1) Is there an economic and environmental purpose for the weekly day of rest that explains why it evolved?
2) Why is there one weekly 'day of rest' where both work and play are effectively banned?
3) Who is hurt, economically or defensively, when the taboo is lifted.
The three major Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) each have a weekly day of 'rest' (Saturday, Sunday, Friday) that has been enforced quite aggressively for thousands of years. It has been quite robust, maybe even more so than some sexual taboos.
Yet, the enforcement of a 'day of rest' has cost the peoples involved quite seriously. For instance, the ban on fighting during the Sabbath really limited Jewish resistance against occupation. The Roman army used to change guard on Saturday to reduce the chances that zealots would fight them.
The law about keeping the Sabbath day holy is part of the ten (nine?) commandments. The law about the Sabbath precedes 'lesser laws like the taboo on murder and adultery. The rules allowing people to work on Sunday have been lifted in some communities comparatively recently.
Yes, people got together to pray on the day of rest. So it gets people together. However, why such a strict rule against all work? The odd thing is the rules against making a fire.
Although the day changes with religion, the enforcement has been amazingly stable. The Christians in Europe were very serious about their day of rest, Sunday. There were no 'Superbowl Sundays' in Merry Old England.
The taboo against playing on Sunday was explicitly removed by King James II. King James II rewrote a lot of religious law for secular convenience, but he had some very reasonable explanation for softening Sunday taboo.
King James said that it was important for the common people to have at least one day for sports because there was no other time to develop fitness. If the common people didn't keep fit, then they could not defend the country.
I am surprised that the issue didn't come up before then! National Defense requires fit soldiers. So it seems that an Army that can't invade on Sunday, or even play football on Sunday, wouldn't be able to fight the Spanish Armada. Yet, the taboo against work on Sunday was very common.
The penalty for breaking the Sabbath in the Torah was death. Businesses had to close on Sunday. The religious Jews of medieval times spun it as a positive thing.
One of the first executions mentioned in the Bible was against a man who picked up sticks on Sabbath out in the desert. Even the miracles mentioned in Exodus seem to be timed with synchronized with the Sabbath.I mean no one could light a light.
You know how dark and cold it can get in the desert on a New moon? Maybe it started out as a defense thing. Lights out people, we don't want the desert raiders finding us during the New moon. If so, why every week? This seems excessive.
I looked up some of the history. The ancient Babylonians started with a monthly 'day of fear' where no one could light a fire or plan for anything new. Yes, it was called the day of fear not rest. I suppose this could be correlated with the New Moon. However, a few thousand years later there was a day of fear every week.
Why did the Romans pick it up? Why don't Oriental cultures have a 'day of rest' tradition?
I am biased toward Marvin Harris's theory that every major taboo that seems disruptive in one context has an economic reason based on the ecology of the area. The Sabbath day doesn't seem to fit that theory. I can't see why going dormant for one day a week has any benefit.
The day of rest and fear seems harder to explain that some dietary and sexual taboos. So has any anthropologist actually considered the functional reasons for the Day of Rest and Fear!
It seems to me that some functional reason for the Day of Rest and Fear that comes every day. I know that God rested on that day in Genesis. However, why should he be so vindictive against people who merely want a little night light? The reason has to function for humans or the custom would not be so robust.
2) Why is there one weekly 'day of rest' where both work and play are effectively banned?
3) Who is hurt, economically or defensively, when the taboo is lifted.
The three major Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) each have a weekly day of 'rest' (Saturday, Sunday, Friday) that has been enforced quite aggressively for thousands of years. It has been quite robust, maybe even more so than some sexual taboos.
Yet, the enforcement of a 'day of rest' has cost the peoples involved quite seriously. For instance, the ban on fighting during the Sabbath really limited Jewish resistance against occupation. The Roman army used to change guard on Saturday to reduce the chances that zealots would fight them.
The law about keeping the Sabbath day holy is part of the ten (nine?) commandments. The law about the Sabbath precedes 'lesser laws like the taboo on murder and adultery. The rules allowing people to work on Sunday have been lifted in some communities comparatively recently.
Yes, people got together to pray on the day of rest. So it gets people together. However, why such a strict rule against all work? The odd thing is the rules against making a fire.
Although the day changes with religion, the enforcement has been amazingly stable. The Christians in Europe were very serious about their day of rest, Sunday. There were no 'Superbowl Sundays' in Merry Old England.
The taboo against playing on Sunday was explicitly removed by King James II. King James II rewrote a lot of religious law for secular convenience, but he had some very reasonable explanation for softening Sunday taboo.
King James said that it was important for the common people to have at least one day for sports because there was no other time to develop fitness. If the common people didn't keep fit, then they could not defend the country.
I am surprised that the issue didn't come up before then! National Defense requires fit soldiers. So it seems that an Army that can't invade on Sunday, or even play football on Sunday, wouldn't be able to fight the Spanish Armada. Yet, the taboo against work on Sunday was very common.
The penalty for breaking the Sabbath in the Torah was death. Businesses had to close on Sunday. The religious Jews of medieval times spun it as a positive thing.
One of the first executions mentioned in the Bible was against a man who picked up sticks on Sabbath out in the desert. Even the miracles mentioned in Exodus seem to be timed with synchronized with the Sabbath.I mean no one could light a light.
You know how dark and cold it can get in the desert on a New moon? Maybe it started out as a defense thing. Lights out people, we don't want the desert raiders finding us during the New moon. If so, why every week? This seems excessive.
I looked up some of the history. The ancient Babylonians started with a monthly 'day of fear' where no one could light a fire or plan for anything new. Yes, it was called the day of fear not rest. I suppose this could be correlated with the New Moon. However, a few thousand years later there was a day of fear every week.
Why did the Romans pick it up? Why don't Oriental cultures have a 'day of rest' tradition?
I am biased toward Marvin Harris's theory that every major taboo that seems disruptive in one context has an economic reason based on the ecology of the area. The Sabbath day doesn't seem to fit that theory. I can't see why going dormant for one day a week has any benefit.
The day of rest and fear seems harder to explain that some dietary and sexual taboos. So has any anthropologist actually considered the functional reasons for the Day of Rest and Fear!
It seems to me that some functional reason for the Day of Rest and Fear that comes every day. I know that God rested on that day in Genesis. However, why should he be so vindictive against people who merely want a little night light? The reason has to function for humans or the custom would not be so robust.
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