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Pay to Pray

11/16/2019

11 Comments

 
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by David Hagenbuch, founder of Mindful Marketing & author of Honorable Influence

“The best things in life are free,” for instance, an evening with family, a walk on a sunny morning, a conversation with a friend.  For many people, going to God is another 'free'dom they cherish.  Why, then, does one religion appear to be putting a paywall between its people and God?
 
The Catholic Church recently surprised many of its parishioners and others by introducing an eRosary, “a wearable device connected to a mobile app that's activated by making the sign of the cross.”  While paying homage to traditional rosary bracelets, the new product’s black agate and hematite beads, paired with a “carefully finished” gunmetal-color cross, make the modern version appear very ‘apple-esque.’
 
Many have heard of people praying with rosary beads, but if you’re not familiar with Catholicism, here’s a quick primer.  The Holy Rosary, or Dominican Rosary, is a very important prayer for Catholics that is arranged in sets of prayers called decades.  Holding a rosary bracelet or chain in one’s hand and feeling each individual bead helps followers recite the prayer’s Hail Marys and other specific petitions in the proper sequence.
 
The Rosary is a central part of many Catholics’ spiritual lives, as praying it guards against trials and temptations and serves as a buffer against all types of evil.  Pope John Paul II declared that the Rosary was “among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation.”
 
The Vatican’s eRosary offers much more functionality than just feeling beads with one’s fingers.  Working with an app, the digitally-designed bracelet lets users choose the specific rosary they would like to recite (e.g., standard or thematic), then charts the devotee’s prayer progress and tracks completion with “the guide of special audiovisual contents.”
 
The Vatican suggests the device serves as “a meeting point between technology and spirituality” that “unites daily life and prayer,” helps one “pray deeply,” and unites people around the challenges that confront humanity and the mission of the Church.
 

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The eRosary also touches the physical realm, acting as a “personal health assistant” by recording fitness data and providing wellness information.  In doing so, the device encourages people to live healthier lives.
 
However, wearable technology can’t just do things; it also needs to look good on those wearing it.  Fortunately, the eRosary marries form and function.  The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network suggests that the device lies where “simplicity meets elegance” thanks to its stylish black and silver colors and its “simple lines and curves.”
 
So, why is the Vatican marketing a ‘faith-based fashionable Fitbit’?  Engadget suggests the Catholic Church is “hoping to attract tech-savvy youngsters.” It’s true that Gen Zs increasing expect digitally connected experiences.  Also, any organization that wants to stay in existence must remain relevant to the next generation of ‘consumers.’    

Still, we’re talking about the Church and faith.  Doesn’t technology distract from meaningful spiritual experiences?  Or, perhaps even more important, is it right for the Catholic Church, which has about 1.28 billion adherents, many in countries with low per capita income, to sell a product that costs 99€ (about $110) on Amazon?
 
First, it’s helpful to remember that technology influencing faith isn’t just a recent phenomenon; it’s interface dates back as least many hundreds of years.  In 1452, Johannes Gutenberg printed 180 copies of the now famous Gutenberg Bible. In many ways, the use of moveable type technology to mass print the Bible and other religious books democratized Christianity and formed the foundation for a revolution in the Church.

Over the years, other new technologies also have impacted people’s spiritual lives in, often in positive ways.  For instance, radio and television have allowed people to share religious information with others thousands of miles away.  Advances in construction have enabled the building of larger and more functional places of worship.  And, automobiles are what many people use to travel to those worship centers.
 
However, when one arrives at a church, synagogue, or mosque, there’s usually not a fee at the door.  The notion is that religion should be free to all.  ‘Growing closer to God shouldn’t be based on one’s ability to pay.’
 
Fortunately, there’s nothing to stop even the poorest person from offering prayers of petition and gratitude to the Divine.  And, if people are mobile, they might walk or share a ride with other believers to a place of worship where they can venerate God and learn together for free.
 
Some religions also make copies of their key texts available to others for free.  For instance, Wycliffe Bible Translators, a nonprofit mission organization, has translated the Bible into hundreds of different languages since its founding in 1942.  Likewise, the Gideons International gives away thousands of Bibles a year in most of the world’s countries.
 
Then, how do eRosaries, iPhones with Bible apps, and other faith-related merchandise fit with the notion that religion should be free?  All of the items that cost money to aid reverence are optional.  They may be helpful to those who can afford them, but they’re not essential for a relationship with God.
 
