How scrolling becomes a religious act • Hacker News Board

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#31

Post by 90s_dev » Mon, May 19, 2025, 1:54 PM UTC

viraptor wrote: post #11

keiferski wrote: post #6

I really dislike these posts that are clearly written by someone unfamiliar with religion as a topic, and just use “worship” or “religion” as synonyms for “being obsessed with something to an irrational degree.” That isn’t an accurate description of the concept of religion, nor is it a synonym of irrational. Religion is probably one of the most complex yet misunderstood areas of study today. Phones are no more worshi…

> he doesn’t argue, he argued, This phrase is so common it's practically correct. Search for "Plato argues" online for example.

> This phrase is so common it's practically correct.

In fact, that's how language works. Whatever emerges from organic use is correct language. We the people decide what proper English is, collectively, not a prestigious university or renowned scholar or classic textbook.

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#32

Post by anton-c » Mon, May 19, 2025, 1:59 PM UTC

90s_dev wrote: post #30

AStonesThrow wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Religion is probably one of the most complex yet misunderstood areas Well, yes, and as a religious person, I would suggest that the metaphor is more accurate than you think. To the pagans, a god is a supernatural force that demands worship, sacrifice, attention, effort, appeasement. To a Christian, a false idol is something that steals from the worship and sacrifice that is due to the One True God. You can spot a m…

As another religious person, your comment was as boring and difficult to follow as a typical Sunday homily, and for the same reasons. The world doesn't need even more bone dry exhortations and predictable parables. For God's sake, at least say something new and interesting, like how the Blessed Virgin Mary most likely wrote the Letter to the Hebrews and what that implies for the role of mothers, or how Judas was like…

>Mary wrote Hebrews

Got any reading on this? I thought it was 'Paul' as in, most likely him or an associate. But I love alternative theories, esp when they bring some other weight or meaning. Esp when the correct answer almost cannot be known. If u got any links plz share!

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#33

Post by swayvil » Mon, May 19, 2025, 2:00 PM UTC

That's a rather naive and self-serving take on religion.

Just call it a popularization of the esoteric. Like what happens to science, medicine, auto-repair...

A strange subject, dumbed down and framed in metaphor for the uninitiated. Turned unto a big mess. It happens all the time.

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#34

Post by anton-c » Mon, May 19, 2025, 2:06 PM UTC

bazoom42 wrote: post #27

AStonesThrow wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Religion is probably one of the most complex yet misunderstood areas Well, yes, and as a religious person, I would suggest that the metaphor is more accurate than you think. To the pagans, a god is a supernatural force that demands worship, sacrifice, attention, effort, appeasement. To a Christian, a false idol is something that steals from the worship and sacrifice that is due to the One True God. You can spot a m…

So you are a pagan knowingly worshipping false idols all day, except you turn it off temporarily while attending church?

Idk about them but I've never prayed to my phone. Pray to God everyday for my family and friends and the world. No matter what stock you put in legitimacy of prayer, certianly a phone isnt a device you'd expect to be able to answer prayers at all.

I use my computer not on the internet as my main device so I can't even scroll on there.

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#35

Post by Malcolmlisk » Mon, May 19, 2025, 2:07 PM UTC

keiferski wrote: post #6

I really dislike these posts that are clearly written by someone unfamiliar with religion as a topic, and just use “worship” or “religion” as synonyms for “being obsessed with something to an irrational degree.” That isn’t an accurate description of the concept of religion, nor is it a synonym of irrational. Religion is probably one of the most complex yet misunderstood areas of study today. Phones are no more worshi…

Talking about something being worshiped as a religion but not talking about how it alienates you, then makes me wonder that he does not understand religion as is, and he does not read a lot about religions.

Sometimes, putting long words together doesn't make you right about a topic that you really want to fancy talk about.

