By Matters India Reporter
Kochi: A parish in Kerala is encouraging the public to stay off internet and cellphone on Good Friday and recapture family and interpersonal relations.
“For the past two years, we have observed cyber bandh (shut down) on Good Friday,” says Father John Puthuva, pastor of St George Church, Thalayolaparambu, a parish under the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese. The parishioners also keep away from cyber world for one hour on Sundays and half an hour each on other days.
The parishioners have distributed leaflets among the public highlighting dangers from over indulgence in modern technological facilities. They encouraged people to maintain cyber continence.
Father Puthuva, known for initiating socially relevant projects and movements, said they aim through this initiative to strengthen family and interpersonal relationships that have been marred by the overuse of phones, internet and social networking sites. “Even family members have very little time to talk to each other,” the priest bemoaned.
“Today families have lost the thread of mutual love, respect and trust. The debility in family relationships has orphaned old parents and children,” Father Puthuva explained. The priest also pointed out that the cyber world encourages children to create their own inside their homes that leads to mental disorders in them.
According to the priest, the cyber world lays trap for people irrespective of age, religion and gender across the globe.
Over indulgence in cyber world has led to cover-eating, melancholy, sleeplessness, anxiety, violent behavior weakness, unwanted fat, headaches, and loss of concentration, Father Puthuva said in a press release.
Other fallouts from the cyber misuse are excessive interest in sex among its users and lack of interest in studies among students.
Social networks such as Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter have prompted people to seek sexual relationship outside marriage. Around 40 divorce cases are caused by use of Facebook, the priest claimed.
The cyber bandh, he added, will educate people about the “devious role of cyber age.”