Interfaith Group Calls For Shutting Off All Devices During Holy Week

I would do this if they didnt make it about religion. I refuse to do something in the name of god. I do, however, believe that this is a good idea and they should make a week long holiday where everyone should shut off there electronics(except for maybe at work when they need it) and spend a week in front of friends or family and doing physical activities. JUST DONT MAKE IT ABOUT RELIGION DAMMIT!!! pisses me off

I'm with you, joefizzle. Making it about religion is way off the mark.

@joefizzle

Amen!

Or, um, "I wholeheartedly agree with you..."

Srsly, why make it a religious thing? This isn't a bad idea. Lots of people could use some down time, but don't brand the religion label onto it!

PopSci, you got it right: "...just give Catholics something else to feel guilty about this week."

I agree with the notion that radio technologies are agreeable with god, unlike the unholy microtransistor, which is an invention of the devil. I am thankful for the logic and reason that religion continues to provide in this satanic age.

I take it none of you are designers?

I would love to be without my email for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, any "relaxation" I would benefit during the short-term would immediately be erased once I came back and saw how far behind I got. Not that I'm complaining though .... thus is life.

... Surprisingly enough, during the last week before one of the biggest parts of the Christian calendar, they *might* just make these things related to God. That's like complaining about people referencing old Saint Nick in the week before Christmas, for heaven's sake!

And just because they're advocating it with a religious basis doesn't mean you can't do the same thing for secular reasons. I'm not religious myself, yet I did give up both access to Facebook and also shaving for Lent, the first to distance myself from it to regain a slightly healthier relationship with the web, the second to give myself a solid timeframe to not give up in so i could see whether or not a beard suited me. Neither religious reasons, not done with any religious aims or goals. And not only that, but my Christian friends are a-okay with me doing a secular form of Lent, unlike you chaps being raaaather intolerant of the very valid religious reasons here...

Are you guys seriously complaining because religious groups are making this a "religious thing"?

They have every right to. They are certainly not forcing you to do the same thing. Specifically, they are not forcing you to do it for religious purposes.

WOW!

I find this thread really entertaining. I think it's silly to be upset with the Catholic church for promoting an idea to advance your "spiritual life.." Sorry they are making this a religious thing but they are the church.

I think they it is perfectly great for you 6 to give up your electronics for whatever reason you see fit.

some people on here may not agree with me being upset about it being a religious thing but I have had christians harrass me trying to convert me to there faith. I dont care for religion at all and have nothing against anyone who believes in there god, but keep it to yourself and within your own community of believers. dont flaunt your religion to the world and try to make them beleive. if your god is real, people will come themsleves.

@joefizzle

That's fine, but it's addressing the religious community...not you.

And it really doesn't matter...

.... Christians want to convert Atheists, Muslims want to convert Christians, Christians want to convert Muslims, Mormons want to convert Christians, Christians want to convert Mormons, Atheists want to convert Muslims, Atheists want to convert Christians, Democrats want to convert Republicans, PCs want to convert MACs and PS3s want to convert 360s.

That's just how it is.

I'm pretty sure the Magic Mouse doesn't have a screen...

That aside, yeah, if this were taking place on a week that wasn't clearly religious, I'd seriously consider participating. I'm a serious technophile, but sometimes I think I'd like to appreciate a paperback without wondering if someone's trying to tweet me.

i do this anyway from time to time. I have to. Sometimes I feel like my mind is going to explode. I wake up and turn on the TV while I get dressed and eat breakfast. I work on a PC all day at work. When I get home I am on my HDTV using my pc or playing games or watching TV. If I am away from home I am on my smartphone. Its just TOO much! I have to turn all off and take a cruise on my motorcycle. Turn it all off. who cares the reasons. Its something we all need to do from time to time. when its at its worst: I feel so disconnected from the reality it isn't funny. Its scary.

@ inaka_rob

Im liking you more and more.

To you people fighting so hard against religion, its sad that you know only what you see on the news about it,

DID you know SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY has religion indoctrinated in them?

Do you know what the Unified field is?

Do you know what quantum theory is?

