KNOCKING DOCUMENTARY NEWSLETTER #1 SUMMER 2005
>
>Thanks for your interest in the KNOCKING documentary about Jehovah's
>Witnesses. I'm Joel Engardio, director of the project. Since the
>www.knocking.org web site went live recently, I've been hearing from
>interested ones from Arizona to Arkansas and everywhere in between.
The
>site is new, and is still a work-in-progress. Check back from time to
time
>to see new features, including the film clip downloads.
>
>SPREAD THE WORD
>
>Please forward the link www.knocking.org far and wide. Beyond a
national
>broadcast on public television (PBS) in the United States, our goal is
to
>make the film available to international audiences with language
subtitles.
>Indeed, Jehovah's Witnesses are in more than 200 lands, and their
story
>about blood, the Holocaust and preservation of civil liberties
resonates
>around the globe.
>
>OUR GOAL
>
>The aim of KNOCKING is to give a general, non-Jehovah's Witness
audience a
>fair look at a religious group that has long been misunderstood and
>relegated to cartoonish stereotypes. KNOCKING uses the real life
stories of
>real families to humanize Jehovah's Witnesses. But we donÂ’t shy from
>criticism. Our aim is that everything is fair and accurate. We show
both
>the ups and downs, including what it is like for Witnesses who have
>unbelieving or opposing family members, and how divided families can
find
>common ground. For instance, the young man who undergoes a
groundbreaking
>bloodless liver transplant has opposing family members who come to the
>hospital to see first-hand how the new bloodless technology works.
>
>WHO SHOULD WATCH
>
>KNOCKING will be educational and illuminating for a non-Jehovah's
Witness
>audience. Extended family, neighbors, co-workers and classmates of
>JehovahÂ’s Witnesses will certainly be interested to take a look.
Closer to
>time of broadcast, we will offer DVDs for home and school use. The DVD
will
>be a feature-length version of the film (the broadcast on PBS will be
>shorter) and will include extras like expanded interviews. WeÂ’ll be
sure
>to send more details on that later.
>
>PRODUCTION HISTORY
>
>As of Summer 2005, the film is being edited in San Francisco.
Throughout
>the course of the project, we filmed in California, Georgia, Ohio, New
>York, Nevada, and Texas as well as Austria and Poland. We filmed in
Kingdom
>Halls, conventions and in the door-to-door ministry.
>
>WE ARE INDEPENDENT
>
>Keep in mind that every Jehovah's Witness who has contributed to this
film,
>either on camera or behind the scenes, has done so by their own
personal
>choice. There is no official connection to the Watchtower Society,
though
>the Bethel organization in Brooklyn, Patterson and Wallkill, New York
has
>been cooperative with the producers of this film. We interviewed
Watchtower
>representatives on camera and filmed inside Bethel. Watchtower has no
>financial ties to this project, nor any editorial control. It is
important
>to know that this project is independently produced for public
television,
>using a combination of public, foundation and individual funds. No one
on
>the production staff is a Jehovah's Witness. The director's mother,
>however, is a Witness. And we do have Jehovah's Witnesses who are
serving
>as consultants for factual accuracy. We also have academic, historical
and
>medical consultants who are experts in their field but not Jehovah's
>Witnesses.
>
>HOW TO SEE IT
>
>We intend to premiere KNOCKING at a prestigious film festival such as
>Sundance in early 2006. A national television broadcast on PBS will
follow.
>And the film will be made available on DVD. We also hope to bring
KNOCKING
>to cities throughout the United States in 2006 for special screenings.
This
>will be a chance for you to see a sneak preview and perhaps meet some
of
>the film's subjects in a live Q&A session. The KNOCKING web site and
these
>newsletters will provide updated information about where and when the
sneak
>previews will take place. If you are interested in volunteering to
organize
>such a screening in your city, contact us directly at
>[email protected]. Please type “Volunteer” in the subject
heading.
>
>We look forward to seeing the positive impact this film has in telling
the
>untold stories of Jehovah's Witnesses. We hope you do, too. Thanks
again
>for contacting us, and the KNOCKING staff will be sure to keep you up
to
>date on the latest progress.
>
>Sincerely,
>Joel P. Engardio
>Producer/Director
lostlantern
JoinedPosts by lostlantern
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Has anyone heard of this? "Knocking" a documentary on PBS
by lostlantern in>witnesses.
>broadcast on public television (pbs) in the united states, our goal is .
>the production staff is a jehovah's witness.
