iHALO

In the intersection of faith and appropriate use of technology there are many questions that have varying prudential answers and a wide range of opinions.

For example the use of smartphones and tablets at Mass or adoration.

Some like Catholic apologist Patrick Madrid will use their iPhone to take notes during the homily. He holds his phone down low so as to not distract others. Others also see no problem using these devices as tools for deepening the faith when appropriate.

While others believe that the use of such devices can be a scandal to others or just plain not appropriate for such use. St. Paul said “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful.“ and a couple of chapters later in 1 Corinthians also remarked ”Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.”

It is easy to see how this could scandalize others. If you see somebody using such a device during Mass it is reflexive to wonder just exactly what they are doing? Perhaps they are following along in a missal app with larger type easier to see. Usually though we imagine them tweeting trivial information, liking Facebook posts, or finally beating some level in Candy Crush. Our imaginations regarding what others are doing is often not very charitable and we assume the worst.

This is a serious “first world problem” that needs to be addressed. Perhaps others like me would want to bring an iPad into Eucharistic Adoration for sacred reading and contemplation. Yet do not do so as to avoid scandalizing others.

We here at Curt Jester Laboratories are on the cutting edge of technology and faithful use.

Introducing the iHALO with our patented HALO (Holographic Active Light Orthodoxy) technology. The iHALO will keep you on the straight-and-narrow and not be a cause of scandal to others. When you faithfully use your device in the right context the iHALO displays a holographic indicator.

Simply attach the iHALO to the back of your device and use Bluetooth to pair it to your device.

The iHALO uses a database of constantly updated whitelisted sites, books, and apps to determine when to display the holographic halo. Uses GPS and Masstimes.org to determine if you are currently at Mass to further restricts use or to put it in Eucharistic Adoration mode. The iHALO is totally context aware! So in your off-time “Play Angry Birds and do not Sin” – not said by St. Paul in Ephesians 4:26–27.

But what if you are using your device inappropriately or even sinfully!

Don’t try this at home kids!

The iHALO then goes in to HORN (Holographic Ornamentation Referencing Nonconformance) mode to hopefully shame you into using your device appropriately. Inappropriate usage is logged to the free iHALO app as a reminded for your next confession.

But even using you mobile device for spiritual reading, studying of the Bible, Liturgy of the Hours is not always appropriate. Enable spousal audit mode to enable further restrictions and time limits. For those in religious life religious superior audit mode is available along with Episcopal audit mode for diocesan priests.

While the iHALO can help you with your faith it is device agnostic and available in iOS/Android/and those 4 people with Windows Phone 8.