Ordain Thyself App: Become A Religious Leader With The Swipe Of A Finger

I knew this had to happen sooner or later so people could compete with Romney. BBB

Ordain Thyself App: Become A Religious Leader With The Swipe Of A Finger
09/11/2012

From the supremely useful to the breathtakingly inane, there's a cell phone application out there to fulfill all your needs -- even the ones you didn't know you had.

Now, an ordained minister with a sense of humor is adding to the bottomless app pit with a bizarre one of his own. Called "Ordain Thyself," the app promises ordination on the go.

Ever had dreams of being a rabbi, imam, priest or swami? How about a Klingon priest or a leader in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

No? Well, with a flick of the finger, you can become one anyway (in your cell phone universe, at least).

As CNN notes, you can't actually attain any legitimate religious credentials through this new app, but you can see what you'd look like "wearing the religious garb of different clerics, and read brief and humorous summaries of various world religions."

Tony Jones, a minister who is currently the theologian-in-residence at Solomon Porch, a Christian ministry, is the mastermind behind the app.

He told CNN that part of the rationale behind the app's creation was to challenge the 'inability of faith leaders to laugh about themselves and their religions.'

"Religion is serious business to be sure,” Jones told CNN’s Belief Blog. “But it could use a little stand up comedy to lighten us up."

So far the app has received mixed reviews.

Called both "hilarious" and "fun" by some users, the app has been lauded for its ability to promote thought-provoking conversation.

"Sharing your ordination on Facebook makes for some interesting discussions," commented one user.

The app, however, has not been immune to criticism. While some have blasted the app for what has been called a "belittling" attitude toward ordination, others have lamented the limitations of its usefulness and educational scope.

“I kind of wish that all of this effort had been put into something a little more educational,” Johnnie Moore, vice president of Liberty University, told CNN, adding that 'Americans could really benefit from efforts to better understand world religions.'

The app is now available for iPhone ($0.99) and Android (free).