quote:

Originally posted by imala:
Text messaging in church is disrespectful
Thou shalt not e-mail or text message. Thou shalt not use cell phones. That's right. A few weeks back during Sunday Mass, the Rev. Phillip Halfacre, parish priest of St. Patrick's Church in Ottawa requested that parishioners not bring cell phones into church, and if they did, to turn them off. But I still notice cell phones going off now and then. Are churchgoers still so ignorant or what?

These days e-mail use is reaching biblical proportions. Is nothing sacred anymore? Cell phone use, e-mailing or text messaging is invading the inner sanctum of church pews, bathrooms and boudoirs. Checking e-mail or text messaging is disrespectful and it's not appropriate.

Church time is time for communicating with God, not time for checking e-mail. If your intention is to worship God, then checking ball scores on your cell phone or text messaging your friend to meet you for lunch after Mass is self-defeating. So please -- I am not looking forward to someone's cell phone going off to the ringtone, "Fergalicious" by Fergie, or "Don't Cha," by *****cat Dolls, or "Soldier boy," by Soulja Boy or "Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash, while I am spiritually reciting the Lord's prayer.

On behalf of all the parish priests and pastors of the churches around Ottawa, I kindly request the churchgoers to leave their cell phones at home or in their cars. Do this as a courtesy for others. Your cell phone is not a American Express card. So leave home without it. Period!

ALFIE D'SOUZA

Ottawa

Text messaging in church is disrespectful

quote:

Originally posted by ksazma:
Indeed a bad habit. Sometimes during the fard salaah, one can hear peoples' phones ringing their chutney music. If you remembered to make it to the masjid for prayer, how come you didn't remember to put your phone on vibrate?