by INFORUM
Blue laws: North Dakota spent decades waging war over right to shop on Sunday
January 22, 2011 at 6:07 pm in INFORUM
In January 1981, Chester Reiten, then a Minot state legislator, delivered a fiery speech on the Senate floor. He warned of rising greed, diminished worship, fractured families and “the final nail in the coffin” of rural North Dakota. Continue Reading
I’m still not quite sure how or why this law is in effect. In the first amendment it states the separation of church and state yet we open early on Sunday to regulate faithfulness? This seems like a closed ended argument.
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John you are exactly right after all didn’t the kids have to stop saying the pledge of allegance in school because of the one nation under god part? well what is sunday becides just another day? unless you look at religion then it becomes something else. that falls in the line of seperation of state and church.
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Not that I’m a fan of the “under God”, but saying that it’s pledging allegiance to a piece of cloth completely ignores the “and to the Republic for which it stands” line.
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That piece of cloth you talk about has alot of meaning…..if you dont like it move out of this country…..
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Last time I checked “eye” they have the right to say what they want, it is in the constitution.
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Oh no, not the old “love it or leave it” argument! It was popularized in the 60s by those who favored the war in Viet Nam. They believed that the US was the “home of the free” but apparently they also contradictorally felt that the free were only entitled to one opinion.
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Good Lord eye. If you don’t like what fgores has to say, you move out of this country…
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The law is clearly unconstitutional. Even in the language of the law it mentions religion. This should be thrown out and business should be able to open whenever they want.
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McCalley, Why can’t I buy what I want when I want? Why should YOUR religion dictate when I shop, or open my store?
Please refraine from shopping as you chose, but don’t force your religion on me. I promise I won’t force mine on you.
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If you want a day of rest to be with your family, your god, or even your dog, then take it. I’m not stopping you from doing so. You don’t have to shop on Sundays. But why should the rest of us be forced to abide by the minority’s wishes? Most of the state wants to be able to shop on Sundays. If you don’t think so, then visit West Acres every Sunday starting at noon. See how long it takes you to find a parking spot!
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You are partially correct. There is also language in the law which shields a store owner, shopkeeper, etc. from prosecution if he or she opens their business on Sunday morning. Provided that the shopkeeper, store owner in good faith observes a day other than Sunday as their sabbath day; and their store is closed from 12 midnight to 12 noon on the day that is in good faith practiced as their sabbath day.
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The first amendment does not “state the separation of church and state”. Just clearing that up for you.
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The first amendment might not specifically say anything about the separation of church and state, but it is pretty clear by the words of our founding fathers that it is what was implied.
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There is no specific wording anywhere in the Constitution that REQUIRES a separation of church and state. All the Constitution says is that Congress shall make no law with respect to establishing a religion, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion.
In my interpreting of that statement, I find it to say that Congress can not establish an official religion or church for the United States and require under penalties of law its citizens to attend that specific church or follow that specific religion. The state constitutions of each of the 50 states carry similar wording that the state government can not establish an official religion or church and that the free exercise of religion shall always be guaranteed.
That means people have the right to believe in or not to believe in whatever they would like with regards to a religion, church attendance, and so forth.
But, let’s get this discussion back on track, shall we?
Personally, I don’t mind it that stores may choose to be open on Sunday. I realize it’s an inconvenience in today’s society that most retail businesses in North Dakota that choose to open on Sunday must wait until 12 noon to open on Sunday.
However, I think what people are forgetting here is that during the 1992 election cycle, the Blue Law did go up on a referendum. Since the original changes in the law were passed by a two-thirds margin by both Houses of the 1991 Legislature and signed into law by now-former Gov. George Sinner, the changes in the law hit the books immediately. This is called “adopting of an emergency clause.”
A group did gather a sufficient number of signatures on a petition to force a statewide vote on the law. However, since it was passed with an emergency clause, the law remained in effect until that election was held in 1992. Had the bill passed only by a simple majority in both Houses, the bill would have been suspended from taking effect as a law until the people were to vote to approve it in said referendum.
