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Christians working on Sundays

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  • Christians working on Sundays

    About a year ago I started working in retail again. It is a small store that is open on Sundays, but with reduced hours and staff. We have four people scheduled for Sundays, out of a total of twelve employees (including management). Not everyone is free on Sundays, so it ends up being the same three people every week with the managers taking turns. One of the people working every Sunday is me. I recently found out that one of my coworkers who never works on Sunday is refusing to do so because he believes that it is wrong for him to work that day.

    Here are my questions:

    Is it wrong to refuse to work on a Sunday if it means you are forcing someone else to work on that day against their beliefs? The reason I don't want to is because it is hard for me to get there on time, especially if church runs late and my parents decide they want to hang around and talk afterwards (I am depending on them for rides right now, long story). So for me, it is not entirely a matter of believing that it is wrong to work that day, as long as I get another day off that week to rest. I just prefer that day off be Sunday, so I am not stressed after church trying to get to work on time and so that I can stay after church and talk to people if I need to. But if he was causing me to violate my conscience in working on a Sunday, would that be wrong of him? We could at least alternate. A compromise could be reached.

    Another question is this:
    Is it important that the day off from work be Sunday, or is that being too legalistic? The pastor of the church I went to before the one I am at now taught that it didn't matter which day of the week you had off from work, as long as you had a day of rest.

    Also:
    Prior to this past June, I worked two jobs for seven months straight with almost no days off. I wanted to have a day off but couldn't afford it. Was it wrong for me to not take any time off work, even if my finances would have suffered for it? I was saving up so I could afford to visit my husband, as well as paying other various bills. To me, it would have been wrong for me to not visit him, as it is important that we spend at least some time together and it looks like it will be a while yet before we are able to live together.

    I pretty much already know where I stand in all this, but I want to hear other people's viewpoints.
    Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

  • #2
    Originally posted by QuantaFille View Post
    Is it wrong to refuse to work on a Sunday if it means you are forcing someone else to work on that day against their beliefs? The reason I don't want to is because it is hard for me to get there on time, especially if church runs late and my parents decide they want to hang around and talk afterwards (I am depending on them for rides right now, long story). So for me, it is not entirely a matter of believing that it is wrong to work that day, as long as I get another day off that week to rest. I just prefer that day off be Sunday, so I am not stressed after church trying to get to work on time and so that I can stay after church and talk to people if I need to. But if he was causing me to violate my conscience in working on a Sunday, would that be wrong of him? We could at least alternate. A compromise could be reached.
    Since you say you have no issues of conscience with it and he does, I find it strange that you are asking whether he was causing YOU to violate your conscience. Seems to me like you're looking for a way to get him to violate HIS conscience for your convenience.

    edit: to clarify, I know she says "what if it was a matter of conscience", but considering this post starts off with a complaint about the inconvenience it seems better to just go straight to the point.
    Last edited by Darth Executor; 12-10-2014, 10:43 PM.
    "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." Isaiah 3:12

    There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by QuantaFille View Post
      About a year ago I started working in retail again. It is a small store that is open on Sundays, but with reduced hours and staff. We have four people scheduled for Sundays, out of a total of twelve employees (including management). Not everyone is free on Sundays, so it ends up being the same three people every week with the managers taking turns. One of the people working every Sunday is me. I recently found out that one of my coworkers who never works on Sunday is refusing to do so because he believes that it is wrong for him to work that day.

      Here are my questions:

      Is it wrong to refuse to work on a Sunday if it means you are forcing someone else to work on that day against their beliefs? The reason I don't want to is because it is hard for me to get there on time, especially if church runs late and my parents decide they want to hang around and talk afterwards (I am depending on them for rides right now, long story). So for me, it is not entirely a matter of believing that it is wrong to work that day, as long as I get another day off that week to rest. I just prefer that day off be Sunday, so I am not stressed after church trying to get to work on time and so that I can stay after church and talk to people if I need to. But if he was causing me to violate my conscience in working on a Sunday, would that be wrong of him? We could at least alternate. A compromise could be reached.
      If he's not working on Sunday because it violates his conscience, then he's stuck violating someone's conscience either way. If you alternate, then you're violating both consciences, which seems to be the least desirable outcome. In the end, I think he's more responsible for his own conscience.

