I asked my former pastor one day about it. He said paraphrasing here that it was important to keep the 7 day cycle but not the actual day.

I'm just relaying what I was told. Not that I agree with it.

I worship on Sunday. If my church has athletes that need to play on Sunday then they need to go and play. Church will still be there when they finish the season.

Not to mention, I work seven days a week...and God blesses me mightily.

Big deal. Everyone engaged in animal husbandry works seven days a week. Even sabbath-keeping Jews will hire Christians to work on their sabbath. Even the heathen do the same.

But what you are really saying is that sabbath-keeping is completely unimportant and completely inconsequential to you when compared to important events like voluntary sports participation related to schools (or church leagues).

But the Apostle Paul certainly gave strong warning against pursuing athletics as a worthy Christian pursuit. And that is scripture. And then you need to contend with the Ten Commandments.

The first commandment forbids worshiping false gods (other gods, monotheism and Jehovian supremacy).

The second commandment forbids the worship of idols or depiction of religious events or ideas as any sort of art. And it goes on about it for three verses, to drive its point home and leave no wiggle room.

The third commandment crisply forbids cursing in the name of God or by the name(s) of God.

The fourth commandment is about keeping the sabbath. It also goes on at some length - through four verses total - to eliminate all the loopholes and clever dodges of this prohibition.

And commandments 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 (parents, killing, adultery (but not fornication!) stealing, false witness, covetousness) are all completely unimportant if you don't bother to observe the key commandments on monotheism, idols, cursing and keeping the sabbath holy.

Maybe we should just toss all these commandments, once and for all. It seems very few Christians have any interest in being inconvenienced by any of them. They are more honored in the observance than in the breach, to use a classic phrase.

But didn't Jesus quote nine of the 10 commandments Himself? Including the one on keeping the sabbath?

But we can't allow Jesus quoting some musty old scripture ruin the fun of some young people who want to play sporting events in some amateur league. Why, that would be more horrible than crucifying them in public for their faith! So, what we need to do is just accept that keeping any sabbath is just plain stupid and only for the gullible or for cult members or just some dusty old idea that's been hanging around since ancient times and which only serves the interest of the priests (Jewish or Catholic) who find it lucrative and a source of personal power to condition their flocks to accept the necessity of keeping the sabbath (and also to staking a claim to their followers schedule on a sabbath so they can schedule other lucrative or power-seeking over their flocks). Well, unless any of that conflicts with the scheduling of some puny local sports league. Then, heaven be damned, we can just toss out all those commandments and all that scripture as unimportant, no longer relevant, not applicable to Christians, etc. if it happens to be inconvenient to the scheduling of a T-ball game for toddlers.

The sabbath isn't important really. It's downright inconvenient when you think about it.

Or maybe it's just: my sabbath good, your sabbath bad or inconsequential.

The sabbath is truly on Saturday.

It is. Why won't more churches face up to that? They preach it but they refuse to practice what they actually do preach from their pulpits.

Cowards. Hypocrites.

And they relinquish much of their power when they allow their day to be taken away for secular purposes. Soon, you won't get certain jobs if you won't work on a sabbath. You won't get a spot on the sports team if you keep the sabbath. You won't get invited to certain social events if you keep the sabbath.

All because the churches didn't want to keep the sabbath. In the last 25 years, people are now forced to work Sundays. Christians have to work on Christmas and Easter (Passover). I think most states sell liquor on sabbaths too.

Personally, I have always objected to downgrading the sabbath, even for secular people. Close the stores and other other businesses. Make it clear that they will face consequences if they do open and try to conduct business, protect their employees from being exploited by their employers on the sabbath.

But then, the churches and synagogues would actually have to care and be willing to put their foot down in order to make keeping the sabbath a standard public policy. We had it until only a few decades back. Now we treat the idea as somehow being so odd. Yet over half of American society does clearly recall when that was exactly what we did. And it was considered a plus, for people to be able to worship, to be able to have family time together when parents weren't working and kids weren't in school.

Yeah i'm as bad as the rest of you.

I can't get behind this.

I'm with you. I'm all for religious freedom, but when you commit to a team you commit to their rules -- which clearly stated that if an athlete could not commit to playing in every level of the tournament, barring injury or illness, they were not allowed to participate at all and would be subject to penalty.

I'm sorry but it really pisses me off reading where people (once again) know the rules, break the rules, then seek redress.

