The philosophy of cell phones

[Pugsly]

In Mathew 24:11-14 we read of how the INCREASE of sin and wickedness will make the love of many to grow cold.

 My question to this forum.....Is it wise to expose yourself unnecessarily to this INCREASE of sin and wickedness via social media, cell phone and other forms of technology that bring us news of (for example) sex trafficking in Malasia, teenage girls beheaded in the Ukraine, drug wars in Mexico.....etc....etc?

Ps.......My question is about the relationship of raw exposure to evil and protecting the flame of Christian love.  Furthermore, I've read how the sea serpent/dragon tried to sweep the (Church) woman and Child away in the desert with a TORRENT of water [excessive information?].  We are living in something of a dark, desert now in the West.  There is a thirst for the Word of God.....that the Evil One seems intent to quench with salt water.

 

[Bonnie]

A cell phone is just a phone. If you use it as a phone, where’s the problem? But if you are calling phone sex lines, don’t blame the phone!

 

[ThinkingSapien]

My question to this forum…Is it wise to expose yourself unnecessarily to this INCREASE of sin and wickedness via social media, cell phone and other forms of technology that bring us news of (for example) sex trafficking in Malasia, teenage girls beheaded in the Ukraine, drug wars in Mexico…etc…etc?

Ps.......My question is about the relationship of raw exposure to evil and protecting the flame of Christian love.

If you know that exposure to something is having a negative impact on you then follow your convictions on it. Though it may not have the same impact on others. Note that not every one is impacted by something in the same way.

 

[AnneElizabeth]

In Mathew 24:11-14 we read of how the INCREASE of sin and wickedness will make the love of many to grow cold.

 My question to this forum.....Is it wise to expose yourself unnecessarily to this INCREASE of sin and wickedness via social media, cell phone and other forms of technology that bring us news of (for example) sex trafficking in Malasia, teenage girls beheaded in the Ukraine, drug wars in Mexico.....etc....etc?

Ps.......My question is about the relationship of raw exposure to evil and protecting the flame of Christian love.  Furthermore, I've read how the sea serpent/dragon tried to sweep the (Church) woman and Child away in the desert with a TORRENT of water [excessive information?].  We are living in something of a dark, desert now in the West.  There is a thirst for the Word of God.....that the Evil One seems intent to quench with salt water.

Please read this- especially verse 8.

Philippians 4: 4-9

4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!5Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8**Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.**9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

We’ve been instructed to DWELL on these things that are lovely, pure, honorable, etc. (What St. Paul said!)

If people don’t believe in the good and only see the bad, they will be more likely to give into their own temptations thinking there is no such thing as what is ‘good’… its easy to forget when one is surrounded by so much bad… It is also why Padre Pio said “Don’t worry, pray!” and to never despair, which leads to nothing good. Easier said than done, but it is what we are instructed to do.

I think it was another saint (or it was in an old Catholic book) who said that a person should ponder at least for 20 minutes every night during prayer on what heaven will be like. Satan wants to take away God’s glory and make it his. When we start to think that all the evil in the world is too surmountable by God, then we’ve doubted His word and God’s Word is always true. ALWAYS.

 

[Pugsly]

A cell phone is just a phone. If you use it as a phone, where’s the problem? But if you are calling phone sex lines, don’t blame the phone!

This is almost a defensive response (something I anticipated) to my broad, philosophical question. In response, I must admit…I have never owned or even used a personal cell phone. It has always seemed to me an un-needed distraction at best and an occasion of sin at worst–I work around loads of porn viewing shipyard workers.

I wonder if people who text too much, look at their phone constantly and “feel naked” if their phone was left at home…might have serious addiction issues…especially if they look at their phone while driving.

 

[Pugsly]

Please read this- especially verse 8.

Philippians 4: 4-9

4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!5Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8**Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.**9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

We’ve been instructed to DWELL on these things that are lovely, pure, honorable, etc. (What St. Paul said!)

If people don’t believe in the good and only see the bad, they will be more likely to give into their own temptations thinking there is no such thing as what is ‘good’… its easy to forget when one is surrounded by so much bad… It is also why Padre Pio said “Don’t worry, pray!” and to never despair, which leads to nothing good. Easier said than done, but it is what we are instructed to do.

I think it was another saint (or it was in an old Catholic book) who said that a person should ponder at least for 20 minutes every night during prayer on what heaven will be like. Satan wants to take away God’s glory and make it his. When we start to think that all the evil in the world is too surmountable by God, then we’ve doubted His word and God’s Word is always true. ALWAYS.

Thank you for this spot on response! It is most edifying.

 

[Pugsly]

If you know that exposure to something is having a negative impact on you then follow your convictions on it. Though it may not have the same impact on others. Note that not every one is impacted by something in the same way.

This is a wise observation. Yet, scripture warns about being weighed down with the troubles of the day for a reason.

 

[AnneElizabeth]

Your welcome, Pugsly. I’m glad it helped.

Stay strong.

