Jamaica Gleaner
Published: Friday | November 20, 2009
Home : Letters
The desecration of Sunday
The Editor, Sir:

There are certain things which are happening in our island which hardly anyone is noticing. One such thing is the total desecration of Sunday. Despite the known fact that many persons worship on Saturday and other days of the week, there is no doubt that the main day of worship for the majority of Jamaicans is Sunday. This day has been the main day of worship for Christians from the Resurrection of Christ (see Acts 20:6-7).

Because of this, nearly every country in the Western world has regarded Sunday as the 'Lord's Day' following Revelation 1:10. Because of this also, this day was treated with respect as a sacred day, a holy day. That is why since the year 321 it became a 'holiday'. Most work had to cease on this day, businessplaces had to be closed by law, and work on a Sunday attracted overtime or double-time pay. Sunday was sacred.

We are now witnessing the reverse. Instead of Sunday being a holy day, it is being desecrated, and seemingly, with official approval. The first step was to allow supermarkets and other places of business to open on a Sunday, against the law. Sunday is now a day, not for worship, but for shopping. But that is about to be followed by a second step. On November 29, Jamaica will experience the first Sunday horse racing in the history of the nation. Since Sunday has always been reserved as a day of worship, this means that a new god to be worshipped is being offered to the nation - the god of gambling. This god is to replace our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who used to be worshipped on Sundays.

No overtime, double time

A third step is also about to be taken. The Minister of Labour and Social Security has announced recently that the bill to implement 'Flexi-week' whereby Saturday and Sunday become "normal working days" is about to be introduced in Parliament. This means that the employers will determine the days on which their working week begins and ends, and this can be any day in the week. This means that no overtime, much less double time, will be paid for work on Sundays. It means that persons in a congregation will have different "days off" in the week and so will not be able to gather together for worship. This means that "going to Church" on a Sunday will be a thing of the past. Work will replace worship on a Sunday. While this has been the case in a few select industries, this will now be the norm in Jamaica.

Let us not pretend; Sunday is being desecrated, and the Church is lying down and sleeping while it happens. May the Holy Spirit awaken us.

I am, etc.,

Rev EARL THAMES

Andrews Memorial United Church

Ward Ave

Mandeville

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