In other words, the people of North Dakota voted to have stores open on Sunday in this manner. When the referendum came around to be voted on, stores had been open on Sundays for over a year, so the people voted to allow stores to remain open on Sundays after 12 noon. So, when people complain to me about the store I work at isn’t open before noon on Sunday, I simply reply … “Well, the people of North Dakota voted for it to be this way back in 1992.”
In other words, it would take an act of the Legislature to repeal the last vestiges of the Sunday Closing Law; or it could happen through the initiated measure process.
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after work tonight, I went to buy some food. walmart is the only store in grand forks open after midnight, and they had a dozen or so employees there judging by the cars in the parking lot and the 4 guys having a smoke break outside. I couldn’t go in and buy food though.
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Not everyone believes in your god. If you like ficitonal characters that is your choice.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I agree. It’s ridiculous that I am not able to buy something on a Sunday because superstitious people still believe there is such thing as a god.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I just got done taking a history class…this nation has always been ruled by money and greed. That argument never sticks. The most religious we ever got was in the 1950′s when most of this type of legislation was slammed onto everybody no matter what they believed in.
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So there is no Santa? Next your going to tell me the tooth fairy is fictional. WWJD?
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I remember it as well. My sister, a type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetic, might at times need medicine on a Sunday but the drugstore closest to us didn’t open because none of the surrounding stores were able to open and the drug store would only be able to sell prescriptions — not monetarily worthwhile. Also, in some places you could buy a loaf of bread but if your sink backed up and you needed a new plunger you were out of luck. Why on earth did it take so long to change?
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I remember Larson’s Super Valu in West Fargo that had a Ben Franklin attached. They were both essentially the same store. Merchandise would be tagged as to denote whether or not it was allowed for sale on Sunday. That was just stupid. The store is open, the merchandise is there. But I can’t buy it because it’s Sunday?
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I disagree. Its about personal freedom. I can go to church, do some shopping, and come home and watch football on Sunday. Why can’t I have it all? Isn’t it my choice? Apparently not to some….
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I just find it laughable that the state still has any blue laws on the books. Once again, the conservatives swear on a stack of bibles that they want smaller government, more local government, less government intrusion, more private enterprise and want a better economy with more jobs. Then these same conservatives turn around 180 degrees and decrees that they alone should determine whether or not a business can be open on Sunday, what they can sell, and dictate from Bismarck instead of letting cities decide what is best for that city. Workers get fewer hours, businesses lose money by not being open, and fewer new workers are hired. It is interesting to ask them in their town hall meetings how they can reconcile this disconnect and watch them try to dance around the answer.
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Maybe if these small towns stopped electing 70+ year old Republicans things would be different.
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LOL winks… maybe if those small towns had citizens that WEREN’T 70+ year old republicans things would be different.
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I have no problem with stores being open whenever they want but I do have a problem with making it manditory to work them. It should be an option for the employee. I for one have no want nor need to work weekends or overtime. I want to work my 40 and that is it.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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You want to work for a business in an ‘At Will’ state with that attitude? You were hired to do a job. Refusing to work is a firing offense.
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You have the choice, Atx, of working Sundays or not. For every job, you make an agreement with your boss when and where you work. If you don’t like the agreement, don’t take the job.
I bet Ax, you already have that same agreement with your boss now, and don’t work sundays, it probably won’t change if they repeal the blue laws. Mine wouldn’t.
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Vertigo and Fgores both have valid points to a certain degree. But why do these corporations such as wal-mart adapt to other religious values? Wal-mart allows certain employees to wear turbins. Why not allow a Christian employee Sunday off? Considering Christianity is a dying breed, one would think they could staff their store around that policy, but you would have Christians coming out of the wood work.
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Did I say, Cit, that Christians shouldn’t have any day off they want!?! It has been my experience that all I have to do is ask my boss for a day off far enough in advance and I get it. They can do that every sunday if they chose. If their boss isn’t flexable enough to accomodate them, perhaps its not such a good job to keep anyway!
Bottom line….Please don’t write laws that effect me just so you can go to church. I shouldn’t be prohibited from shopping just because you are a christian, and I shouldn’t have to lose overtime for the same reason.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Greetings Vertigo, I’m not in favor of a law restricting you from shopping on Sunday. I could care less if you were a crack dealer operating in West Acres on Sunday. To each is their own!
