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I often wonder how the entire universe ever got by without cell phones. I mean, central to every aspect of our lives is the need to fabricate the importance of our own existence by perpetually being on the phone right?

When I read this story on some foreign churches' and private businesses' recent attempts to curtail cell phone usage, I had to smile.

I used to be one of those people who reported for duty to the sound of my cell phone. When it rang, I'd become this reject-Olympic sprinter, nearly breaking my back and neck, barreling across the house, hurdling coffee tables like some sort of wannabe Gail Devers or Marion Jones, with Tourrette's syndrome, in attempts to answer my cell phone every time it rang. Really, the call was never that important.

As an exercise of self discipline, I just recently had my cell phone intentionally turned off for two whole months and guess what? The Earth was still on its axis, and life still went on!

Whether in the movie theater, the ballet, or a church service especially, I simply don't understand why there must always be some inconsiderate yeti who can't seem to remember to turn the blessed device on silent. And I myself on more than one occasion, have in fact been "the yeti" (although never in church). Come on, you know you have too.

The AP reports:

"The jarring polychromatic din of ringing cell phones is increasingly being thwarted — from religious sanctuaries to India's parliament to Tokyo theaters and commuter trains — by devices originally developed to help security forces avert eavesdropping and thwart phone-triggered bombings.

The Indian parliament had jammers installed after politicians ignored requests to turn off their cell phones and legislative sessions were constantly interrupted.

In Italy, universities started using the blockers after discovering that cell phone-savvy teenagers were cheating on exams by sending text messages or taking pictures of tests.

The four Roman Catholic Churches in this northern city began using the devices, from Tel Aviv-based Netline Communications Technologies Ltd., after an insurance salesman imported them as a personal favor for a priest.

"There are still many people who don't understand that being at Mass is sharing a moment with God," said the Rev. Juan Jose Martinez, a spokesman for archdiocese. "Sadly, we had no other choice but to use these little gadgets."

Purchased for about $2,000 each, they can be turned on by remote control and emit low-level radio frequencies that thwart cell phone signals within a 100-foot radius.

Users get a "no service" or "signal not available" message on their cell phones.

As the McDonald's slogan says, "I'm lovin' it".

On a related note...

I'm one of the growing number of people whose only phone service is the cell phone... I have no land line at all. My cell phone service has excellent coverage and is in fact cheaper.
For internet, I use cable, not dial-up.

Interestingly enough... I was actually called by a polling agency (on behalf of a local candidate, not one of the big polling firms).
I was surprised, because I thought they could not call cell phones.

Yeah Alex you're right about it being a leadership issue. They do that at my church too. Still, why does an announcement have to made every single time? That's ridiculous. People need to get some reverence.

I'll bet if God struck down every person whose phone rang during prayer, people would stop leaving them on...heh.

Jab: Yeah more people are making moves to rid themselves of the land-line completely. I use my land-line to distinguish those who know me really well. Lots of folks have my cell phone, but few have my home phone. So when it rings, I know it's important. Well, except that it seems I have the same home phone number of a criminal and the police are constantly calling and leaving messages for a non-existent person on my voicemail, telling me they have a warrant for my arrest.

It's amazing the telemarketers and politicians have gotten a hold of cell phone records too. Yikes.

oh boy, here we go . . .

i think i understand what you're saying, alex. i disagree, i think (but i may not have understood for sure what you meant).

i help lead worship at my church about every other week, and have been involved in worship ministries at just about every stop in my life (college, camp, youth groups, etc.). now, my habit at this point is to close my eyes when leading worship, because that way, i'm not distracted by all the various goings-on in the congregation (going to the back to get a bulletin, looking bored, etc.). most people never have to see this from the front, and that's a good thing. but i draw a distinct line between these acts, which can be but are not necessarily distracting, and the ringing of a cell phone, which is not just distracting but DESIGNED to be distracting.

i think it is the responsibility of every participant (note my choice of words) in a worship service to prepare themselves for it; this would include the questions "what might be distracting about me?" and "how can i prevent that?"

now, when it comes to leadership, i certainly feel that the church leaders need to help create an atmosphere where this degree of introspection is encouraged; perhaps the reminders you mention are just in support of that goal. but my sense is that this is a treatment of the symptom (disregard for the holiness of the moment) rather than the root of the illness.

but that's just me.

I am one of those people who freak out when a cell phone goes off during something important. I personally think that if your cell phone goes off in church and God doesn't smite you, you should have to give an extra offering.

