Keeping the Sabbath


Sunday21
 Share

Keeping the Sabbath Day holy  

8 members have voted

  1. 1. If you were lds when a college/university student, did you study (including reading) on the sabbath?

    • Never
      2
    • If my workload was heavy
      1
    • Close to exams
      2
    • If I lost a day due to illness
      0
    • If I was worried about failing
      0
    • N/a
      3
  2. 2. In my current life, what do you consider breaking the sabbath?

    • Doing work for pay
      2
    • Helping someone move
      0
    • Major cleaning
      2
    • Cooking a big meal
      0
    • Watching or attending a sporting event
      1
    • Sunday evening work
      0
    • Other. Please explain.
      3
  3. 3. Based on my answer above, how often do you break the sabbath?

    • Most of the time
      0
    • Frequently
      0
    • Sometimes
      3
    • Never
      5
    • Never but I may in the future
      0


Recommended Posts

Sadly, I am breaking the Sabbath right now.  One of the attorneys at my firm had a nervous breakdown right before some major deadlines and got himself suspended, and I have been working for a couple of days straight trying to get his work ready.  For me, it is either break the Sabbath, or get myself sued for malpractice . . . 

But generally speaking, I try very hard to avoid breaking the Sabbath.  If I have to work over the weekend, I try to either do it on Saturday or wake up early on Monday morning.  But every once in awhile, something comes up and it cannot be helped.  I think that is called "real life" and holding a position of any responsibility.

In school, I also tried to avoid studying on Sunday, though I did make exceptions around exam time, when I would have to study for days on end in law school.

As for the other questions on the survey above: helping someone move could qualify as service, but I think it could be a good idea to ask the person if we can just move on Saturday.  Major cleaning is more of a grey area, but perhaps doing it on Saturday would not be a bad idea.  Cooking a big meal is even more of a grey area, but my personal opinion is if you are spending all day in the kitchen on Sunday (like thanksgiving or something - some people do do this on Sundays), that may not be in accord with the spirit of the Sabbath (but I think it is perfectly fine to spend half an hour grilling steaks - just not all day).  Attending sporting events is probably out (making people work on Sunday), but watching sporting events on TV is probably strictly a personal choice.

Edited by DoctorLemon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a side note, some people take Sabbath observance way too far.  

I once knew a family who refused to take their child for medical care on Sunday (broken bone) because it would be breaking the Sabbath.

I think such an action is basically child abuse and is far more sinful than breaking the Sabbath in case of an emergency.

Try to keep the Sabbath, but please, please use basic sense in doing so.

Edited by DoctorLemon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest MormonGator
9 minutes ago, DoctorLemon said:

Sadly, I am breaking the Sabbath right now.  One of the attorneys at my firm had a nervous breakdown right before some major deadlines and got himself suspended, and I have been working for a couple of days straight trying to get his work ready.  For me, it is either break the Sabbath, or get myself sued for malpractice . . . 

 

Hope things work out for you bud. And for the attorney you mentioned :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

Hope things work out for you bud. And for the attorney you mentioned :(

I got the situation under control.  But the fact remains, it consumed my Sunday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't understand. We are told all the time that sabbath observance is not a list of to dos and to donts.

But we still debate if working, doing homework, cleaning and going to sports events are "to dos" or "to donts"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Fether said:

I don't understand. We are told all the time that sabbath observance is not a list of to dos and to donts.

But we still debate if working, doing homework, cleaning and going to sports events are "to dos" or "to donts"

I think the Lord wants us to prayerfully decide for ourselves, on the individual level, what we are willing to forego doing on Sunday as part of worshipping Him.

That said, He has given us a few defined standards (e.g., try not to work on Sunday, don't go shopping on Sunday).

So it both is and isn't a list of do's and dont's. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

When I meet people whose professions require  that they work long hours, I often find that they have different ideas about keeping the sabbath. Eg Working Sunday evening is okay or reading for work is okay. What is your opinion?

I think we need to leave those assessments to the individual, trusting we're all doing the best we can with what we've got. I think we hear the inspiring stories about prioritizing the Sabbath over employment opportunities, rather than choices to work on the Sabbath, because our priority needs to be keeping the commandment. What God finds acceptable from our hearts is a personal matter.

I think there is always room for improvement in how we keep the Sabbath, both in spirit and in the particulars. It was made for man so he could praise and honor God more perfectly, and not vice-versa. In other words, man was not made to become a slave to the day, and the day was not made to honor the ways of man. I see it as a gift from God that can be used well so that we can continue to prosper the rest of the week, both temporally, physically and spiritually.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, DoctorLemon said:

I think the Lord wants us to prayerfully decide for ourselves, on the individual level, what we are willing to forego doing on Sunday as part of worshipping Him.

That said, He has given us a few defined standards (e.g., try not to work on Sunday, don't go shopping on Sunday).

So it both is and isn't a list of do's and dont's. 

