Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

[Katzpur]

What does this commandment mean to you? Do you believe it is relevant in this day and age? Are there any activities that you do on the other six days of the week that you would not feel comfortable participating in on your Sabbath (whether it is Saturday, Sunday or whenever). I ask because in my Church we take this commandment pretty seriously. There are a lot of things we don't do on Sundays. I'm curious as to your feelings on this commandment.

 

[Jaymes]

I have no holy day, but I do have a question for those that do (if you don't mind me popping in and asking, Katz; if you do I'll move it to a new thread ): Why not keep every day holy? Why just keep one out of seven such? Are the things you do on the other six days unholy?

 

[Booko]

What does this commandment mean to you? Do you believe it is relevant in this day and age? Are there any activities that you do on the other six days of the week that you would not feel comfortable participating in on your Sabbath (whether it is Saturday, Sunday or whenever). I ask because in my Church we take this commandment pretty seriously. There are a lot of things we don't do on Sundays. I'm curious as to your feelings on this commandment.

We don't have any commandment like that, as it's pretty well established an idea in human societies that people should not work every day of the week.

We do have 9 holy days a year where work should be suspended, though. Today is one of them. That's why we're all hanging around home today until the party starts.

 

[Katzpur]

I have no holy day, but I do have a question for those that do (if you don't mind me popping in and asking, Katz; if you do I'll move it to a new thread ): Why not keep every day holy? Why just keep one out of seven such? Are the things you do on the other six days unholy?

RIght here is fine, Jensa. To me, something is holy if it is set apart as something special. If every day was holy, no day would be holy. That doesn't mean that we're supposed to behave ourselves on Sunday and that anything goes on Monday through Saturday. But for the Latter-day Saints, Sunday is a day spent in worship, scripture study, meditation, rest, quiet family activities, etc. You won't find a practicing LDS person out in the mall shopping, at a sporting event or a movie or doing yard work on Sunday. Those are things we do on the other six days. I realize that we're far more conservative in that regard than most other Christians.

 

[Katzpur]

We don't have any commandment like that, as it's pretty well established an idea in human societies that people should not work every day of the week.

We do have 9 holy days a year where work should be suspended, though. Today is one of them. That's why we're all hanging around home today until the party starts.

What are you celebrating today, Booko? Tell me about it.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I can't remember the exact quote from Terry Pratchett's "Feet of Clay", right after a golem is freed from being the words in his head... It's something like "Either All Days Are Holy Or None Are- I Have Not Decided Yet."

 

[Booko]

What are you celebrating today, Booko? Tell me about it.

Today is the last day of Ridvan (pronounced "riz wan"). It's a twelve day period that celebrates Baha'u'llah's public announcement of who He claimed to be. The Garden of Ridvan was a place outside Baghdad, where Baha'u'llah spent 12 days prior to him and his family moving on to their next place of exile.

Someday when things are calm in Iraq and there is really freedom of religion again, I expect the Baha'is will try to purchase the land the Garden of Ridvan was on originally, and restore it to its former beauty.

I can't think of a similar example from Christianity. Palm Sunday would be the closest thing to it, as that triumphant entry into Jerusalem was sort of Jesus' very public announcement of who He was. Can you think of anything?

 

[jonny]

What does this commandment mean to you? Do you believe it is relevant in this day and age? Are there any activities that you do on the other six days of the week that you would not feel comfortable participating in on your Sabbath (whether it is Saturday, Sunday or whenever). I ask because in my Church we take this commandment pretty seriously. There are a lot of things we don't do on Sundays. I'm curious as to your feelings on this commandment.

Things I do the other days of the week that I don't feel comfortable doing on Sundays: working, shopping, recreation activities in general, playing sports, exercising, watching TV (I do that sometimes, but probably shouldn't), listening to non-religious music, working out, doing heavy cleaning or yardwork, etc. When I was growing up we were not allowed to go play at our friends' houses either.

Stuff that I usually do on Sundays: attend church and church meetings, visit family or talk on the phone with family, relax (Sunday naps!), go for walks, invite friends over for dinner, go to church firesides or other activities, visit members of the ward, study the scriptures, etc.

 

[jonny]

I have no holy day, but I do have a question for those that do (if you don't mind me popping in and asking, Katz; if you do I'll move it to a new thread ): Why not keep every day holy? Why just keep one out of seven such? Are the things you do on the other six days unholy?

I'd just like to add to Kathryn's answer that we were commanded to keep the Sabbath Day holy. It's that simple.

I would say that many of the things that I do on other days wouldn't fit into the category of "Holy." That doesn't mean that they are necessarily wrong. Also, just because I try to keep one day holy in particular, t doesn't necessarily mean that I don't do things that are holy on other days of the week. I try to pray often, read my scriptures, attend the temple, etc. I believe that the Sabbath is a special day and should be devoted to God.

