Dioceses and Catholic groups in Italy requested a ban on text messaging every Friday in Lent,
which began last week on Ash Wednesday.
AP reports "It's a small way to remember the importance of concrete and not
virtual relationships," the Modena diocese said in a statement. "It's
an instrument to remind us that our actions and lifestyles have
consequences in distant countries."
Other groups want to ban TV and iPods.
The Los Angeles Times interviewed, Father James Heft, professor of religion at USC
and president of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, who said:
"Lent is about becoming more aware of God and who
you truly are,. For some
people, that might mean giving up things they are addicted to, while
for others it means engaging more with friends and family. These
are all things that can be tools, but they can be addictions.They can contribute to an inability to silence the self. What people give up for Lent often reflects the times, Heft said. In the 1950s, his family went without television and popcorn."
Comment from Wireless and Mobile News
What happens if someone want to text message or Tweet, God?
And what about all the Bible SMS?