But even the "donts" the lord provides, to some extent, have exceptions in extreme circumstances.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see keeping the Sabbath similar to marriage.  Both are covenants that require loyalty and fidelity.   Neither are just about do’s and don’ts but rather the keeping of promises and obligations.  Some may think that if a promise is not made one does not have an obligation.  Without promise and obligation there is no Sabbath (or marriage) blessings.

 

The Traveler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the Law of Moses the Lord made it very clear just how seriously he viewed observance of the Sabbath day. But during Jesus' time he saw that observance of the Sabbath had been relegated to a strict code of do's and dont's. He found that even though the religious rulers were really steadfast in observance of the day they had lost sight of its true purpose and therefore were not keeping it holy. And I think that's the crux of it all. There are certain things that as a rule we should and shouldn't do on the Sabbath but the Lord would rather us focus on it's purpose, a day of holiness, and then work backwards from there in determining how to best make it so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, laronius said:

In the Law of Moses the Lord made it very clear just how seriously he viewed observance of the Sabbath day. But during Jesus' time he saw that observance of the Sabbath had been relegated to a strict code of do's and dont's. He found that even though the religious rulers were really steadfast in observance of the day they had lost sight of its true purpose and therefore were not keeping it holy. And I think that's the crux of it all. There are certain things that as a rule we should and shouldn't do on the Sabbath but the Lord would rather us focus on it's purpose, a day of holiness, and then work backwards from there in determining how to best make it so.

I'd say it's different.  I think he set a definitive standard of what is keeping it holy, and what is NOT keeping it holy when talking about it in the Old Testament.  I think we start from the basic and work back from there.  With the enlightenment of that, we then work to realize that when your ox is in the mire, you get the ox out...etc...etc...etc.  If you need to supply the basics (food...such as picking food from the field and eating) you can do that.  However, it is not a blanket excuse to allow us to blatantly ignore the structures of the Old Testament basics.  We are also to keep the spirit of the Sabbath, which is to realize that, as it says in the Old Testament, it is the LORD's Day of rest.

It's like other Old Testament (the lower law) compared to the Higher Law.  The Lord did not negate the Lower Law, he fulfilled it.  Hence, when he says we are not to call our brother Raca, or be angry...that does NOT over ride the commandment that thou should not murder.  In fact, the commandment to NOT Kill is the BARE MINIMUM that we should adhere to in that light.  From that we work up in that we should not get angry nor call our brother Raca or fool (aka...names etc...).  Some think that the spirit of the law is the lower end and it excuses them from the letter of the law, when in truth, it is the exact opposite.  The Letter of the law is the beginning, to help those who do not understand the spirit of the law.  The spirit of the law is the higher form of it, which means one who is keeping the spirit of the law is STILL under the constrictions of the Letter of the Law, but understand it in such a way that they actually extend it further and understand it in such a way that they understand the purpose behind it and in that way know when it may be broken (for example, when Nephi was instructed of the Lord to slay Laban)...aka...the exceptions...rather than those that are not.

Personally, and so this is not to necessarily apply to others...those who use the idea that they are keeping the "spirit" of the Law and hence can watch all the sports on Sunday they want, or other such things do not really understand the Spirit of the Law...and in fact are using it more like the Pharisees where they are utilizing excuses of what they DO, rather than understanding the real spirit of the Law (which would be them focusing on the Lord and his things rather than that of the world) and how the Letter of the Law helps us understand better the spirit of the Law.

 

The problem the Pharisees did is that they ADDED to the Law with strictures that were actually legal laws within their church.  Hence, where the Old Testament talks about certain things, they went to an extreme by saying you could only take so many steps, or things beyond that.  The Old testament makes it rather obvious what is or isn't allowed on the Sabbath already (and some of the things people try to excuse...are actually covered in the Old Testament already without any Pharisees needed).  They then used those strictures they created as a prosecution on others, rather then understanding the spirit of the Law because of them and how they should focus on the Lord, rather than on the actions of an individual.  In the same light, we cannot excommunicate or disfellowship someone because of our own interpretation of the Sabbath, but that does not give us carte blanche individually to abuse the idea of Keeping the Sabbath day holy either.

Edited by JohnsonJones
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For #2, I chose other as I could not select multiple choices. 

Section 59 has always been my Sabbath focus, particularly v. 12.

Quote

12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

Verses 9-13 seem clear to me on the dos and don'ts:

Quote

D&C 59:9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

13 And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.

The dos:

1. Go to your house of prayer
2. Offer up your sacraments
3. Rest from your labors
4. Pay your devotions to God
5. Offer your oblations
6. Confessing your sins to your brothers and to God (I take this to mean be reconciled with those whom you have offended/sinned against, to be reconciled with them so that you can then be reconciled with God).
7. If you have fasted, prepare your food with singleness of heart and in prayer, communing with God.

The don'ts:

1. None other thing. That means do not do it if it isn't on the list of to dos.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share