I posed the question about American corporations adapting to certain religions such as allowing turbans and not adapting to a Christian employee by making Sunday’s a mandatory work day?
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I don’t know about the world you live in Cit, but when I want a day off, all I have to do is ask. Sometimes its vacation, sometimes its simply given to me in the schedule. I don’t need to have a law written to mandate my getting a day off.
What does wearing a turban have to do with anything. Its not even a religious symbol, its just a hat. I guess if you work with a boss who dictates what kind of hat you wear, you should be looking for a new job, not writing laws to force him to let you wear it.
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Vertigo you’re disappointing me today. You choose to dance around my questions. I don’t understand. Turbans are worn as tradition just as Sunday Mass is for some Christians. You know dam well those in retail cannot simply request every Sunday morning off to go to church. As for me and my job, I take a day off whenever I choose, so I’m not looking out for myself, rather those who are in the retail industry, where I once worked. I know find another job, good day to you buddy.
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Turbans are not a religious relic, they are cultural. Sure Muslims wear them, but its no more a religious requirement than burning candles is catholic. There is no muslim who would have a problem taking it off. Its JUST A HAT.
As to taking the day off on Sunday, you always have the option of getting another job. Nobody is holding a gun to your head to work retail, or anything else. You can find 100 dishwasher jobs that will give you your sabbath off. They may make you work the graveyard am shift instead though.
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how i cit: Just thought I’d point out to you that firing or refusing to hire an employee because of refusal to work due to the necessity of attending a religious ceremony is against the law in the United States unless the employer can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that working during that time is absolutely necessary to the employee’s duties.
If you want to take Sunday morning off to go to church because it is an essential tenet of your faith, your employer cannot deny you that right.
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Thanks for the tidbit Bryan. In my case, it is purely laziness preventing me from Sunday service. I don’t get their as much as I should. I am fortunate enough to run my own business. I gave up working for the man shortly after college. Im thinking about others, trying not to be selfish, just one of those weird crazy ideas they preach about in Christianity, how awful.
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It is an option, find a different job.
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It’s not a “Liberal” issue. Not all religions observe Sundays as a day of rest. Like it or not, but there are other religions out there and they are part of US culture.
US Workers have rights (what’s left of them anyway) largely in thanks to the legacy of Unions in this country (40 hr/work week and 8 hour work days).
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My religious beliefs are that all stores excluding Hooters and BWW should be closed on Mondays nights so that I can watch football and catch that spirit.
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Amen Ranger! Lets add an ammendment to that law that hooters must give 2 for 1 drinks and free apps to large chested vixens in tight torn jerseys.
PRAISE THE LORD, for he hath spoken!
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when were religious convictions ever at the heart of this nation?
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Sometimes, Bebo, it IS a bummer. For some people Sunday is the best… and ONLY day they can get their business done.
Why should it be illegal for them to get their business done because you want to force YOUR religion on them?
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Hey, lets let them have a mandatory Fri night off…. from 6-midnight!
Why not pass a law that states all business must be closed for one day on a time of their own chosing?
We have laws, Sticking, that state they can only work us so many hours. After that, the time is our own. I don’t know about you, but my 40 hours… plus overtime, still gives me well over 2/3 of my week off. I can depend on the hours my boss says I can have off to do fun things… to rest.
Just as you say its nice to have the time off, don’t you think employee’s might like the opportunity to earn overtime during that day too? Why should you be able to say they can’t?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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every one of your posts you have to say that you aren’t religious at all, as if that gives you even more credibility when you say the misinformed clueless nonsense that you do. tip: it doesn’t
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Please don’t force your religion on me, sunday is NOT sancrosanct for anybody but Christians, for Jews its SATURDAY!
If my “Day Of Rest” includes the desire to go out for a drink, and go shopping, I should be able to do it. Let us all decide when our own days of rest are.
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These laws are just as illogical and nonsense as any other bible value related paranoia. You’ll notice these worries and uncorrelated effects are completely in the same vein as anti-gay marriage and cohabitation. These same individuals cite crumbling families, poorer family values, less family stability, and a greater likelihood to sin. These effects have zero relation to any kind of cause. The real thing they are worried about is less people in church. What an easy way to make sure people keep those pews filled, just outlaw business during church days. haha. oh how silly. Why allow them to be at the local grocer on Sunday buying food when they can be here giving that money to the church instead?