 

[Katzpur]

Things I do the other days of the week that I don't feel comfortable doing on Sundays: working, shopping, recreation activities in general, playing sports, exercising, watching TV (I do that sometimes, but probably shouldn't), listening to non-religious music, working out, doing heavy cleaning or yardwork, etc. When I was growing up we were not allowed to go play at our friends' houses either.

Stuff that I usually do on Sundays: attend church and church meetings, visit family or talk on the phone with family, relax (Sunday naps!), go for walks, invite friends over for dinner, go to church firesides or other activities, visit members of the ward, etc.

I really am curious -- especially about other Christians -- why people don't seem to think this commandment is important anymore. So what do you guys have to say about this?

 

[Mike182]

in my oppinion, it's not so much a "day" that you should rest on, and keep sacred etc, but rather, if you look at the Genesis story, for me, it raises the question of "if God is God, why does he need to rest?" and i think the answer is "no, God did not need to rest, but s/he is setting the example that we need to take out to look after ourselves"

my interpritaiton is that there is no "day" we should keep sacred, and not do any work on, but rather, it is a message that we should make time in which to rest from the troubles of every day life.

 

[Booko]

I really am curious -- especially about other Christians -- why people don't seem to think this commandment is important anymore. So what do you guys have to say about this?

Haha, because materialism, America's One True God, has taken over?

(next question?)

 

[jonny]

in my oppinion, it's not so much a "day" that you should rest on, and keep sacred etc, but rather, if you look at the Genesis story, for me, it raises the question of "if God is God, why does he need to rest?" and i think the answer is "no, God did not need to rest, but s/he is setting the example that we need to take out to look after ourselves"

my interpritaiton is that there is no "day" we should keep sacred, and not do any work on, but rather, it is a message that we should make time in which to rest from the troubles of every day life.

Is this how you also interpret the commandment "Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy"? I guess I'm interested in how you define the "Sabbath Day."

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

I was under the impression that the Sabbath day was on Saturday. And we don't follow that commandment, to keep Sautrday holy, because it was issued in the Old Testament under the Old Law. We as Christians are under the New Testament.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

What does this commandment mean to you?

At the very end of the Priestly creation account, God blesses the seventh day. It's a rather brilliant move by a people with nomadic roots and a history of subjugation: what is blessed is not a piece of land that can be conquered by an enemy or otherwise lost, but a piece of time - a metaphore for the transcendant and sacrosanct.

 

[TheTruthWillSetUFree]

I really am curious -- especially about other Christians -- why people don't seem to think this commandment is important anymore. So what do you guys have to say about this?

First of all,Saturday is the Sabbath.the 7th day.I myself observe the Sabbath by woship,reading the Bible,Fellowship,no work no play,no movie theaters.no malls.no parties,nosporting events.Just having a special relationship with God.With the way the earth is today,every one running to and fro,I cant wait for Saturday,THE SABBATH.To rest

 

[Katzpur]

I was under the impression that the Sabbath day was on Saturday. And we don't follow that commandment, to keep Sautrday holy, because it was issued in the Old Testament under the Old Law. We as Christians are under the New Testament.

Well, the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day hold was one of the Ten Commandments. Which of the other nine do you also think are obsolete?

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image...
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honour thy father and thy mother...
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
10. Thou shalt not covet...

Has God rescinded only the fourth commandment and none of the others? Where, in the New Testament, are we told that we should no longer keep the Sabbath Day Holy?

This kind of reasoning sounds like a cop out to me, but then I guess people will figure out a way to get around any of the commandments they don't care to take seriously.

 

[Katzpur]

At the very end of the Priestly creation account, God blesses the seventh day. It's a rather brilliant move by a people with nomadic roots and a history of subjugation: what is blessed is not a piece of land that can be conquered by an enemy or otherwise lost, but a piece of time - a metaphore for the transcendant and sacrosanct.

Interesting... I didn't realize that.

 

[Booko]

First of all,Saturday is the Sabbath.the 7th day.I myself observe the Sabbath by woship,reading the Bible,Fellowship,no work no play,no movie theaters.no malls.no parties,nosporting events.Just having a special relationship with God.With the way the earth is today,every one running to and fro,I cant wait for Saturday,THE SABBATH.To rest

Does your Sabbath start at sundown on Friday?

 

[Buttercup]

I really am curious -- especially about other Christians -- why people don't seem to think this commandment is important anymore. So what do you guys have to say about this?

Sundays at our house are basically family days and a time to go to church. Typically we don't go shopping or do much work. It's a day of relaxation and rest and giving particular thanks to God.