We Adventists are experts at anticipating fearful possibilities. Those who honour God by evidences we have to substantiate the faith we hold. 5. They must not visit on Sundays or public holidays. With voice and pen, by boasts, threats, and ridicule, they will seek to overthrow It can only be defended by using Ellen White (in this case, her Great Controversy scenario) as Holy Writ, as though what she wrote is as fully inspired as the 66 bibliosof the Holy Bible. possibility for great suffering to those who observe the seventh day. Most of the provisions remained in place until 1979, when the Sunday entertainment laws were relaxed, but Mr Hassan said others, like being able to go to a supermarket on a Sunday, went on for much longer. The only day we as Christians are called to set apartas a day of restis the seventh day of the week; namely, Saturday. The cries of the faithful, persecuted ones ascend to heaven. DEC.18,1888, In the night season I seemed to be enumerating in my mind the evidences we have to fulfilled. The penalty for changing your bulb if you are not a professional electrician is $10 and thats why most people in Victoria are willing to take the risk. Bicycle helmets are compulsory. men of the nation may have their attention called to the testimony of God's word in favour That cause was somewhat derailedin 2017whenPresident Trump,citingeconomic reasons, announced his intention to withdraw the USA from theParisAgreement. Apparently, in Victoria, you cannot wear hot pink hot pants after midday on a Sunday. The first blue law in Arkansas prohibited not only all sales on Sunday, but also all . I do not dispute that principle at all. They also objected that Sunday laws, by requiring seventh-day observers to stop working a second day in the week, amounted to a "tax upon conscience." In that state, anyone who drives, guards or conducts public transport must not wilfully cause delays on the road, or use any kind of language in speaking to a passenger that is abusive or insulting, or endanger the safety or property of anyone because of intoxication or misconduct ( Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic) s 8 (i)). Media reports indicate that only "newsstands, bakeries, petrol station convenience shops, and shops at bus and railways stations" would be allowed to operate seven days a week. Sunday Laws, if implemented as we conceptualize them, cast Seventh-day Adventists as the primary protagonists in the Good versus Evil cosmic conflict. them. Some bizarre laws of Australia are it is illegal to dress up as Batman and Robin or in Queensland taxi cabs carry a bale of hay in the trunk, though there is no possibility of having a sound reason behind this law. men, it must surely come; and that if we make an effort to preserve our liberty, we shall But the faithful servants of God need not fear the According to Pope Francis,thatdevelopment includesthe restoration of spiritual life in all of humanity, with Christ, in the form of the Eucharist, at its centre,andSunday, as auniversaldaytorest and experience that restoration. Unfortunately, Pope Francis efforts to to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development with Eucharistic worship on Sunday at its centre will not stop with mere appeals to the heart. be made void in our land; and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin. A Sabbath for ourselves, our industry and our environment is a corrective to these failures. Blue laws are laws designed to restrict certain activities on Sundays (or other specific days) for religious reasons to observe a day of worship or rest. But while Satan works with his lying wonders, Mordecai, the Lord will vindicate His truth and His people. If it does not convert them, it is a witness to condemn. Far fewer know their real story. Time is short. Out of gratitude, to worship God, to spend time with the family, to play, to do all of these things Sunday laws, otherwise known as blue laws. Tampering with them are just plain silly and you will be the cause of homes to have blackouts. Maranatha. Men of position and reputation will join with the lawless and the vile to take "We've got various records of publicans being charged when they did open, and it could involve that publican getting up to two months hard labour in prison," Mr Hassan said. When I was growing up, all stores in my hometown were closed on Sundays. God's Memorial 3. 2001-2023 Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement of Australasia. This "beast" will be a powerful political/military . Each trumpet is associated with a horrible judgment. When the offer was upped to one third of the Sunday gate proceeds, permission was granted. The working out of Satan's plans will 2MR 197, [ The Sunday-Law Crisis ] In the night season I seemed to be enumerating in my mind the Australian laws follow the same mandate that all the citizens must abide by the set rules and regulations or suffer the consequences. And we can do that if we wish to. KIDS CAN SMOKE BUT NOT BUY CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL, 9. Because, as we already know, turning Ellen Whites corpus into another Bible introduces a whole new set of problems. "The Pope's encyclical calls for Sunday to be implemented as a weekly day of rest to save the environment" ( OpenPr.com, December 11, 2020). On this battlefield comes the last great conflict of the controversy between Dont ask for fortune Any Sunday law would have to be passed over the objections of these eight million Jews. with contempt. privileges, enforcing Sunday observance, and bringing oppressive power to bear against Since paying a fine may not stop drivers from repeating their offences, taking their vehicles away from them may be the best course of action. With God firmly on our side. While American laws are not too fussy about mowing on Sunday, other countries are a bit touchy. Two Bible passages are evoked in this regard. The scriptures make constant reference to rest and care for the land as well as for people on the Sabbath. The legal drinking age is 18 throughout Australia. Personally, I find most of our end-time conspiracies irrelevant and even counterproductive. Seal of God & The Mark of Apostasy 9. However,as I wrote four years ago,while worshipping on Sunday has been amuch-reveredChristiantradition, we find no biblical support for it whatsoever in the Old or New Testament Scriptures. (To W. C. White, January 1, 1909.) We see that seducers are waxing worse and worse. Satan will excite indignation What surprised me in the discussion initiated by this pastor wasnt that he believed in imminent Sunday laws, or even that he was able to see evidence of them where there isnt any. Sunday shopping has long been a hotly debated issue in local politics. Integral to the plan is a mandatory weekly day of rest. What surprised me is that when someone pushed back at him, he asked, But dont you believe in, First, we say that the seventh day Sabbath is. It is not too far-fetched to tieDrSmadjasproposaltogetherwiththe Popes call for urgent action on climate change. . Weekdays: until 9pm Saturdays: until 5pm (includes Easter Saturday) Sundays: 9am to 5pm Definitely one of the weirdest Australian laws. the people. 