Are you a bad Christian if you work on Sunday?

[FinallyBoughtDVC]

And the Sabbath doesn't necessarily have to be Sundays (Saturdays for Jews) but a day that you take off to rest.

Well, then my Sabbath is Monday - and only January, February and March, the only three months when we close for a day. LOL. Otherwise, other than vacations, I work everyday. It's the price you pay when you own your own business and your responsible not only to yourself, but to all your employees.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I've always found it odd that one store at our large mall is closed on Sundays: Franklin Covey - they sell planners & notebooks.

The owners of Franklin Covey are Mormon.

 

[Buckalew11]

I have always been taught that while the Sabbath was on Saturday the reason Christians observe it on Sunday was because it was the day of the week that Jesus rose from the dead...that was the reason for the change in the days of the week. Has anyone else ever been taught that?

Years ago, when stores and places were closed on Sundays, my grandmother would tell us that in her lifetime they even cooked enough dinner on Saturday so there was no cooking on Sunday. You did all your housework throughout the week--even wash, so you were not working on Sunday.

How many Christians do y'all really think observe a Sabbath day of rest? Personally, I think it is probably a really, really low number. Many make take the day off from an outside job but that's probably it. In years past I have tried it and I must say, it was a wonderful day of rest to me. But, as an unorganized as I am, I ended up doing grocery shopping and household chores on Sundays even though I do not open my shop on Sundays. We do not (usually) eat out on a Sunday though. Around here, many chuch goers do. It is definitely a cycle, LOL.

My DH observes it as a day of rest...he will not even mow the grass of a Sunday. Some people find that type of thing restful though--not work.

Still, I think it is something one must decide for oneself and do what will be right for you and not worry about others' decision to work or not to work.

 

[Disney Doll]

Nice big leap there. I don't think the OP was picking on anyone, except a less than diplomatic person answering the email.

I think the reply that the OP got was a not-so-subtle dig against anyone daring to want to shop on a Sunday.

I grew up in Mass, and up until just a few years ago, you could not buy alcohol anywhere in the state. A few more years before that, NOTHING was opened on Sundays, no stores, no malls, nothing. So I actually don't find either one weird.

Or maybe what the OP got was someone for whom the word "good" equates to "practicing" in religious terms, and took it as offensive for whatever reasons the OP chose to take offense.

 

[Galahad]

I have always been taught that while the Sabbath was on Sunday the reason Christians observe it on Sunday was because it was the day of the week that Jesus rose from the dead...that was the reason for the change in the days of the week. Has anyone else ever been taught that?

Yes. That's why it's Sunday - and it 's a different celebration than the "Sabbath" - renewal, beginning. Sunday is the begining of the week rather than the end......

 

[ReneeA]

I work weekends, or lose my job. People get sick on Sundays, too...so you gotta have nurses around to care for them.

 

[yeartolate]

I will go a step further.

I am a nurse. There have been nurses that at the time of employment are aware that there is an every other weekend work policy. They ask if they can work schedulles that give them Sundays off. What they are told is that if they can find people who are willing to trade with them it is fine.(they sign contracts to that effect) They are also told that this will be unlikely. They take the job anyway and just call in sick on Sundays - and usually at the last minute.

Yup. Jesus would prefer the employee to go to church and ditch the patients. Yeah, that's the ticket. DOn't even get me started about holiday obligations.

 

[Disney Doll]

People who do what you describe, ytl, are using their religion as an excuse to get out of working.

Truthfully, at my hospital, if someone called out sick at the lasy minute every other Sunday, they'd be let go.

Again, I think the "keep holy the Sabbath" idea, which is really what we are discussing, doens't apply in general as much to people who are doing necessary work for society(providing healthcare, runninng public utilities such as the electric company, policemen, firemen...you get the idea...)as it does to people who are doing unnecessary activity.

Working as a nurse caring for the sick on a Sunday...a necessary activity. Catching the sale at the mall or, to use the OP's original premise for starting the thread, shopping for furniture...well, would you consider either of those activities "necessary" to society?

I think that's the difference to consider when one discusses "keeping holy the Sabbath".

As a lifelong Catholic and a nurse, I've worked all shifts on all days of the week. The Sundays I don't work, I try to lay a little "low", relax, reflect. It's kind of amazing what comes to mind if you have some down time.

