by VM44 36 Replies latest jw friends
I have read here in some posts that one of the new releases this year is a brochure, "Look! The Beautiful Country!", containing maps.
When it was released, does anyone know if the speaker mentioned how much better the maps in the brochure were than "worldly maps"?
A theocratic map?!!!, are all World Maps then "Worldly"?
Perhaps someone could post some more details about it.
It would be nice if there was a scan of it....Hint, Hint, Hint :)
--VM44
When it was released, does anyone know if the speaker mentioned how much better the maps in the brochure were than "worldly maps"?
That's because the maps came from Jehovah. Jehovah also sent the Society blueprints on how to build that Patterson thing.
VM, here's a quote about maps from the WTS. Blondie
10/22/98 Awake p 18 Cartography-A Key to Knowing the World
Happily, according to Bible prophecy, the entire globe will eventually be united under the rulership of God’s appointed King, Jesus Christ. Of him a Bible prophecy proclaims: "He will have subjects from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth." (Psalm 72:8) When territorial boundary disputes and political rivalries are finally removed and conflicting national sovereignties no longer exist, a perfect map of the world may then be produced.
Blondie, you're kidding........right?
I have always enjoyed reading maps, whether they be roadmaps, weather maps, topography maps. I think they're just plain cool.
Several good books with maps of Bible lands have been published by religious and secular companies before this effort by the WT Society.
I don't know what the Society can really do to improve on, or make worse, the field of Bible-land maps. However as the article cited by Blondie pointed out, I suppose they could somehow try to skew it to their viewpoint. But how? I haven't thought of a way yet. Their maps in the back of their NWT Bibles (or "Holy Scriptures", erm, whatever) looked okay to me. (Except it was weird when they showed dinosaurs in Africa in some of their early editions.)
It's easy and fun to point out the WT Society's flaws. But actually I think it's all right that they're making maps, as long as they don't try to sell them door-to-door. At least when making maps, they're not propagating harmful doctrine.
The speaker at the assembly mentioned a couple of examples of how the Society maps are superior to "worldly' maps.
For example, in one worldly map, Ninevah was misplaced by 15 miles.
On another worldly map, Rome was placed at its modern location, whereas the society puts it on the site of the old forum. The speaker also said that modern Rome occupies roughly 1000 square miles, so this is a big difference. However, a quick calculation shows that 1000 square miles would be a city with a radius of 18 miles. So, modern maps couldn't misplace the city by more than 36 miles (even that would be extreme). The only map in the brochure that shows Rome has a scale of 1 inch=1000 miles. So, the error of the worldly map is infinitessimal.
I really don't even understand what they mean by "worldly" maps. All ancient maps must be taken from some old source. It's not as if these are original productions of the WTBTS.
The speaker who introduced the book at my assembly was so excited and used so many superlatives, that he was positively levitating. It was really out of proportion to what the release actually was.
You know, Mary, I did a little research with my CD not expecting to find anything. The quote is totally genuine without any additions. Totally amazing, how egocentric the WTS is!
Yes, it is true that all maps come from the same source.
Most JWs (and most people) in general couldn't find their own city on the map. I remember a test done in the last few years where college students in Miami were asked to find Florida on the map. It was embarrassing how many could not find it.
Blondie
"cartography can easily be manipulated to support a particular point of view."
HAHAHA! I've never heard of that before! That's priceless!
Man, the JWs get more bizzarre every day. Pretty soon they'll start sanctioning holy toilet paper, so that nothing worldy gets near your privates.
ash
Thanks for the reference Blondie. Now, I will add "perfect" maps to my list of things to pray for.
