Smartphone use in Sacrament meeting

[NeuroTypical]

Forget the dissenters - the REAL dirt had to do with using electronic devices during Sacrament! :)

 

Did anyone else pick up on the line in the sand the brethren are drawing, on smartphone use on Sunday?

 

They're asking us to put our devices away during the "presentation" of the sacrament. They're not asking us to put them away during sacrament meeting.  (Well, they are in general terms when talking about not letting technology rule us, and how to best feel the spirit, and whatnot.  But when speaking most clearly, they use the phrase "presentation of the sacrament".)

 

I heard it twice in conference, and also once or twice in other talks at other times. 

 

I am guessing (and this is just my guess), they are trying to preserve the sacredness of the sacrament, with the needs of moms who use gizmos to keep kids quiet during an hour of monotone talking, and people with ADD/ADHD who need to be doing something with their hands, etc.

[Guest MormonGator]

, and people with ADD/ADHD who need to be doing something with their hands, etc.

 

That's me totally. I still look at my cell phone during sacrament, but I try to make it scripture or something, 

[char713]

This counsel should come as a surprise to no one, of course seeking other entertainment during an ordinance is not appropriate. If a child is old enough to take the Sacrament (having been baptized), he or she is old enough to sit quietly for the 10 minutes or less that the ordinance requires. I have some attention issues myself, but we are given something to do with our hands - taking and passing the Sacrament. If we need something else to do, maybe some individuals could quietly move to assist a young mother whose little children are out of control? 

 

Edit: Hard-copy scriptures and hymnals are usually within arms reach too. 

Edited April 6, 2015 by char713

[beefche]

If I am having trouble concentrating on the sacrament during the actual sacrament part, then I will either read a hymn (or several) or I read the scriptures (usually, I read the sacrament prayers over and over).  And I will use either my tablet or smartphone to pull up those scriptures.

 

During the rest of sacrament meeting, I may be looking at my smartphone, but it is usually because I'm looking up scriptures or a talk.  

 

Of course, I also use them to look at other websites that aren't Sunday/church related........lds.net counts as churchy, right????

[Palerider]

I always say....if I had everyone's number I could text message my talk to the congregation. Lol

[Vort]

The last several weeks, I have found myself looking up ASL signs for words like "authority" and "sacrament". May be a good idea to write myself a note and save that for later.

[carlimac]

I think this counsel was meant for the ones who know who they are. The ones doing other stuff during the sacrament meeting. I don't bring my hard copy of scriptures to church. I'm already carrying lots of poundage of "stuff" to keep my primary class to a low roar- crayons, puzzle pages, object lessons, my ipad with a movie clip about Jesus, even treats on occasion. To bring my scriptures, too would be silly when I have them all on my phone. 

 

I hope these references to iphones during sacrament meeting in General Conference don't make judgmental snobs out of some of us. My husband takes notes on his phone. it may look like he's texting but if that bothers some, it's their problem, not his.   Sometimes I'll bring up pictures of my grandsons during a meeting. Again, if anyone judges me to be breaking a commandment, that's their burden to bear, not mine.

[carlimac]

The last several weeks, I have found myself looking up ASL signs for words like "authority" and "sacrament". May be a good idea to write myself a note and save that for later.

 

I don't think there is one thing wrong with doing this. 

[priesthoodpower]

Maybe im just oldschool but I could never understand why anyone in their right minds would need to do anything on their smart phones unrelated to church during the sacrament hour.

 

Need to send/receive an important call? go outside and do that

Need to surf the web for sport scores or social media status's? go home and do that

 

on the flip side txt messaging allows my bishopric to inform/relay messages that are urgent/important during the sacrament meeting. for example, if an inactive female member suddenly shows up to sacrament the 1st counselor or bishop will text the relief society leader a heads up.

[Crypto]

I can tell you this, an elderly person in my family latched on to the idea that we were doing what we were counseled against in conference. Apparently video games are bad. (Quite a few of us were playing multi-player games, basically online hide and go seek, together as a family both member and non-member) 

Missed the point I think, It wasn't church or sacrament and it's certainly just as bad as playing card games....Card games get pretty contentious in my family. At least we seem to get along with the computer games. I wonder why that is. hmm <-(Truly do wonder why it is)

Edited April 7, 2015 by Crypto

[NeuroTypical]

Yeah, some LDS families have hang-ups with playing cards.  I think it springs from the early days of Utah as a frontier territory, when they were trying to keep houses of gambling and other such venues from taking hold as settlers came.  There was a lot of talk about the evils of playing cards, which, at the time, were only used by gamblers for gambling.  

 

Somehow that morphed into "the suicidal king is of the devil and will posses your soul"-type nonsense that some folks still try to pass on to younger generations.  

 

I remember my grandparents begrudgingly allowed uno and skip-bo cards, but drew the line at things with faces on them.  *shrug*

 

All that aside, one might ask themselves if sacrament meeting is the time to sit there dinking around with games on ones electronic gizmo.

