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Vatican Bans IOS Confession App
An anonymous reader writes "Despite all the hype that a lowly priest had approved the new confessional app hitting the app store, the truth has now revealed itself. According to today's Daily Mail, a spokesman for the Vatican, Federico Lombardi said: 'It is essential to understand that the rites of penance require a personal dialogue between penitents and their confessor. It cannot be replaced by a computer application. I must stress to avoid all ambiguity, under no circumstance is it possible to confess by iPhone."
Confessions probably shouldn't be communicated over cellular data connections, anyway..
vos nescitis quicquam, nec cogitatis quia expedit nobis ut unus moriatur homo pro populo et non tota gens pereat.
FTA: The Vatican has warned that an app can never replace visiting a priest.
Oh, I don't know. An app is much easier on the ass.
Trolling is a art,
To pay the 30% Apple tax on selling indulgences through IAP either - is it a consumable or a subscription?
To be more specific the app is not banned, but it's purpose has been clarified.
It is an app designed to help prepare people for confession, they only say no to the idea of this replacing the act of confessing to a priest.
The app wasn't to make confessions anyway, but to assist Catholics in the confession process. From the original article: "So, how does the app work? It leads you through an 'Examination of Conscience' to help you figure out what your real sins are -- and not just by retreading your run of the mill 10 Commandments. The sinful suggestions the app offers are inventive and even age appropriate."
I've read elsewhere that one of the priests who designed it, had a parishioner show up in the confession box with it, and used the app during confession to help remind him of his transgressions.
So this is just grandstanding by the Papacy. The app was never meant to replace "personal dialogue between penitents and their confessor." This is like saying Google Maps is bad because it somehow replaces the actual travel you're intending to take. Uh, no.
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The iPhone app was never meant to replace the Sacrament. It is a tool to help people prepare, do it, and pray. I don't agree with using a digital device while in confession or saving information even temporarily on devices when it comes to my sins.
There is a free application for Android devices that is similar called PenanceProject. It helps users do an examination of conscience before the Sacrament and to pray afterwards.
You can get the application here: https://market.android.com/details?id=appinventor.ai_jamorrow.PenanceProject
To find out more about The Penance Project and why Catholics confess please visit: http://www.thepenanceproject.
The app in question was created to help people through the process of Confession. It's a little daunting if you haven't done it in a while. Trust me, as a chronic on-again-off-again Catholic, I know. I have he app. It just takes the place of old catechism books I would use to brush up on Confession before going.
The article says that no app can ever replace going to a priest. That's not what this app attempts to do. The conclusion that the app is banned is drawn from faulty logic. There is no ban. Who ever wrote the article has absolutely no idea what either side of this is talking about.
This app doesn't do confession. It never did. That was some creation by an incredibly simplistic media headline which was always wrong.
The app helps you figure out what your sins are, and can keep track of what you've previously confessed.
So all they're saying now is that the app can't do something that it never did in the first place. Umm, goodie?
-- "So they told me that using the download page to download something was not something they anticipated." - Bill Gates
The Vatican didn't BAN anything! A spokesperson for the Vatican said it wasn't supposed to be used for call-in confessions — which it was never DESIGNED to do in the first place; it's not even possible to do that!
RTFA!
a spokesman for the Vacitan, Federico Lombardi said: ‘It is essential to understand that the rites of penance require a personal dialogue between penitents and their confessor.’It cannot be replaced by a computer application’. ‘I must stress to avoid all ambiguity, under no circumstance is it possible to "confess by iPhone".’
The guy is STATING THE OBVIOUS because the app has been sensationalized, hello! /. is better than this!
I actually agree with this, to an extent. Religion aside, my understanding (as an atheist) is that confession is supposed to be an admission of guilt, and reflects an internal acceptance of the church's morality. I'm not saying that morality is particularly right, but I digress. I think the actual visit with another person is a vital part of that admission and acceptance. With a quick look through any online forum, it's quite clear that people are inclined to be aggressive and dishonest if they think they are anonymous.
Remove the personal contact, and sincerity vanishes as well.
You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
They couldn't get past the l33tspeak and SMS language
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It's so wrong it's wrong about being wrong. The app was never intended to replace confession to begin with. It was to assist people in doing an examination of conscience so they could be better prepared for their real confession with the priest. At no point was this app ever intended to *replace* confession. It's like a study guide to help you prepare for an exam, not an exam itself. However, much of the news media saw "Confession App" and often did zero research on the subject and was just like "LOL ROBOTS REPLACING PRIESTS". I will say that NPR at least got the story correct, but I saw a lot of other news outlets that did not at all.
In fact, the Vatican saying that an iPhone app cannot replace confession with a priest is exactly the same as the app's creator's belief. The Vatican is not banning the app at all, and their statement is likely more a reaction to the aforementioned news media and idiotic public who didn't even try to figure out what the app's purpose was rather than an indictment of the app itself.
The Bible actually clearly states you are to confess sin directly to God, not to man. But the Catholic Church wants you dependent on the Church, and this app removes part of that dependence.
http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
I wouldn't say it's "grandstanding by the Papacy". There was a lot of misinformation going around about the app - a lot of news stories that were flat wrong - and setting the record straight officially and unambiguously makes sense. (I'm hardly a fan of the Catholic Church, but they're not guilty of quite everything they're accused of. :) )
PHEM - party like it's 1997-2003!
Many years ago, I new woman, who was raise Catholic, sorta, but never went to Church as an adult -- except to go to confession. Instead of confessing, she made up stories to get the priest hot. She claimed that some of them would get off listening to her.
yeah, they're different now, but that's one of the reasons the Protestants even exist.
You better watch out, there may be dogs about . .
That would require them to use in-app purchasing, and give Apple 30% of each indulgence.
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
You do... but only on the Pentecostal version. you admit your sins to it and then slap your self in the forehead with the phone as it says "in the name of jeee....sus..." loudly...
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
What about a burning bush?????
I think you're supposed to confess that to your gynecologist.
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It doesn't mention priests but James 5:16 is quite explicit about confessing to another person:
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
I'd say that confession in general is a slowly rising trend among Protestants. The Lutheran church has always believed in it, although it's not as emphasized as it is in Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican/Episcopal churches. It's beginning to be supported among more typically Evangelical churches as well, although the most common suggestion there is to confess to your spouse or a church Elder. Most Evangelical ministers aren't too comfortable with it yet, but many are making a point of getting training (often from Catholics or Lutherans) in that, and agree that it really does require that training to be effective.
When did it become the twenty firth century? Are there going to be 19 clones of Colin Firth also running about making mediocre films and inexplicably moistening ladies' undergarments or something?
Aside from that, your blind prejudice is no better than any other. Sadly, I can't think of any good quips to the effect of "don't be a hypocrite" that aren't derived from some religious text from the top of my head, but I think you get the idea.
Try not to take me more seriously than I take myself.