Are blue laws a violation of separation of church and state?

Question

for those of you who dont know what they are

A blue law, in the United States and Canada, is a type of law designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest. Most have been repealed or are simply unenforced, although prohibitions on the sale of alcoholic beverages, and occasionally almost all commerce, on Sundays are still enforced in some areas. [1] Blue laws often prohibit an activity only during certain hours and there are usually exceptions to the prohibition of commerce, like grocery and drug stores. In some places blue laws may be enforced due to religious principles, but others are retained as a matter of tradition or out of convenience.

Zero Cool-
A Liquor store in many states is not allowed to operate on sunday. Regardless of what the owner wants

Answer 1

there is no law separating church and state...only preventing congress from promoting a particular faith or religion above others.

"The Government shall not promote a religion nor prohibit the free practice thereof."

If there is no mention of religious favour in the actual laws, then they do not violate any rulings. Anti-abortion laws are not the same as pro-Christian laws for example...there just happens to be agreement between the two on a moral level.

-Rob

Answer 2

In Connecticut the only thing that the blue laws now affect is the sale of alcohol in packies; bars however are exempt from that and are open. Everything else is open.

Most places have blue laws because they are very old and no one has bothered to take them off the books until someone protests. The original blue laws for CT were written in 1655 for instance and some of those were only changed in the latter half of the 20th century.

Answer 3

I strongly believe they do. They are not as bad in Texas as they were, but there are some still in effect. Most of them involve alchoholic beverages. Liquor stores can not be open Sunday. Beer and wine can not be sold before noon on Sunday. Any other day of the week I can buy a bottle of wine when I do my shopping in the morning, but not Sunday. I am surprised they let the Catholics get away with wine at the morning mass! Its not a big deal, but it is religious.

Answer 4

Theoretically, I suppose they are. But in practice, all it does is keep some people from working on Sunday, and putting a slight restriction on liquor sales.

Neither of those things really hurt anyone (except for bad workplaces and alcoholics!) And they do not force anyone to attend worship, or force people into any certain kind of worship.

Far worse are rules banning Gay Marriage, and churches that encourage their congregants to vote for certain candidates.

Answer 5

Yeah, probably. I just know it's really obnoxious that I can't buy a bottle of wine to go with dinner on Sundays if I want to--the grocery stores won't sell it and all the wine shops and liquor stores are closed.

Answer 6

If the law is in place for religious reasons, then it is a violation of the separation of church and state.

Answer 7

Depends on the state. Most of the time they are. Now if the business choses to close on Sunday (like Chick-Fillet) then no problem.

Answer 8

Yes, and most of them in SC have been done away with because of law suits in the Fed courts

Answer 9

ALL laws that have any moral implications are a violation of church and state.

Answer 10

i could imagine that they could be....on condition that they gave the reason behind the regulation as being for non secular causes. i'm efficient they could arise with more than a number of rationalization why you may not purchase wine on Sunday which aren't from now on non secular.