Right to Privacy at Church?
 

With cameras and video recording devices on everyone's phones, is any and everything that happens in church fair game?

Who "owns" these videos? Is there any "right" to privacy at all?

What if unflattering video was posted of you on Facebook or other social media?

What about zooming in on someone speaking in tongues of weeping profusely and sharing with their greater Facebook friends list?

Can there be no expectation of anonymity or at least a bit of privacy for the congregants?

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I have yet to witness anyone taking pics or shooting video from their cell phone during service.

If it starts to happen, I believe my pastor would give wise counsel and advice in such a way as to discourage that from happening.

We already have services recorded and broadcast online with professional equipment; I believe there's about a 15- to 20-second delay, though, to minimize and/or correct any blips. The only person the cameras are focused on is the one speaking from the platform...

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I would think folks should be responsible about who and what they film in a congregational setting,and I don't one should put up videos online that might hurt or embarrass a fellow believer on a social networking site.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Depends on the church size. It does happen in our church some. 300 - 400 peeps. There are at least some who are not in favor of having their kids and themselves on public video.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I would think in a congregational setting one should be responsible about who and what they video.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I agree of course, but some seem to think this is equivalent to being ashamed or embarrassed of "the Lord".


My position? Do all things in decency and in order, whether there be cameras or not. There is no good reason to flip out in altered states of consciousness, or yelling in tongues in the mic etc.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

The thing is people get touched by The Holy Spirit,but one should be respectful about putting up videos about things that happen in church.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I agree.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

True. And yet others are just touched.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I tend to agree with Hoovie on this. It's not about being ashamed or embarrassed of "the Lord". It would be more about advertising someone else's personal experience with the Lord without their permission. I happen to think my walk with God is a very personal one. Showing pictures or videos of someone shouting or being deeply moved in the Spirit without their permission is tasteless.

Perhaps if they put down their cameras and pray for their own personal experience, they won't be intruding and broadcasting into someone else's? Just sayin...

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Suppose someone was in a service needing deliverance and they might be having devils cast out of them or such they probably wouldn't want that put on Facebook or You Tube.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I can see your point.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Video cameras and Church don't mix

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

This is a dead end debate...not worth arguing. Who cares. We have cameras in our church, and most of the time we forget they are even there. It's very discreet.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I dislike the concept of video taping services (is there a different term now that it is put on DVD). However, I am even more opposed to people bringing recording their own videos of the service, and that is simply because many only wish to put it up on facebook or youtube for all the world to see.

I am convinced that the best way for now it to record the message to cd, and then post it on the internet. People are always looking for the weird or stupid to post when talking about video.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I have seen it happen, a few months back a young man in front of me was recording the service in from the pew in front of me (was the nearby UPC)

The services are streamed live though, so not sure how much it matters.

And for the most part, they are not a wildly expressive bunch, so, I don't think anything embarrassing was recorded.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Worse that could happen is someone would say, did you see that utube of those crazy church people, they looked like there were drunk

someone else could say, they are not drunk, well not drunk like you think anyway, it's 9:00 in the morning for Pete's sake. This is that, you know THAT!

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Sure they do!

Discreet? That term makes me suspicious...

And that's been happening since YouTube first came out. For those congregations who can afford it, video is a good tool for those who otherwise cannot make it to the service themselves. Apparently, there's a difference in maturity level with your mindset and others like it vs. "those other people."

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Could a church be sued over this privacy issue?

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Good question. Perhaps there needs to be signs at the door waiving your right to privacy.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

In a sizable church, I am not sure this is something that can be stopped.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I guess my initial thoughts are these.


Is there any expectation of privacy. Well... privacy in a legal sense is iffy since you are out in public although there are controls that the pastor etc can put on the use of such equipment.

I think there should be an expectation of respect. I don't generally like to see the portions of a church service videoed & posted that deal with the moving of the spirit or other things blamed on the moving of the spirit. The main reason being that what goes on in those moments is more than can be videoed. It is the culmination of the word that was preached, testimonies that were given and the spirit of God that is moving at that moment.

This type of moment doesn't ever translate well to video. If you were there and you watch the video you can remember and, therefore, see and feel the context of the spirit that encapsulated that moment. Others just stare wondering what in the world is going on because there is no real context with which to understand the entirety of what they are seeing.

In respect for one another and in respect for what should be a sacred moment between God and His people this doesn't serve well as a practice.

