To suggest that Europe, in particular the bureaucracy and the intelligentsia that make up the ruling class of the EU, gives little deference to Europe’s Christian history may well be regarded as the epitome of a “sky is blue” statement; obvious to the extreme. So it is that we cherish that rare moment when the lineal lethargy of the European working class (see def. of oxymoron) makes use of this otherwise disdained endowment.
Labor unions across Germany rejoice at the news that on those rare moments when their members are not on extended holiday, they will not be forced to work on Sunday.
BERLIN – Germany’s highest court has ruled that shops must remain closed on Sundays, overturning legislation in Berlin that allowed stores to open seven days a week, angering the nation’s churches.
Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled Tuesday that the looser shopping hours violated the nation’s constitution that upholds Sunday as a day of rest.
Surely your average German, ever so much more than your average Frenchman, needs the biblically ordained day of rest to recover from their governmentally ordained days of rest.
Of course other biblical mandates have not retained the same general esteem as the day of rest, after all keeping things holy requires so much more effort. Who has the energy to keep all ten commandments?
December 4, 2009 at 8:06 pm
One brick at a time, fella.
24/7 shopping has done…….what, exactly,…….for the US?
December 4, 2009 at 9:28 pm
So why are you mocking the Germans when they finally get something right?
December 5, 2009 at 2:00 am
"Who has the energy to keep all ten commandments?"
If anyone answers this in the affirmative, can you share that energy with me please?
December 5, 2009 at 8:55 am
I was in Sicicly a decade ago on an unexpected divert, and all non-cafe/restaurant or non-outside-stall businesses (i.e., selling newspapers, tobacco, etc.) were closed on Sundays until the last Mass of the day, which was late afternoon/early evening.
So, you could eat, drink a capuccino or a beer, read the paper, smoke a cigarrette, but you just had to wait until evening to do your heavy-duty grocery or other shopping. It wasn't particulalry onerous, I don't recall the locals complaining, and everyone just accepted that there was no shopping on Sunday until about 5 p.m.
Now, if only the magnificent Churches had had a few more attendees at Mass…
December 6, 2009 at 3:38 am
I remember in Canada it was a huge deal when they allowed shopping on Sundays. (Maybe 10 years ago?) Growing up the only things open were gas stations. Honestly, I don't know why you're making fun . . . it's the way it has always been in Canada/Europe and has nothing to do with their work ethic.
December 7, 2009 at 10:09 pm
I cannot begin to understand why you comment on this with such biting sarcasm. To start with an external point, isn't the argument "you're such a hypocrite for keeping one commandment when you're not a perfect Saint keeping all commandments" the exact same argument used all the time by the enemies of the Church? Do we really want to go there?
But to address the material issue here: The keeping of the Sunday is a central point for a Christian culture. Pope Benedict wrote an entire book on "Sine dominico non possumus – we cannot live without the celebration of the day of the Lord", the famous motto of the Abiitnian martyrs. Taking part in the creative rest – the leisure – of our Creator is vital. Insetad of scoffing at European laziness (an accusation which within Europe has always been leveled at the Catholics by the Protestants), I recommend reading Josef Pieper's Leisure, the Basis of Culture. Having lived in countries both publicly observing and not obvserving the Sunday rest, I can tell you that it really makes a difference. The German Constitution, moreover, does not protect Sunday merely as day of rest from work, but expressly as a day of "lifting the soul". This is essential in this age of complete subordination of every aspect of public life to economic necessities. There is much more I would like to say, but in this case I really think you have taken the wrong approach.
December 7, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Gregor,
I comment on this with "biting sarcasm" because it was a silly excuse for me to make fun of my European friends for being lazy.
I have many European friends and I am a frequent visitor to Germany.
I was attempting to point out that my European friends are most interested in the commandments that require rest.
Of course I applaud the ruling, I did not anticipate that anyone would take me seriously.
December 8, 2009 at 4:06 am
Gregor I agree with you entirely. As a fellow European, for centuries Protestants have ridiculed Catholics for our holidays (see: Saints Days). Why go to church or do something religious if you don't have to, right? In most Catholic countries in Europe stores being closed on Sundays are a local/city matter, but most stay closed. And as far as us being lazy, well…let's just figure out who is responsible for bringing on this current world-wide economic crisis by trying to "get rich quick" (see: not by working).
January 16, 2010 at 6:47 pm
The biblically ordained day of rest is Saturday, not Pagan Sunday!
This shows how much control the Cult of Rome has over politics. Soon manditory sunday will be forced upon the one world government!!
James 2:10 says if you break one commandment you break them all. The Catholic Cult had no biblical authority to change the Sabbath from Saturday to Pagan Sunday, as clearly addmitted in official publications of that "church".
The only "authority" for Sunday is the Cult of Rome and they themselves addmitted they had no biblical authority.
Anyone interested in more info look into what Jesus Christ taught His Church Through Herbert W. Armstrong. This world is spiritually blinded by satan, its time the Most High wakes it up