How can you support blue laws but oppose mandatory church attendance?

Question

No one seemed to think church attendance should be mandated by the government. But some people seemed to support Blue Laws in an early question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj1P7mMtRYfhFUS.1GdcWyTsy6IX?qid=20061206133842AA15jtJ

In fact, blue laws remain on the books for alcohol and cars in many states. Doesn't that seem like a contradiction?

Answer 1

They had blue laws when I lived in New Mexico. Sunday morning you couldn't buy alcohol. I loved the "logic" of that. I would always picture some guy on a 3-day-bender. "Time to swing by Safeway and pick up another bottle of Tequilla. What? I can't buy it for 3 more hours? Crap, I guess I'll have to stagger into church to kill some time then!"

Answer 2

Ok, had to go back and look at the other question. First off, I don't think anyone should be forced to go to church. I am a Christian and I do attend church as often as possible, but I don't think it should be mandatory. Now that is just plain crazy. That's called being free. All that's going to happen if you try and force people to go to church is make people hate it. It's something you have to choose to do. I think that people should have the right to be off work if it's going to interfere with them going to church. I don't think people should use going to church as an excuse not to work and then stay at home and sit on their butts. But what can you do about that? Nothing. Contradictory or not, this is America and church and state are seperated for a reason.

Answer 3

I agree that it's a contradiction. But the people who support blue laws don't see it as such. They think the Constitution only prohibited mandatory church attendance, but permits communities to make laws based on a cultural consensus. Many social conservatives reject 14th Amendment incorporation and subscribe to a state's rights view of the Constitution which gives more power to local communities. In my opinion, it's not so much religious freedom as it is a condescending toleration. You're free to sleep in on Sundays, but you have to abide by certain community standards even though you personally don't believe in their religious basis.

Answer 4

Man, there are a lot of contradictions in government. Don't try to understand it. There are so many laws on the books that are still in the books because it takes more money and effort to remove them than it does to just ignore them.

Answer 5

nicely seeing as needed college attendance has in no way been completely useful why might every physique assume that needed church attendance could be? and how might that's enforced, with the help of the religion & Chastity Police? My wager is that if that have been it ever tried (and how ought to that's besides?) the community tavern might replenish previously the 1st 10 pews in church.

Answer 6

Odd, isn't it?

And if you think about it, aren't blue laws a form of state-imposed religion?
After all, the laws apply to Sunday only (the Christian Sabbath).

When I lived in Texas, we could buy beer and wine on Sunday's, but we could not buy tools...including light bulbs.
The joke was that on Sunday, you could get drunk in the dark!

Answer 7

Sorry dude, but blue laws are stupid and mandating people attend church would violate the first amendment.

Answer 8

I don't support either. But I can see the value of a mandatory day off for workers be it Sunday, Tuesday or whatever.

Answer 9

No. I oppose both.

Sometimes a man needs that glass of fine port on a Sunday night.

Amen.

Answer 10

never heard of "blue laws"