Electronic Gadgets at Church

With today's modern world full of gadgets... it is hard not to miss people with cell phones, etc.

My question today is: Do you think it is okay to use your phone or tablet during church for worshiping purposes?



I will not even mention laptops because that is very noticeable. But tablets can be used discreetly and cell phones as well. Today there are applications that let you access the bible online.

If you owned a tablet... would you use it to take notes or read the bible on the tablet? What about taking notes on the sermon. Would you go electronic or would you use paper and pen instead?

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I think that if I had a tablet, (specially HTC Flyer, since it lets you use a stylus pen) I would use it discretely to note down interesting bible points.
One must be careful with these things though because they can easily distract you, but if you focus on the subject at hand... I think it would be neat to use. On the other hand... if my brother or sister sees it as a distraction, then I wouldn't use it, or probably move to another seat lol

I see nothing wrong with it..has long has people are being repectful of others around them.& not doing other things they should't in church.

Not that I know how to use one, but I would as long as it wasn't distracting to others. My handwriting is horrible, no matter what.

I agree, if you are using it as a memory or study tool new technology has its place. But if you are playing solitare or Angry Birds then I believe that's disrespectful.

Joe wrote:

But if you are playing solitare or Angry Birds then I believe that's disrespectful.

I can imagine hearing the sound of the birds laughing after they have beat a level, during a middle of a sermon...

I think its Ok; a guy I know uses his iPhone to read the Bible during church.

Carol wrote:

Joe wrote:

But if you are playing solitare or Angry Birds then I believe that's disrespectful.

I can imagine hearing the sound of the birds laughing after they have beat a level, during a middle of a sermon...

I must admit to being addicted to Angry Birds. What a silly time waster!!

Joe wrote:

I must admit to being addicted to Angry Birds. What a silly time waster!!

I think I am more. I have Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Rio! lol

He is my favorite bird lol

Joe wrote:

Carol wrote:

Joe wrote:

But if you are playing solitare or Angry Birds then I believe that's disrespectful.

I can imagine hearing the sound of the birds laughing after they have beat a level, during a middle of a sermon...

I must admit to being addicted to Angry Birds. What a silly time waster!!

Ohhhh, I'm imagining the expressions on the faces of the congregation. My brother is rather addicted to Angry Birds, too, and he runs the sound system at church. He wouldn't play the game during the service, of course....but if he did...his computer is hooked up to the speakers. ALL through the church, you'd hear "WHATTAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" or "OUCH!" The sound effects on that game are a hoot.

Carol, I didn't know that there were "sequels" to it! I'll have to let Aaron know.

Now that's funny!!
"Let us pray". Everyone bows their heads in silence then......
"YIPPEEEEE!!" blasts from the loudspeakers.

lol

Savannah wrote:

Joe wrote:

Carol wrote:

Joe wrote:

But if you are playing solitare or Angry Birds then I believe that's disrespectful.

I can imagine hearing the sound of the birds laughing after they have beat a level, during a middle of a sermon...

I must admit to being addicted to Angry Birds. What a silly time waster!!

Ohhhh, I'm imagining the expressions on the faces of the congregation. My brother is rather addicted to Angry Birds, too, and he runs the sound system at church. He wouldn't play the game during the service, of course....but if he did...his computer is hooked up to the speakers. ALL through the church, you'd hear "WHATTAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" or "OUCH!" The sound effects on that game are a hoot.

Carol, I didn't know that there were "sequels" to it! I'll have to let Aaron know.

Joe wrote:

Now that's funny!!
"Let us pray". Everyone bows their heads in silence then......
"YIPPEEEEE!!" blasts from the loudspeakers.

That would be soooo funny!!

I'll have to pass this thread on to my brother.

Savannah wrote:

I wouldn't, myself, just because it's much more easy for me to read from a Bible than it is to read on a screen of any sort.

Same here. And what if the battery ran out halfway thru the service?

I wouldn't just for the simply fact others might think I was doing something more than looking up a Bible verse. We have a problem with our youth group kids keeping theres put up so I just think we adults need to be the example. I told my boys I would break their cute little fingers if theirs phones were out during worship. ;)

Gin wrote:

I told my boys I would break their cute little fingers if theirs phones were out during worship. ;)

Ain't that a bit violent Gin?

Savannah wrote:

OH! And to answer you original question, Carol....I don't see a problem with it. I wouldn't, myself, just because it's much more easy for me to read from a Bible than it is to read on a screen of any sort. (Plus, I love the feel of my worn leather Bible in my hands.) But if it can help someone to be able to follow along better, and keep better notes - great!

I have the bible on my iPod Touch and it goes with me to church and everywhere else I go but I read the bible from the bible. I love being able to read it on the ipod tho when a bible is not available.

I would LOVE to have the new iPad 2 but will have to same up some serious $$ before I'm able to. I wouldn't take it to church but I'd download the scriptures to it too.

Gin wrote:

I wouldn't just for the simply fact others might think I was doing something more than looking up a Bible verse. We have a problem with our youth group kids keeping theres put up so I just think we adults need to be the example. I told my boys I would break their cute little fingers if theirs phones were out during worship. ;)

Yeah, that's where I'm at with this too.



This thread reminds me of two summers ago when we were on vacation.....we went to a parish up north, and I think I about passed out when I saw this kid (maybe 8 years old) playing a Gameboy! I know that's not what this thread is about, but I couldn't help but think of it when I read this title. I think I looked at the parents like they were from another planet. Talk about disrespectful! I mean, my kids were little once too but they were expected to sit and listen or participate, especially by the age that this little boy was. Our society today is really screwed up---so many parents just take the easy way out.

Believe it or not, I couldn't agree with it. You hold a Bible in your hand, when the preacher says turn to so and so, you know it's being done.

I know I'm about as ornery a member as we got, but I got an old leather-bound Bible that some friends at the church I went to at the time gave me as a present cuz I didn't have my own. I preached out of that Bible. I read from it. It taught me what I needed to know, whether I follow it all now or not.

I still got that Bible, or what's left of it. In the front, the ppl who gave it to me wrote "God bless you Larry, and all you do. May God always watch over you."

I preached a revival out of that old thing, and the names of each person who came to the altar is in it.

If it'd been electronic, it'd be outdated now.

Now, I ain't judging those that disagree. It's a new world we live in. I'm just a good ol' boy from the hills of Tennessee.

But these ol' boys and girls had a Gideon on 'em;

Amy wrote:

Gin wrote:

I wouldn't just for the simply fact others might think I was doing something more than looking up a Bible verse. We have a problem with our youth group kids keeping theres put up so I just think we adults need to be the example. I told my boys I would break their cute little fingers if theirs phones were out during worship. ;)

Yeah, that's where I'm at with this too.



This thread reminds me of two summers ago when we were on vacation.....we went to a parish up north, and I think I about passed out when I saw this kid (maybe 8 years old) playing a Gameboy! I know that's not what this thread is about, but I couldn't help but think of it when I read this title. I think I looked at the parents like they were from another planet. Talk about disrespectful! I mean, my kids were little once too but they were expected to sit and listen or participate, especially by the age that this little boy was. Our society today is really screwed up---so many parents just take the easy way out.

At church i noticed kids with gameboys too..but the parents usually tell them to put it away.