What I find far more annoying than ringing cell phone are cell phone conversations carried on in public.

For some reason, an awful lot of otherwise intelligent people seem to be under the misconception that, since cell phones have no wires, you have to talk louder to be heard at the other end. How else to explain the guy at the next table, whose voice in conversation with his companions is barely audible, suddenly beginning to shout when he answers his phone?

Then, there are the talker-wanderers in stores, who navigate the aisles with headsets on, chattering away as they browse the greeting cards. And even worse are the ones who stalk around in bookstores, phone at the ear, loudly holding forth about their upcoming weekend plans, their recent romantic breakup, their latest real estate deal, or their appallingly bad haircut. All this while I'm trying to read a jacket flap, browse a table of contents, or investigate an index.

Nothing, though, beats the idiots I daily see on the freeway, chattering mindlessly while they weave in and out of traffic. These are the ones most likely to bring about the ultimate annoyance: death.

So, while I synpathize about the cell phones in church -- although my sympathies lie with the preacher, not the offended in the pews -- I find the "me, me, me" attitudes of these consistent, daily offenders much more irritating. Their one-string message is alaways the same: "I'm the only important person in the room."

@DoTheRightThing Very well said.

Without evidence of deliberate intent, I as a Christian - to deserve the name - must give the offender the benefit of the doubt, and ask the Holy Spirit to give me patience, the offender a better memory, and all others the same patience with me WHEN I commit a similarly-unintended, mindless offense.

Maybe you're not considering what is REALLY taking place during those electronic interruptions.
As an atheist, I don't spend much time in church, as one would conclude. But that doesn't keep me from offering a theory about cell phone use in the pews. I think that god has finally caught on to scientic advancement and is putting electronic toys to use. If you listen closely to those conversations, I'm sure that in a few cases the phoner is communicating with god. And, as is the case with most all of the flock, he or she is asking god for a favor. And what better way to ask and be granted a favor than to have a private conversation with one's god? And what better place to seek and find than in His house of worship?
I think this is a much better way to converse with an imaginary being than walking down the street, no cell phone in hand, wearing a sandwich board and shouting that the Rapture is near. In the latter case, one could find oneself in a mental institution. In the former case, one is seen having a normal conversation with Aunt Margie, thus not branded as delusional.

Mr. Grant,

As a fellow Catholic, I think you are spot on!

A cell phone ringing at Mass is one of the petty annoyances in life that need not exist.

Actually, a ringing cell phone at Mass is much more than a petty annoyance due to the sacredness of the Mass and what takes place.

Pre-emptive action is required. Prior to the Priest entering the church/altar area, the Lectern should remind those attending to ensure their cell phones are in the off position.

Better yet, to all attending Mass ........ LEAVE THE F'n CELL PHONE IN THE CAR! CAPICHE?

Consider this:
A mass is a ritual, a social formula, a recipe for drawing nearer to God. Cell phone interruptions have no place in the recipe. It's like trying to bake a cake after dropping a cup of wasabi into the batter; it just doesn't work.

Churches encourage people with children to attend. But they also encourage people with disruptive children to take them out of the room until they are back in control, as a distruptive child destroys the mass recipe for themselves, their family, and everyone else.

So do cell phone interruptions.

If I were the pastor, or on the church committee, I'd suspend transgressors for 2 weeks for first offense; and add a week of suspension for each additional offense.

When cell phones go off in church you can be jealous that someone there has found a way to avoid boredom.

Paganplace writes:

"You wanna use the government to make *me* suffer for the 'sanctity' of some 'sacrament' ..as you tell people to feel all righteous about, and you can't even get the same people to turn off their darn *cell phones?*

Gods."

Of all people, you are one that I would never have expected to hear using that cringe-worthy phrase, "you people" - as though all Christians were a monolithic block that thought, acted and reacted as a school of fish.

Nonetheless - here's a basic Christian tenet for you: "If all Christians were perfect, then there would be no need for Christianity".

But to get fully back on topic - I find this particular article disturbing. The author is providing for fertile grounds for serious dissension amongst Christians about something that's a truly minor irritation under almost all circumstances.

This appears to be the entire intent of the author - to stir up "righteous" indignation over something that essentially no one thinks is a good practice. The apostle Paul reminded us not to do this, and the OP should take his advice seriously and choose future topics that invite intelligent discussion.

KWBINMD:
"I look at it as Satan is trying to distract us from our real purpose at Mass"

Is there anything the dark lord wont do?

Seriously, u religious types are pushing it, someone calls u on a phone at mass and its satans fault?

Do u ever read your own posts and think how ridiculous that is?

Why is it so hard to live in reality and blame the person who called u or yourself for not turning it off. Thats right its not your fault, its satans.

Get a grip mate, seriously.

(Pardon the outburst there, sister, but after the past decades, there's such a thing as adding insult to injury. Work. Out. Your sh*@&.)

If I want any more, I know where to sign up.

Hadn't thought of any such thing till you mentioned it, Christian, but *Holy Mother.*

You wanna use the government to make *me* suffer for the 'sanctity' of some 'sacrament' ..as you tell people to feel all righteous about, and you can't even get the same people to turn off their darn *cell phones?*

Gods.

The stuff you say in those churches comes to *physical violence* from you lot and you whine these people don't wanna unplug?

Whattina Lady's name is this 'virtue' I can't get a fair shake in my own civil law supposed to have been about all this time?

'Sanctity of sacraments' means I lost my home five times, and you can't turn your bling off? Oh, you martyrs.