A useful metaphor might be a social medium like LinkedIn.  Some people who have needs for more advanced features pay for LinkedIn Premium.  In contrast, for many years I’ve used the free version of the platform, which meets all of my professional networking needs and more.  Just as I’m not precluded from enjoying LinkedIn because I don’t pay, people who don’t buy eRosaries or similar religious products are not prevented from relationships with God.
 
It is possible to live without digital devices.  Also, sometimes when we have them, we let them get in the way of fruitful living.  Used properly, however, it’s not hard to see how technology can benefit religious practice, much as it enhances other areas of life.  It’s great to be able to share prayer requests via email, send text messages of encouragement to others, study the Bible on an iPad, and listen to podcasts of sermons online.
 
Because I’m not Catholic, I’ve never experienced confirmation, gone to confession, or prayed the Rosary.  It appears, though, that an eRosary can help those participating in one of Catholicism’s central religious practices.  For people of faith, digital devices that enrich their spiritual lives and bring them into closer relationship with God and others, seem to be “Mindful Marketing.”


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11 Comments
Sydney Smith
12/11/2019 03:27:05 pm

This article was very interesting. I do not believe that an eRosary is mindful marketing at all. I can understand where the Catholic Church was trying to appeal to Gen Zs and people of the digital age. I believe that it is also common knowledge that a lot of the time, technology gets in the way of living a fruitful life. I personally would not wear this Rosary bracelet, even if I was Catholic. I believe that all of the fancy attachments and capabilities of this new device are not essential to praying to the Rosary. It is also mentioned in the article that the Catholic Church is in many places where per capita income is low. I believe that this product could create dissention between people who can afford such a device, and those who cannot. I feel that there is already some setbacks in the Church regarding money. For example, missions trips can be very fruitful, but they can also be very expensive. I would rank this article as Single-Minded because faith should not become any more about who has the most money.

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Will
12/11/2019 03:49:53 pm

The eRosary is a great tool that assists Catholics in praying the Rosary, and I would agree that the eRosary is mindful. The Catholic Church has come under fire in the past for practices like selling indulgences as a way to acquire salvation, but eRosaries are completely different. It is an optional tool that supplants traditional rosary beads, and it can help people do the rosary prayers by providing additional content that guides them through the prayers. The Church is not trying to make a profit off of these devices, but if they don’t sell them for a high enough price, then the Church could potentially give out over a billion devices and lose a lot of money. It is also important to realize that these devices are compatible with smartphones, which means that they are only useful for people who already own smartphones; if somebody is financially capable of owning a smartphone, they’re probably financially capable of owning an eRosary. There isn’t any pressure for people to go out and buy an eRosary, since they can keep using traditional methods of doing the rosary prayers. The eRosary upholds societal values by providing tech-savvy individuals with a means of doing the rosary prayers. It is still possible for them to learn the prayers on their own and use traditional rosary beads, so it’s not like the Vatican is requiring people to buy the eRosary in order to do the prayers. It creates stakeholder value in the sense that it provides the Church with more money to carry out their ministries, plus it enables them to make more eRosaries and to have a broader reach among the population.

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Matt Collman
12/11/2019 09:26:10 pm

I see the eRosary as a way for the Catholic Church to simply accrue more funds. It seems to be an unnecessary item that is being sold simply to attract people for "techy" reasons. However, if people are attracted to the church for technological purposes, perhaps their motives are wrong. People should be coming to the church for spiritual reasons, not for worldly reasons, and technology is almost certainly worldly. I do not think this was done with the right intent in mind.

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Rebekah McClelland
12/11/2019 09:46:03 pm

I personally do not believe that the e-rosary is mindful marketing. The rosary is a centuries old tradition and I am of the belief of if something is not broke, don't fix it. Rosaries are traditionally used by older catholic women, and I do not believe that these women would be willing to use an e-rosary over their beads. In addition, rosaries are also often handed down through generations of a family and can be a very sentimental object. Something about having to charge your rosary in order to use it seems to take away from the experience and tradition in my opinion.

