There is just something wrong with this...

The New York Times writes on podcasting from the pulpit.

Are you swamped with work? Need to get that Sunday morning workout in? Hungover from Saturday night's bash? Does your packed weekend schedule cause you to feel guilty about missing church? Well kiss that guilt goodbye because now you can download church services directly to your iPod! With podcasting, you can live your hedonistic life and still feel great about yourself!

Seriously, this weirds me out. I think that podcasting for religious purposes is a fine idea for supplementary purposes (e.g. devotionals, biblical readings, etc.), but using it as a substitute for a church service? This could never catch on in the Catholic Church. Imagine: "I'll have the Body and Blood of Christ...to go!" Sacrilege!

Something is missing here. I think it start with a "c" and ends with an "ommunity". Also, if church is supposed to be about worshipping God, isn't this supposed to be about dropping everything for God? Podcasting church services turns worship into a glorified self-help tape. It becomes about the individual worshipper rather than about God. It's literally trying to put God in a box, a slim white and silver box with a click wheel.