I saw that movie. Most boring movie ever to win best picture. Yawn.

I saw Once Upon a Time in Hollywood yesterday. It could take that title away.

I saw Once Upon a Time in Hollywood yesterday. It could take that title away.

I was thinking about seeing that movie. I still might. Maybe you just have a different taste then I do in movies. Or maybe I would agree with you.

Most boring movie ever to win best picture. Yawn.

I saw Once Upon a Time in Hollywood yesterday. It could take that title away.

Interesting - I thought you were a big Tarantino fan?

Yeah i'm as bad as the rest of you.

Sabbath breaker!

I'm with you. I'm all for religious freedom, but when you commit to a team you commit to their rules -- which clearly stated that if an athlete could not commit to playing in every level of the tournament, barring injury or illness, they were not allowed to participate at all and would be subject to penalty.

How dare a Christian or a Jew actually consider the solemn obligations of their religious observance around which revolves the eternal fate of their soul to actually be a higher obligation than playing an optional team sport so they can help The Team get a chance to win some crappy plastic trophy with hastily engraved lettering in a church youth league!

Now you want to prevent those faithful and committed Christians (and Jews) from suing their way to victory over the Sabbath.

Well, these fine young Adventists intend to win that trophy and still go to heaven to hang out at the bosom of Abraham with Lazarus. The rest of you will be hanging out with the Rich Man in hell, begging them to send Lazarus to warn your brethren not to play team sports on Sundays.

I was thinking about seeing that movie. I still might. Maybe you just have a different taste then I do in movies. Or maybe I would agree with you.

I'm a big Quentin Tarantino fan and have seen all his movies more than once. I was disappointed by this one.

Great acting and cinematography, though.

The sabbath is truly on Saturday.

I wonder why people changed gods day that he said to remember. I'm included in that.

We didn't change the Sabbath Day...but we did change the day we worship!

The precedent is found in Scripture. Note the use of THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK...(emp mine)

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Then the same day at evening, being THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

And upon THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Upon THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

I was in the Spirit ON THE LORD'S DAY, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

The "first day of the week" is now called Sunday. At the Resurrection Jesus appeared on a Sunday. The disciples began to assemble, break bread, and listen to preaching on Sunday. Offerings of money were to be made on Sunday.

The we see John "in the Spirit" on the "Lord's Day".

Christians don't usually call Sunday the Sabbath Day. We call it the Lord's Day.

So maybe we should just make some rules that Jews need not apply

We don't have to make these rules!

The observant Jews do not bother anybody about their day of worship. They just close up go home and observe the Sabbath. They certainly don't sue to close down Gentile sports.

So if the Seven Day Adventist demand non-Christains observe Saturday, and the rest of Christians demand non-Christians to observe Sunday...when DO they get to play their college and pro sports?

We Christians are choosing to be part of THEIR sports. What gall we have in making demands that they accommodate us!

By the way, let's see this chick or any of her fellow Seven Day Adventist start suing the NCAA. She be an instant martyr! lol

Here's a thought...if God has given you the ability to hit or catch a ball, or run like crazy...go out and use that talent to be an example for Christ among those non-Christians. I love to see Christian athletes out there on Saturday and Sunday being an example for Christ!

Would you say the same things about Eric Liddel?

I don't know his story completely but I do note some important differences between him and Joseph & Joelle Chung.

Firstly, Liddel took a stand for Sunday observance. He had the majority of Christendom behind him.

Second, he took a stand in a different era all together. Back in his day, Christians closed up shop, work stopped and people went to church. It was a big deal! Try to do something like that now and all you are going to do is alienate everybody and/or confuse them. Times have change, for better or worse.

Third, I note that he chose an event he COULD run in and won that!

My wife was fired from work at a steak house she was working at in the 90's for skipping a meeting and going to church in the morning. It was Sunday.

I'm sorry that she was fired. That is a painful thing no matter how it happens.

Did she make any arrangements before hand with management? Was management particularly negative against Christians. Just some questions...

Stone, do you observe Sabbath (Saturday) worship? As noted, your wife observes Sunday.

Some areas of the country are more Sunday oriented. More businesses close, even non-Christian ones out of respect. In those areas a Christian could miss a business meeting and the management would just factor your absence right in. "Where's so-and-so? Oh, yeah, they went to church."

My wife was fired from work at a steak house she was working at in the 90's for skipping a meeting and going to church in the morning. It was Sunday.

