Knocking
Thursday, May 10, 2007
I'm living in Brooklyn these days, as many of you know, the worldwide headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses. We had our first door knockers a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon. I kind of wanted to hear their pitch but I was in the middle of doing something. I noticed their Bibles and explained that I write books about the Bible and wished them well.
Then I got this press release about an upcoming PBS documentary about them. I haven't seen it, but here's the info. Mormons this week and Jehovah's Witnesses after that. PBS is spreading its wings wide these days. Good for them.
PBS EXPLORES THE OFTEN-MISUNDERSTOOD JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES'Knocking' Puts Fundamentalism and the Culture War in a New LightTV Premiere: May 22 on Independent Lens“Riveting and illuminating. Knocking takes us inside the world of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a way that is utterly surprising and moving.” -- Anderson Cooper, CNN“Knocking affirms the principle that in a free society, the protection of religious liberty and the advancement of personal freedoms need not be competing values." -- Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties UnionAs religion creeps more and more into political affairs and fuels both the Culture War and holy wars, the moving new documentary Knocking enters the national dialogue with a welcomingly fresh perspective. The festival-winning film, airing May 22 on the PBS series Independent Lens, opens the door on Jehovah's Witnesses and takes the discussion of fundamentalism to an entirely new place.Jehovah’s Witnesses are a Christian group that has ministered door-to-door for 130 years and counts 7 million members worldwide. Though often dismissed as an odd or irrelevant sect, Knocking takes an empathetic and objective look at how the unlikely religion became such a surprisingly vital thread in the fabric of American life. Among other things, Knocking presents the group's unique brand of fundamentalism as an example of how to calm the divisive Culture War. Jehovah’s Witnesses adhere to a strict separation of church and state.
Labels: Christianity
Posted by B Feiler at 7:00 AM
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Dear Mr. Feiler,
The next time Jehovah's Witnesses come to your door, please give them a hearing hear for a few minutes; if your busy, you can request that they come back at a more convenient time for you.
These people volunteer their time to spread the good news from the Bible. Whether you agree with their position on the Bible or not, it is always good to have a friendly dialog with others.
Not everybody will agree with what you write in you books, but that does not mean that they should not be read by anyone that wishes to.
Often people that claim that they do not agree with the message of Jehovah's Witnesses have never actually allowed one to converse with them; they base their opinions on what they hear from others. Before one issues an opinion on any subject, they should gather all the available facts. Not allowing Jehovah's Witnesses to speak and then having an opinion is not unlike someone having an opinion on one of your books without having had the benefit of reading it.
Best regards,
Mario Caruso