"who understands the art of delivering a sermon: catchy lead; modern-day message and to the point. It's a joy to listen to him."

That's not an *art.* That's a formula. Maybe extensively-'focus-grouped.' But a formula.

If you want to have a ritual where cell phones don't go off.... it ain't about the century or whose religion or whatever.

Mindfulness.

That's all.

May as well be about 'Please don't drop your revolver on the floor. Or your codpiece, or your left-hand-dagger sporting gentlemen.

You Christians. Every time you don't inspire quite enough slavish obedience, you say, 'There oughtta be a law.'

I guess you look at the series of movie theatre reminders, that say 'Please Turn off your cell phone' and figure you're the special one and who's gonna make me. This rule's not for me, *my* call* is all special....

Like the rest of your rules.

This 'problem' is *boneheadedly simple.*

If it's not about texting what queers and non-christians you just got to feel better than... If it's about the 'sanctity' you keep trying to inflict on my life *from* your churches...

If you can't get them to turn off their Blackberries, you take your time working that out before you start telling them who among their fellow humans is 'immoral.'

Not. That. Hard. People.

So out of the hundred or so cell phones that come into a good sized service, one person forgets to turn their phone off (or forgets to switch to vibrate)?

99% success is not so terrible. Maybe you just need to be a little more tolerant of your fellow human being's short-comings.

I couldn't agree more with the author. I attend another Catholic parish in Gaithersburg, MD which shall remain nameless. Before every Mass (at least the Mass I regularly attend), a gentle reminder is given to turn off or silence pages/cell phones. Without fail during Mass at least one rings. It's terribly distracting. As parish pastoral council chair, I want to suggest to our pastor that we install a device to block their signal. Of course, if we did that, soon after there would be a real emergency, which has happened before and during Mass, and no one would be able to call 911.

I look at it as Satan is trying to distract us from our real purpose at Mass. No one said the path to grace would be easy. If we get so annoyed so as to no longer be able to pay attention, Satan has won. I guess it's up to us to give the minor annoyance over to God for the 30 seconds it takes to refocus, then forget it ever happened.

In Christ

fr sideswipe:

>...Cell Phones, Text Messaging, Video Games, and Email have turned what was once a social society into a haven for geeks. Recently I was shopping in the grocery store and this fellow had a wireless earpiece on and he was talking and intially I thought to me. How important could that call of been? Was he taking messages from the orbiting space shuttle giving them directions for their re-entry back into the earths atmosphere?...

What an incredibly RUDE post. It's none of YOUR business what he was talking about. Get a clue, and grow UP.

Self-righteous and self-important neochristians quick to condemn and judge others but not respectful enough to God to turn their cell phones off for an hour.

Americans are not alone. At a funeral of a friend of mine in Mexico, cell phones rang and people shouted "bueno!" during the eulogy and prayer.

There is actually a priest in Mexico who installed a cell phone jamming device in his church. People can put their phones on vibrate or use a pager if they are truly important to receive calls at all times like a doctor on call.

In the middle of a Child Dedication at my Church a celphone with the "Friday the 13th" ringtone went off. It sounded through the sancuary, if not the ages-that's how loud it was.
I don't know how many people cringed, but since that day three years ago, people at our church have been a lot better about turning off their cell phones.
However, our church isn't taking any chances. There is a sign advising people to turn off their cell phones.

We need systems installed in theaters, churches, offices, wherever - systems that completely block cell phone signals. Nobody, not one of us, is so important that they have the right to disrupt the rest of the world at any time.

I had a highly educated, polite Christmas guest. We had dinner at the home of some friends. During dinner his cell phone went off and he got up and left the table. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. I don't want or need friends who are married to their cell phones - not when you are socializing with me.

What a travesty to have a cell phone go off when you are trying to get paid talking to a room full of brainless "wallets" about how high and mighty you are.. I'll spend my Sundays doing something that isn't a complete waste.

Cell Phones, Text Messaging, Video Games, and Email have turned what was once a social society into a haven for geeks. Recently I was shopping in the grocery store and this fellow had a wireless earpiece on and he was talking and intially I thought to me. How important could that call of been? Was he taking messages from the orbiting space shuttle giving them directions for their re-entry back into the earths atmosphere?
Cell Phones have made our society less personalble and allow people to break commitments or opportunities thinking something better will come along.

I play golf at a local muni and it involves tournament play and if the cellphone rings during play the person that had the incoming call gets access a 1 stroke penalty. If that happens in church the person ought to get pilloried.

The worst cell phone experience I ever had was when we were at my ex's godmother's funeral. Not only did someone's phone ring - loudly - during the eulogy, but the person ANSWERED the bloody thing before getting up and leaving the chapel - TALKING on it - "Hey, what's up?...I'm at Granny's funeral...No, it's ok - what's going on?"... Could he not have immediately sent the caller to voice mail (my phone has a buton just for that purpose on the side - you don't even have to open the cover to use it), then called them back from the lobby?

Even on vibrate, cell phone signals cause some really funky feedback in our church's sound system, so we always post an announcement in the order of service, PLUS make a verbal request for everyone to turn them completely OFF. And still they ring during the service.

Amen!

Just because we let our lives be overrun by technology it does not mean that it has a place in our churches on Sunday.

Unless you are on a transplant list - your cell phone should be off. Even better - leave it in the car and give yourself the gift of 1 hour talking to God!

How can we be still in his prescense when we cannot set aside 1 hour per week to shut out the noise and really talk to HIM?

It's so simple yet we seem to have to remind everyone to turn those bloody phones off. Sometimes, I wonder if our lives have really been improved by this technology?