I do have sympathy for that situation. Maybe the steak houses shouldn't open up so early so their employees can attend services and have some family time. Even waiting to open at 11am would help a lot. This is something that was once taken for granted, that businesses would routinely close on Sunday or would open later.

A business should really be up front when hiring employees that they may be required to work on Sundays.

I think people would prefer that most businesses close on Sunday. We don't require federal mail service 7 days a week and it doesn't cause much problem to close the post offices on Sundays. The panicked mobs have not rioted for lack of Sunday U.S. mail services.

Big deal. Everyone engaged in animal husbandry works seven days a week.

My point is: at the present time I do not observe Saturday or Sunday.

God seems like He's okay with it. He understands that I farm. He understands that Christians play sports on Saturday or Sunday.

We are not under the Law! Nobody can keep the Law anyway. Except Christ keeps it for us! There is no Law that says: if you don't go to Church you'll be stoned to death.

I do have sympathy for that situation. Maybe the steak houses shouldn't open up so early so their employees can attend services and have some family time. Even waiting to open at 11am would help a lot.

They never opened on Sunday morning. It was a one time special meeting. Or perhaps occasionally.

God seems like He's okay with it. He understands that I farm. He understands that Christians play sports on Saturday or Sunday.

Well, these Adventists differ with you. And they have lawyers apparently.

They never opened on Sunday morning. It was a one time special meeting.

I would side with your wife if she sued them. There are no special steakhouse emergencies that require Sunday attendance. It sounds like wrongful termination.

Yay, heathen though I may be, rules are rules.

You're saying you want to disqualify athletes on the basis of religious practice.

It is interesting to see a sabbatarian court case. In 2019. With two Adventist athletes.

The Chung family may be on the verge of setting vital legal precedent.

You're saying you want to disqualify athletes on the basis of religious practice.

I don't want to, but they knew the rules when they signed up.

Let's keep in mind, SHE refused to play. It's not as though the WIAA didn't allow her to play on the basis of her religious practice.

Personally, I don't think they should allow sports and school events on weekends. At all. Let the kids and families have their time free. The same applies to early starts for summer practice for kids' sports.

This is how it was when I was a kid. High School football was on Friday nights...only.

I was shocked when I found out that high schools in other parts of the country had games on Saturday. I remember this because I photographed high school sports and I thought how nice it would be to photograph a daytime game.

Of course, week day games would never work for college and pro. It's not going to happen...well, aside from Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football.

I love to see Christian athletes out there on Saturday and Sunday being an example for Christ!

Maybe you'd be even happier if Christian athletes were free to spend Sunday in worship and demand that society honor their commitment to their lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

Wouldn't that be just as good? Wouldn't it be better?

But perhaps you prefer instead to insist to young people that their religious practice (unless Muslim or pagan) is completely unimportant compared to playing games that less then 0.1% of them will ever get a full scholarship to play in college, let alone play professionally.

Or is it that you just don't like having a sabbath at all and don't want any dusty old bible verse telling you to "remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy", the same way that Jesus Himself kept it holy?

Let's keep in mind, SHE refused to play. It's not as though the WIAA didn't allow her to play on the basis of her religious practice.

No, the WIAA decided to schedule games to punish the participation of these athletes who the WIAA had cause to know would not participate on their sabbath. The WIAA could have scheduled around these conflicts but they chose exclusion and persecution, possibly depriving these athletes of a chance to earn a scholarship.

Surprising how anti-Christian some Christians suddenly are when you pit something they actually like (high school sports) against something they don't really like, like some cruddy old 4th Commandment that stretches on through multiple verses about keeping the sabbath holy and no dodging the rule cleverly.

So should this rule you like requiring participation on a sabbath apply to Christians only? Should it apply to Muslims? How about Jews? Would you allow Jews to keep the 4th commandment and not punish them for it?

Maybe you'd be even happier if Christian athletes were free to spend Sunday in worship

Well, if they are building a career, using their God given talents, they may have to miss some church, wouldn't you say?

and demand that society honor their commitment...

Christians aren't known for making demands

The Bible says "Not by power, nor by might, but by the Spirit"

Now, please tell how YOU keep the Sabbath holy...

Now, please tell how YOU keep the Sabbath holy...

Ah, you don't like the mention of keeping the sabbath holy. That's okay. There's a lot of people now who are hostile to the very idea of holiness. People don't want to measure their own lives against a word like "holiness".

