knorr speak in person at all.)
Interpretation of scarlet-colored wild beast. (Revelation 17:8)
Utter fiction that Knorr predicted the reemergence of the League of Nations from the pit as the United Nations three years in advance (Repeated from 2009 District Conventions.)
Anthony Morris states, "They didn't know it was going to be called the United Nations and we don't make that claim, but they knew it was coming out." However the name, "United Nations"; the intent to form an organization with that name and the goals of that organization were already public in the latter part of 1942.
More here:
First appearance of Jaracz in DVD.
They Will Deliver You Up To Local Courts:
Cantwell vs Connecticut. A Supreme Court victory for JW's. (Cameo by Phillip Brumley)
Decent coverage of 1940 Minersville vs. Gobitas decision (i.e. The 8 - 1 miscarriage of justice.) Very cool to see little Lillian Gobitas herself actually appear in DVD. --Looks like a kindly grandmother now. --Witnesses completely in the right on this one (IMHO)
Wave of Kingdom Hall arson; lynch mobs; attempted hanging of O. L. Pillars, a couple of castrations.
Thelma and Roscoe Jones. (Jones vs. Opelika) Another Supreme Court setback for JW's
West Virginia Board Of Education vs. Barnett. Reversal of Gobitas. Passing nod to Hayden Covington's role in victory. --Most Witnesses would be appalled to know that [edit] Victor Blackwell [end edit] was later charged with apostasy for writing a book about the case. How's that for gratitude? Obviously no mention of this in DVD.
Persecution in Quebec. Downfall of Duplessis
Persecution in Greece. Long, long ordeal of Minos Kokkinakis
Making The Truth Manifest:
School of Giliad. Expansion of organization.
New World Translation started in 1946. Usual anonymity over exactly who worked on the translation. Some mention of textual source though.
Release of NT portion of NWT in 1950.
--Complete misrepresentation of scholarly criticism over use of Divine name in NT. Translation committee did not consistently follow their own rules for "Restoring" the Divine name as even Jason Beduhn (Who otherwise supports the NWT) points out.
Claim is made that, "Jehovah's Witnesses since 1945 have upheld the Bible's command to "Abstain from blood."" Actually the "Abstain argument" did not really become primary until the original argument (..That transfusion was the intravenous administration of nutrition and thus a direct violation of Noachian covenent) was in serious trouble. (Early NWT's rendered the phrase as "Keep free....from blood") Further, the first negative mention of transfusion was in 1944, not 1945. Authors of DVD appear to simply repeat mistakes made in previous JW publications instead of doing primary research for themselves.
Emphasis on moral conduct --Disfellowshipping for drunkenness in 1952, tobacco use in 1973.
Very revealing comment by Stephen Lett:
"...Jehovah's never been primarily interested in numbers. But he's interested in quality of His worshippers. Only eight survived the flood. --Shows Jehovah's thinking on numbers." (2 Peter 3:9?)
Said with a "Whatever" kind of shrug. --Probably a true prophecy about future direction of JW faith.
I Myself, Jehovah Shall Speed It Up:
Honest acknowledgement that formation of Governing Body in 1970's was a departure from system under Russell. --Contradicts a number of previous statements in The Watchtower claiming that a "Governing Body" has existed since Russell's time. No mention of the fact that Knorr and Franz opposed the idea.
Some actual footage of Knorr, Suiter and F.W. Franz. Looks like old Super 8mm. (I wonder who shot that?)
Timelapse of quick-build.
Emphasis on nearness of the end. Summary. Conclusion.