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Caleb Puleo
12/11/2019 10:22:15 pm

First of all, I remember this being discussed in class and I have to admit that I was uncertain about this product and idea from that start. I find it interesting that the catholic church would itself produce and market such a product. It seems that they are in the business of providing services as opposed to goods. These services have to do with the saving of souls. Additionally, I'm not sure how entirely necessary this product is. Although it does indeed have the sleek gun medal finish, I am not convinced of its fashionable nature either. As for its purpose, I am not catholic, but do understand that they have a tradition with these bracelets. As long as the catholic church is more concerned with the benefit this bracelet will bring for their believers, and less about the profit they will make on it, I do not see a moral/ethical issue with offering the product. However, I am interested to see just how well this product will do in the market. I have my doubts.

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Emilee Ryon
12/12/2019 11:35:35 am

I’d agree and say that this is mindful marketing. This technology is optional; it’s creators and marketers are not forcing consumers to purchase and use the product. In reality, this product may help those that find praying in the typical fashion to be difficult. While there may be a cost associated with this product, some consumers may be willing to pay that if it priced appropriately and if they believe they will see benefits from using the product. This product is supported by those within the Catholic faith but not solely for financial reasons; they recognize the value this product is. Because of this, I’d agree and say that it’s mindful marketing.

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Christina Lee
12/20/2019 10:26:31 am

Although I was a little hesitant at first to admit it, I do believe that this can be considered mindful marketing. Because the church is not requiring it of people, or saying that they will not be saved if they do not have it, I think that it is completely find to adjust to the changing world and giving them what many people want. It is definitely optional, which is why it works. This product can definitely be an aid for people who are struggling to pray in this modern world. It is up to people to weight the costs and the benefits, and choose to pay a certain amount of money to acquire this product. It is a choice that they are making, so they should not feel pressured to buy it at all. For all of these reasons, I believe that this is mindful marketing.

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Dylan Wells
1/11/2020 04:04:31 pm

While I agree with Dr. Hagenbuch in that the Catholic Church’s sale of an eRosary can be considered mindful marketing, I would also argue that in some way it is single-minded. While the eRosary does create stakeholder value in that it encourages or facilitates an individual faith journey in which people can grow closer to God, and does so in a way that appeals to an ever-growing market of tech-savvy consumers, in my opinion, it could be seen as being in contradiction of scripture, and consequently, people’s personal views of ethical marketing. However, I do not inherently believe that the sale of religious or spiritual products is unethical in whole, but can be called into question when the church itself is the seller. Matthew 21:12 reads, “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” Some interpret this scripture as suggesting the church should abstain from the sale of merchandise so that the utter purpose of the temple and the church as a sacred place of prayer and worship can be preserved. Yet, I believe the important question is whether or not a church is leading people to be spirit-filled disciples of Jesus Christ with their activities, and in this case study, I believe that the Catholic Church is doing so.

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Federie Louis
1/13/2020 12:28:42 pm

In my opinion I would agree with Dr.hagenbuch and say that this product is a mindful due the fact that the product itself isn't a necessity for people to help them grow in their personal relationship with God. the product acts as an added tool if they would wish to purchase it. I would compare the eRosary to the bible app. Even though the bible app is free, the app isn't a necessity and not all Christians use and depend on the app, it is optional. I believe for users who want to go the extra mile in there faith the product provides an extra amount of help and a sense of accountability. I personally think the product is ethical, because it works as an added resource. Not a central necessity that all people use and need.

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Joshua Shupe link
3/22/2020 01:11:31 am

• Hagenbuch makes this article so interesting by bringing in live examples concerning outcomes of the corona virus. Specifically, he brings in Matt and Noah Colvin which emptied virus fighting products in the stores of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Instantly, they thought of making money rather than the protection of people’s lives. In result, people were in panic and desperate need of these kinds of products. This idea right here is a perfect example of viral marketing. However, I do not agree with the aspect that this could be thought of as an improvement on the supply chain.
• I highly agree with Hagenbuch that the Colvin brothers’ actions were the epitome of a single-minded marketing strategy. Furthermore, I strongly agree with him that corporations are called to healthy awareness rather than selfish ambition.

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shuang Qiu
3/22/2020 05:38:46 pm

I do not know about the eRosary and the catholic culture, but I definitely think eRosary is not the necessary to have for praying. Maybe that can help, but the most important is to pray with heart. I am a Christian, and I believe prayer does not cost anything. Instead of buying the expensive eRosary, here are some free Apps can help us to grow in faith. I personally do not like the idea of eRosary and selling it online. It leads people to the wrong way by sending the message of 'pay for prayers."

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