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lostlantern
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31
What's the longest you ever kept a pet?
by JH inmy cat is going on 13 in april.
i guess that inside cats can live up to 17 or 18.. i never had a same pet for that long.
i keep them t'il they die.
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lostlantern
We had a dog for 15 years. My husband and I now have a Labrador that is 8 and a chihuahua that is 4. They are our "kids", I only wish they could outlast us. Our Labrador is having health problems, just started him on phenobarbital last week for epilepsy. I dread the day that a possible "decision" may have to be made but I totally agree: keep them until they die.
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Just had a mammogram
by lostlantern ini just had my first mammogram today and i can honestly say it wasn't fun.
i quickly went from feeling just fine to being very worried.
i felt a lump last month and now it is gone.
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lostlantern
Feel better already
Thanks everyone, I feel much calmer.
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Just had a mammogram
by lostlantern ini just had my first mammogram today and i can honestly say it wasn't fun.
i quickly went from feeling just fine to being very worried.
i felt a lump last month and now it is gone.
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lostlantern
I just had my first mammogram today and I can honestly say it wasn't fun. I quickly went from feeling just fine to being very worried.
I felt a lump last month and now it is gone. My doctor said it is probably just a cyst, reduce your caffeine and we'll do an ultrasound to be safe. I went in fully expecting an ultrasound only to be told, "Nope, your 31, gotta have the mammo." Ok, I can deal with that, but OUCH Then they say wait here and we'll have the doctor look at the film. So I wait and when she returns she says the Doctor decided we need an ultrasound too. So now I am worried. I am shuffled back to the waiting room with all of the other worried ladies and my worried spirit is getting more worried all of the time. The ultrasound tech seems to spend extra time taking pictures and then asks me to wait. When she returns she is smiling and says, 'You did great, they'll send a report to your Doctor and he'll follow up, not to worry." Ok, I am worried because I don't know if this is all routine. Wouldn't they tell me right then if something was wrong? I called my husband just to hear his voice and he said they would surely tell me then if they saw something, that made me feel better. Does anyone know, will they tell you right away if something is wrong?
I think I'll have a glass of wine and chill, I am sure all is well. (positive thinking, that's the ticket)
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Slippers / shoes at book studies
by billyboy in.
hi everyone!
was there ever an issue as to whether you were / weren't allowed to wear shoes at a group book study in someones house , so everyone had to dump their shoes at the door?.
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lostlantern
My husband and I had book study in our home for quite some time. We had white carpet so we requested that everyone take off their shoes. For most it was not a big deal and they respected our request, but their were a couple that absolutely refused. They reasoned that our home was temporatily the kingdom Hall and they didn't have to take their shoes off at the hall so they wouldn't at our house. They were very blatant about it, the sad part is they were pioneers. We eventually had the study taken out of our home, it is a sacrifice to offer up your home and many don't appreciate it. I personally never had a problem taking my shoes off at other brother's and sisters homes.
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Some reasons shunning is so very effective...
by Sabine ini feel so sad about our friend ary, and my prominant memory of him is the sad look in his eyes when he spoke of his daughters.
he was aware of how we lost our daughter, and he even felt bad complaining because at least his daughters were alive.
i told him not to feel that way, that at least we could find a measure of closure, but he was on a constant roller coaster ride.
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lostlantern
I am sorry to hear about your daughter. I agree with you in regards to shunning, we turn our backs on people at the moment when they need love the most. Our family has learned this the hard way as well. The only positive thing that has come out of our experience is truly learning and appreciating what true, "christlike" love is.
Shunning is also effective as a preemptive measure, who wants to take a stand when they know they will lose their family.
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Tell me something embarrasing about yourself
by doodle-v ini'll start... i talk to myself.
a lot.
i'll even hold full blown conversations.
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lostlantern
My householder and I started laughing hysterically during our talk. Imagine the congregations stares as we had to leave the stage, I am only glad I didn't pee my panties.
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Jehovah baby: you were my better-half, but just an invitation to the blues.
by tetrapod.sapien inlosing jehovah was like losing a girlfriend that you loved.
you barely had time to flinch when you found out that she had been sleeping with all your friends and stealing your records to pawn off.
that you had just been another sucker on the vine.. when jehovah dumps you, you start looking at yourself longer and harder, and wondering what it was about him that you found in yourself, until all you see there in the reflection is just yourself, dancing with an imaginary hand and waistline.. when jehovah was gone, and the war was over, i realized that all the things that had made me "good", and "moral", and "hate what was bad", didn't mean anything to me anymore.
