Sunday Alcohol sales

[taylormcbee]

I live in the rual south and was just wondering how a informed catholic would vote on sunday sales, of beer and wine, I mean most of the places who are selling it are already open on sunday , its not like it is a liqour store who is having to open another day, so since it is not a sin to drink and these places are already open on sunday, how should i make a informed vote. Most of my protestant Baptist friends and family would say vote no but That is the way there churces teach and I want to go by what teh catholic church says, since I will be a catholic God willing in A few months acutally 6 months from today

 

[Corki]

Catholic teaching does not equate alcohol consumption with a vice as do some Protestant denominations. The only Sunday issue for Catholics in this regard is working.

Is the passage of this bill going to force more people to work on Sundays? If it doesn’t mean that liquor stores or bars are open on Sundays, then probably not. We have beer and wine sold in grocery stores and convenience stores here on Sundays. The convenience stores are 24/7 operations with one or two sales clerks. The staffing wouldn’t change at all if beer/wine could not be sold. Probably not for the grocercy stores either.

From a Catholic standpoint, as long as it won’t force more people into working on Sundays, you could vote for or against (or not vote on this issue). You can make a prudential judgement based on how you think it would affect your community.

 

[teenphilo1]

“When in Rome…”

 

[George_Stegmeir]

I was in college at Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla. when the city and surrounding county was dry. The closest place to by licquor legally was 60 miles away, but it was well known that you could by whiskey by the pint at any local filling station. Anyway they had a wet-dry referendum around 1960 and all h**l broke loose. The town went crazy with anti wet radio ads and billboards, most of which were sponsored by the major Protestant Churchs in town. The drys tried to manipulate the system by splitting the vote- to go dry, wet with package goods only, and licquor by the drink + package sales. To win the election, the winning position had to pool over 55% of the total vote.
Anyway, to make a long story short, it was found out after the election that the money for the dry ads came from several deacons and elders of these churches who along with the County Sherrif were the major bootleggers in the area, and the Pastors of a couple of these churches were on their payroll!
In the aftermath of this scandal, Leon County and the city of Tallahasse became modernized.

 

[Semper_Zelare]

Catholic teaching does not equate alcohol consumption with a vice as do some Protestant denominations. The only Sunday issue for Catholics in this regard is working.

Is the passage of this bill going to force more people to work on Sundays? If it doesn’t mean that liquor stores or bars are open on Sundays, then probably not. We have beer and wine sold in grocery stores and convenience stores here on Sundays. The convenience stores are 24/7 operations with one or two sales clerks. The staffing wouldn’t change at all if beer/wine could not be sold. Probably not for the grocercy stores either.

From a Catholic standpoint, as long as it won’t force more people into working on Sundays, you could vote for or against (or not vote on this issue). You can make a prudential judgement based on how you think it would affect your community.

Ok, personally I’ve evolved in my view of alcohol. I used to hold basically the Southern Baptist view, until I realized the Catholic Church had no problem with alcohol as long as it was in moderation.

But, I find your post very intriguing. Should Catholics be in favor of laws which would close more businesses on Sunday? I know Orthodox Jews are very active in trying to get people to not work on their Shabbat (especially in Israel). But, are you saying that Catholics should do the same thing?

On a related note, should a Catholic who is trying to find a job, tell their would-be employers that working on Sunday violates their religious beliefs?

Thanks in advance

 

[sedonaman]

I live in the rual south and was just wondering how a informed catholic would vote on sunday sales, of beer and wine, …

I was in the same check-out line as the pastor of my parish one Sunday morning after Mass. He was purchasing a bottle of wine to take to a dinner, so apparently there is nothing wrong with it.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

We use to have what was called, “Blue Laws,” here in Massachusetts, which mandated that all retail stores be closed on Sundays and Holidays. Restaurants were allowed to be open and could serve Alcoholic beverages.

However, being we border New Hampshire which had no closing mandates and so it set up unfair competition for businesses, especially in towns along the border.

So after a great amount of lobbying, the state rescinded the blue laws.

I opposed it, because it gave workers a day off during the week-end, which most people have.

Now, the stores force employees to work, something those who advocated for lifting of the blue laws swore would not happen.

Fact is, the stores are now open on all Sundays and Holidays except Christmas, and even that is changing.

Respect for time to be with families on week-ends and holidays has eroded as a result.

A Catholic can consume alcohol in moderation on Sunday. However, I’ve made the choice not to shop at retail stores on Sundays and holidays.

Jim

 

[Dakota_Roberts]

I live in the rual south and was just wondering how a informed catholic would vote on sunday sales, of beer and wine, I mean most of the places who are selling it are already open on sunday , its not like it is a liqour store who is having to open another day, so since it is not a sin to drink and these places are already open on sunday, how should i make a informed vote. Most of my protestant Baptist friends and family would say vote no but That is the way there churces teach and I want to go by what teh catholic church says, since I will be a catholic God willing in A few months acutally 6 months from today

http://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206381_117628525053565_1148868958_n.jpg

Nothing wrong with alcohol unless take to excess.

 

[Corki]

Ok, personally I’ve evolved in my view of alcohol. I used to hold basically the Southern Baptist view, until I realized the Catholic Church had no problem with alcohol as long as it was in moderation.

But, I find your post very intriguing. Should Catholics be in favor of laws which would close more businesses on Sunday? I know Orthodox Jews are very active in trying to get people to not work on their Shabbat (especially in Israel). But, are you saying that Catholics should do the same thing?

On a related note, should a Catholic who is trying to find a job, tell their would-be employers that working on Sunday violates their religious beliefs?

Thanks in advance

Let me answer your last post first. Yes, Catholics should avoid work on Sundays. For most employees that means not taking a job where Sunday work would be unavoidable. There are some professions, of course, where this is impossible such as doctors, firemen, etc. but that’s the general guideline. Now, if you are unemployed and need to get food on the table, you will take any job you can find. But if you have choices, your choice should be a job that doesn’t require you to violate a precept of the Church.

As for laws, that’s more complex. If there is a law already in place that keeps businesses closed on Sundays, I think Catholics should try to keep that law. For example, in Texas liquor stores and bars are closed on Sundays by law. I would fight against a law that tried to change that. But it would be very hard to get a new law in place to close businesses on Sunday. I am not sure that would be a good use of anyone’s political effort. The better plan would be to work to get real laws in place that protect employees who want to take their holy days - Sundays for Christians, Saturdays for Jews, etc - off. The current state of the law is very weak.

 

[Semper_Zelare]

Thanks Corki. I don’t really have anything to add. I agree with all the advice you gave in your post.

But, I am going to talk to some of my friends about this. And going off of what Jim said:

JimR-OCDS:

A Catholic can consume alcohol in moderation on Sunday. However, I’ve made the choice not to shop at retail stores on Sundays and holidays.

I’m definitely going to think about this. The group of friends that I fellowship with once a week are pretty serious about resting on the Sabbath. But, I don’t think any of us thought that that meant we shouldn’t buy things or go to the store. Just that we should avoid labor-intensive to the best of our abilities.

I think not buying things on Sunday (or at least trying to) would make my Sabbath even more restful/ enjoyed.

 

[sedonaman]

We use to have what was called, “Blue Laws,” here in Massachusetts, …

Arizona has a limited blue law WRT alcohol sales on Sundays. It use to be no selling it before 10am. Why that hour was chosen, no one knows, but we know it was arbitrary because when the new baseball stadium opened in Phoenix, they changed it to 6am so beer could be sold at the morning games.