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Are you phone addict? You may    was growing to  THE FALLACY OF CELIBACY         credibility to doubt. It is only

                   f late, a chorus
                                                                                  when pressure mounted
 be suffering from Nomophobia  arrest Bishop   The arrest of rape accused bishop raises    on the bishop and police
                                                                                  that he was questioned and
                   Franco Mulak-
         O kal with nuns
         taking to streets questioning   questions over principle of celibacy that the   finally arrested.
                                                                                     The jury is open because
         who is shielding the alleged   priests are expected to observe, reports SARRAH  even Muslim women with
 Do you keep checking at the screen of your mobile phone even when there is nothing new?    rapist. An FIR had been reg-  head scarves came in open
                                                            Many who have been
 Do you feel your mobile phone is ringing even when there is no buzz? Well, it may be a serious    istered against the Catholic   the victim and maligning   watching the Church closely   support of the agitation
                                 her reputation. An MLA
         Bishop of Jalandhar long
                                                                                  by nuns. Thus, making it a
 cause of concern or an impending ailment called Nomophobia, writes SRISHTE SHARMA  back on June 28 after a nun   from Poonjar, PC Geroge   believe that the nuns’ agita-  bigger issue of women. The
 A   is when someone is afraid to lose his or   mobile. Mobile has become so personal-  Missionaries of Jesus alleged   comments about the nun   damage to the reputation of   on the Church is immense
         belonging to the order of
                                 had also made deplorable
                                                          tion has done an irreparable
                                                                                  impact of the nuns’ agitation
 recent study on the “Im -
                                                                                  as there are around 30,000
 pact of Mobile Phone ad-
 her cell phone. Do you easily get irritated  ised that even in a family nobody is ready
                                 saying that “if it was rape
                                                          the Church and its credibil-
         that the Bishop raped her 13
                                                                                  nuns in Kerala alone. The
                                                          ity amongst believers and
                                 why she failed to lodge a
         times since 2014.
 diction amongst the Youth
 or worried when there is no message, no  to share phone with other member of
                                                          common men had nose-
 in Chandigarh” has found
 call or your mobile does not ring for long.  family.
                                 complaint the first time?”
           In a letter to the Vatican’s
                                                                                  struggle has opened the
 No doubt, we cannot underestimate
 that many youngsters check  Mind it you are victim of nomophobia.
                                                                                  structures and mindsets.
 their phones out of habit or compulsion   This is modern concept or we can say   the value of smartphones in our lives   India representative, the   The Missionaries of   dived. There are conflict-  doors for transformation of
 to avoid interacting with individuals.   latest phobia, which came into existence  nowadays as from entertainment to   However, it is time for
 Some youngsters experience withdrawal  with mobile or smartphones.  important assignments, banking and
 symptoms usually associated with mis-  Few years back there were no mo-  so much unlimited information we get   The impact
 use, like depression, restlessness, insom-  bile phones or smartphones. Few privi-  from Google, all we can get from smart-
 nia, and anxiety, when they are not with   leged had landlines at their homes and   phone. In other words, we have become   of the nuns’
 their mobile phones.   we were quite comfortable talking to   over dependent upon mobile phones   agitation on
 The study published in the Interna-  our friends and relatives through lan-  these days. And this dependency is up to
 tional Journal of Science, Engineering   dlines. And then STD booths here and   which extend? From morning till night   the Church is
 and Management has been conducted   there in the markets were enough to   we all have our cells with us and we all
 by Dr. Anubhuti Sharma of Post Graduate  communicate.   keep our mobiles with us while sleeping   immense as
 Government College for Girls and Agree-  Then came the revolutionary cell   also.   there are
 ma Sharma Counsellor, St. John’s High   phones and then smartphones which   Some people are so obsessed with cell
 School, Chandigarh. The study found that  changed our lifestyles. In the beginning   phones that they become nervous or pa-  around
 mobile users had symptoms such as rest-  smartphones were matter of show off for  thetic without mobiles. Even in the com-  30,000 nuns in
 lessness, anxiety and depression.   elite class. People who had smartphones  fort of their homes they rarely leave mo-
 In fact the Nomophobia affects box   would carry those in their hands to show  biles while having food or sitting around   Kerala alone
 sexes and teenagers and adults alike. You  their class. As these were very costly in   with family. Accidents while driving are
 feel anxious when you leave your phone  the beginning, very few could afford it.   very common these days because of cell
 at home or workplace as if you have lost   Gradually it came into reach of everyone.  phones.   introspection by the clergy
 connection with outside world. In partic-  From rich elite to daily workers, all are   Now as we all know very well about   and the Church administra-
 ular people who share personal details,   carrying smartphones. And not only this,  this phobia, we have to take out the solu-  tion. It is moment of truth
 contacts, pictures and videos in their   every member of a family has his or her   tion and the first solution is to limit the   nun had alleged that the   • Bishop grilled  Rape accused   ing views. Some point out   as credibility of Church is at
 smartphones suffer the pangs   use of mobiles. Though it is not   bishop was using all the   bishop Franco Mulakkal is arrested  that this will help lead the   a stake because instead of
 more. Various studies suggest   All addicts  The consequences of nomophobia are akin to    so easy but at least we can try by   money and power at his   Church to greater libera-  supporting the aggrieved
 that youngsters start believing   any other addiction  staying away from our mobiles   disposal to derail the case   Jesus Congregation instead   tion, purification and moral   nun, the Church supported
 mobile phones as their extend-  while sleeping, eating, driv-  and buy his way out of the   of supporting the nun,   integrity.  the Bishop. Not only that, the
 ed selves. Naturally when you   ing and important of all while   charges. The victim had   supported the bishop and   Will the struggle open   nuns had to resort to strike
 lose your smartphone you may   spending time with our fam-  also sought help of Delhi   alleged that the nun had   the doors for discussions   and protests in streets when
 have high blood pressure and   ily and friends. This can give us   Archbishop Anil Couto and   “questionable relations with   based on the social doctrine   clergy failed to respond to
 your pulse rate may shoot up.   some precious moments to en-  George Alencherry, head   a local taxi driver and with a   of the Catholic Church and   her calls for action against
 Psychologists say that another   joy with family and friends and   of the Kochi-based Syro-  relative’s husband’’. In fact, it   trigger a rethink on the   the bishop. It is not only a
 system could be FOMO (fear of   improve relations. This way,   Malabar Church.   was not a complaint by one   patriarchal mindset that   moment of truth for the
 missing out). Emotional attach-  we may escape bad effects of   While Bishop Mulak-  nun but four more nuns had   ruled the Church? Is Bishop   Church but a question of
 ment to our phones aggravates   too much addiction of mobiles.   kal had been shaming the   alleged that Bishop touched   bigger than law of the land?   restoring credibility of this
 the symptoms of nomophobia.   Let’s fight Nomophobia.  victim on national television   them inappropriately, took   Forget the police, even the   religious institution.
 Indeed nomophobia is a name   channels and newspapers   advantage of his position   Church had refused to take
 given to no mobile phobia, which   LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM  making allegations against   and hugged forcefully.  action, thereby, rendering its   LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
                                       TEHELKA / 15 OCTOBER 2018  57  WWW.TEHELKA.COM
 56 Phone Addict.indd   2  9/28/2018   5:57:24 PM  57 Sarrah.indd   3                              9/28/2018   5:57:53 PM
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