6. The first laws were enacted in 1833, limiting the opening hours of pubs, and prohibiting drinking on Sundays during morning or afternoon divine service. They rob us of peace and assurance, and send us chasing after specific threats to our faith that may never appear precisely as we have anticipated them. A licence is required to produce or sell alcohol. In listingwaysthe church can take action for climate justice, The Salvation Armys International Social Justice Commission says, Keep the Sabbath: It could be the most radical thing a church can do for environmental stewardshipto commit to keeping the Sabbath. Follow Their Faith 100 Years of Witness. Sundays must be a day of rest dedicated to God, family, pope says Sunday must be a day of rest for everyone, so people can be free to be with their families and with God, the pope said. . [ Letter 6, 1909 Not a law actuslly just a recomendation Noise from items or equipment not listed in the Regulations may be unreasonable at any time. In Texas, blue laws also meant you couldn't buy pots, pans and washing machines on Sundays at least, not until 1985. In God's word, in Exodus 20:18, it says 'Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Don't delay to learn more about this important subject. Australia imposes strict noise hours for private mower users. Another one in our list of strange laws that are in effect is this masterpiece. Let us not put off the coming of the Lord. "It wouldn't be one long movie, it'd be half a dozen shorter movies, and some of them had titles like Laying new Church Carpet, and The Extendable Table. Bad things happen in the world, have always happened, and will continue to happen, but we ought not to use them as an excuse to make bad predictions. Hot pink pants. The first laws were enacted in 1833, limiting the opening hours of pubs, and prohibiting drinking on Sundays during morning or afternoon divine service. Early Sunday laws throughout the country invoked religious values to control the behavior of ordinary citizens, who, lawmakers feared, tended toward drunkenness and greed. These laws, though exist but are not widely known and thus the chances of you getting arrested for breaking them are very thin. Talk about modern times, right? and worse. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. To hold that Sunday laws are inevitable cant be defended by, . With China's rise and democracy's decline, what will the global order look like in 2050? (Note: the following Countries already have passed Sunday laws: Austria, Australia, Canada, England [with SDA support], Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Fiji, Slovenia, etc. Yup, it is illegal by the law to be an uninvited guest to witness someones holy matrimony. Further legislation came into force in 1892, heavily regulating the kind of entertainment that could be enjoyed on Sundays. the time of Jacob's trouble. Let us admit, then, that the Sunday law scenario, while it isnt prohibited by the Bible, isnt clearly given in the Bible either. The restriction on car sales on Sundays can be traced back to blue laws, which banned certain activities for religious reasons. But at this moment I see little evidence for laws outlawing a day of worship in the United States. 7. List of Blue Laws for Car Sales. Persecuting rulers, ministers, and church members will conspire against The Australian law bans kids below the age of 18 years to buy cigarettes and alcohol however, the funny part is that this law doesnt say anything about smoking or drinking. Restricting motor vehicle sales is one of the most common remaining blue laws by states. Following is the e-mail . However, these laws are not well-known enough that sometimes the citizen might not even know the reason why they got in trouble with the authorities. freedom, a Protestant government should sacrifice every principle which enters into its If we adopt a hermeneutic that makes Ellen White the equivalent of the Bible, who would stop us? Lets unite together in proclaiming this last message of mercy to a lost world while we have time. Colonial settlements enacted similar laws with the explicitly religious intent to prevent unseemly activities on the . Drive-in cinemas occasionally struggled to complete double features by midnight in summer, because they couldn't begin projection until the sun went down. For the religious, it will be an answer to the Popes call for action on climate change and awelcome return tothe reverence of Sunday. has come and is coming. Sabbath Reform Most of its states and territories allow the use of mowers after 8 AM. that the movement is right upon us, we ask, Will our people do their duty in the matter? vaults: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Correct. God's Sabbath will be "Sergeant Buttle enters the hall and he ascertains it's actually the local tennis club holding the dance. Apparently, according to Australian laws, it is illegal to touch electric wires which can lead to your death. Its important for me to say here that my personal eschatology is very basic: I believe Jesus is coming again, but we dont know when. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/was-long-history-of-banning-fun-on-sunday/100923000, Supplied: State Library of Western Australia, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, With Russian forces closing, Svyat rolled the dice in the last days before Bakhmut fell, Anna called police to report an assault, but it backfired and she lost her home, Home ownership remains in fantasy territory for many. Going back to the 19th century, business owners had faced jail time and a fine for keeping their doors open Sunday mornings. Australias Strangest Laws Still Active in 2020, 5. Sundays will be a rest day in Barbados as the country gears up for a phased reopening from Monday, March 1st 2021. be acting the part of unfaithful servants, and thus come under the condemnation of God. What if, for instance, closing on Sundays is good for business?. Pope Francis stated, The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change. (LaudatoSi, Sec 13). Personally, I find most of our end-time conspiracies irrelevant and even counterproductive. On March 7, 321 AD, seventeen centuries ago today, Roman Emperor Constantine issued the first Sunday law: "On the venerable Day of the sun, let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. To say that Sunday laws represent a union of Church and State, and that the weight of authority sustains such laws in the United States may sound to some like an impeach- ment of our judiciary, because the absolute separation of .