FutureWire - futurism and emerging technology

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Holy Distraction! Wi-Fi in Church

If you've ever sat through a dull sermon in church and wished you could check your e-mail or text-message someone a couple of pews over, this may be the answer to your prayers. A church in Wales has installed a Wi-Fi hotspot for the benefit of its congregation.

"The church has to move with the times and I wanted to make St. John's a sanctuary for everyone, including business people with laptops and mobiles," said Rev. Keith Kimber of the St. John's Rectory Church in Cardiff. "I have no problem with people quietly sending an email or surfing the Internet in church, as long as they respect the church." In other words, no downloading Ozzy Osbourne tracks and blasting them at full volume.

If the idea is to boost attendance and involvement in the church, this might not be the right way to go about it. Unless, of course, the good reverend plans to podcast his sermons...

Source: Wired