Edited April 7, 2015 by NeuroTypical

[EarlJibbs]

When Uchdorf was speaking they did one of their new "from behind" shots so you could see him talking and see the congregation. He was talking about electronic devices and lo and behold there was a kid about 10 rows back with the nice bright glow on his face from his tablet. Haha!

[omegaseamaster75]

What did we do before smart phones? Surely it is not to much to ask that they not be in use during the sacrament.

[NeuroTypical]

During "the presentation of" the sacrament, omega.  That's the phrase I keep hearing from our church leaders.

[The Folk Prophet]

During "the presentation of" the sacrament, omega.  That's the phrase I keep hearing from our church leaders.

 

I'm not following. Are you differentiating "the presentation of" from "during" somehow?

[Guest]

I'm not following. Are you differentiating "the presentation of" from "during" somehow?

He's trying to say that Church Leaders did not say to not use smartphones in sacrament meeting but only during the sacrament portion of sacrament meeting... how's that for clarity? :)

[The Folk Prophet]

He's trying to say that Church Leaders did not say to not use smartphones in sacrament meeting but only during the sacrament portion of sacrament meeting... how's that for clarity? :)

 

Are you sure? Omega said "during the sacrament", which is clearly meant as during the sacrament portion only. But then Neuro specifies "the presentation of"....

 

Awaiting Neuro's clarification... :)

[Traveler]

I had the rare privileged of attending some church meetings with Hugh Nibley during my childhood.  If I ever looked over at him it was most likely to seem him with his head bowed looking into his scriptures.  It did not matter the meeting - he rarely looked up from his scriptures.  But if he did look up, you could be sure that someone just made a most profound reference to a gospel principle.  Unless he smiled - then you knew that his very dry sense of humor also found something noteworthy.  :)

[NeuroTypical]

Well, it's a phrase I don't think I've ever heard before, until this specific subject came up.

 

I figure (and this is just my interpretation here) it's a way to distinguish between sacrament meeting, and everything that happens after the sacrament song, and before the next speaker is announced.

 

In other words, church leaders are putting special emphasis into asking us to not have electronic devices going at church, but they're specifically only talking about the actual presentation of the sacrament, not the 60+ minute sacrament meeting.

[char713]

Are you sure? Omega said "during the sacrament", which is clearly meant as during the sacrament portion only. But then Neuro specifies "the presentation of"....

 

Awaiting Neuro's clarification... :)

 

You weren't asking for me to clarify, so I hope I am not putting words into anyone's mouth here. But in the quote in my signature, C.S. Lewis uses the word "presented" in referring to the distribution or serving of the sacrament. I prefer the term "presentation" to almost any other term that we use. It's hard for me to articulate why I feel that way. The phrase has a certain poetic and beautiful feeling to it, that these symbols of His sacrifice are being offered and explained to us, but the choice to see, understand, accept, and take it inside is all our own. 

 

Edit: Also I think of the word when used here not in the sense of a "powerpoint presentation" for example, but in the way that a gift (present) is "presented." It is instructional, but it is also a generous and well-prepared gift that we are free to appreciate, or take for granted. 

Edited April 7, 2015 by char713

[Palerider]

What did we do before smart phones? Surely it is not to much to ask that they not be in use during the sacrament.

I think there was coloring and pencil drawing and playing hangman and sleeping.

[hagoth]

Ever since we had electronic devices in our family the rule has always been that those devices didn't come out for use until after the Sacrament has been passed, and then they could only be used for painting/coloring apps. No other types of video games are allowed. This has saved us from having to pick up shattered crayons after every meeting.

[pam]

I think there was coloring and pencil drawing and playing hangman and sleeping.

 

And Cheerios. Don't forget the Cheerios.

[Finrock]

 

Forget the dissenters - the REAL dirt had to do with using electronic devices during Sacrament! :)

 

Did anyone else pick up on the line in the sand the brethren are drawing, on smartphone use on Sunday?

 

They're asking us to put our devices away during the "presentation" of the sacrament. They're not asking us to put them away during sacrament meeting.  (Well, they are in general terms when talking about not letting technology rule us, and how to best feel the spirit, and whatnot.  But when speaking most clearly, they use the phrase "presentation of the sacrament".)

 

I heard it twice in conference, and also once or twice in other talks at other times. 

 

I am guessing (and this is just my guess), they are trying to preserve the sacredness of the sacrament, with the needs of moms who use gizmos to keep kids quiet during an hour of monotone talking, and people with ADD/ADHD who need to be doing something with their hands, etc.

 

 

In my family my children are not allowed to bring electronic devices to church. It is too much of a temptation and a distraction. They bring good old paper scriptures so if they want to look something up, which they usually don't, they have those. I believe sacrament services should be cell phone free, especially. Cell phones should  be turned off and put away for one hour. I personally feel that we should treat sacrament meeting and being in the chapel as if we were in the temple. Sacrament meeting already has become too casual in many instances in my opinion.

 

-Finrock

[EarlJibbs]

I think there was coloring and pencil drawing and playing hangman and sleeping.

 

Yeah. We drew pictures and played the "dot" game, but NOTHING until after the Sacrament portion was over. We do the same with our children, they draw and have some quiet items that we allow, but only after Sacrament.