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#36

Post by 90s_dev » Mon, May 19, 2025, 2:08 PM UTC

anton-c wrote: post #32

90s_dev wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As another religious person, your comment was as boring and difficult to follow as a typical Sunday homily, and for the same reasons. The world doesn't need even more bone dry exhortations and predictable parables. For God's sake, at least say something new and interesting, like how the Blessed Virgin Mary most likely wrote the Letter to the Hebrews and what that implies for the role of mothers, or how Judas was like…

>Mary wrote Hebrews Got any reading on this? I thought it was 'Paul' as in, most likely him or an associate. But I love alternative theories, esp when they bring some other weight or meaning. Esp when the correct answer almost cannot be known. If u got any links plz share!

Only this modern article[1]. Can't find any scholars or Church Fathers on this. Seems to be an entirely new theory in history, most likely because women were dismissed as possible author since (a) Hebrews 11:32 uses a masculine first person verb, which the article explains as being the Holy Spirit who coauthored the letter, and (b) women were not Apostles or leaders, which the article implies was not actually a hard and fast rule for inclusion in canon, resolves by saying she wrote it in secret.

One additional point this article doesn't mention is that 1 john 1:4 also uses "we" in the same way the article claims Hebrews does. Seeing as St. John the Apostle was clearly united with the Holy Spirit as Revelation shows, and as Mary lived with John, this further strengthens the theory that "we" means "the author and the Holy Spirit who the author was conscious was co-authoring the letter".

[1] https://www.immaculatalibrary.com/articles/2025-03-06-mary-w...

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#37

Post by jack_pp » Mon, May 19, 2025, 2:08 PM UTC

bazoom42 wrote: post #27

AStonesThrow wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Religion is probably one of the most complex yet misunderstood areas Well, yes, and as a religious person, I would suggest that the metaphor is more accurate than you think. To the pagans, a god is a supernatural force that demands worship, sacrifice, attention, effort, appeasement. To a Christian, a false idol is something that steals from the worship and sacrifice that is due to the One True God. You can spot a m…

So you are a pagan knowingly worshipping false idols all day, except you turn it off temporarily while attending church?

That's true of most Christians unfortunately. I've seen monks tell us that just because we go to church on Sunday doesn't make us practicing Christians. Most are living atheistic lifestyles and remember God only Sunday morning. Better than nothing I suppose..

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#38

Post by RankingMember » Mon, May 19, 2025, 2:13 PM UTC

trollbridge wrote: post #23

malfist wrote: post #5

If personifying something means we worship it in a religious context then people have been worshipping our mode of transportation since the dawn of time, plus slot machines and a whole host of other things.

I would say people definitely worship cars. Ask the average American to live without a car and see what response you get. Tell them it’s destroying the earth, their community, and their health and see what happens. Or even just ask them to change “denominations” from an ICE car to an electric car.

I think that's more addiction enabled by infrastructure that supports it and provides little viable alternative (in most places in the U.S.) than it is religion.

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#39

Post by dingnuts » Mon, May 19, 2025, 2:14 PM UTC

jack_pp wrote: post #37

bazoom42 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you are a pagan knowingly worshipping false idols all day, except you turn it off temporarily while attending church?

That's true of most Christians unfortunately. I've seen monks tell us that just because we go to church on Sunday doesn't make us practicing Christians. Most are living atheistic lifestyles and remember God only Sunday morning. Better than nothing I suppose..

is it? if I'm going to Hell anyway I might as well sleep in on Sundays

Re: How scrolling becomes a religious act

#40

Post by _Algernon_ » Mon, May 19, 2025, 2:15 PM UTC

90s_dev wrote: post #31

viraptor wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> he doesn’t argue, he argued, This phrase is so common it's practically correct. Search for "Plato argues" online for example.

> This phrase is so common it's practically correct. In fact, that's how language works. Whatever emerges from organic use is correct language. We the people decide what proper English is, collectively , not a prestigious university or renowned scholar or classic textbook.

Bet! I’m vibin’ 100% with your feels, fr fr!