Its bs, its nonsense and 100% completely baseless. I love spending money on Sundays, in fact thats when I do all my shopping, and I love that not a single penny of it is going to any institution that would possibly give these idiots any better of a life.
Hey did you know women can vote, own land, and hold jobs now? Oh god who is at home watching the kids! Family structure and values are going to deteriorate and increase community sin! This is awful! Idiots.
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this has nothing to do with anything. i am entitled to have my legal business open whenever the hell i want, i should not be told when i can and cannot have my business open just because some high percentage of people are christian. well guess what, those who AREN’T christian, can come and shop with me. the jewish, muslim, and atheist dollars are still dollars, and there’s lots of them to be had. your response has nothing to do with the course of business, you’re talking about simply discrimination AGAINST religions, and that is not even close to what this is. get it right please.
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Businesses are required (maybe it’s just expected) to make a reasonable accommodation to respect various individual religious beliefs and practices.
Ceasing business operations to support a specific religion is not a reasonable accommodation.
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this country was founded on religion?
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This nation was not in any way, shape, or form founded on religion. You did know that the first 48 years of this nation saw only 8 years that were led by a Christian president, right?
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I work 7 days a week now Zardoz. I take my days of rest when I want it, not when you tell me to.
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Pretty sure Unions gave us our 40 hour work weeks and 8 hour work days, not Blue Laws which are designed to simply Churches on Sunday mornings.
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Before Blue Laws? You mean, what…in Roman times?
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You know what erodes the moral fabric of society? Pasters who gets DUIs.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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You know what else is bad for society?
People who can’t spell (“Pasters”?!?!?).
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Pastors, pasters…bible humping judge-monkeys….whatever.
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” Even more than religion its out of RESPECT for other peoples religion.”
I am totally amazed you said that. If thats the case, lets write a law that states all stores must be closed from sunset Fri. til sunset Sat. because thats the hebrew Sabbath… yes, that was the Sabbath CHRIST followed.
Lets make THAT the law, since we are being respectful.
I think, with that, lets also write laws that require all employers to allow their muslim employee’s to pray at the appropriate time, and they must also allow the space for them to face and pray to Mecca. I believe its 3 times a day. They don’t need Sunday.
Lets make THAT the law too, since we are being respectful.
You say its respectful to force non Christians to celebrate Christian traditions but not allow them to celebrate their own traditions. I think thats a crock.
I think you are more of a “believer” than you admit.
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While the article this morning was a good trip down memory lane, I highly doubt it will accomplish anything. At least in the short term. I am a retail worker, about many of you bemoan.
It is true that workers who have a sincere objection to working on Sunday may pursue their request as a Title VII request (assertion of their rights under Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964), which in essence says that workers have the right not to work on the day that they in good faith practice as their sabbath day, and that the employer must make any and all reasonable accommodations in the workplace so that a worker may observe his or her religious beliefs.
Unless, that in so doing, the employer is able to demonstrate that it would create an undue hardship to the conduct of the business to allow the sabbath observer such an accommodation. Where I work, my employer is fully aware of my religious beliefs.
Many of my co-workers come in on Sunday mornings before the store opens to stock sheleves, etc. My religious accommodation which so far my employer has observed without any difficulty is that I am unavailable to work until 12 noon on Sundays. Since the church my wife and I attend usually gets over around 11:30 a.m., it’s not been a problem for me to get to work after church like that.
As far as completely repealing the last vestiges of the Blue Law goes in North Dakota goes, I don’t see it happening anytime soon. North Dakota’s Legislature is known for its “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. The bill filing deadline has already passed for the current session of the Legislature, thus any legislative bills to change or repeal the Blue Law would now have to wait until the next session of the Legislature convenes in 2013.
Of course, North Dakota has direct initiative, in which a group of residents can form and present a petition to change the law, thus bypassing the Legislature. The process requires that a sponsoring committee of 25 qualified North Dakota electors must put their names on the measure as the official sponsors of the measure.