If it goes off during a movie than I think people should be able to throw anything they happen to be eating at the time in your face.

Ambra: I've actually got messages on my cell phone from my local police thinking that I'm some lady.

Am I eligible for Nyk points since I brought this up in a previous "Pet Peeves" post:

Other pet peeves:
- This whole new social etiquette about cell phones, and how people like to flaunt that they are so important to have someone calling them.

How did our parents SURVIVE without this "precious" 24/7 life-line? All of these cell-phone indiscretions go back to courtesy, and how some people just don't care if they are bothering - offending - annoying anybody else.

Illegal to jam them in the US?! While I believe you I can still think that's a crock full of human excrement. (there I used a more verbose form of the english language)

If they lovely little widgets weren't so expensive I'd buy one to take with me to the theater.

Rong,
I'm sure you could find one on the vast internet., and it might even be pretty cheap.
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I am one of those people bugged by both sides of this issue. I think people should be able to TALK on the phone whenever they want to, assuming it is still proper etiquitte to talk at all. That rules out church and the movies. It also rules our business meetings. If someone gets a call in any of these places, these aermy rules:

1. The phone should be on silent. Mine is almost always on silent. Since i'm a guy and I can wear it on my belt, I'll feel the vibration. For women and purses in the forbidden zones --- put the phone in your lap, or pocket, or whatever, othewise just turn it off. I don't want to hear it.

2. Know which single button on your phone will stop the ringing! If you accidentally (not pretending on this one!) leave it on, hit the #@*!& button.

3. If you take the call in a forbidden zone, you'd better be on your way out the door as you WHISPER to ask the caller to hold on. When you get outside you can talk, or decide not to talk. KEY WORDS: "When you get outside"

As for my other side on this issue, I don't see why people are so offended to see someone talking on a cell phone in a store, in a car, or a restaurant. THAT drives me nuts.If I brought my friend with me (the one I'm talking to on the phone, silly) then we would be twice as loud -- or in the case of a car, there would be twice as many distractions (My friend might make funny faces at me).

It drives me nuts because sometimes my wife and I have to use our phones to find each other in a store or a crowd, or downtown, or somewhere. And when I call her, or get a call (a call without a ring, remember--- just a vibration) sometimes people look at me funny. Well bump them.

As for blocking calls in public places... I'm totally against it. Just follow my rules, and we will all be fine. or don't follow them. And we'll be sure to spell your name right when we stick your head on a pike warning others of their fate if they don't follow the rules.

Where can I get the franchise rights on that jammer? I have a cell phone (which means I'm breathing, right?) but I hate it, I hate using it, I hate talking to people on it, and I hate people who use one in my presence.

If there is a God, there is a ring in hell set aside for those who don't turn them off during movies, concerts, etc. And part of the fun consists of a never-ending "funny" ring, you know the theme to The Godfather, or Bring in Da Funk, followed by some idiot screaming "WHAT? ARE YOU THERE? CAN YOU HEAR ME-I CAN HEAR YOU-- WHAT? YEAH THAT'S BETTER,NO, NO. I CAN'T TALK RIGHT NOW--I SAID I CAN'T TALK RIGHT NOW-- I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OPERATION---AN OPERATION-- NO NO I'M OPERATIING ON THIS...." You get the drift.

Rotary phones. Slow. Deliberate. Sturdy. Clear. I loved them.

It is illegal to broadcast any signal almost anywhere across the RF spectrum in the U.S. without a license. Cellular channel licenses are exclusive within a market area. I wrote about this at http://triticale.mu.nu/archives/050659.php

You can't imagine a universe without cell phones!? For shame. I am just TEN YEARS older than you, and I remember distinctly the world before even cordless phones.

Those phones had actual physical bells that would ring. I remember how strange the electronic tones sounded when they first came out.

Byron: Because people walking about in public yammering away with their cell phones jammed to their faces is just irritating to those over thirty.

Corporate types have been wanting to replace the term "cell phones" with "wireless"; have you noticed? I'm very pleased that that hasn't taken off.

Mark, my comments about not being able to get by without a cell phone were purely sarcastic.

I think the whole "to cell phone or not to cell phone issue is a big debate".

Byron, I agree with you to some extent, but the whole restaurant deal can get pretty obtrusive when you're trying to enjoy nice conversation in a restaurant the guy next to you is yapping loudly on his cell phone. Respect. It's all about respect.

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