I admit that I'm probably too attached to the internet but if you can't live without it for the hour or two a week you're supposed to be in Church, presumably praying, then there's a major problem.
British telecoms operator BT Group Plc has wired up a church in Wales to allow the congregation to hook onto local high-speed Internet connections when they want a break from the sermon.
Britain's largest fixed-line telecoms operator said on Tuesday it had installed a Wi-Fi wireless network access point, known as a hotspot, in Reverend Keith Kimber's St John's Rectory church in the city of Cardiff.
"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," Kimber said in a statement issued by BT.
"I have no problem with people quietly sending an email or surfing the Internet in church, as long as they respect the church."
From the Rev's quotes, it looks like it's not just the congregation that has forgotten why they go to church in the first place.
UPDATE
I threw this up here on my lunch hour and would like to add a bit. I'm not a churchgoer, I should be and anticipate becoming one again when I have kids (this is something we both feel strongly about). A minister actively participating in his flock's A.D.D. seems like a complete resignation to the fact that his message (God's message) just can't compete in the modern world. I know a lot of this was covered when PJP II died and they voted in a "hardliner," but I never really commented on it. The whole "The Pope Is Still Catholic" thing struck me as total load. The feigned surprise that the new Pope would be a traditional conservative adhering to strict Catholic doctrine was ridiculous.
If you're going to Church, pray. If you've got business that supersedes your churchgoing, then fine do what you have to do, but why bother going to church if you're not going to put your life on hold for that one hour a week and celebrate mass?
And this reverend facilitating the whole thing...ack!