The appropriate changes in the statutory language which constitutes the Blue Law would be filed with the Secretary of State. If the petition is approved for circulation, then the sponsors go about obtaining the required number of signatures on petitions from among qualified North Dakota residents.
In order to get the measure on the ballot, no less than 12,866 signatures on these petitions must be submitted and validated by the secretary of state’s office in order for the measure to go on the ballot. Then the measure appears on the next statewide election ballot (either primary or general) and a simple majority of the voters voting in said election would need to vote yes in order for the measure to pass and be enacted into law.
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Great post, Rick.
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North Dakota is the last state in the country which still has a “Blue Law” on the state law books. In North Dakota, most retail businesses including the big box stores and the malls must remain closed between 12 midnight and 12 noon on Sunday.
However, there is no law which prevents workers of a store from being on the job during the hours that a store is prohibited from being open, 12 midnight to 12 noon on Sunday. However, the law provides for an “affirmative defense” against prosecution for a shopkeeper who in good faith practices a day other than Sunday as his or her sabbath day. In that case, the business must be closed between 12 midnight to 12 noon on the day that is in good faith practiced as the shopkeeper’s sabbath day.
This law was amended 20 years ago. Prior to that since between statehood and 1991 when the law changed, no retail business could be open on Sunday. A violation of that law was considered “sabbath breaking.”
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Rick:
Actually, you are somewhat incorrect that North Dakota is the last state to have a blue law on the book. Granted, North Dakota is by far the strictest, but several states have laws on the books that outlaw or restrict the Sunday sales of alcohol, tobacco, fireworks, automobiles, gambling activities, large attendance facilities, and hunting. Interestingly, the singing of vain tunes is prohibited on the Sabbath in New Jersey.
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You are correct, but North Dakota’s blue law is indeed the most restrictive. For example, North Dakota is the last state which forbids even shopping malls and most retail businesses – including the large big box retail stores – from opening before noon on Sunday. I am aware that many states, including Minnesota and Utah forbid liquor stores from opening on Sunday. A number of states including Minnesota and North Dakota specifically forbid automobile sales on Sundays.
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Hey folks — since the newly elected representatives have been stressing the need to have fidelity to the COTUS, let’s give it a try? Of course, it is true that some have been trying to spin the actual intent of the religion clauses of the 1st amendment (right Michelle B?!), so it’s often a good idea to go to the original sources.
Here’s what Madison (the acknowledged main author of the COTUS) had to say (on Dec 3, 1821):
“The experience of the United States is a happy disproof of the error so long rooted in the unenlightened minds of well-meaning Christians, as well as in the corrupt hearts of persecuting usurpers, that without legal incorporation of religious and civil polity, neither could be supported. A mutual independence is found most friendly to practical Religion, to social harmony, and to political prosperity.”
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I believe in Crystal Light because I believe in me.
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Hahahhahahah!!! You’re funny Dead…
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Why not let the businesses decide when they want to open on Sunday.
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I agree. Why not let business decide who they serve and who they deny?
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Wow, I almost forgot! I think it was in the 60s when the floundering Womens’ Christian Temperance Union fought for a 5 pm to 7 pm bar closing in Fargo. I think we all know how well that worked……
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I’ve always wondered something about this stupid law (yes, I’m biased because I think it’s stupid)… can I actually go into a store on Sunday, pick out goods I want, and delay the payment until after noon? My point is, with advances in technology, could I not go into Walmart, get my goods, run my credit card, but simply have it post the transaction to 12:01PM?
I would love to see a store challenge the law in this way. They wouldn’t officially be “selling” anything before noon, but we could all go shopping before that.
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Because if Walmart or any retailer were to make such a sale, get audited and caught; the fine is rather hefty for breaking the Sunday Closing Law. The law at present calls for a fine of $10,000 per violation. It wouldn’t matter when the transaction actually “posted.” The law would be broken at the point where the cashier begins to ring your sale up before noon.
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From where I sit, it seems to me that the Blue Law is a symbolic gesture at best. In the 20 years that the Blue Law was rolled back to allow stores to open after 12 noon on Sundays, I have not heard of one instance where a business owner or shopkeeper has been prosecuted for opening before noon on Sunday.