Thats the same as asking if we know what GOD is.

We do not. but we know its there. Thats a start.

Lumping Catholicism with religion is like lumping suicide bombers with all of Islam. They are BOTH extremists but one does evil in secret.

Im not going to get into a debate but the Vatican stole Christianity and turned it into a pagan ritual of idolatry, celebrating death and condoning war. If you wear a cross or any other religious symbol OR pray to saints or statues, you are an idol worshiper. Truth.

Science is proving GOD exsists.

Religion is constantly trying to prove GOD doesn't exist.

Which has nothing to do with shutting off your tech other than to commemorate the sacrifice of the great teacher and my personal lord Jeshua of Nazareth when he fasted for lent.

The theme here is FASTING. Getting back to your spiritual center and not closing your minds eye with distractions.

NOT religion. You people missed the true teachings and instead deify a man born of this earth just as you were.

WHAT IS TRUE FOR YOU IS ONLY TRUE FOR YOU. NOT EVERYONE.

What I believe I believe for only myself. No one else. Not even my own family. You cant know what is true for anyone but you.

Try that with nuclear power plants, traffic lights, planes, ATMs, boats, trains, cars, fridges, cash registers, cell phones, laptops, etc...
It is impossible!!! Life is impossible without technology support. Also technology needs constant maintenance otherwise will fail but many inventions are still functional after their inventors failed(died) long time ago.

I think the staggering lack of self-awareness displayed by the suggestion to listen to the radio as pointed out by Boyle (to reconnect with people, nature, and the world about?) is the bit that moves this campaign from being an honest and reasonable attempt to do something both healthy and reverent into being a childish and reactionary stunt with some slight Luddite underpinnings. It doesn't take good people to have good ideas.

And you know, I honestly prefer radio to television, but I don't have either one without my computer, so. = P

Dictators and Religious people are the only ones that are afraid of technology.

screw them!

I connect with GOD better through technology and electronics...

These days if you take electronics away from people they will feel too bored with life, might see the truth in pain and suffering this world offers,and might end up committing suicide.

Dont' take Itunes and facebook from People!

Anyone else get the feeling this is a ploy to get more listeners to Christian radio? It is so entirely backwards it makes it obvious there are ulterior motives here. It makes me happy that the younger generation is realizing just how ridiculous religion is. I welcome more examples of religious idiocy, it's pervasive and needs to be put under the microscope.

As most said, this isn't necessarily a bad idea. We could all use a break from personal technology and excuses are ever harder to come by. Ditch religion and do this for your own sanity.

@ cadillac
Some of us who “fight religion” actually grew up in religious settings/environments. Some have gone through CCD, or confirmation. Some have been baptized, bar/bat mitzvah’d, even attended seminary. Some of us “fight” because we are tired of the spoon feeding, where the spoon is forced down ones’ throat. Furthermore, the fight isn’t about religion so much it is about ignorance… replacing the God of the gaps.

You say “DID you know SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY has religion indoctrinated in them?” Indeed… As Einstein put it “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

Again you write “Do you know what the Unified field is? Do you know what quantum theory is?” For starters, do you? A theory? …I know, fascinating!!! A creationist trying to use “theory” to prove your “theory” all the while attacking “theory” itself is just absurd and shows how far the circular reasoning rabbit hole goes… Kind of like arguing carbon dating on dinosaur bones, only to try to use carbon dating on a piece of wood as “evidence” its Noah’s Ark. Right……. "Creationists make it sound like a 'theory' is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night." --Isaac Asimov

Then you imply “Thats the same as asking if we know what GOD is.” Your bunch say he’s love… obviously you know and have done the impossible! You defined the omnipotent! Perhaps maybe God should worship you… Tell you what we do know what God is… invisible. “The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike." --Huang Po

Then you have the gull to imply “Lumping Catholicism with religion is like lumping suicide bombers with all of Islam. They are BOTH extremists but one does evil in secret.” But I say to you for far too long priests and preachers have completely ignored the vicious criminal acts that the Bible promotes. The so called “God” of the Bible makes Osama Bin Laden look like a Boy Scout. This God, according to the Bible, is directly responsible for many mass-murders, rapes, pillage, plunder, slavery, child abuse and killing, not to mention the killing of unborn children. Furthermore, the burning times along with the inquisitions were far from being done in secret.

