I usually stay away from the topic of religion, but apparently, the Catholic Church in the United States wants you to pay for your sins… literally. According to this news report, the Church has formally given its literal blessing to a new iPhone app that assists Catholics in the process of confession. This story is so up Bill Maher’s alley I expect it will be a topic, or at least a New Rule, on HBO’s Real Time this Friday.
Paying for Your Sins
Forgive me for not knowing as I am agnostic/atheist, but I don’t believe the Church requires payment for its followers to enter a church, speak to a priest or even go into the confessional. Sure, donations are often requested (if not guilted and in some cases conned), but I find it ironic that the last line of this article is subtly slipped in that there is now a toll associated with connecting with the Lord.
While I don’t believe because I have always had a more scientific-type mind, I don’t really begrudge others their beliefs, because in the end I may be wrong (but that’s a long discussion in and of itself). Anyway, I don’t think a religious organization that is concerned about helping its followers reconnect with their faith should charge for it, especially in a world where celebrities and corporate America – often criticized for being motivated by materialism – are regularly doing things online to connect with their fans and customers for free.
It's Between Me and God, My Priest, the Telephone Co., Some Software Geeks, etc...
Obviously, it is difficult to judge the application based on the graphics accompanying the story, but one of the issues I have with it is that the act of confession is supposed to be anonymous and between just you and the priest that is listening. It seems like the application falls short of actually taking confessions, but that can’t be too far off and even based on some of what you can see I would be concerned that your phone, which ties directly to your real identity, is now giving personal and private information to the Church, not to mention who else is involved with the application and the transmission of your sins over the phone, internet, etc.
Immediate Relief
If this new app, or I am sure it’s soon to follow copycats, actually does take confessions, is it good for a person’s faith? Psychologically, is it not important that a person who sins actually have to live and experience the guilt that comes with breaking the code of their faith until they go to church and confess. If one can sin and immediately whip out their iPhone and confess with a text to God or their local church, does that eliminate the needed level of personal remorse and sense of broken responsibility that is supposed to be part of the process in confessing ones sins. Most people go to church once or twice a week and you don’t want to have to go into the confessional with a laundry list of sins. But if all you have to do now is grab your phone off the bedside table while you are watching Letterman and confess all your sins of the day as if it were a diary, does it not take away part of that barrier in ones mind that keeps them from crossing the line of morality when those moments arise?
Let the debate begin amongst the religious leaders who are probably severely split over the role of modern technology in a world that has traditionally been generations behind the modern world.
I Confess
Truth be told though, this app looks pretty darn clever. This is certainly going to mark the start of what I am sure will be an extremely fast evolution of the not only Catholic, but all religions into the digital age of the Lord connecting with his/her followers through their iPhone or Android.
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