{"id":2987,"date":"2012-08-16T05:41:50","date_gmt":"2012-08-16T09:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=2987"},"modified":"2012-08-17T07:54:32","modified_gmt":"2012-08-17T11:54:32","slug":"in-polite-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/08\/in-polite-company.html","title":{"rendered":"In polite company"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/234\/2012\/08\/texting-in-a-meal.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-2989\" title=\"texting in a meal\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/234\/2012\/08\/texting-in-a-meal.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"132\" height=\"88\" \/><\/a>The news reported that an owner of a restaurant asks that everyone check in their phones and electronic tablets when they enter the restaurant so the patrons will be free of such devices while eating their meals. \u00a0He said it was apparent that more and more people were not communicating with each other but texting, checking Twitter and Facebook and answering email during their visits at the restaurant. \u00a0&#8220;Mealtime has always been a time for people to touch base and talk. \u00a0The disturbing thing was that people were no longer talking to their table mates but communicating with everyone else in the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/234\/2012\/08\/zoo.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-2991\" title=\"zoo of pet peeves\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/234\/2012\/08\/zoo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a>At this age, I find that I am accumulating an entire zoo of pet peeves. \u00a0Nevertheless, this one is being pushed to the front, especially at church. \u00a0I understand that our tablets and phone now contain our Bibles. \u00a0I know that many young people discuss the sermon during messaging. \u00a0They are staying engaged through this median in new and exciting ways. \u00a0However, when I sit next to folks in a small group setting who are &#8220;engaged&#8221; with their phones or iPad, it isn&#8217;t the sermon or the scriptures they are discussing. \u00a0Almost without exception when I glance over, they are playing games. \u00a0At times they are texting but there is NO ONE else in the room who is texting back. \u00a0Therefore, how can they be discussing the Bible study?<\/p>\n<p>Maybe I simply need to get with the times and ignore this behavior but it has become difficult. \u00a0Understand, I love the new technology. \u00a0I had a smart phone before smart phones were smart. \u00a0Special Gathering was using the TRIO years before the iPhone came out. \u00a0I get the convenience. \u00a0When my phone dies, it&#8217;s like a part of me is missing. \u00a0I get it.<\/p>\n<p>But there is a time for polite company. \u00a0Here is a list of times that we should refrain from checking our messages, Twitter accounts, Facebook, texting, or checking our email:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>During a worship service.<\/li>\n<li>At a meal. \u00a0There are a multitude of scriptural teachings that God has ordained the meal as a time for fellowship and communion. \u00a0Losing that time is one of the travesties of modern society.<\/li>\n<li>While engaged in a one-on-one conversation.<\/li>\n<li>At a social event.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/234\/2012\/08\/Trio2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2993\" title=\"Trio\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/234\/2012\/08\/Trio2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"276\" height=\"183\" \/><\/a>There are ways to send a message that isn&#8217;t intrusive. \u00a0&#8220;Can&#8217;t talk now. \u00a0I&#8217;ll call later,&#8221; is a message that takes seconds to type but communicates three things. \u00a01) I got the message but I&#8217;m doing something important. \u00a02) I won&#8217;t forget you and I&#8217;ll call back. \u00a03) \u00a0To the people who are with you, it says, &#8220;You are important. \u00a0I&#8217;m not going to interrupt my time with you for someone else.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>I understand that there are some people with whom you MUST talk. \u00a0Your spouse. \u00a0Your boss. \u00a0Your children.\u00a0A colleague who is currently doing you a favor.<\/p>\n<p>However, why make an appointment with someone if you are going to be barely engaged? \u00a0Why go to church or a Bible study if you are going to be interacting with the vast world of cyberspace the entire time? \u00a0Why not stay home or in your office so that you can give full attention to the person who truly needs your attention?<\/p>\n<p>The truth is that most of cyberspace communication isn&#8217;t that vital and could wait for an hour. Yet we want to answer because&#8230;? Each of us must fill in the blank because our unique personalities dictate the rest of the sentence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The news reported that an owner of a restaurant asks that everyone check in their phones and electronic tablets when they enter the restaurant so the patrons will be free of such devices while eating their meals. \u00a0He said it was apparent that more and more people were not communicating with each other but texting,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,3,40,186,49,16,8,4,17],"tags":[21,688,696,466,699,715,701,57,6,700,465,467],"class_list":["post-2987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-developmental-disabilities","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-intellectual-disability","category-mentally-challenged-community","category-simple-truths","category-teaching","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-church","tag-cyberspace","tag-faith","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-prayer","tag-simple-scriptural-truths","tag-spirituality","tag-texting","tag-zoo-of-pet-peeves"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>In polite company - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/08\/in-polite-company.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"In polite company - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The news reported that an owner of a restaurant asks that everyone check in their phones and electronic tablets when they enter the restaurant so the patrons will be free of such devices while eating their meals. \u00a0He said it was apparent that more and more people were not communicating with each other but texting,&hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/08\/in-polite-company.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-08-16T09:41:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-08-17T11:54:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2012\/08\/texting-in-a-meal.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. 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