I think we also have come to realize that North Dakota is a laughingstock for keeping laws like this on the books. I work for one of the major retailers in Fargo and when I come to work, it’s not at all unusual to see two or three dozen people waiting outside for the store to open.
What the story failed to mention is that for a store to illegally make a sale between midnight and noon on Sunday comes with it a hefty price tag. A violation of the current Blue Law calls for a $10,000 fine for each violation. That is why none of the stores, not even the mighty Walmart, have tried to circumvent the law because the price is just too steep even for their big pockets.
Technically, there is nothing to prevent shoppers from being in a store between midnight and noon on Sunday. Where it becomes a violation of the law is if the store completes a sales transaction during the prohibited hours.
Service businesses such as convenience stores, gasoline stations, grocery stores, hotels and motels and drugstores are exempt and may be open at any time on Sundays. The funny thing also is that grocery stores and convenience stores may sell anything they would like to on Sunday before noon – both grocery and nongrocery items; while the shopping malls, the big box stores and the malls cannot.
The Sunday Closing Law is codified in the North Dakota Century Code in Sec. 12.1-30-01 – it is too large of a file to copy and paste in this space. You can read the law for yourself at the following link:
http://www.legis.nd.gov/cencode/t121c30.pdf
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INteresting question that happened to me at Walmart not even 6 months ago. I went all the way from Northport to 13th walmart… a rather long drive, simply to RETURN an item, not purchase… but was turned away and could not return again for a long while, trip wasted and I was cash poor for a trip.
Could I have legally returned an item, it wasn’t a purchase.
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What really bothers me about this law is that I don’t see it finally being abolished until someone takes up a petition, gets it on the ballot, and we all vote it down. That seems to be the only way the “will of the people” is actually heard in North Dakota.
We all wanted the lottery, but the legislature kept voting it down, I believe, because they wanted to convey the “image” that North Dakota is a Christian, God-Fearing State that doesn’t tolerate these types of “evils.”
We’ll never change the Pharmacy law until it gets on the ballot and we vote the provision down — the only state in the union that has one that dumb, highly restrictive, and anti-competitive.
We’ll never get to have bottle-rockets back until we vote down that restriction either.
And, what I REALLY, REALLY don’t understand is how such a “supposedly” conservative state, one that wants to keep Government off my back, keeps passing laws that don’t let me do what people in other states have been doing for years and take for granted.
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Bruce Brooks in Minot doesn’t like the lottery. He has an irrational fear it might affect his fat pension he receives from MSU which ND taxpayers in the private sector fund.
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Actually, there is a bill in the Legislature this time around to repeal the Pharmacy Ownership Law. It is House Bill #1434 and it was introduced last Monday, Jan. 17th by Fargo Representatives Blair Thoreson (R-44th District) and Thomas Beadle (R-27th District). Three other representatives and Senator Karen Krebsbach of Bismarck signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.
The bill was referred to the House Industry, Business and Labor Committee. It should be coming up for a public hearing in the next couple of weeks or so.
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This is a double edged sword. Sure, it would be nice to shop earlier on Sundays in North Dakota, but who really does this anyway? Do you want to work on Sunday mornings (if you don’t already)? I didn’t think so.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Oh ya know, That day is already for the Lord so just leave it like that how about it?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I would never force my views on to others in this way. Your religion may not be mine, but at least in the current manner, religious ceremonies can bet on have a set time to worship, whether it be the Christians or the Satanists, like most of the younger, uneducated people.
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If there is work to be had, there will be people to do it. If enough people want to shop in the morning on Sunday, the savvy merchant will find people to take the shoppers’ money. This is the way of life in other states – and even in other enterprises in North Dakota.
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What you said does nothing to consider the folks who already work at those businesses who have come to count on that time off. Those workers will be looked down upon if they choose to not work Sunday mornings, whereas now it is not a choice, but a given.
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Discrimination in the workplace due to religious preference is illegal.
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Why can’t all you people realize the truth and become atheists?
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If you are right and I am wrong — then neither one of us have lost or gained anything. If I am right and you are wrong, then I gain enternal life and you lose everything.
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I love Pascal’s Wager. Anyone else?
