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Let’s bring back the Sabbath as an act against ‘total work’

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Re: Let’s bring back the Sabbath as an act against ‘total work’

#51

Post by vinceguidry »

fenwick67 wrote: post #9

"The Sabbath’s radicalism should be no surprise given the fact that it originated among a community of former slaves" Just a reminder to readers, there is no historical evidence for the mass jewish enslavement by egyptians as described in the torah.

The historical evidence is the stories. Just like the Great Flood narrative which was likely over a thousand years old by the time it was first committed to writing, some people, somewhere dealt with some version of the stated events, and it got embellished throughout antiquity to fit the needs of whatever society saw fit to adapt the story. It's likely a flood happened, (which would have been at the level of the 'whole world' of the tribe that experienced it) it's likely an enslavement and subsequent freeing happened, though the actual details are of course lost to history.

Re: Let’s bring back the Sabbath as an act against ‘total work’

#53

Post by eco »

Here in Utah it is very common for local businesses to be closed on the sabbath and there is strong cultural pressure among Mormons to not work or do anything that would cause someone to have to work on Sunday (e.g., shopping and going out to eat, though some take it even further by abstaining from things like online shopping or even watching television).

I don't see us headed in that direction though. It's it's becoming more and more common for businesses which had long been closed on Sunday to cave and begin opening on Sunday (it seems like it often coincides with when the children of a business owner take over). With the share of practicing Mormons in the state less than half (and falling) there is just too much missed opportunity.

Also, my own impression is that the younger generation of practicing Mormons don't seem to follow the older generations sabbath restrictions nearly as strictly. My siblings and Mormon friends almost all seem to not keep the sabbath quite as holy as our parents did.

I do wonder though if I would have spent nearly as much time as a kid dinking around on the computer and learning what became my career if my parents had let me play with friends on Sunday.

Re: Let’s bring back the Sabbath as an act against ‘total work’

#54

Post by abraham_lincoln »

ido wrote: post #49
emodendroket wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I do wish, though, that the article fully grappled with the issue of the 'shabbos goy.' It praises the virtues of having everyone able to participate in a time of separation from work, but then there's this practice where the conveniences of life are still indulged in by having an outsider labor for you. I'd say the traditional Christian concept of the sabbath is looser and doesn't really require this kind of thing…

In effect I'd say that it is an attitude more concerned with the spirit and less with the letter of the law (so, for instance, I don't think turning on the light is an issue, and putting money on the table for someone to take isn't actually adhering to the prohibition on commerce). That's something that generally rubs me the wrong way about a lot of things with orthodox jewish practices (especially the ultra orthodox…

And yet, they are the only ones observing the Sabbath.

Re: Let’s bring back the Sabbath as an act against ‘total work’

#56

Post by avip »

TulliusCicero wrote: post #48
avip wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As we live in a society, it makes sense to have a common day of rest - consider that schools, hospitals, public transit etc. are also resting. Plus your family and friends.

> consider that schools, hospitals, public transit etc. are also resting. Pretty sure two out of three of those aren't really resting. You think hospitals stop working or trains stop running? > it makes sense to have a common day of rest Eh, nah. I'm mostly a social democrat, and I'd be all for better worker protections in general in the US, but I haven't heard any socialists or labor advocates pushing for "oh yeah,…

I guess it depends. In Israel all public transportation shuts down (annoyingly so for many), and hospitals are only doing emergency procedures. London's underground also has reduced operation on Sunday. Likewise in many other EU cities. It's not something unheard of.

Re: Let’s bring back the Sabbath as an act against ‘total work’

#58

Post by Kye »

This article is aimed at religious people. It's fine. Good writers know their audience and write to them. This would make a fine sermon or lecture. But you can see how the context collapse has led to lots of snark here.

My advice: read it with the understanding that it's not for you (or me), and that it offers a perspective you might not have gotten if it targeted a more general audience.

Seneca might have been writing to his boyfriend Lucilius in his famous letters, but anyone who's read them will agree they got something out of it despite not being the target audience.

Re: Let’s bring back the Sabbath as an act against ‘total work’

#59

Post by [deleted] »

DanAndersen wrote: post #16

The article raises good points about the need for formal societal taboos against constant work. The ideal (often violated, though) in our modern society of the "40-hour week" as a reasonable amount is one of them. Having regular times for contemplation and separation from the bustle of the world is important. The gig economy has dangers in it. There's a liberating aspect in that people "can choose their own hours," b…

[deleted]

Re: Let’s bring back the Sabbath as an act against ‘total work’

#60

Post by bobmoretti »

darkerside wrote: post #15
jeffdavis wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't pretty much any historical text also historical evidence? Maybe you mean archeological evidence, or corroberating historical evidence?

It's also corroborated by the other Abrahamic texts from what I understand. Let's not just throw out historical sources because of a personal agenda. It's unscientific.

The overwhelming consensus among (secular) biblical scholars and historians alike is that the Egyptian Exodus very likely never occurred.

The Pentateuch is a work of mythology. There is strong textual evidence that it's a compilation of many different stories and sources over the course of many years. It was most likely written centuries after the events it purports to describe. It is full of wildly unrealistic claims.

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