 

[yeartolate]

People who do what you describe, ytl, are using their religion as an excuse to get out of working.

Truthfully, at my hospital, if someone called out sick at the lasy minute every other Sunday, they'd be let go.

Again, I think the "keep holy the Sabbath" idea, which is really what we are discussing, doens't apply in general as much to people who are doing necessary work for society(providing healthcare, runninng public utilities such as the electric company, policemen, firemen...you get the idea...)as it does to people who are doing unnecessary activity.

Working as a nurse caring for the sick on a Sunday...a necessary activity. Catching the sale at the mall or, to use the OP's original premise for starting the thread, shopping for furniture...well, would you consider either of those activities "necessary" to society?

I think that's the difference to consider when one discusses "keeping holy the Sabbath".

As a lifelong Catholic and a nurse, I've worked all shifts on all days of the week. The Sundays I don't work, I try to lay a little "low", relax, reflect. It's kind of amazing what comes to mind if you have some down time.

Of course they should be let go. My point with administration has always been that this type of behavior is cancerous. You don't need toxic employees. Their behavior is infectous. But the nursing shortage is so severe that they rarely fire anybody.

Don't get me started on the holidays!!!!

 

[Disney Doll]

Of course they should be let go. My point with administration has always been that this type of behavior is cancerous. You don't need toxic employees. Their behavior is infectous. But the nursing shortage is so severe that they rarely fire anybody.

Don't get me started on the holidays!!!!

Oh, see at my place, they'll still fire you for the infractions. There is a 3 strikes you're out discipline system (1st-verbal, 2nd-written, 3rd-fired). Nursing shortage or not, those people don't help. They are bad fo staff morale, and actually create more staffing issues because if they do it, then everyone will start to do it. before you know it, you're laways short-staffed from people calling out for various reasons other than being sick or having a true "personal" issue that needs to be dealt with.

 

[yeartolate]

Of course it doesn't help. It is infectious.

 

[Vijoge]

I once attended a church where the pastor taught that not only was it a sin for anyone to work on Sunday (for any reason), but it was also a sin for a woman to work outside the home in any capacity. He actually went so far as to tell me that if my husband was to die I should not go to work but rather join a large church and find a man who would be willing to marry me and support my children. Oh, the discussions we had. . .

 

[brockash]

I once attended a church where the pastor taught that not only was it a sin for anyone to work on Sunday (for any reason), but it was also a sin for a woman to work outside the home in any capacity. He actually went so far as to tell me that if my husband was to die I should not go to work but rather join a large church and find a man who would be willing to marry me and support my children. Oh, the discussions we had. . .

 

[TheFlame]

He might still be a jerk who takes Sundays off. Following the rules doesn't necessarily make you "good".

You're right! He's probably one of those church on Sunday drunk on Monday Christians!

 

[Vijoge]

He might still be a jerk who takes Sundays off. Following the rules doesn't necessarily make you "good".

You're right! He's probably one of those church on Sunday drunk on Monday Christians!

Or he could be a very nice man who has no knowledge of how his employee is responding to potential customers.

 

[declansdad]

When I was a full-time student last year I worked every Sunday and I was grateful for the hours. Not every business is willing to work around a mom's schedule, especially when she's in school. It used to amaze me the number of customers who'd come in and shop after church and complain to us about being open on Sunday. Somehow it was wrong for us to be open, but it was ok for them to shop.

When the stores started opening here on Sunday, the local knews did a story about peoples' opinions. Many of the people who opposed it were interviewed in the mall.

 

[DarthKTrava]

I once attended a church where the pastor taught that not only was it a sin for anyone to work on Sunday (for any reason), but it was also a sin for a woman to work outside the home in any capacity. He actually went so far as to tell me that if my husband was to die I should not go to work but rather join a large church and find a man who would be willing to marry me and support my children. Oh, the discussions we had. . .

Sounds like time to join a less than hypocritical church.

 

[Lady_Gracey999]

Has anyone thought that perhaps the sale person the OP got the response from was being sarcastic? Maybe his/her boss makes a big deal out of being closed on Sundays and this is a dig at said boss? Just a thought. Another possible way to look at the whole situation.