It's funny how "keeping the sabbath" devolved in Western countries over last century or two. "Keeping the sabbath" turned into "attend church for an hour or so on Sunday morning". And the "keep it holy" part kind of disappeared from Christian thinking altogether.

Along with wisdom, holiness has disappeared as being among the most desirable traits - really the most essential traits - that any Christian can develop over decades.

I can't recall the last time I heard a sermon extolling holiness, holy living or prayer to ask God to impart His grace and His wisdom to us. When I was young, we still heard a few sermons like that a year.

We're too busy on Facebook to pursue wisdom. Holiness will have to wait until after we get a few more spiritualish tattoos on our thighs.

It hasn't been all that long since the pursuit of holiness and wisdom were sermon topics heard in any church in America. You had churches that were all about holiness and holy living, like the old Wesleyan holiness churches. They were quite strict about courtship, secular entertainment, etc. Maybe they've all died out and their great-grandchildren are a bunch of tranny atheists or something like that. You do notice, though, that people don't seem to want to measure their lives against any yardstick of holiness.

Ah, you don't like the mention of keeping the sabbath holy.

Might I conclude you don't like it either?

I have asked how YOU keep the Sabbath holy...

What day do you consider to be the Sabbath...Saturday? Sunday?

For instance, do you refrain from posting on the Sabbath? (Would you be found quarreling on those Sabbath posts). Do you attend church or temple? Do you shop for groceries on Sabbath? Go out to eat?

My Mennonite folks will not even answer the phone on Sunday.

How exactly do YOU keep the Sabbath holy?

Might I conclude you don't like it either?

I don't care that much. I'm more interested in how people reconcile their use of scripture to how they conduct their lives. It's a total disconnect. In the vast majority of churches, they only invoke the fury of OT writings for That Stuff that they don't like. Not because it is a great sin but because they have fewer things they agree to be publicly condemning about.

What I'm waiting for is the invention of the sinless church for the sinless Christians. We're almost there.

And I don't give out very much personal info online. An old habit. And this is an anonymous chat board after all.

My Mennonite folks will not even answer the phone on Sunday.

I get it, the idea of being totally holy on the sabbath. But what if that phone call was to summon them to put out a small fire near their church. And by not answering the phone, their church burns to the ground and requires they restrict their missionary funding and their local charity efforts for years.

Answering a phone is not unholy on any day of the week. Do they think, perhaps, it is only unholy on Sunday but perfectly holy the rest of the week? Or are they willing to compromise with the sin of phone use 6 days a week but go for holiness only on the sabbath.

The phrase "to keep it holy" can be read several ways. You might keep it holy by dedicating a whole day of worship and family activity and charity work. That probably counts as holiness in any Christian church. However, there is a minimalist element of observation of the sabbath: the one day a week you avoid doing unholy things. The one day a week you really restrain your usual impulses to gossip or overlook the needy or break traffic laws or see your mistress or spend a little alone time with Pornhub, well, whatever your usual sin habits are.

I've been interested in this sabbatarianism for many years. From farmers doing no work on Sunday (unless a heifer is calving) down to "no gross sins on Sunday" and now to Christians who resent other Christians who do observe a sabbath day faithfully and expect their civil rights to be respected by society.

And so we have misterwhite and you on this thread, expressing considerable resentment toward these two Adventists who expect to have their sabbath respected? What, do they think they deserve equal rights with Muslims or Jews or something? They're going to ruin everything with their sabbath nonsense!

What I'm waiting for is the invention of the sinless church for the sinless Christians. We're almost there.

Never gonna happen. As long as we are in this world we are going to sin. The church is made up of sinners.

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 1Tim. 1:15

Paul, speaking in the present tense, is saying he is, at that moment, the chief of sinners...what does that say about the rest of us Christians?

Thanks, TC, I appreciate your answers.

No, the WIAA decided to schedule games to punish the participation of these athletes who the WIAA had cause to know would not participate on their sabbath.

Oh? They said that? Or are you just making shit up again?

"So should this rule you like requiring participation on a sabbath apply to Christians only?"

She wasn't "required" to do shit. She chose not to participate, knowing full well she would be disqualified.

The rules were written long before she signed up. They apply to everyone. She wanted the league to make an exception just for her.

How about: "Forget the Sabbath. And don't you dare to keep it holy."