Then you continue on to construe “Im not going to get into a debate but the Vatican stole Christianity and turned it into a pagan ritual of idolatry, celebrating death and condoning war. If you wear a cross or any other religious symbol OR pray to saints or statues, you are an idol worshiper. Truth.” I hate to break it to you, but Christianity stole Pagan holidays and traditions such as the Yule – I mean Christmas tree and Easter Eggs etc a long time ago. When the “convert or die” mindset inquisitions ran rampant the Virgin Mary became the Pagan Mother Goddess and the Christian God, the Father God. Why oh why do you think Mary is still worshiped to this very day? A practice started by the tip of a blade.

You say “Science is proving GOD exists. Religion is constantly trying to prove GOD doesn't exist.” But you obviously do not understand science. Religions requires no proof no evidence and forcibly injects that god exists with absolutely no proof to back it up. Science on the other hand does not need a God nor does it care about gods – it replaces the God of the gaps with knowledge and may make God irrelevant and unnecessary to explain existence – and it deals with testable observable evidence.

Then we get this line… “WHAT IS TRUE FOR YOU IS ONLY TRUE FOR YOU. NOT EVERYONE. What I believe I believe for only myself. No one else. Not even my own family. You can’t know what is true for anyone but you.” Just because you believe something, doesn’t make it truth at all. If man kind (all belief) died tomorrow… the truth is that the sun will continue to burn, planets rotate… magma in the center of the planet still churn… Regardless of what you believe. Facts you see… doesn’t care if you believe in the Invisible Pink Unicorn, a 2000 year old Jewish zombie, of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or not.

So in conclusion to the reply to your lengthy rant of nonsensical rambling I leave you with this pearl of wisdom: "Faith is a cop-out. It is intellectual bankruptcy. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits." --Dan Barker, former evangelist

@ThisNameTaken

Amen

@highermorals,

"Life is impossible without technology support."

LOL.

Must be why the cavemen all died out... *rollseyes*

Although, I must admit, this story and various comments have had me cracking up.

Also, all those people who are bashing the non-religious folks with B.S. about how the Christians in the U.S. are oh-so-accepting of nonreligious thoughts... you must not live in the South.

Check out this movie called "Jesus Camp" and you will instantly understand the world in which many no-longer-religious people developed their attitudes against religion.

@thisnametaken:

couldn't have said it better myself. Well done.

Dan thank you for your cynical views on everything I wrote and your very witty quotes from Chinese philosophers, but

I have a few questions for your genius.

What "bunch" do you affiliate me with?

Why do you think GOD is invisible just because you cant recognize it? Are atoms and molecules invisible too?

Science Religion GOD the Universe The Unified Field, etc is ALL GOD to me, so why would you think theory is any different from faith?

Roman Catholics created this grand scheme of idol worship pagan rituals and blood oaths you call the christian religion. Just because you might be atheist or agnostic does that mean everyone with any intelligence must be as well or be branded dumb?

I believe in a higher power yes. I believe in a grand architect of the universe yes. I believe in some dude in the sky with a white beard saying do as i command or ill punish you definitely not. So take me out of your minds category of bible thumpers and by the way, show me where the bible condones rape and murder. Where does it condone rape and murder? youre reaching pal.

Ex Evangelists, and Catholics, make up about 90% of Atheists. Hmmm. I wonder why? Maybe something is telling you GOD and religion are not the same.

Maybe its time to concede that GOD as well as Science can not be contained in our imagination and that just maybe, we dont know what GOD is just like we dont know what the UNIFIED FEILD is. I know GOD personally. Not as a man or woman or some other form of misconception you will create. I see flowing energy through and around everything. I could never show you GOD in a million years.

The only way for you to find GOD is to recognize it. GOD is everywhere but you refuse to recognize it.

THIS IS THE LAST POST ABOUT RELIGION I WILL EVER POST.