Sunday Laws - good or bad??

[BobRyan]

Almost every state has some kind of "blue law" (Sunday law on the books) and most are no longer enforced. The current economic crisis seems to be driving toward even less enforcement and more sidelining of the few blue laws that are still in effect.

Adventists are known for predicting a time when instead of having state-level blue laws, America will have a National law (something like a "national day of reverence" law) which "legislates" in favor of Sunday. That would be legal code restricting or controlling aspects of worship - i.e. legislating in the area of the first 4 of the Ten Commandments. (A big problem in the dark ages).

Of course SDAs are also known for urging legislation in the 19th century that protected the value of human rights (anti-slavery) and that promoted moral and Christian values in the area of alcohol abuse (ammendment to ban the sale of alcohol) - so clearly that would be promoting legislation on aspects related to the last 6 commandments but opposing legislation that deals with the first 4 commandments.

Question for the group - do you agree with the idea of avoiding laws that regulate elements of worship? Do you agree that such legislation would be a return to the principles of the dark ages and could lead to the same excessive abuses?

in Christ,

Bob

 

[billwald]

In 1965 when I joined the Seattle PD we had a Sunday closing law. That time period was the last of the good old days for police work. Sunday was so slow that normally the day shift in my precinct would cut a deck of cards and half the crew would go home. I could work an entire shift without getting a call. Few years later the law was revoked and then Sunday was like any other day. I don't think it hurt anyone to have one day of forced civility out of seven.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Almost every state has some kind of "blue law" (Sunday law on the books) and most are no longer enforced. The current economic crisis seems to be driving toward even less enforcement and more sidelining of the few blue laws that are still in effect.

Adventists are known for predicting a time when instead of having state-level blue laws, America will have a National law (something like a "national day of reverence" law) which "legislates" in favor of Sunday. That would be legal code restricting or controlling aspects of worship - i.e. legislating in the area of the first 4 of the Ten Commandments. (A big problem in the dark ages).

Of course SDAs are also known for urging legislation in the 19th century that protected the value of human rights (anti-slavery) and that promoted moral and Christian values in the area of alcohol abuse (ammendment to ban the sale of alcohol) - so clearly that would be promoting legislation on aspects related to the last 6 commandments but opposing legislation that deals with the first 4 commandments.

Question for the group - do you agree with the idea of avoiding laws that regulate elements of worship? Do you agree that such legislation would be a return to the principles of the dark ages and could lead to the same excessive abuses?

in Christ,

Bob

Yes Bob, the end is near. We constant see more and more municipalities starting new blue laws --- oh wait, maybe we don't. The blue laws that still exist are being removed as we move closer to a post Christian culture. In fact, the only blue law that I'm aware of in certain areas is that you cannot buy wine & liquor on Sunday. Oh well, I can survive that one.

 

[BobRyan]

In my statement above I say

"Almost every state has some kind of "blue law" (Sunday law on the books) and most are no longer enforced. The current economic crisis seems to be driving toward even less enforcement and more sidelining of the few blue laws that are still in effect."

And your reponse

Yes Bob, the end is near. We constantly see more and more municipalities starting new blue laws --- oh wait, maybe we don't.

As a "funny kinda way" to agree???

 

[Johnv]

One is left to wonder whether blue laws are a waste of legislation. Scripturally, since the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, one could argue that there's no reason to prohibit something on a Sunday that can be permitted on another day of the week. Observance of one's sabbath (whether it be Friday at Sundown, Saturday, or Sunday) is a matter of one's attitude, and not a matter of legislation, methinks.

 

[Carico]

Almost every state has some kind of "blue law" (Sunday law on the books) and most are no longer enforced. The current economic crisis seems to be driving toward even less enforcement and more sidelining of the few blue laws that are still in effect.

Adventists are known for predicting a time when instead of having state-level blue laws, America will have a National law (something like a "national day of reverence" law) which "legislates" in favor of Sunday. That would be legal code restricting or controlling aspects of worship - i.e. legislating in the area of the first 4 of the Ten Commandments. (A big problem in the dark ages).

Of course SDAs are also known for urging legislation in the 19th century that protected the value of human rights (anti-slavery) and that promoted moral and Christian values in the area of alcohol abuse (ammendment to ban the sale of alcohol) - so clearly that would be promoting legislation on aspects related to the last 6 commandments but opposing legislation that deals with the first 4 commandments.

Question for the group - do you agree with the idea of avoiding laws that regulate elements of worship? Do you agree that such legislation would be a return to the principles of the dark ages and could lead to the same excessive abuses?

in Christ,

Bob

Since the Sabbath is no longer a day of the week but instead, Jesus Christ since he fulfilled the whole law, including the Sabbath law, then as paul tells us let each man determine in his own mind if he considers one day more special or everyday alike. But it really doesn't matter what the secular world does since they are a law unto themselves and not under God's laws since they don't believe in God.

 

[Johnv]

The issue isn't whether Christians should observe the Sabbath, it's whether the government should be dictating who can or cannot do business on the sabbath. I believe it's contradictory to call for a hand-off government, but favor blue laws.

 

[Tom Bryant]

(Tongue in cheek reply)

Last Sunday after church we ate at our favorite restaurant. I stopped by the store to pick up the Sunday paper. It was so nice to read it while I watched NASCAR run its' race. But it started getting hot and I realized my AC wasn't working, so I called the repairman and he came out and fixed it.
That night at dinner, I told my wife how wonderful it was to have a day of rest on Sunday and just wish that we still had the Blue Laws enforced so we could honor Sunday the way we used to.

:smilewinkgrin:

 

[eightball]

Sunday laws may border on legalism in some ways.

It is also imposing biblical tenents upon both the saved and the unsaved. I doubt that the unsaved appreciate the Sunday laws and want to check out a Christian church because of them.

I still remember Jesus and His disciples all picking barley or wheat kernels on the sabbath. Basically Jesus said that if you needed or wanted something any day of the weak, you were free to do so. As the sabbath was made for man, not for God. So the Sabbath is a time to remember and rest, abiding in God's goodness, and care. Does that mean that going mowing one's lawn is mocking that, or going to the beach after church?

I think we need to look at Paul's description of what is good and what is bad. Paul could eat foods sacrificed to pagan idols, cause, in his Christian maturity, he saw that food as simply food. His conscience wasn't pricked. So for Paul is wasn't sin. For the less mature brother who is bothered by the eating of the pagan sacrificed food, it is better that they refrain from eating it, as it pricks their very conscience, and Paul said that violation of conscience was indeed sin.

The food that was placed before the pagan idol was made by God as well as the Lamb roast that was enjoyed by family of Jews enjoying the Passover. The food didn't change molecularly at all. It didn't have little demons hiding in it. It was just food.

 

[BobRyan]

I mow my lawn on Sunday and go to church on Sabbath. Many of my neighbors mow their lawns on Sabbath and go to church on Sunday. I don't see that as violating my rights or as them having their rights violated.

But what if the state or feds stepped in and started to pick one of those days as "holy" telling everyone else that they can not violate the sanctity of that day? What would be the view of such a "national day of reverence"??

That would be a return to dark-ages style codes of law in my thinking.

in Christ,

Bob

 

[Johnv]

I concur with BobRyan. Those of us who call for a hands-off government should also oppose laws that attempt to institute a compulsory sabbath.