Isn’t it amazing how over time, things change. Sometimes for the better, other times not so much.
I remember some years ago, I started bringing my PDA to the meetings. I had a complete copy of the WT Library on there and as such could use it to look up any publication I wanted at any given time. I even had a little (back then still quite unknown) application called iSilo, which allowed me to use up to date issues of the KM and current study articles to be used.
I loved it. Instead of having to carry around a stack of books, I now had everything on one little device. But, before long, I started to receive some criticism about my use of the device. It simply wasn’t considered proper to use a PDA instead of ‘proper’ (read ‘paper’) publications. And this is an argument that to some extent many make about books in general. They prefer holding a book and flipping the pages, it is what we have grown up with for generations now. However, more and more we are seeing the advent of the digital book.
My argument has always been that it is the information which is important, not the media which carries that information. What do I mean by that. Well, let’s go back to the original bible writers for instance. What would Moses have used to write down his the first few books of the bible? Clay tablets? Parchment? Papyrus ( he did have the Egyptian link after all ).
In the end we don’t know. What we do know, however, is that over time, people discovered the incredible advantages of the scroll. After all, you could write a whole letter or book, on one piece and simply roll it up into a neat package. Perfect innovation by those sandal wearing brainiacs. But, it didn’t stop there. While a scroll had distinct advantages over clay or parchment, the problem was looking up parts of a text. It became quote laborious to find specific sections of text, having to roll out the whole scroll to find the part you where looking for.
Enter, the codex. We take sheets of parchment / papyrus, stack them together and we bind them into a neat pile called a codex. Now we simply turn pages to get to the section we are looking for. Much easier and quicker. Now if only they would invent something to replace those horrible sandals already.…. But I digress.
Some years later, the binding prices was refined and the process of making paper became much refined, and we came to know these modern versions of the codex as ‘books’. Processes where refined over the years and now we did away with hand copying and invented the press, allowing for unlimited, accurate reproduction of books, not the least of which was the Bible.
In comes the ‘electronic age’ and we are finding that the human race is getting more and more information delivered from a screen / monitor. It all starts with the bulky CRT, but then goes into LCD screens and these get so refined that extremely high resolutions and color accuracy can be achieved.
So, what is one of the very first books, to make it’s appearance in digital form on a screen. Yes you’ve guessed it, the Bible.
And you know what is interesting. The very first words that where written down in Genesis, either on parchment or clay, where ‘In the beginning.…’ (may it be that they would have been in Aramaic or whatever language Moses chose to write in), and the very last words that John wrote in Revelation where, ’”Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.” [May] the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ [be] with the holy ones.’
And when I look them up today, on my iPad. Would you believe it.….they are the same!
What is my point? The medium on which information is delivered is irrelevant. It serves the purpose of conveying the information. Innovation in delivery methods simply serve the purpose of making it easier for us to find and read the information. If this point where not so, we should all now go back to hand etching our own copies of the scriptures in clay tablets.
I was therefore greatly impressed to find that the jw.org site now has ePub editions of the magazines available for download, so that we technically minded ones can read our publications on our iPads, Kindles, and the likes. With annotation you can even mark, make notes and pre-study them.
The brothers have always chosen to use technology when it was beneficial to the advancement of the work. They did so starring with the ‘photodrama of creation’ a presentation which included moving film with Bro. Russel speaking, long before All Jollson ever spoke or sang one line in ‘The Jazz Singer’. They did so with their use of record players, radio transmissions, our very advanced MEPS system, and the list goes on.
The criteria? Does it help us in our day to day service to Jehovah? If so, then again, the media is just the media. The message is what counts.
Oh, and in the meantime the sandal issue has been resolved too.…… For those who where wondering.
They’re called Nike Air.