      Another question is this:
      Is it important that the day off from work be Sunday, or is that being too legalistic? The pastor of the church I went to before the one I am at now taught that it didn't matter which day of the week you had off from work, as long as you had a day of rest.
      The early church didn't have the luxury of taking Sundays off; they met before dawn so they could worship before going to work (per Pliny the Younger). Rest when you can.
      Also:
      Prior to this past June, I worked two jobs for seven months straight with almost no days off. I wanted to have a day off but couldn't afford it. Was it wrong for me to not take any time off work, even if my finances would have suffered for it? I was saving up so I could afford to visit my husband, as well as paying other various bills. To me, it would have been wrong for me to not visit him, as it is important that we spend at least some time together and it looks like it will be a while yet before we are able to live together.
      It's not healthy to work long-term without any rest, but we do what we must. Working to make ends meet is not wrong IMO - and I agree that it is important to spend time together with your spouse.
      Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

      Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
      sigpic
      I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Darth Executor View Post
        Since you say you have no issues of conscience with it and he does, I find it strange that you are asking whether he was causing YOU to violate your conscience. Seems to me like you're looking for a way to get him to violate HIS conscience for your convenience.

        edit: to clarify, I know she says "what if it was a matter of conscience", but considering this post starts off with a complaint about the inconvenience it seems better to just go straight to the point.
        What I am asking (and the point you seem to have missed) is, SHOULD I have a problem with it beyond mere convenience? I used to feel a lot more strongly about it than I do now, and I still go out of my way to not purchase things on Sundays as a matter of concience because I still have qualms about making someone else work that day. I now think it is legalistic to feel that Sunday is the ONLY day we are allowed to allocate as our rest day. But I could be wrong, and that is what I am asking. How big of a deal should I be making out of this?
        Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
          If he's not working on Sunday because it violates his conscience, then he's stuck violating someone's conscience either way. If you alternate, then you're violating both consciences, which seems to be the least desirable outcome. In the end, I think he's more responsible for his own conscience.
          I guess that makes sense. I just thought about what I would do if I were the manager in this case, and had my only two (technically) available employees each claiming that they couldn't work on Sundays, and that was the best solution I could come up with short of hiring someone else. An extra employee would only work for a few weeks before being let go anyway as this is only a temporary problem (after December we go back to three people on Sundays) but it got me thinking.

          The early church didn't have the luxury of taking Sundays off; they met before dawn so they could worship before going to work (per Pliny the Younger). Rest when you can.
          When I was working every day, I had about two hours free on Saturdays if I got up at 4:30am. I spent that time playing Minecraft over the internet with my husband. That was about the only rest I got.

          It's not healthy to work long-term without any rest, but we do what we must. Working to make ends meet is not wrong IMO - and I agree that it is important to spend time together with your spouse.
          That is what I figured.

          Thanks for your input.
          Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

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          • #6
            You're responsible for your conscience. ("weaker brother" principle included)
            You're not the boss of the other guy - you are not forcing him to work.
            The boss COULD hire more employees, or manage the schedule in different manner.

            As a matter of preference, I don't shop or buy gas on Sundays. HOWEVER, I'm not legalistic about it -- going into the weekend, I try to make sure we have milk, bread, bacon -- the essentials.

            When I was younger, the Sunday restaurant crowd was LARGELY the "Church Crowd", and we used to think "if I eat out on Sunday after Church, I'm making other people work" - on the OTHER hand, they're going to be there ANYWAY".

            When I was a police officer, I was sometimes asked to work on Sundays, and my Chief knew of my Christian preferences, so he always said "unless there's a big emergency, go to Church even if you're on duty".
            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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            • #7
              I'd say let the other guy go to his church. We know that you are the better person. I think God loves irony.

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              • #8
                Every preacher I know works on Sundays.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                  When I was younger, the Sunday restaurant crowd was LARGELY the "Church Crowd", and we used to think "if I eat out on Sunday after Church, I'm making other people work" - on the OTHER hand, they're going to be there ANYWAY".
                  You could always eat Chinese, or Thai, or Indian, or maybe even a good Jewish or Muslim owned restaurant to clear your conscience.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                    Every preacher I know works on Sundays.
                    Probably don't know any Seventh Day Adventists preachers I imagine.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Adrift View Post
                      You could always eat Chinese, or Thai, or Indian, or maybe even a good Jewish or Muslim owned restaurant to clear your conscience.
                      Eating at a Muslim owned restaurant would trouble my conscience further. I'm not knowingly going to eat halal meat. Though in extremis I suppose I could go vegetarian for that meal.
                      Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                      Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                      sigpic
                      I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
                        Eating at a Muslim owned restaurant would trouble my conscience further. I'm not knowingly going to eat halal meat. Though in extremis I suppose I could go vegetarian for that meal.
                        Why would it trouble your conscience? You don't want to miss out on Doner Kebabs if you can get them.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Adrift View Post
                          Why would it trouble your conscience? You don't want to miss out on Doner Kebabs if you can get them.
                          Halal meat has been ritually sacrificed to Allah. No thanks.
                          Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                          Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                          sigpic
                          I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
                            Halal meat has been ritually sacrificed to Allah. No thanks.
                            Really... I thought it was the Muslim equivalent of kosher.
                            If it weren't for the Resurrection of Jesus, we'd all be in DEEP TROUBLE!

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
                              Halal meat has been ritually sacrificed to Allah. No thanks.
                              Hmm. I suppose that gets into the debate about whether or not Muslims worship the same God as Christians. The distinction between the Muslim Allah, and the Christian God is probably not as wide as, say, the Hindu Kali and the Christian God. I wonder if Christians living in, say, Lebanon buy meat from Muslim butchers where they both call God "Allah".

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