Recently we've had a number of tongues & interpretations as well as prophesies at our church. I work hard to record these (on paper) to keep up with what has been said and what we see later on as fulfillments of these utterances. But for me to capture the video or audio and let someone who is from some far off place and doesn't know any of us watch or listen to it would be useless. There is no context with which to fully experiece what went on that day.

Often people's intent is good (not always). But I wish they understood that as powerful as the moment was to you at the time of the recording... video doesn't capture a move of the spirit. It only captures people doing things. The spirit that was there at that moment is what made it powerful and we'd all do best to leave the video in our minds and remember fondly a moment we shared with our brethren and with our God.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I agree, that is why with the possible exception of a conference or similar service, it should be requested that cell phones be off in the sanctuary. I am also not a believer in texting during service. I have heard and seen it done, but it does not sit well with me.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Those videos on youtube bother me very much. :(

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Nope. We've actually looked into this. When we first started recording our services professionally, we wanted to do it right. We had to get the right lighting, update sound equipment, etc. We also had to purchase a licence to be able to stream and record our services. We renew the licence on a yearly basis. If we did not have the licence we could get sued by the original artist of a song we might do. We also have to have a licence to project lyrics of the songs on the walls. (Over the years it's become quite alarming how many churches are still doing all of this illegally without a licence.)

As far as an individual suing a church over privacy issues, what goes on in a service that could be considered private? Besides, there's scripture in the bible about suing the church or anybody in the church. Here's an example. 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

The problem is that there are enough people out there who would sue you just because they can. We can never forget that the ACLU, Anti-Defamation League, Southern Poverty Law Center, Freedom from Religion Foundation, and a host of others would love to find an excuse to stop us from practicing our religious freedoms.

They do not care about any Scripture concerning lawsuits. Further, there are people who would sue a church just because they can. It does not matter the reason, all the more reason to make sure they have as little to use against us as possible.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Showing a video of people shouting does not carry the essence of what they feel in the Spirit while in the congregation, during the services.

For instance, there is a certain experience one feels while being there when God speaks to us in a service using tongues and interpretation. Ever notice that the entire congregation gets quiet and the Holy Ghost sweeps over the auditorium just before God speaks?

I Corinthians 14:22,23
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

I would certainly think that if a video is shown on You-Tube or Facebook, a mere clip of an event, an unbeliever would think that those people in that church are mad.

Would this be edifying the church?

But...if one unbeliever were to come into the church...to see and feel for oneself the power of the Holy Ghost, he/she just might have a different attitude other than "these people are mad".

Consider verses 24 & 25

24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

Wouldn't it be the same concept if the unbelievers see a bunch of people on a video jumping, hopping, dancing etc, rather than being there to experience the feeling they have when jumping, hopping or dancing?

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I have to agree. While I will sometimes get that feeling when listening to a preaching cd, and it has a tongues and interpretation on it (not always reliable, but it still happens even if I have never heard the message before), but it is not the same as being there. I agree that video if used (and I stand firm against it) should remain on the preacher not leave him, and as soon as he is done so is the taping.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Can a church put a sign up forbiding video unless approved by the Pastor/board of elders and enforce it legally?

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I do not see why not, the church property is essentially private property and is a private group. I know that cell phones and other recording devices are forbidden in all manner of public places, so I do not see any problems there. I do believe that I have seen signs requesting that phones be turned off or on silent when in the sanctuary.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Amen. Unless one is inspired to do so! :)

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I would think so. We do it at live theater shows.

One could always make the case that it's disruptive in one way or another.

I just think it's about impossible to enforce.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

I am an amatuer photographer. Sometimes my pitures have been published.
Did you know that the Amish do not want their pictures taken in Ohio.
If you put a picture on the internet and somebody does not like themselves being in the picture they can force you to remove it.
A famous railroad photographer had always taken pictures of trains. Then one day about 10 years ago Union Pacific sued him.Why? They decided the man should pay a copy right fee for photographing their engines and won the case.
I feel that christmas plays, baptisms are ok to video tape but not everything.
By the way I speak tongues at home now only.
deafdriscoll

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Depends on who wrote the script for the play... If there is one. We paid 2500.00 to use the script for Dairy of Anne Frank at our small community theater.

About what you say about tongues. I think it's quite clear that is what Paul is saying - unless it is interpreted or is so silent others (besides God) can't hear.

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Kosher cows on that dairy?

Re: Right to Privacy at Church?
 

Cheesy