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The problem, of course, with Pascal’s Wager is that to be really sure of a happy afterlife one would have to believe in ALL of the world’s religions……
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Yer right Bryan, I do have an answer to that.
SL, If I am right, You get false security and a lifetime wasted in midless ceremony worshiping false idols and paying large sums of money to support a scam…. Frankly the Church is a cult, albeit a successful 2011 year old one.
If you are right, Jesus forgives all and I will still get to go to heaven- says so in the Bible.
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Vertigo, now you’re ridiculing those who believe. I thought you were a bit more professional.
The weeks can get long. I often lose a sense of direction. Sitting through a good sermon helps me rebalance myself. If you can do this on your own, more power to you. I simply cannot. This world is a better place with me being a Christian. You should be thanking me for my beliefs.
My children, who are also little Christians, take part in many of the community outreach programs such as food drives, assisting at shelters, visiting the elders in nursing homes, etc. Pretty terrible huh?
Where is that RESPECT FOR OTHERS RELIGIONS YOU WERE SPEAKING OF?
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How is rebalancing yourself by sitting through a good sermon affected by whether or not Walmart is selling a gallon of milk at 7am on a Sunday morning?
Apologies for the non-sequiter, but $10k for selling something before noon on a Sunday, but $10 for going 15mph over the speed limit. What a wacky state.
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Hey, it wasn’t disrespectful, just an observation and a response to Pascals Wager.
I was no more disrespectful than you were presenting the wager. For you to imply that I am going to go to hell because I don’t believe the same as you do is far more disrespectful than my saying you are wasting your time and money.
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Vertigo,
PLEASE POINT OUT WHERE I IMPLIED YOU WERE GOING TO HELL! YOU CAN’T JUST MAKE CRAP UP! F%^&% that irks me!
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Sorry, it wasnt’ you who presented the Wager, but here it is.
“you are wrong, then I gain enternal life and you lose everything.”
If that doesn’t mean I am going to go to hell, I don’t know what does.
Frankly, the thing that annoys me the most about organized religion in general is the pompous judgementalism.
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Why don’t the blue laws apply to most gas stations and hospitals? If Sunday is so sacred, then I guess you should not be traveling anyway and divine intervention will keep you away from the hospitals… I see the police officers, firefighters, snowplow operators (sometimes) all work on Sundays. Yet, you can not get some of the most simple things that you want (thanks Walmart). I get my Sunday shopping done in the mornings on Sundays at the Moorhead Target because the Fargo store does not open until noon. Why isn’t the mail delivered on Sundays, because it never has? Why isn’t the dentist office open on weekends or later in the evening? There is a real niche in the private market to be jumped on. The Hobby Lobby is not open on Sundays, so everyone shop at Michaels. It should be up to the individual business and if you can not keep up, then you are more likely to fail. It is all about supply and demand. As employees, if you do not like working weekends… find jobs where that will not happen or wake up to the rest of the world functioning.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Brad that is your opinion. Try working day/night/weekends/holidays,.. like most of the hospital medical staff in town. This should have nothing to do with religion. Some people have to work during the week and the only time they can get anything done is for businesses to have the option to stay or open later or on Sundays. According to your statement: shame on you if you go to a restaurant on a Sunday.
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“why can’t the consumer wait till Monday to get that favorite piece of junk they just can’t live without”
My husband works from 8 am to 9 pm daily, and his only day off is Sunday. So when he has errands to do, he is already limited by what stores are open, and you want to basically prevent him from doing any shopping. Not everyone operates on the same schedules, and for some Sunday is the most convenient (or possibly the only) time they can get their shopping done. Don’t suggest I do his shopping for him, I really doubt ANY of you would want your wives picking out your car parts, or tools, etc.
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How about gas stations. I hope that you do not need gas on Sundays since after all that is your day of rest. Let’s close all stores on Mondays and Tuesdays.
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The problem isn’t so much stores being open on Sunday – I don’t like it either, but in order to keep up with the times – the state had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th Century when the law was changed in 1991.
I think a lot of this has to do with time management among individuals and families. As I said earlier, I work for one of the large mass retailers in the area. Saturdays and Sundays are our biggest gross revenue days of the week.
