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Cell Phones Bad for the Soul, Says Vatican
The Pope is finding himself a little conflicted over cell phones. The same Vatican that started showering young churchgoers with text messages is now faulting mobile phones (and of course the Internet) for preventing the faithful from properly cultivating a spiritual life. In a weekly address, Pope Benedict XVI's spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, warned that, "in the age of the cell phone and the Internet, it is probably more difficult than before to protect silence and to nourish the interior dimension of life." Lombardi said that without developing an internal, spiritual life, "you will lose your soul."
Well, guess we're going to hell. [From: Cellular News, via Textually.org]
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Comments
13
Subscribe to commentsJeffNov 26th 2008 2:49PM
First of all, I'm not catholic. Second of all, he didn't say that cell phones were bad for the soul. What they are saying is that it's really easy to be so distracted by the multitudes of ways that we can keep ourselves entertained 24/7 that we never take any quiet time for thinking about life, or prayer, or meditation, or considering weighty matters like what happens to a person when they die and what is my purpose in life.
I think this is absolutely the case. I'm sure we've all see people who won't ever set down their phones. All day long they are touching, using, or peering into their phones as if their lives depended on it. This is especially true in the case of the youth culture.
No one is blaming technology for the downfall of society. But I think it is a good thing any time someone encourages us to step away from the noise, and spend some time feeding our souls. Because whether you are a religious person or not, we all need that quiet time for reflection.
ArtNov 26th 2008 3:54PM
I can't think when there is too much noise going on around me. Especially television. I find it annoying and distracting. I am retired and during the day when I'm alone at home I keep the TV turned off and like it to be quiet so I can just hear my own thoughts. Sometimes it is good for the soul to have quiet and solitude.
Lady AnnNov 26th 2008 4:49PM
JEFF,
You explained the Pope's comment very well. Anyone reading this blog....if you do not have a close relationship with "Jesus Christ,"
and are on a cell phone, computer, telephone several hours a day,
just THINK ABOUT THE POPE'S COMMENT.
Many are running away from reality with all the evil going on in this world, especially the young people. Just remember that God is always there to listen to you, """ALWAYS.""" and remember, He does give us free will...just ask for help and mean it, God will take care of you.
DebbyNov 26th 2008 2:15PM
I couldn't have said it better Jeff. Too often we are so busy that we fail to take time to be thankful and to receive the peace that could be ours for the asking. I also am not Catholic but I think the Pope is wise and we would be smart to listen and ponder what he says rather than ridicule and make fun of him.
LBNov 26th 2008 2:16PM
I must have missed where the pope said its bad for the soul. I'm not a supporter of the Catholic church by any means, but don't misquote people.
DavydNov 26th 2008 5:24PM
Well at least Mr. O'Brien knows where he's going. So I guess it would be superfluous to direct him there. What an absolutely ignorant interpretation of comments from the Vatican. The old saying, "The press is only free if you own one" would come into play here.
Tania GNov 26th 2008 6:19PM
What? If you are not alll backward living in the dark ages you don't know that the hell has been created mostly by religion?
Dave TuckNov 26th 2008 7:23PM
Actually, I definitely agree with your position that hell has been created by religion, primarily Chistianity. Pagan religions generally don't believe in the concept of either hell or the devil. While I personally don't think that cell phones or the internet are inherently evil, I believe, as the Vatican spokesman put it so elequently, that they both are a deterrent to self realization and meditation. No matter what your belief system, looking inward is the first step on the path to spirituality - in my world, at least. I don't mean to preach, just my opinion.
Tania GNov 26th 2008 6:11PM
Is this pope psychotic?
TaniaNov 26th 2008 6:20PM
Religious people want you all in the dark ages again so you can believe their crap and control you into submission
TerrenceNov 26th 2008 7:51PM
You guys take everything way too seriously.
But allow me to defend my light hearted post anyway...
You can easily read his comments as saying that cell phones are bad for the soul. By being part of the noise and distraction that are preventing the faithful from developing satisfying spiritual lives it leads to losing your soul.
The interpretation is hyperbolic for the sake of entertainment and to draw in the reader. By the way I am Catholic, was in choir, was an altar boy, went to a catholic school for my first 10 years of school plus a year in a Catholic university. Have a sense of humor people.
It is actually good advice, but the Vatican is certainly not immune mockery.
MarkNov 26th 2008 9:38PM
Unfortunately (for you?), it just wasn't funny.
James MillerNov 26th 2008 8:13PM
Look, The Pope means well, but the Catholic church is in crisis. Like all religions, they have lost their way down through the ages. Technology can be detrimental to the world and a person's health. But it also can be a blessing. We have cured many deceases with modern science and the pope and most religions are all for that, but if anything challenges the church's authority, watch out. The pope's main problem is Europe. After hundreds of years of death and destruction despite Christianity, Europeans have turned their back on Religion. They look now for things to make sense before they accept advice. The pope is just a man who made his way up through the ranks. they say he was openminded when young but that is no longer the case. It's the same thing all over. He's against birth control in a world suffering from starvation and over population. Priests are still not allowed to marry which is foolish. They are just men and the policy has fiiled the ranks with gays looking for a place to hide unnoticed in straight society, which is ironic because of the churches stand against gays. The church, for the most part, failed Europe during its horrible wars. And to top it off, the church failed God's creation, remaining silent while the world, mostly Christian nations, raped our planet. yes, I think the pope should forget about cell phones; he has many other things to think on deeply.