UNBELIEVEABLE!!! Last year I donated over 1200 dollars to the Police Unity Tour, More than 200 man hours to training the local Police Department and another 20 hours per month operating as an auxiliary police officer keeping my community safe. All for NO FINANCIAL GAIN!! that does not include weekly donations to our church in the offering plate and the food bank.

REM you know not where of you speak!

so rem basically you are saying that because of christianity that that religion alone should dictate for others? so basically you believe in forcing religious beliefs on others also? or your saying that christianity is the only religion that should be followed. agree yes to any of these questions and you throw our constitutional right out the window. it is a constitutional right for freedom of religion. that means you are free to express your religion and that lack of if you choose. it is noones right to force it on any person. hell the kkk tried it for years and still do and it gets them nowhere. and as far as sports go how does that lesson your so called holy day of sunday? the games dont start till the afternoon church is usually out by then. oh wait i already know your answer to that. if we dont follow your religion like you want then we are all bad people and we are all going to hell. im a devoted catholic and would never think of imposing my beliefs religiouslly on anyone but then again thats what i was taught and so was everyone else including yourself when you learned of your constitutional rights in grade school. also your southern states as a whole have a bigger religion following and alot of them allow hunting on sundays. in va hunting and fishing was added to our list of rights in our constitution so it should be honored and accepted without predjudice just as freedom of religion is. please do us all a favor and give us a good answer to these questions. and here is a qoute from you just for comparison.


qoute:No difference, at all... we must step back and take a LONG look at what Sundays are SUPPOSED to be for... last I read, "remember the Sabbath.." was STILL in the Book. Should liquor be sold on Sundays?...NO
should pro sports be played on Sundays?....NO..because there's NOTHING HOLY about any of these events... even when Manna (food) was sent from above in the wilderness, it WASN'T given on the Sabbath...a 2 day supply was given the day before. Now Fellows, it may seem ok by societys' standards to make Sunday "just another day"... He holds that day special...shame more humans don't... it has EVERYTHING to do with Christianity (the foundation of this nation,BTW) and its' values. I remember the "blue laws"... we were a better nation when we had them. I have a job that requires SOMEONE to work on Sundays.. hospitals don't shut down for the weekend.. so there are exceptions,granted... but hunting/fishing is NOT a Life/death act (altho some would have you believe it is). so how about giving HIM some respect?

rem,

Let me preface this by saying that I am a christian and I go to church most every Sunaday be it hunting season or not. However, unlike you I don't see it as my right to force my views down other peoples throats. Each individual person should have the right to decide if they want to purchase alcohol, go to or watch a sporting event or hunt. Many christians think by forcing their views on others that they are helping. When it actuality they are pushing these individuals further away. Last I heard there was supposed to have a seperation of church and state and we are supposed to have religous freedom. As VA stated earlier "I would rather be in a tree thinking about God than in church thinking about hunting". Pushing religion on people with laws like this isn't helping the christians cause.

I'd like you to think about this for a minute. Sunday hunting, that is. Is there an issue here? The first question is whether this should be a debate at all. No doubt, the current illegality of Sunday hunting is the result of the "Blue Laws" of Pilgrim times. Hunting was then illegal because it was another individual pursuit not to be followed on the Puritan day of worship. It was also illegal to till one's fields, open one's store for business or drink alcoholic beverages. The only acceptable behaviors for Sunday were forms of communion with a Christian God. All other behaviors were deemed illegal.

Time passes and states change. Of course, now we allow individual liberties to a significantly greater degree than the Pilgrims did back then. Now we engage in business, enjoy our recreation and may even relax our religious devotion without violation of the law. That is, all of us may pursue any activity legal on any other day of the week except hunting.

On closer inspection, it isn't even very clear why the law barring hunting on Sunday remains on the books except that we removed all the other Blue Laws piecemeal (usually as a result of business pressure) and have now logically gotten around to this one. I say logically because there can be no basis in civil liberty for its continuance. And furthermore, there is no question that hunting, as a recreational pastime, is as reasonable as the Sunday drive or boating or hiking or cutting wood or any of the other individual pursuits of men and women everywhere.

