Owning iPad a sin?

[elysianverse]

Shalom,

I try to get by with as few things as possible. But I have an iPad to read biblical literature and to listen to sermons. Also I have an a/c because the country I live in is hot. Am I committing a sin? I am wondering whether self-denial would include eliminating everything in one’s life, or only those which aren’t essential? I am confused.

Elysian

 

[Hecares]

God gave us the things o f this world to enjoy. Self denial is performed as penance. We all are guilty of sins and must at one time or another do penance for our sins.

Having said that, God does not expect us to be miserable all the time. Your self-denial practices are already greater than those of most people I know. I don’t think He would begrudge you an I-Pad and an air conditioner.

 

[SeaShoreGirl]

If your family was starving and you baught an I-pad to play angry birds that would be a sin.

Its not a sin to have nice things. I have an internet-capable phone. I pay $70 monthly. Could I use the $30 plan and get by for work things? Sure. But the extra I pay gives me more time and freedom…and gets me to mass on time because I can look up times anywhere. You dont have to be destitute to be holy

 

[Catholic90]

You dont have to be destitute to be holy

 

[garn9173]

Shalom,

I try to get by with as few things as possible. But I have an iPad to read biblical literature and to listen to sermons. Also I have an a/c because the country I live in is hot. Am I committing a sin? I am wondering whether self-denial would include eliminating everything in one’s life, or only those which aren’t essential? I am confused.

Elysian

The Holy Father tweets and uses an iPad…just saying.

I live in Iowa, just the other morning it was a few degrees above zero (F). Would I be committing a sin by having the furnace on?

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Shalom,

I try to get by with as few things as possible. But I have an iPad to read biblical literature and to listen to sermons. Also I have an a/c because the country I live in is hot. Am I committing a sin? I am wondering whether self-denial would include eliminating everything in one’s life, or only those which aren’t essential? I am confused.

Elysian

If this is not a joke…

Think of it this way: every time you buy something you are providing a JOB for someone who needs it, and give thanks that you are able to do so!

I just came back from Walmart loaded with marked-down toys, stockings, and other things for our next year’s parish drive. Thank God we can do it!

 

[Luna_Lovecraft]

But I have an iPad to read biblical literature and to listen to sermons. Also I have an a/c because the country I live in is hot. Am I committing a sin?

No. And if you persist with this line of thinking, speak with your spiritual director.

Luna

 

[thistle]

Shalom,

I try to get by with as few things as possible. But I have an iPad to read biblical literature and to listen to sermons. Also I have an a/c because the country I live in is hot. Am I committing a sin? I am wondering whether self-denial would include eliminating everything in one’s life, or only those which aren’t essential? I am confused.

Elysian

That surely is not a serious question!

 

[1ke]

Shalom,

I try to get by with as few things as possible. But I have an iPad to read biblical literature and to listen to sermons. Also I have an a/c because the country I live in is hot. Am I committing a sin? I am wondering whether self-denial would include eliminating everything in one’s life, or only those which aren’t essential? I am confused.

Elysian

Really?

You need some spiritual guidance. You are indeed confused, and I would say beyond what we can do to help you here. You need spiritual direction from a holy priest who can help you see where you have fallen into error.

What on earth makes you think either owning an iPad or an air conditioner is sinful?

 

[Matrix_Refugee]

Shalom,

I try to get by with as few things as possible. But I have an iPad to read biblical literature and to listen to sermons. Also I have an a/c because the country I live in is hot. Am I committing a sin? I am wondering whether self-denial would include eliminating everything in one’s life, or only those which aren’t essential? I am confused.

Elysian

God doesn’t want us to be possessed by our possessions, but He doesn’t want us to not use His creation out of a misguided sense of poverty. I would think, in hot countries, A/C would be as much of a necessity as having a furnace in a cold country. It’s one thing to offer up ones sufferings, but it’s another thing to bring undue suffering on oneself out of a misguided piety. St. Bernard of Clairvaux once got reprimanded by his superiors for practicing so much physical penance that he damaged his otherwise robust health.

As for the iPad: there’s a lot of good religious apps for it (I’ve installed one that brings me news and pictures of the Holy Land, courtesy of a Franciscan monastery in Jerusalem). As long as you aren’t playing Angry Birds when one should be praying, I doubt God minds.

 

[Matrix_Refugee]

That surely is not a serious question!

I dunno: I’ve heard some people in real life have some really weird scruples, so I’d give the OP the benefit of the doubt.

 

[graceandglory]

Shalom,

I try to get by with as few things as possible. But I have an iPad to read biblical literature and to listen to sermons. Also I have an a/c because the country I live in is hot. Am I committing a sin? I am wondering whether self-denial would include eliminating everything in one’s life, or only those which aren’t essential? I am confused.

Elysian

If God is calling you to a lifestyle of simplicity, then maybe you aren’t supposed to have these things. If you are interested in simplicity, you may study many of the lives of the saints of the past, and look into religious orders that are committed to a life of simplicity. Everyone has different gifts and callings; perhaps that is yours…

 

[elysianverse]

I am not being facetious. Before I became interested in Christianity, I didn’t even recognize anything as sin. I was so casual, mocking people for their piety. But now I feel the weight of sin, and I want to make sure I don’t ignore ‘lesser’ sins.