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lostlantern
absolutely amazing.
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Feelings about disfellowshipping, etc.
by lostlantern ini was reading a post on here from a young man who will be facing a judicial committee for a sin he committed.
he is asking for advice on what to do.
a lot of feelings came rushing in on me as i thought back to how my brother was unfairly treated by an elder body.
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lostlantern
I was reading a post on here from a young man who will be facing a Judicial Committee for a sin he committed. He is asking for advice on what to do. A lot of feelings came rushing in on me as I thought back to how my brother was unfairly treated by an elder body. Another thing happened this weak with friends and their experience with the elders was extremely "raw". I can understand how we must keep ourselves clean, guard against bad association but when did this turn into the legalistic all powerful judge and jury we now have? When did it become ok for 3 imperfect men to sit and pass judgement for Jehovah? Why did it ever become ok in our heads that we would allow others to make these decisions regarding our own conscience?
An Elder gave this counsel to someone on the board:
"My response having served on many JC is - be honest & open. The elders aim is to "gain you" as a brother - not vindictively dis fellowship you. DF is absolutely a final option. Tell the facts & how you feel. Pray to Jehovah. The passage of time isn't necessarily a factor - it is a positive matter that you want to get the matter sorted out."I am intrigued by this statement, in my heart I wish that I still believed those words to be true. I was born and raised in the truth, I am a 3rd generation witness. I pioneered straight out of high school. I was devout and hard lined in the truth, absolutely sure of what I believed. I was raised to believe that when we sin the arrangement set forth is for our own good. We can tell the brother's our sins and if repentant we will be shown love and mercy. My father is a Ministerial servant and he raised us to believe that the elders/organization would be our crag, they would shelter us in times of need and despair. WE would be taken care of the way a lost sheep is cradled, prayed over and brought back to the flock. Oil would be poured over our wounds. The key is to be repentant. This is not the reality that exists. I will give you an example:
My brother was guilty of sexual misdeeds with a young sister. He was overtaken with guilt and sadness. He approached my father and confessed, crying in my father's arms. He was still a teenager, graduated for High School, the sister still in High School. My father of course advised him to go to the elders, be honest and open. We all advised him of this and lovingly told him that due to his repentance he would be treated fairly. Not to worry about disfellowshipping because it was used for those who are unrepentant, greedy, those who didn't want to change their actions. My brother was so distraught he was at the point of suicide, I had to take him to the emergency room and have him admitted to a "mental hospital". After he was dismissed by the therapist and put on medications the brothers insisted on his meeting. Long story short, after much pain and heartbreak they said that they found him to be repentant but that he was to be disfellowshipped anyway. They also said that he could count on being out for as long as he sinned, pay back his due to Jehovah. Can you imagine the disbelief my family felt when faced with this. We were so dumbfounded, we would have initially agreed with your statement above had we not witnessed firsthand the sad truth. A part of me died that day and it never came back. My brother was so crushed, his mental state was so fragile and weak that he fell apart. He did everything but kill himself. That is damage that can never be undone. This experience taught me one thing, never ever trust the elders. Never go to them in times of anguish with sin, pray to Jehovah for forgiveness and repent to him alone. If this were the only time that such a thing had happened it wouldn't seem to be so bad but unfortunately others in my area have experienced the same thing. Or their is the other extreme, and elders child is guilty of the same thing but lacks the same repentance. In this instance most are given a free pass. This was my brothers first offense and this event has shaped the last 3 years of his life. He is finally doing well in life but will never come back to the "truth".I say it again how can we endorse such a system that has so much control on others futures and families? How can we give 3 imperfect men the ability to judge in the place of God? WE can not read hearts, why do we give ourselves so much importance and power? Don't even mention the appeal process because the falsity of that was made evident as well. How can you expect justice from 3 new men when they don't rehear the case, they consult with the original three brothers and uphold their decision? It seems to be a good 'ol boys club. I am frustrated by all of this. It saddens my heart to see such injustice and now I am enraged by those who say "wait on Jehovah, they will get theirs", "Jehovah will fix it", "we have to keep our faith, this is a test. Don't allow others to make you fall way". What about all of those who didn't have a choice and suffered unfairly, what about them?
sometimes I just want to scream.
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Another Newbie
by TooBad TooSad ini have been reading and enjoying the posts here for over 2 years.
i have been a witness for over 30 years.
i am going to the meetings just to keep peace in the family.
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lostlantern
Welcome