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Paid Prayer

It's hard to tell what to make on this new "innovation" that comes from the Vatican.

 The Vatican says the device -- part of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network -- is designed as a tech-based teaching tool for learning "how to pray the rosary for peace in the world." The corresponding app features personalized religious content, as well as health tracking info gleaned from the bracelet. It's on sale now for 99 euros ($110/£85).

 Its unclear how the stated goals for this thing will get accomplished. In the least, if the objective is to pray for world peace, then all people praying with the beads should be connected to each other and keep uniform pace and experience that in-synch feeling with their fellow humans. Why would that not be part of the Minimum Viable Product? 

 And clearly, such prayers will be coming from the very privileged. $110 is how much a really poor family might make in a month. Maybe they can just wait for the rich to pray for their salvation one click at a time.

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