“Countless bloggers and analysts have claimed that Steve Jobs has a divine touch. Apple’s legions of devout follows have been compared to a spiritual sect. And overall, Cupertino’s line of sleek gadgets and “enlightened lifestyle” has prompted many to deem Apple a religion,” Mike Schuster reports for Minyanville. “So it stands to reason that the Catholic Church would want in on that action and approve a church-themed iPhone app.”
“‘Confession: A Roman Catholic App‘ [US$1.99] guides the user through the confession process and atoning for one’s sins,” Schuster reports. “Described as ‘the perfect aid for every penitent,’ the app features a step-by-step manual to the sacrament, password-protected profiles, and load windows with the message ‘Creating your custom examination of conscience. Please wait…”
Schuster reports., “Speaking with Reuters, developer Patrick Leinen said, ‘Taking to heart Pope Benedict XVI’s message from last years’ World Communications Address, our goal with this project is to offer a digital application that is truly new media at the service of the word.’ He added, ‘Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology.’ …The app was officially authorized by Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Wow. Nothing brings out the haters like a story about Christians (except for Sarah Palin…)
Of course, if this were a story about Muslim prisoners of war, then some would be demanding they were allowed their rug, rag, and compass.
And Native Americans allowed their ‘proud past and sacred grounds’, Buddhist their studies, Jews their extravagances, and ancient civilizations their wonder and mystery.
But not Americans, who helped make freedom of/from religion a choice.
OK, that’s not entirely true. Black Americans are are allowed their beliefs without losing respect. Why is that? I’ll tell you why, it’s because the far left doesn’t expect anymore from them. Give ’em their bread on a card and let them smoke cake, as long as they believe the Big Liberal Lie on Election Day, they are allowed to believe anything else.
The rest of us aren’t allowed to have beliefs that stray from the “It’s All About Me” crowd.
I can respect a person who is an agnostic. But those claiming to be an atheist puzzle me. How can anyone make the claim that without a doubt God does not exist? How can anyone know this for a fact? I would imagine that the only one who could know for sure would have to be God. But it appears there are those here who feel they themselves are on that level. Probably all of that self-esteem that is taught in American schools.
What a Crock of $**t
Islam is the religion of hate. The same goes for the liberals and that tranny chrissyzero.
Amazing how m*d*n will delete posts for seemingly minor reasons, but will allow this kind of intolerance to go on and on. This whole thread speaks poorly for all but a handful of posters here… and for M*D*N for letting it continue.
I think it sound like a great app for the Catholics! Great for them!!
I’m actually a huge fan of this concept, even as an atheist. But it’d be better the ethical points involved were hooked up with some kind of democratic voting process, that’d be awesome.
@Uri: Sounds like you are the true hater.
P.S. Muslims have their issues, just as most organized religions do, including Christianity.
@Uri….buddy….methinks you need help. Seriously.
@Tflint
Who says it was God who killed them? Satan has power too.
“How can anyone make the claim that without a doubt God does not exist?”
Because nothing has ever indicated that this “God” dude isn’t fictional. That’s why religion operates on a basis of faith.
“How can anyone know this for a fact? I would imagine that the only one who could know for sure would have to be God”
How do you know l’m not God? How do you know I’m not just chilling out in Heaven right now, posting some comments on MDN saying I totally don’t exist(lol!) as a test of faith for My followers? How can you claim, without a doubt, that I’m not God dicking around on His favourite website about Apple?
Indeed, how can you know for a fact there isn’t an invisible slugman behind you right now, at this very moment, dancing the mambo?
Based on reasonably solid evidence – at least as much as could be expected – as well as some solid rationale evidence (for those who have any rational thought left), an extremely strong case can be made for the existence of God. And that is without reference to any of the major religious source books, such as the Bible. We already all have faith that things around us exist and that things we hear on the news likely actually happened, usually. So some basic faith is just part of us. In the case of God, there is actually a pretty solid body of evidence – not just pretty thoughts and wishful thinking – that a God actually exists.
And some feel it is likely better to err on the side of belief than of non-belief.
Clearly, this MDN thread, with the large number of intolerant posters here, is not the place to even start discussing what exists today. Likely foolish for me to even write what I’ve already written…
@TowerTone
“The rest of us aren’t allowed to have beliefs that stray from the “It’s All About Me” crowd.”
Your rant is both bigoted and bizarre.
Does that come from the religious aspects of your life, those beliefs so important to you?
I see you threw in freedom and patriotism into the rant as if you own it and people different from you didn’t fight in every fucking war.
