What is a BlackBerry Prayer?

That ubiquitous PDA device known as a BlackBerry has unwittingly triggered some unusual behavior in its most addicted users, including an odd posture called a BlackBerry prayer. This form of prayer has very little to do with a Higher Power, unless that Higher Power happens to be the inventor of the so-called "CrackBerry" itself.

A Blackberry prayer occurs whenever a BlackBerry user, especially one who finds it difficult to turn off the device, assumes a secretive posture in order to view the BlackBerry screen during important meetings or other non-CrackBerry distractions. The user will cradle his BlackBerry between his hands, as if his hands were folded in prayer. In actuality, the user is shielding the display screen's tell-tale glow from prying eyes.

The BlackBerry prayer posture continues with the user's head bowed and his shoulders hunched over. Serious BlackBerry addicts may not move from this position for hours, surreptitiously sending text messages or composing emails while ostensibly participating in the meeting. Others may notice the intense downward gaze and the immobility associated with a BlackBerry prayer, but the user is often oblivious to his surroundings.

The fact that others may notice the BlackBerry prayer posture should be enough to prompt BlackBerry addicts to turn off the device temporarily, but the effect is similar to a child or teen becoming obsessed with a handheld electronic gaming device. Disconnecting from one's BlackBerry can be like a smoker being cut off from cigarettes. When a major outage disrupted BlackBerry service for several hours, some heavy users actually reported withdrawal symptoms which did not cease until service was restored.

The use of BlackBerries and other personal communication devices during business meetings is generally considered poor etiquette. If the device cannot be set to a silent mode or turned off, the user should at least wait until an official break to check messages. The assumption of a BlackBerry prayer posture in order to focus exclusively on personal communications is risky and rude behavior to say the least.