WATCHTOWER WARNING: Mobile Phones

DevonMcBride

http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2002/10/22/article_01.htm

They are now paranoid about mobile phones.

I was just sitting here thinking..."I wonder what they would do if I put this disk (with the New World Translation on it) into a lap-top and sat there in a meeting following along with the discussion, and reading the 'bible' on my computer?"

Now I know

Gopher

The article at some points seems balanced, and at other points gets preachy. "The meetings are an appointed time" to not use cell phones. Well, Duh!

But they do have a good point that the text messaging craze on these cell phones is a bit silly. Since the article was published, camera-phones have become all the rage. Who'd a thunk it?

be wise

Nice try Gopher!

Some youths thus use mobile phones to establish secret contact with those of the opposite sex.

I love you WTS – honest I do!

When Keiko, a 17-year-old Christian girl, started using a mobile phone, she let many of her friends know her number. Soon she started exchanging messages every day with a boy in her congregation. Keiko says: "At first we just talked about everyday things, but then we started sharing our troubles. We created our own little world by means of our mobile phones."

I think this is called a friendship, Keiko – it doesn’t mean you have to shag!

Always remember that there are no secrets when it comes to our heavenly Father. The Bible explains: "There is not a creation that is not manifest to [God's] sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting." (Hebrews 4:13) Why, then, try to maintain a secret relationship?

If the WTS’ attempt at logic doesn’t work then there secret weapon PARANOIA will!

nativenyr23

OMG - I am so embarrassed to once have been associated with this GESTAPO mentality. I couldn't believe it as i was reading it. but damn, it sounds SOOOOO JW!

PATHETIC....that's the only word i can think of to describe it. Think of the brownie points the brother that wrote that article got. Cell phones "wasting time", and one not being able to "monitor" conversations?! OMG....no they didn't!!!! and excessive talking considered "dating"?

puleeeeze!

reporter

I was just sitting here thinking..."I wonder what they would do if I put this disk (with the New World Translation on it) into a lap-top and sat there in a meeting following along with the discussion, and reading the 'bible' on my computer?"

Actually, it's funny you mention that, I used to do the same thing! I was a real geek, once, and for a few months, I had a laptop at all meetings, complete with WT CD-Rom and printouts, etc. and I usually ran it for the whole meeting (with the sound turned off) looking stuff up while the speaker was yacking. I had the NWT and all the pubs being used for the different meeting parts in their own windows, all the while reading from the screen on the empty seat beside me.

Apparently, some elder or publisher thought I was being too "thorough" or "zealous", and elders asked me to cease using my laptop computer at the meetings, claiming that it was "distracting" from me getting the "spiritual value" out of the meetings! Ha! It was shortly after that I left, and now I use the internet to drown them in their own words!

Uzzah

The crazy part is the initial quote from the London paper could have been a great start to a phenomenal article

Some models allow you to exchange short text messages, which "is the latest way for young people to feed their urge to communicate," says The Times of London.

So why not use this as an opportunity to discuss how to encourage teens to communicate. How to build positive friendships with their peers as opposed to yet another controlling article limiting expression and the stated desire to communicate.

grrrrrrr

badolputtytat

Reporter,

How did I know you were going to be counciled before the end of your second paragraph?

Scared I tell ya... everything has to be about being scared. Bad ol technology. Bad ol music. Bad ol world.

I'm Sorry Watchtower... If your daughter goes out and buys a cell phone, and then sleeps with half her class-mates.... then she was a slut to begin with. But keep tryin'

Swan

This was such a funny article. I laughed all the way through it. It's a joke, like the "Are Cats for Christians?" article, right?

Okay, maybe it is real, but it could have easily been a great satire.

What's next? "Should Christians Use Electricity?"

This was one of my favorites:

Jesus stated the wise principle that one should "calculate the expense" before undertaking an important project. (Luke 14:28) Can that principle be applied to mobile phones? Certainly.

That's priceless! Comparing the building of a house to owning a mobile phone. What morons!

"Text messaging means that no one can monitor what [young people] are doing," says The Daily Telegraph of London.

Okay, what did they really say at the Daily Telegraph? What originally used to be in the brackets? Sorry, WTBTS, I just don't trust you to quote anything right anymore after the way you fowled up with the quotes of all of those prominent scientists in the Creation book.

If they are not expecting a crucial call, many choose to turn off their phone, or they switch to a silent mode when engaging in essential activities.

Wait a minute! Before they always told young people NOT to engage in essential activities. Now they are encouraging young people to use their vibrators!

Very funny article!

Tammy

LDH

A traveling Christian minister in Japan notes: "Some mothers are taking on extra part-time work just to pay for their children's mobile phone, which may not be necessary in the first place."

Here's a hint: if you have to supplement your family's income with a part time job in order to afford a cell phone, YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT!!!!!

My 13 year old has had a cell phone since last December (Christmas gift). By the way, she just turned 13. I gave her a few rules:

1. I'm paying 29.99 for your minutes, nites and weekends are free. If you go over the $29.99/monthly, that amount will be deducted from your allowance.

2. Your plan covers 100 text messages. You pay for extras, at 10 cents a pop.

3. Your cell phone is always on, even if you are at the movies with friends. If you can't be disturbed by the beep, set phone to "meeting."

4. Keep your battery charged at all times. I don't EVER want to hear the excuse, "My battery was dead." Dead batteries result in the revocation of the phone for one month.

I am happy to say, she has not disappointed us at all, has never got in trouble with it at school, and in general is very discreet (not allowing other kids to use her cell). I check her text messages anytime I want. Only I have the password to her voice mail.

I've been very pleased with her maturity level.

Not all children are like JW youth, living a double lifestyle and sneaking around.

Lisa

Kids can be GOOD Class

WATCHTOWER WARNING: Mobile Phones

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