{"id":4717,"date":"2013-08-23T12:03:34","date_gmt":"2013-08-23T16:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smartsign.com\/blog\/?p=4717"},"modified":"2025-02-28T02:09:09","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T07:09:09","slug":"digital-distractions-phones-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartsign.com/blog\/digital-distractions-phones-church\/","title":{"rendered":"Phones in church: Digital distractions or a new way to worship?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s happened to the best of us. You’re sitting at church, lecture, or a meeting and you find your mind begins to wander. No one will notice if you send one quick text to a friend or check your emails quickly, right?<\/p>\n

Welcome to the era of digital distractions. Technology, especially the smartphone, has changed our society. \u00a0With it, you now have the ability to instantly connect despite being\u00a0miles away from the office or your friends. In a way, you never truly leave people. You’re always plugged in. But is it appropriate? Should there be rules against cell phone use in certain spots that exist for the purpose of reflection and focus, like places of worship and lecture halls?<\/p>\n

\"No<\/a>

Your “Dancing Queen” ringtone is not appreciated here! Get the sign<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Many say yes. \u00a0You should go to church to worship and attend school to learn (or at least permit the others around you to do so). \u00a0Still, digital distractions may just be a very old behavior with a new look. \u00a0Before smartphone technology, people would frequently day-dream, fall asleep in services and lectures, pass notes, or play games in pamphlet margins. Would distracting smartphone users just be finding another way to annoy others if they didn’t have their devices?<\/p>\n

Lifehack states that,\u00a0“without the distractions of TV, internet, phones, games, our job, the outside world \u2013 there\u2019s no buffer between us and the questions we try so hard to avoid.” \u00a0For example, being fully tuned into a church service that creates guilt or discomfort could lead an individual’s mind to wander. \u00a0Similarly, a confusing lecture could be ignored in favor of a more entertaining activity, like texting or surfing the net.<\/p>\n

Here’s one tech-savvy (and hilarious) way a Californian church discourages smartphone use during services:<\/p>\n