This online forum is the only church I have. I can’t go to a real one because I am autistic and suffer from social anxiety. Plus I live in India and I am not sure whom to contact regarding these matters. So I have no choice but to clarify all my doubts here, at least for the time being.

I hope ppl can understand this and not be judgmental. It is very depressing.

 

[Catholic90]

God gives us things or give us access to things to use.

God Will Save Me

A terrible storm came into a town and local officials sent out an emergency warning that the riverbanks would soon overflow and flood the nearby homes. They ordered everyone in the town to evacuate immediately.

A faithful Christian man heard the warning and decided to stay, saying to himself, “I will trust God and if I am in danger, then God will send a divine miracle to save me.”

The neighbors came by his house and said to him, “We’re leaving and there is room for you in our car, please come with us!” But the man declined. “I have faith that God will save me.”

As the man stood on his porch watching the water rise up the steps, a man in a canoe paddled by and called to him, “Hurry and come into my canoe, the waters are rising quickly!” But the man again said, “No thanks, God will save me.”

The floodwaters rose higher pouring water into his living room and the man had to retreat to the second floor. A police motorboat came by and saw him at the window. “We will come up and rescue you!” they shouted. But the man refused, waving them off saying, “Use your time to save someone else! I have faith that God will save me!”

The flood waters rose higher and higher and the man had to climb up to his rooftop.

A helicopter spotted him and dropped a rope ladder. A rescue officer came down the ladder and pleaded with the man, “Grab my hand and I will pull you up!” But the man STILL refused, folding his arms tightly to his body. “No thank you! God will save me!”

Shortly after, the house broke up and the floodwaters swept the man away and he drowned.

When in Heaven, the man stood before God and asked, “I put all of my faith in You. Why didn’t You come and save me?”

And God said, “Son, I sent you a warning. I sent you a car. I sent you a canoe. I sent you a motorboat. I sent you a helicopter. What more were you looking for?”

 

[1ke]

I am not being facetious. Before I became interested in Christianity, I didn’t even recognize anything as sin. I was so casual, mocking people for their piety. But now I feel the weight of sin, and I want to make sure I don’t ignore ‘lesser’ sins.

This online forum is the only church I have. I can’t go to a real one because I am autistic and suffer from social anxiety. Plus I live in India and I am not sure whom to contact regarding these matters. So I have no choice but to clarify all my doubts here, at least for the time being.

I hope ppl can understand this and not be judgmental. It is very depressing.

I am sorry you feel isolated. I know in India, Christianity is not the majority religion. But, even so there are many Catholic priests who you can talk to. You can talk on the phone if you are not able to talk face to face.

Please also get a book such as Catholicism for Dummies or the US Catechism for Adults (from the USCCB). This can help you to learn about the faith in an organized fashion.

Some people are called to a life of simplicity and of rejecting material goods, usually these are men and women called into a particular religious order. Most people are not called to this. Perhaps your anxiety disorder is making you anxious about sin where there is no sin. This is why I suggest that you talk to a priest. Again, even over the phone.

 

[garn9173]

I am not being facetious. Before I became interested in Christianity, I didn’t even recognize anything as sin. I was so casual, mocking people for their piety. But now I feel the weight of sin, and I want to make sure I don’t ignore ‘lesser’ sins.

This online forum is the only church I have. I can’t go to a real one because I am autistic and suffer from social anxiety. Plus I live in India and I am not sure whom to contact regarding these matters. So I have no choice but to clarify all my doubts here, at least for the time being.

I hope ppl can understand this and not be judgmental. It is very depressing.

I’m sorry for my sarcasm in my OP in this thread. Some of these “is it a sin to do this” threads are so silly it’s laughable.

I was serious though when I said that the Holy Father uses an iPad (just Google “Pope using an iPad” to see for yourself), it’s certainly not a sin to use one and most if not all Catholic churches in the United States has air conditioning.

In the mid 90’s, I was a groomsman for a buddy of mine at his wedding in late June. The Catholic Church we both went to at the time didn’t have air conditioning and it was hot outside, really hot like mid 90’s (F) with 5,000% humidity, a good ole fashioned Midwest heatwave. Imagine being in that church wearing a tux Needless to say the first keg of beer at the reception was gone in like 10 minutes

If you are serious about living a simple life, you need to listen to what God is telling you, reach out to a Priest and discern your calling to a vocation.

Edit: In addition, several Priests in my Diocese as well as Parishes in the Diocese use social networking like Twitter & Facebook to reach out to Parishoners to spread God’s good word as well as share pictures of Parish events. I’m sure it’s the same world wide.

 

[DexUK]

While asceticism (the avoidance of self-indulgance and luxury) can be a valid aspect of religious life, it is usually restricted to avowed hermits or consecrated religious of VERY strict orders, like the Carthusians.

There’s nothing that I can see that should prevent you from owning an iPad or an air-conditioner. God doesn’t want you to be miserable and so much the better if these things actually assist you in coming closer to him because the iPad is useful for you to look up scripture or follow the Liturgy of the Hours (Universalis is a fantastic iPad app for that, I use it often). Being without an air-conditioner might well make you so uncomfortable in the heat that you’d be less able to concentrate on what you’re learning.

It sounds like you have enough problems already, with the autism and anxiety. God definitely would not want you to impose more discomfort on yourself deliberately.

Enjoy your iPad and stay cool with your air conditioner. Give thanks to God for the invention of these things and ask Him to help you worry less.

Blessings be upon you.