Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Towards Global Sunday Law


Several thousand years ago, the king of Babylon decreed that his subjects must worship only in the way he saw fit.




Pope Francis I.
Photo credit: Gabriel Escobedo (ShareAlike).



Three Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, chose to follow their consciences, standing up against the king and his edict. Thus began a standoff that remains famous even to this day (see Daniel 3).

Unfortunately, we are seeing the same situation repeating itself today.

The Pope is calling for the world to acknowledge and honor Sunday as a day of rest. Legislation that will force the world to worship and rest on Sunday would be the ideal solution. There are many voices clamoring to fulfill exactly such a goal, using the economy, the environment, and even the family as reasons to legislate Sunday rest.

Another standoff is on the horizon. Those who refuse to give up the Biblical seventh-day Sabbath will face trials as tough as the furnace faced by Shadrach and his companions. However, we can hold fast hope, knowing that the God who spared the Israelite men from the fiery furnace is coming again soon.

Here are some of the ways the world is moving towards Sunday legislation:


2013
Jan 28, 2013
Pope Calls on Faithful to Dedicate Sunday to the Lord
In his Sunday Angelus address, Pope Benedict XVI called on the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square to live Sunday not only as a day of rest and of the family, but above all as a day "to dedicate to the Lord."

2012
Dec 19, 2012
Vatican Works to Stop Sunday Shopping In Italy
The Roman Catholic Church, trade unions and small business associations have joined forces in a bid to save Sundays.

Sep 04, 2012
Eurozone demands six-day week for Greece
Government in Athens under pressure to introduce a six-day working week as part of the terms for a second bailout.

Jun 26, 2012
Sunday Legislation in the EU
Learn about EU Sunday legislation in the news from various websites, articles, and videos.

Jun 06, 2012
Sundays must be a day of rest dedicated to God, family, pope says
Sunday must be a day of rest for everyone, so people can be free to be with their families and with God, the pope said.

Mar 07, 2012
Catholic Church and Trade Unions form 'Holy Alliance'
Catholic leaders and trade unions support Sunday observance.

2011
Jul 19, 2011
Vatican Official says Sundays are for worship and rest
Vatican official exhorts Catholics to set aside Sundays for God and rest.

Jul 07, 2011
Israel looks to making Sunday Day of Rest
Israel’s government is examining a proposal to shift the weekend to the western Saturday and Sunday.

Jul 05, 2011
Israeli Government to consider adding Sunday as day of rest
PM appoints head of National Economic Council as chairman of committee to look into making Sunday day of rest, Friday half-day

Jun 20, 2011
Inception of European Sunday Alliance in Brussels
The European Sunday Alliance has formed as a network of Sunday alliances, trade unions, and religious communities.

Jun 01, 2011
Modern Noah's Ark to Set Sail for Olympics
Life-sized replica of Noah's Ark to sail up Thames for 2012 games... complete with animals

Jan 19, 2011
American Government Seizing Taxpayers' Money
Could there really be a vast conspiracy involving Wall Street and the US Government?

2010
Sep 26, 2010
Pope Wants Sunday As Day of Rest Starting in 2011
Pope Benedict XVI is asking families and parishes to begin preparations a year in advance (2011) availing of Pope John Paul II's apostolic exhortation “Familiaris Consortio”

Sep 07, 2010
North Dakota Catholic Conference says 'Sunday law' benefits all people
“Sunday closing laws are not about honoring the Sabbath day, they are about honoring people and families.”

Apr 05, 2010
Even Atheists Need to Switch Off on Sundays
Germany's highest court has ruled that Sunday should be kept as a day of rest and has overturned a Berlin law easing restrictions on Sunday shopping. Most German newspapers on Wednesday greet the ruling, some for reasons of religion and tradition, others out of a concern for workers' rights.

2009
Feb 23, 2009
European Bishops Still Pressing for Sunday Rest


Feb 17, 2009
Protection of the Work-Free Sunday


2008
Nov 18, 2008
The EU Must Keep Sunday, Says Catholic Church


Jul 15, 2008
Sunday Shopping Banned in Croatia


Apr 06, 2008
Ikea Fined for Sunday Opening in Paris
Ikea was ordered to pay more than $700,000 for staying open on Sundays in a Paris suburb.


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