Seems to be about what most of you think about the 4th commandment and any idea of keeping a sabbath holy (whatever that entails).

I find it interesting, how people apply or refuse to even acknowledge these supposed landmark ideas about religion in the Jewish or Christian context.

You know who is going to really like these two Adventists? Jewish lawyers and judges and Jewish legal scholars. For obvious reasons.

I would not bet against the chances for the two Adventists to make Saturday a more respected sabbath under the law than Sunday is at present.

I, of course, am cheering for the Adventists, those two lone witnesses for holiness and religious observation.

The Bible says "Not by power, nor by might, but by the Spirit"

Thanks for this reminder. I'd forgotten how funny Zechariah and Zerubabbel really were so I had to go back to re-read it.

Seems to be about what most of you think about the 4th commandment and any idea of keeping a sabbath holy (whatever that entails).

Other than these two Adventists, how many people has this rule actually affected? Hundreds of Christians? Thousands?

How many people, other than these two, will a rule change affect? Any?

You are turning this issue into a grand theological debate when it only affect two fanatics who interpret the fourth commandment differently than everyone else.

She wasn't "required" to do shit. She chose not to participate, knowing full well she would be disqualified.

She chose to participate on non-sabbath days, something well within the power of the sports conference to accommodate.

You may not be aware of it but a lot of the civil rights we have today come from cases involving Jehovah's Witnesses back in the Thirties when they had an especially fiery and apocalyptic leader. And the Adventists have their place in our law books, though less so than the Jehovah gang. Heck, even the God-hates-fags Westboro Church won a very major victory at the Supreme Court some years back. (The Westboro church also likes God-hates-soldiers, God-hates-you, God-hates-America too.) All of the founder's children had gotten law degrees and one of the daughters, Margie Phelps, served as lead counsel in their case which was heard by the Supreme Court and which they won resoundingly. Associate justice Alito was the lone dissenter.

I enjoy their rendition of "God Bless America" with their new lyrics: "God hates America". Very catchy.

So you've got an opinion. But the Adventists have lawyers that have already won a significant civil rights victory and pinned back the ears of the local youth sports mafia. And it is just eating your shit alive to think about that, isn't it? Is it that you have surrendered so much already to accommodate the world, knowing you've gotten almost nothing in return or did you just hate the general idea of holy living to begin with? It's hard to get convincing answers to such questions.

You are turning this issue into a grand theological debate when it only affect two fanatics who interpret the fourth commandment differently than everyone else.

I see.

So, in your opinion, it is only "fanatics" that would insist on observing the 4th commandment in any meaningful way instead of dismissing their religious obligations entirely so they can play some crappy bush league sport at which they have a 0.1% chance of ever getting a scholarship, let alone make a living at?

I liked you better when you stuck to simple copsucking as a hobby.

How about: "Forget the Sabbath. And don't you dare to keep it holy."

How about: "Remember the Sabbath, how Jesus Christ kept it perfectly holy for me, because I couldn't..."

That is the substitutionary life that we Christians enjoy.

That is the substitutionary life that we Christians enjoy.

That's a good answer, as good as you'll get. I think Vic would like that if you've read some of his posts before.

Jesus did quote nine of the ten commandments though. I'm not sure that you've dealt with that adequately. But maybe you prefer to plow on through and hope God doesn't hold a little deliberate commandment-breaking against your record.

it is only "fanatics" that would insist on observing the 4th commandment in any meaningful way

I don't call a tennis tournament "meaningful". They insist on changing the rules of a crappy bush league sport which affected nobody before they showed up and will affect nobody when they leave.

They insist on changing the rules of a crappy bush league sport which affected nobody before they showed up and will affect nobody when they leave.

Or so you hope. You fear that this might spread or you wouldn't be so vehement against these Adventist commandment fanatics.

You realize, perhaps, that the two Adventists could set a legal precedent to stop all school sports on weekends while the churches continue playing their puny little league sports on Sundays? Making the churches the most unholy commandment-breakers in American society?

That outcome is entirely possible. I think you know it.

You fear that this might spread or you wouldn't be so vehement against these Adventist commandment fanatics.

If it spread and more and more players refused to play because of their devotion to their faith, then perhaps the WIAA would be open to a rule change. That's how things used to be done.

"You realize, perhaps, that the two Adventists could set a legal precedent to stop all school sports on weekends … …"

You say that like it's a good thing. Two people, for purely selfish reasons, changing the rules for participants from 800 statewide schools through threat of legal action just so they can play under their interpretation of the fourth commandment.

