HANDPHONES: DANGER, DISTRACTION AND DISCIPLINE

Approximately 97% of Singapore residents own and use a smartphone, but because many residents carry multiple devices, active subscriptions exceed population size sitting at mobile penetration of about 165%!

No one doubts the convenience and attractiveness of using this compact, versatile device, with so many uses and useful features. Not only can you contact others on many platforms and modes, you can also access directions on maps, take pictures and videos, create and circulate reels/videos for private circulation or publicity. All kinds of information are literally at your fingertips: from ticket prices to when your bus will arrive, to ordering food/shopping online, booking a taxi/flight, finding a spouse, news, sports, etc. With AI, you can access virtually any information from any field to write your essay.

But with these conveniences, there are also dangers eg, pornography, the dark web, access to information which can radicalize our youths and children, the threat of scams and malware which can access your personal details as well as steal your money. Liberal theology presented through attractive media and unknown speakers are also possible threats which can slowly erode our Biblical faith. The internet was meant to be useful to everyone, but like many other inventions, can be used for evil as well. This is why discernment is important for believers, and discipline where necessary.

It is precisely this multi-purpose versatility of the handphone that makes it a distraction, even a possible danger to our spiritual life. We hold in our hand a device which is not dedicated to a single use; it has so many uses conveniently packed into a tool which fits into one hand that we are lulled into the lie that the Bible is just one of several things we may use each day. Whereas the truth is: the Bible is THE most important input from God which we need for living each day and therefore we need to be FULLY FOCUSED on it, without being distracted. If you read the Bible as a hard copy, the only thing which could distract you is you, or your mind. But if you read the Bible on your phone, you open yourself, you ALLOW yourself to be distracted by many inputs, notifications, advertisements, incoming messages, reminders, emails, etc. There’s no way you can sit quietly for 1.5 hours on Sun during services, or half an hour for daily devotions without being distracted even momentarily by incoming stuff, when your phone is switched on in front of you.

Jesus deliberately found solitude so that He could focus on His Heavenly Father. Mark 1:35-38 is instructive for busy disciples in 21^st century Singapore: Jesus woke very early in the morning, while it was still dark – while his disciples were still snoring, went out to a desolate place to be undistracted, and there he prayed - focused on His Father. He did this after a full day of ministry the day before, which helped to realign Him with His central purpose in life: to preach far and wide and set captives free. Are we as determined to focus on our Heavenly Father, on Sundays as well as daily?

Before our Sunday services begin, we have a slide which reminds worshipers to silence or switch off their handphones but still, inevitably during the service, someone’s handphone will beep or even play some loud ring tone which distracts the concentration of the whole congregation. We must learn to be more disciplined and considerate so that everyone can focus on God during the entire service.

Also many people use the Bibles on their phones instead of bringing their own hard copy. They would probably say it’s more convenient instead of carrying a larger, heavier personal copy of the Bible. But I think some things are more important than convenience. I share some reasons here:

1  There is a familiarity when you handle your own physical Bible. You know which side the passage you marked is located – on the left page or right page; whether it’s half way down the page or in the middle, in the left or right column. Your interaction with the words on that page is embedded in your brain which the Holy Spirit can draw on when needed.

2  You know and feel the well-loved Bible sections where you have underlined or highlighted verses or passages because God spoke to you powerfully.  Your tears may even have fallen on that page! You may have marked the date or even scribbled a few words in the margin. You can’t do this on the handphone although I believe you could highlight or underline. When you change phones can you export everything to the new phone? I wonder if it will be as unsettling as changing a hard copy Bible for a new one because of the time you spent in it?

3   You can be fooled that just because the Bible appears on a screen, it has the same value as everything else that appears on your screen: cartoons, movies, music videos, K dramas, dubious clips, trashy media content, politics, commerce, etc. The Word of God just cannot be brought down to the level of ANY other literature because obviously it has eternal, spiritual significance like nothing else has. The Bible is GOD speaking to me no less and should therefore be given the supreme, unique status it deserves. It needs to be given a dedicated and revered place in our lives whether physically, morally or emotionally because it is an authority like no other.  

You would not dream of placing your physical Bible on the floor, or throwing it around disrespectfully. Why would you link/group/associate it with lesser-content documents or pictures which are inferior or even irreverent? Why would you risk being distracted by other lesser-important input or even stuff which dilutes your respect/love for God’s revealed Word?

In days past believers would be presented a Bible when they were baptized or confirmed to mark an important step in their Christian journey. They would bring their Bibles to church proudly, open them during the Scripture readings and KEEP THEM OPEN when the sermon was preached, following the passage joyfully and intently, delighting to hear God speaking to them. They would bring them to their Bible studies or prayer meetings so they could underline, take notes, memorize important verses, and anchor their lives on them. They would read, mark and learn until the pages of their Bibles became dog-eared and grubby from frequent turning. These signs of frequent use and intense, passionate research will not be found on handphones which contain a Bible version. Instead, it will look like just another app, functionally no different from dozens of others which satisfy our earthly appetites and soak up our attention spans.

This is why discipline is needed: discipline of the mind to ask ourselves what’s of eternal importance and how to show it is important, by dedicating ourselves to one use, one purpose when we open the Bible, not just tapping another app as we would to catch up on social media, watch the World Cup, the next episode of K drama, or shop online!  If God’s Word is unique, treat it uniquely – give it the honour and status it deserves. Don’t allow yourself to be exposed to danger, distracted or diluted by worldliness which in turn weakens your faith.

I Cor 10:23 NIV ‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say – but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’– but not everything is constructive.

(where the context is eating food offered to idols, which is sold in the meat market.)

I Pet 5:8f ESV “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith…”. 

Keep your sword drawn, up to the gates of heaven.

Ps Graham