Tech at church

Nice to keep handy if someone starts singing anti-smart phones in church.

True, except it’s not written by anybody with any kind of authority (at least the first one – and the second one only references someone in authority).

One of the reasons I give for using tech at church is that I can set the font large enough on my tablet that I don’t need to use my glasses to read the hymns, scripture, or text.

But I frankly don’t know what I’d do without it during those boring meetings where engaging is nigh to impossible.

As long as they’re not watching porn in church…

I think (but don’t know for sure) that porn, like Youtube, is blocked at church. I’ve never seen any porn on Youtube, but I have seen porn on Facebook and it’s not blocked.

I think you’re right, Ray. I live in an older ward and usually skip Sunday School when I’m there (for a variety of reasons). I usually attend when I visit other wards though and I recognize that many use tech (everybody in the college branch). The discussion actually comes up more often in HPG where neither of the two assistants use tech (one calls them magic mirrors) and we’re probably split about half and half with books and tech.

The other place it has come up more recently is in stake leadership meetings in light of the keeping the Sabbath push. It’s kind of a conundrum, actually, because all of our SP are very high tech guys and they all use tech in our meetings. The SP is one who leans more toward the no TV on Sunday crowd and has lumped tech in with that. He has stopped short of asking bishoprics to ask people not to use tech in sacrament meeting, although he sets the example by not doing so. He has asked that bishoprics ask for no tech during the sacrament ordinance, which I and the linked blogger both agree with. He has also asked bishoprics not to use tech on the stand. However, the blog does make a great point with the example of the kids – just because we’re looking at tech doesn’t mean we’re not focusing on the Savior. I have for many years read scripture during the sacrament (always related to the Savior and atonement) and since I don’t carry paper scriptures I do so on my device now. When sitting on the stand I’m actually having a hard time with this and tomorrow plan to “openly rebel” because it’s more distracting for me to follow his directive than to do what I think helps me focus.

(for those of you have have seen things I have written about my SP before, I’ll say this is a minor fault – he’s still a really, really good SP. And I did share this blog with him – he said he had already read it.)

My SP clearly sits on the stand with his iPad open. I have sat next to him and he is trying to match names and faces off the ward list on lds.org and the pictures loaded up there. A wise use of his time – especially when he is attending 3 wards in a row with the same stake high counselor giving the same talk (no HC offense intended DJ )

Ugh, none taken – I like to speak, but I’m glad my turn only comes up for a single meeting about every other month (about 7 times a year). I agree that’s a wise use of his time. In stake PEC that’s what we’re all doing when names are submitted for approval – looking them up on LDS Tools.