Posted on 09/11/2006 12:13:33 PM PDT by Heartofsong83
Maybe 'blue laws' weren't so bad By David R. Francis
Recall the political storms in the United States over lifting bans on opening stores on Sundays - the so-called "blue laws." Christian ministers would point to Moses' fourth commandment: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." Owners of mom-and-pop retail shops would plead to keep a legal "day of rest" that prevented big stores from luring away business by staying open on Sundays.
But growing numbers of women worked outside the home and found it difficult to shop during the week. States hoped Sunday store hours would boost tax revenues.
Today, the battle is largely over. In most parts of the country, one can easily find stores open on Sunday. Over the past two or three decades, state blue laws limiting retailing on that day have been repealed or weakened.
What have been the consequences?
It may be no surprise that families took advantage of the changes to scoot to the mall on Sundays. Faced with such secular competition, attendance and donations at churches have fallen.
But there was unanticipated fallout as well. New research finds that many youths who had been classified as "religious" because of their church attendance succumbed to temptation after blue laws were repealed. They drank more alcohol and used other drugs.
Apparently, "religion truly affects behavior," says Daniel Hungerman, an economist at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind., and an author of the study. "It really matters."
If teens and young adults attend church services or Sunday School, they will be less likely to drink heavily or use other drugs, he says.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
Blue Laws amde it impossible for Jews who keep the Sabbath on Saturdays to get anything done on weekends.
/irony
They're a tiny minority though...
Or anyone else who had something to do on Saturdays, for that matter.
Umm... how does stores being open on Sunday prevent people from going to church? Do the owners of the stores go door to door and roundup people at gunpoint?
You'd have 6 days and 6 nights still. That's not enough time?
>>"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." <<
Ummm, that would be Saturday.
Of course, as a Christian, I spell Sabbath J E S U S. He is my sabbath (rest).
When did Moses get credit for the Ten Commandments?
It gives more things to do and adds a distraction, hence eliminating potential church-goers.
Sheesh. Enacting blue laws to increase church attendance is silly. Just enforce mandatory church attendance laws and get directly what you're after. Why be coy about it.
It wasn't Moses commandment....it was GOD'S.
What a non-sequitor.
>>OK by me, as long as they keep them closed on the Sabbath, instead of Sunday.<<
;)
Germany is going through this now. But on the side of no extended hours is the labor unions.
There is no way that I would condone use of the force of law to keep stores from setting their hours whenever they want to set them.
The tenth commandment is the easiest one. I haven't had the urge to boil a lamb in it's mothers milk in my entire life.
I go to church every Sunday, but like the fact that I can go to Home Depot or Sam's Club on Sundays (there's plenty of time to go either before or after church). I think that there are a million things that are more interesting than going shopping, and someone who doesn't go to church because he'd rather go to a store at that very hour probably wouldn't have gone to church anyhow (he'd just stay home and watch TV or go to a movie).
But it should not surprise us that children who do not attend religious services once a week are more susceptible to drug use and other immoral behavior.
They are pretty much a blatant violation of at least the spirit of the First Amendment, as they cannot be justified on a secular level and, has been commented upon, have a disproportionate impact on certain religious minorities.
-Eric
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