 

[JRKH]

In Mathew 24:11-14 we read of how the INCREASE of sin and wickedness will make the love of many to grow cold.

 My question to this forum.....Is it wise to expose yourself unnecessarily to this INCREASE of sin and wickedness via social media, cell phone and other forms of technology that bring us news of (for example) sex trafficking in Malasia, teenage girls beheaded in the Ukraine, drug wars in Mexico.....etc....etc?

Ps.......My question is about the relationship of raw exposure to evil and protecting the flame of Christian love.  Furthermore, I've read how the sea serpent/dragon tried to sweep the (Church) woman and Child away in the desert with a TORRENT of water [excessive information?].  We are living in something of a dark, desert now in the West.  There is a thirst for the Word of God.....that the Evil One seems intent to quench with salt water.

Some wise words here.
Today we are so inundated with information that in many ways there is little time to truly integrate it, make sense of it and properly deal with it. This is especially true of things like you mention that are far off and we are unable to really do anything about.

The Evangelists tell us to pray without ceasing and this can be very difficult when one is inundated with bad news…(and how many “good news” stories are there??)…

I know that my stress level went down exponentially when I stopped watching the evening news…And I don’t even have a cell phone news feed blah blah blah…

Peace
James

 

[3DOCTORS]

For the foreseeable future, I’m keeping my “dumbphone” instead of getting a smartphone. That and the fact that smartphones are expensive. I depend highly on my cell phone as a phone. To make phone calls! Imagine that! :bigyikes: And occasionally send a text - it took me awhile to “get” why anyone would want to text when you could make a cell phone call - wasn’t that supposed to be the point of having a cell phone? But there are some circumstances when a text does make sense and come in handy.

For the internet I prefer my laptop which has a real keyboard. I may at some point get a tablet for the portability, but it’ll probably be awhile.

I think AnneElizabeth said it well - I love that particular Scripture. We should ignore the bad (imagine if everyone did - there’d be no money to be made off it and it would disappear!). Even the Pope uses Twitter. Use as much or as little technology as one is comfortable with, and for good not evil. Beyond that, don’t worry.

 

[ThinkingSapien]

This is a wise observation. Yet, scripture warns about being weighed down with the troubles of the day for a reason.

Troubled? Don’t you have some control over the channels of information that flow into your phone?

For the foreseeable future, I’m keeping my “dumbphone” instead of getting a smartphone. That and the fact that smartphones are expensive. I depend highly on my cell phone as a phone. To make phone calls! Imagine that! :bigyikes: And occasionally send a text - it took me awhile to “get”

Smart devices seem to be solutions to many problems. I say “Devices” instead of “phones” because at this point there are many non-phones serviced through communications providers. I’ve got a Galaxy Camera which uses the data connection for backing up my photos, e-mailing them, and many other things that require a network. Yes, if I get lost my camera can guide me to where I would like to be. I’ve used it to do this at times when my phone wasn’t readily available to do so.

why anyone would want to text when you could make a cell phone call - wasn’t that supposed to be the point of having a cell phone?

But there are some circumstances when a text does make sense and come in handy.

Isn’t that the answer to the question?

For the internet I prefer my laptop which has a real keyboard. I may at some point get a tablet for the portability, but it’ll probably be awhile.

I too prefer a laptop. But I also have 8 tablets (no, I didn’t purchase 8. There’s always various companies giving them to me and I’m giving some away). Despite preference some times the tablet is better fitting. The laptop works well when I can set down. But at some events like conferences where I may be away from a power adapter for 10+ hours the tablet works well. I don’t care for the on screen keyboard, but many of them can convert handwriting to text.

 

[Bonnie]

This is almost a defensive response (something I anticipated) to my broad, philosophical question.

The point I was trying to make (and did poorly - I was in a hurry) is that technology is not in itself bad. It is in how we use it.

 

[Pugsly]

The point I was trying to make (and did poorly - I was in a hurry) is that technology is not in itself bad. It is in how we use it.

Thanks for the clarification…

IRONY ALERT…

A few hours after I posted this thread…I was rear-ended on the freeway by a 16 yr old driver who was looking at his cell phone. Go figure

 

[Bonnie]

A few hours after I posted this thread…I was rear-ended on the freeway by a 16 yr old driver who was looking at his cell phone. Go figure

Two examples in one of technology not being used correctly - not enough attention on the car and too much attention on the cell phone.

Hope the damage wasn’t too bad.

 

[ThinkingSapien]

A few hours after I posted this thread…I was rear-ended on the freeway by a 16 yr old driver who was looking at his cell phone. Go figure

That sounds like an instance of neglect and lack of discipline. Thats not uncommon among 16 year olds; even without phones they are a higher risk group for accidents. If the phone was a significant factor in the accident then it may be to the benefit of that driver and to the community for usage restrictions to be applied to his phone (ex: phone functionality disables if moving above a certain speed).

Like i said earlier, not every one is going to have the same reactions and responses to a phone. The driver in your situation may have a dangerous reaction with his. The same device that distracted one person may be the only immediate way to call for help for another.