The Atheist Experience Documentary “Mission Control Texas” is Available to View Online for Free!

Mission Control Texas is a German documentary about The Atheist Experience, a well known atheist TV show that is shot and filmed in Texas. For those who don’t know, it’s a live call-in show that addresses different topics and arguments posed by believers – LIVE! Mission Control Texas is, for now at least, available to view for free. FOR FREE. And it’s legal!

Bear in mind that the documentary has German subtitles. But you get to see some behind the scenes stuff and the audio is in English.

Learn more about The Atheist Experience at the following links:

The Atheist Experience TV Show

The Atheist Experience Show Archive

The Atheist Experience YouTube Channel

The Atheist Experience on USTREAM

Interview With “Truth Be Told” Creator, Gregorio Smith

A picture of Watchtower Headquarters in black, white, and red.I have been advocating Gregorio Smith‘s Truth Be Told documentary about ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses since I first heard about it from a member of the production staff. So I was very excited when Gregorio emailed me with more information a few weeks ago. He even agreed to give me an interview.

If you’re looking forward to the documentary as much as I am and want to find out more about Truth Be Told, here’s a good place to start. If there are other questions you’d like me to ask Gregorio Smith, I will try to pass them along. (Just remember, he’s a really busy guy.)

Here’s a comment about the documentary from its creator that I thought was worth sharing. Especially in light of any criticism that may follow from the Society or Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Per the official synopsis, TRUTH BE TOLD is not an indictment of religion but rather a retrospective. The purpose of the movie is to provide a comprehensive forum for anyone that has a story to share – to start a new conversation intended to heal, not hurt. And while the ultimate product may not be even-handed, it will be honest.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Gregorio Smith

Director – Truth Be Told

I’m sure many of you were wondering if Gregorio had any personal experience as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, or if he was coming at this completely from the outside. I asked him some questions about his background, and he was very open in providing details.

The interview follows.

Continue reading

Documenary About Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses: “Here Lies The Truth.”

Picture
AMBER SWENSON outside
Brooklyn Assembly Hall
in TRUTH BE TOLD.

I heard about “Truth Be Told” some time ago in ex-Jehovah’s Witness circles. As an ex-Witness and geek, I’m always interested in documentaries about Jehovah’s Witnesses or–especially–ones about ex-Witnesses. I know many exxers like me were a bit disappointed that Knocking didn’t take a look at our side of the issues or really deal with things like disfellowshipping. (To be fair, it wasn’t trying to deal with those things. But people want what they want.)

Now, Gregorio Smith is giving us a voice with his upcoming documentary. As you’ll see at his site (or at the Wikipedia link) this isn’t his first time around the documentary block, which is actually pretty encouraging to me.

He describes Truth Be Told this way:

TRUTH BE TOLD is a feature length documentary that explores the lives of several individuals raised in the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion. The title of the film refers to the tendency by Jehovah’s Witnesses to regard their beliefs exclusively as ‘the truth’.

‘The documentary is not an indictment of religion but rather a retrospective. In a series of informal interviews, former Jehovah’s Witnesses discuss life experiences within the organization including the impact the religion had on their childhood and family, schooling, adolescence, and approaches to dating and marriage. The film also explores how being raised in that religion has shaped their spiritual beliefs and attitudes.’

The description certainly sounds encouraging, too.

I spoke with the creator via email 1 and told him that I was looking forward to seeing the film. I also told him that I hope it will deal with both sides fairly, which I think will actually lend more weight to the plight of ex-Witnesses who have been cut off from their families thanks to being disfellowshipped. If the video is fair, then it will be much harder to dismiss. Gregorio is hoping to drum up all the support he can, including financial support.

There are some sample videos of interviews with ex-Witnesses at his site. If the documentary is something you want to see, please consider leaving him a donation through the “Support Now” button on the title bar at his web site. Hey, he’s got to get the cash somehow. We’re sure to be the ones most interested in the film, so why not help it get made?

I don’t know about you, but I’m wishing him the best of luck. I’ve been waiting to see something like this for some time. Maybe he’ll keep us upraised of his situation as the film progresses. I’ll post anything I learn about it right here on AGN.

In the meantime, here are some more clips of Gregorio’s previous films.

  1. My bad. Turns out I was really emailed by someone working on the project who happened to have the same first name. Woops.