Is using your phone at the table while eating a sin?

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Is using your phone at the table while eating a sin?
 
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I wouldn’t call bad manners a sin (and manners vary from one culture to another).

However, I would say that in most circumstances, using a phone at the table while you are dining with others is rude. (unless you are waiting for another party to join you, and are anticipating a call. Or there is some other circumstance that you feel the call is important - such as a call from babysitter)
 
If your parents told you not to use your phone at the table, yes, it would be a sin.

Exceptions may be made for medical emergencies, looking up prayers, etc.
 
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Love is never rude, so it is a violation against charity to be rude. In that sense, it would be a sin to use your phone at a time that it would be unnecessarily rude to do so. (It is obviously not a sin every time someone chooses to take offense at your actions.)

It is not intrinsically offensive or an affront to human dignity to use an electronic device during a meal, no.
 
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It’s a little rude, but it’s not a sin. Something can be inadvisable or poor manners without being a sin.
 
Depends. It’s really not even rude if the people around you don’t mind it. If someone has made it clear that they don’t feel good about you doing it while you eat with them, the loving thing to do would be to put it away.
 
Personally I think it depends on the context. If it’s a done thing within the group, no. If it’s because someone doesn’t know better or is one of those people who are always glued to a phone, again no but bad manners in most cases. If it’s used as a way to disrespect someone or to make others feel uncomfortable or for selfish reasons, then possibly yes.
 
Even though I’m a “millenial” I consider it rude. HOWEVER, I know plenty of people in my age group who don’t see it as rude (however socially stunted it may be…) I’ve been at family dinners where sharing texts and memes and news stories from the day via phones or tablets is pretty normal and you almost feel weird if you don’t have a Snapchat or Instagram moment to contribute.
 
This guy at work was telling me a story…

Him and his date went to an upper class restaurant…
He really liked her…but she pulled out the phone and texted…
She did this three times…breaking the flow of conversation, etc

He actually got up - excused himself, politely,
went to the front desk gave the waitress 200 dollars -
and left…
The woman, the next day, appoligized profusely…
But he was done with her.
 
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I think for some people, it’s close to being an addiction. For others it is.

For some it’s just an ingrained habit. Many think there is nothing wrong with it socially, so they would not see a little bit of texting as she did as unacceptable.

Obviously, your friend has high standards. Was he right or wrong? That was his choice to make. I might have done the same. But I was not there. Sounds like a chap of not much patience and extremely idealistic. That would be one way to look at it.
 
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He’s a ex military guy, 32 - 35 at the time.
Good looking. He’s now married ( someone else )
and has two kids, a dog, and a cat.
Model wife.
 
This is ridiculous and too way over the top.

Using a phone at the table is NOT A SIN and in fact it is normally not even rude.

Do you know how many scrupulous people we have in these forums. This kind of thing can cause them more misery!
 
I think using an iphone is. Those things should be outlawed seriously.
 
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