Evil Cell Phones?

Dear Victorious,

My uncle is insane and insists that cell phones (and even a Blackberry) are "the work of the devil." He refuses to use one and judges those of us who do. He's a very religious man and tends to see everything in religious terms. How can we convince him of how ridiculous he's being?

Tamara A. - Allen, TX

Dear Tamara,

It's pretty unlikely that your uncle is truly insane. Perhaps your exasperation with him is causing you to jump to some ridiculous conclusions. Are you sure you've listened to him and tried to understand his perspective? You can't really convince someone that they're wrong until you've shown them that you care most about truth ... versus being right or having things your way.

For the record, there is nothing Biblical to support a position that cell phones are evil. However, most inventions of mankind that were intended for good have also been detrimental. (Consider how many people are killed in automobile accidents.) Whenever anything is not used properly, overused or even just allowed to have the wrong role in our lives - it can be an instrument for evil.

Cell phones may be a great invention and they may help people accomplish all kinds of good things. But at the same time, they disrupt important conversations, distract from important activities (i.e., driving) and of course are used for devious activities (like making prank calls or accessing pornography). While it may seem ridiculous to categorize them as "instruments of evil," one could hardly broad brush them as being instruments of righteousness either!

Why don't you find out your uncle's concerns about cell phones, consider whether those concerns have any legitimacy and respond accordingly. Perhaps God is using your uncle to speak truth into your life. If so, will you be found listening?