Two people, for purely selfish reasons, changing the rules for participants from 800 statewide schools through threat of legal action just so they can play under their interpretation of the fourth commandment.

And good for them. They adhere to their religion. In much the same way that Abraham, for purely selfish reasons, adhered to his new religion. In much the same way that Jesus and the Apostle Paul, for purely selfish reasons, adhered to their religious tenets. You can apply "purely selfish" to almost any religious figure who ever made any history at all. And it is generally the case that those who do stand up for their "purely selfish reasons" are despised in their own era by a majority of the public. And this case is no different.

You underestimate the power of this case. It has genuine disruptive potential. And you just can't stand the thought of it.

I'd like to see it go all the way to the Supreme Court and set national precedents.

"You realize, perhaps, that the two Adventists could set a legal precedent to stop all school sports on weekends … …"

What these two Adventists have done is open the door for Muslims to sue.

They'll be playing tennis in burkas soon thanks to the Adventists.

What a terrible shame against the Adventists...how dare they take non-Christians to court against the clear teaching of Scripture.

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! 1Cor.6:1-6

If we Christians are not to take other Christians to court, how much less are we to take non-Christians?

So you're ready to tell all Christians they can never take anyone or any organization to court again ever just so you can justify denying their sabbath rights to two mediocre Adventist tennis players? Is that right?

But I'm sure they would assure you that they are not dragging inter-Christian disputes into the secular courts.

No, they are dragging a secular organization into court to compel that secular organization to make reasonable accommodation of their solemn religious observance. They are not suing their (alleged) fellow-Christians, something I'm sure they would be quick to point out to you.

You're welcome.

I'm liking these Adventists more all the time.

And good for them. They adhere to their religion.

What if they strictly adhered to Leviticus 20:13 in the Bible:

"And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

Should we change the laws to accommodate them? Is it still, "Good for them"?

No, they are dragging a secular organization into court to compel that secular organization to make reasonable accommodation of their solemn religious observance.

Should we be forced to stop eating pork because it offends Muslims and Jews?

Here's what I think. I think if Muslims and Jews don't want to eat pork, they should not eat pork. If the 99% of the rest of us want to eat pork, we eat pork.

Now, do you get the analogy or do I have to spell it out for you?

You underestimate the power of this case. It has genuine disruptive potential.

I agree. But I believe that if you're going to disrupt society over a religious issue, it should be to remove obstacles to the practice of someone's faith, not force the rest of us to adhere to the tenets of their religion.

"and set national precedents."

Uh-huh. Ready for Sharia law?

What these two Adventists have done is open the door for Muslims to sue.

Sure. And why not?

America is far from unique in its religious traditions but there are a few that stand out. Thanksgiving is one.

In Europe at that time, businesses were subject to closure for the various feast days of the Roman church. And in most cases, the business owners not only had to close but were forced to subsidize these feast days directly. This was widely resented. This was Thanksgiving, a post-harvest festival as an element of state-sponsored religion.

In America, no establishment of the church was allowed. And in the era prior to the dozen or so official holidays we now have as federal holidays, in America businesses did not have to pay for religious gatherings and food for the public and they did not have to close and give their workers the day off.

America instituted the secular Thanksgiving tradition. Now it has devolved to where it's been turned into one of the few 4-day weekends in the calendar. So you give your employees the day off for Thanksgiving and they all expect to get Black Friday off too (not applicable for employees of Xmas-oriented-retail outlets or food/lodging establishments who rarely even get holiday overtime pay). In part, this is what we mean when we talk about Protestant work ethic.

But few people know the story of America's Thanksgiving and why it was actually a radical modification of what America's immigrants had experienced in Europe before they came here. Even fewer care anything about it except for a few oddballs like me. But I like both the old-style secular Thanksgiving with workers still toiling in their mills and I like these litigious but plucky Adventists.

Uh-huh. Ready for Sharia law?

So if we don't stop these mediocre Asian tennis players now, then Osama bin Laden will finally win?

LOL

You can't be serious.

However, you might see a push by Hindus, Muslims, Jews to make reasonable accommodation to their religions, just as Sunday and even Saturday are unpopular to schedule games or tournaments even today. These Adventists are taking a torch to Saturday/Sunday sports events or practices at the public schools. Which is why you seem to hate them.