By the way douche, no one is taking your belief system away as evidenced by your rant. Your narrow minded beliefs seem to be running full blast.
Grow up you Mac loving creeps.
@ Hg Wells
“We already all have faith that things around us exist and that things we hear on the news likely actually happened, usually. So some basic faith is just part of us.”
Because we have EVIDENCE for things around us that we can assume they do. You are comparing faith as in ‘I have faith this helicopter will stay in the sky’ with a faith in something all powerful, all encompassing and that it likes to burden us with original sin.
We know how helicopters work so that faith is somewhat justified. Whereas we have zero evidence for God. If he (and monotheist do brandish it as a he for their views of women as being second class citizens) does exist. What evidence is there for him?
TowerTones post was rather unlettered and complete and utter hogwash. Believe whatever you like. But don’t expect the rest and rational of us to take seriously when you take communion and think a wafer actually becomes the flesh of Christ.
A religion based on human sacrifice based on original sin. Despite the fact that we know Adam and Eve never existed. So therefore Eve could not have desired knowledge from the tree.
Oh, this thread has been soooo much fun.
As for me, an intensely religious upbringing finally led me to agree with the description of organised religion as a constantly mutating disease that has inflicted endless misery upon humanity.
I’m eternally grateful to the babel fish.
@ Our Day Will Come
“I can respect a person who is an agnostic. But those claiming to be an atheist puzzle me. How can anyone make the claim that without a doubt God does not exist? How can anyone know this for a fact?”
Religious people also don’t know for a fact. So you’re saying they should call themselves agnostic to?
Im atheistic to a god of one of these religions as I am about my cyborg twin living on the other side of the planet. I can’t prove 100% but I can live my life assuming it’s not so.
Great app. I’m knocking at least fifty years off purgatory!
Love the reaction from the religious gentleman above. In one post he’s doing the “I’ll pray for you,” then in the next post he turns aggressive and attacks “liberals.”
Typical American christians — nasty, ignorant brutes one and all. What happened to thoughtful christians like C. S. Lewis?
“I can respect a person who is an agnostic. But those claiming to be an atheist puzzle me. How can anyone make the claim that without a doubt God does not exist? How can anyone know this for a fact? I would imagine that the only one who could know for sure would have to be God. But it appears there are those here who feel they themselves are on that level. Probably all of that self-esteem that is taught in American schools.”
Because YOU are the ones claiming the existence of an invisible man in the sky, not us. YOU have the burden of proof. The most common example atheists use to describe this is the Invisible Pink Unicorn, based on the similar Russell’s Teapot. By your logic, if I claimed the existence of an Invisible Pink Unicorn completely undetectable to all but those who have faith, no one could say I am completely insane because THEY would have to prove it doesn’t exist. Understand now?
Magic Word: Methods. Like, the scientific one.
“In the case of God, there is actually a pretty solid body of evidence – not just pretty thoughts and wishful thinking – that a God actually exists.”
“Really? Evidence like what?”
“…”
*crickets chirping*
“Umm… There’s a solid body of evidence because I say there is. Don’t question it. You’re supposed to just believe in the Great and Powerful Oz, you know! Not peek behind the curtain!”
Macrelated and Amalekite
My ‘rant’ is based on the fact that the left mainly attacks religion when it is that of a white man’s.
And as far as church goes, I only attend for funerals and weddings.
I’m not religious, but I understand its place in society and have gotten over the petty small-mindedness that I am somehow more informed, better, or superior to those that are faithful.
I also don’t kid myself into believing that religion is the cause of all the world’s pain. The millions of small acts of charity done everyday by people all over the globe can usually be attributed to their society’s belief system. You don’t have to believe in a God or belong to a religion to receive the benefits of what has been taught through the ages.
If you think that society would be better served if all religion were to vanish, then I completely disagree with you (of course, I believe in teaching kids about Santa Claus, too, so as to show them the benefits of acting good).
“You’re supposed to just believe in the Great and Powerful Oz, you know! Not peek behind the curtain!”
Odd that you psuedo-quoted from a story written by a man who believed in this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theosophy
So Apple allows crappy useless apps from bible-thumping do-gooders but all hell breaks lose when a nipple shows? Gimme a friggin break..sheeesh
From the article.
‘But for iPhone users who normally confess their since through a text message string.’
The author wouldn’t know a ‘since/sin’ from a bread-‘bin’.
Writers? I’ve sh-t ’em.
the catholic church is ever so effective at leading people astray