I would say a good two thirds of our business on the weekends comes from the small towns surrounding the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo. The same people who scream “the sky is falling!” when they talk about the large big box stores squeezing out their small town merchants. (None of that has been proven, anyway). The small rural towns business communities have slowly been dying for years as the older business owners retire and there is no one to buy and continue their businesses. Consequently, those places get boarded up. Generally, this trend is not a direct result of the large national stores setting up shop in North Dakota.
Believe me, there is a lot of hypocrisy with such rural vs. urban sentiments. Guess who’s the first people in the doors of said large national stores? None other than the folks from the small rural towns, the same people who bemoan the large mass merchants.
Again, the problem isn’t the fact that many businesses are open on Sunday. I will agree with Chester Reiten on this one. Twenty years ago, having stores closed on Sundays was a way of life. It’s a way of life that has gone away and likely won’t come back.
There was an editorial cartoon once which said it all. There was a barrier across the highway leading into I assume Fargo from Moorhead. There was a state trooper standing by the gate with rifle in hand. The sign said: “STOP. GO BACK. North Dakota is Closed on Sundays!”
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It is time to be done with this law. I would like to see it taken to court or directly to the voters. I do find it ironic that people that want this type of law on the books are the same ones that say they believe in freedom, limited government, capitalism, and to let business do their thing. My own reps in the ND legislature voted to keep the cohabitation ban in place. on the other hand during the last session they voted against the ban on texting while driving (in the name of freedom). I will not be harmed by a couple living in sin. I can be killed by someone driving down the highway while texting.
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I personally think this is one of the reasons that so many young people are eager to leave the state. The puritanical attitude that we know what is best for you.
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h, rght. s f yng ppl wh dn’t g t Chrch r ctlly wk bfr nn n Sndy. ll th yng ppl knw thnk t’s cl n cpl f lvls. Th kds tht dn’t hv t wrk rly n Sndy mrnng lk t. t’s th n dy tht thy gt t slp n. Th kds tht hv Chrstn fmls, whch r th mjrty f th F/M r fmls, dn’t hv t sk fr Sndy mrnngs ff fr Chrch. thnk t gvs fmls n xcs t hng t tgthr nd hv nc Sndy mrnng tgthr.
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So as not to go completely off the subject, the cohabitation ban is yet another example of a largely unenforceable law. Particularly in this day and age. I doubt there is any states attorney in North Dakota that would have the guts to charge a couple who is living together with that crime. But, that’s for another time.
On the other hand, the Sunday Closing Law, does apparently have some teeth to it and it would be enforceable. It’s just that businesses seem to have adapted to the law over the last 20 years.
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Let’s keep the money flowing to China by way of Arkansas 24/7.
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Interesting perspective. You, too, can buy stock in Wal-Mart and share in their profits.
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Go over to the Dark Side? No way!
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I went grocery shopping yesterday on the sabbath. I’m freaking wild like that, a rebel. That’s how I roll.
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Hahahhhaahaha!! There ya go again. I think I’m falling in love…
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Do the retail businesses pay time and half on Sundays? I know most did on the Moorhead side 20 years ago.
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Not in general. Some businesses do pay a “premium” for working on Sunday, such as a dollar an hour extra. Pretty typical for an “employment at will” state. The employer always has the employee over a barrel.
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I am usually annoyed when I want to go shopping on Sunday morning and cannot go to a store until noon. It inconveniences me greatly. I also hate that I cannot bank on Martin Luther King day. I hate school zone speed limits. They inconvenience me and make me irritated. What makes those kids so special anyway? I hate paying more taxes than other people and really hate that my taxes are used so other people can be lazy.
In short, I hate things that inconvenience me and do not benefit me. Just like everyone else. There is nothing wrong with that. It is capitalism and libertarianism at its finest.
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Sorry Justin, this isn’t about convenience. Thats as lame as claiming people get abortions for birth control.
This is about religion, and if one person should be able to dictate to another how they live their lives based upon that religion.
When I traveled 30 minutes to return something at walmart to be turned away just so YOU can go to church, that was wrong and had nothing to do with my convenience.
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Turns out you can be funny. But me …… still here posting nonsense, trying to hit that mark every time.
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