Unless...the old Blue Law is now being used as a means of personal discrimination by the few as it was once used as a vehicle for religious restriction by the many. And there appears to be ample evidence for this conjecture.

I'll say here that this should not be a question for the proponents or the adversaries of hunting per se. The law should not be used to force the views of one ideological group upon another. Not in these United States, at least. Here, the law is formulated for the good of the society. Law are meant to enforce and model by both content and process reasonable behavior for the population as a whole. In this country, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ( when these don't unduly threaten the safety of the community) are the reasonable behaviors we base our society upon.

Putting aside the question of discriminatory application of the law for a bit, is hunting a reasonable liberty and pursuit of the population? Does hunting unduly threaten the safety of the individual or endanger the fabric of our community? Let's briefly examine these points.

What is a reasonable liberty? By our own standards of behavior, driving a vehicle is reasonable. It is also likely to be the most dangerous behavior we engage in for both ourselves and others around us. But we consider this reasonable nonetheless and not unduly threatening. So too, power boating. Despite the very high risk of accidental drowning and injury, and the obvious risks of sharing finite water space with swimmers (who enjoy similar risks) and sailors, boating is accepted as reasonable. Hiking is also reasonable. Hikers erode trails, damage wild plants and harass wildlife. Unintentionally or not the nature of hiking is intrusion into non-human dominated spaces. Hiking also results in unwanted contact between strangers in remote places and (accidental?) trespass but hiking too is deemed a reasonable individual recreation. The list goes on. The cutting of wood is permitted. It too may encompass real risks for the person and the environment along with the air and noise pollution it creates, nonetheless it too is reasonable.

All of the outdoor activities noted above are reasonable and all are legal to pursue on Sunday but not hunting. Is hunting riskier to the participant or the non-participant than these? No. The insurance actuarial tables are clear on the greater risks of injury and death from driving, swimming, boating, hiking, chain sawing, bicycling, etc. All of these are greater risks to the individual and the community than hunting. Therefore, we allow reasonable people to make reasonable efforts to pursue these interests at their liberty on Sunday.

Just to underscore the point made above, we also allow citizens of the Commonwealth to also consume alcohol and then consider it reasonable for them to use good judgment while under the influence of a known mind altering drug in their further choices of behavior. We even allow them to alter their minds with alcohol and THEN drive and partake in the various dangerous and destructive activities listed above! This is certainly a notable recognition of the value personal liberty has for us.

By way of comparison of their behavior and/or threat to the community, hunters are certainly less numerous than hikers and by necessity they utilize out of the way locales. Hunting is so much more difficult than hiking or biking that it is often ruined just by the presence of others regardless of their willingness to share the natural resources or not. Hunters are certainly quieter than sawyers and pollute less than any engine driven vehicle. They are responsible for the operation of significantly less dangerous machinery than a car or a boat (according to the insurance companies) and often have no cause to operate their bow or firearm at all in the course of a day afield. Think about it, how many people just sit in their car or boat without ever starting it up and going somewhere?

In addition, hunters must have demonstrated, by test or experience, both a knowledge of the law and their responsibilities under it to be licensed for their activity. Only automobile operators have a similar responsibility. Sawyers, bikers, riders, boaters, sailors and such have no such requirement to demonstrate their awareness of the dangers or impact of their pastimes in shared public places.

It is also important to recognize and honor that hunters pay the state a license fee directly to support the environment of their pursuit. These are the same environmental resource that others do not pay a cent to enjoy as well. Do hikers pay? Boaters? Campers? Swimmers? I could go on.

Now that we have a broader view of the what is reasonable and realistic behavior in public places, let's expand upon an earlier point. Times change. In these times, it is not uncommon for a working person trying to care for their family to work two jobs or six days a week or a weekend job. This is certainly a laudable though often necessary sacrifice and I think you would agree that such individuals should be respected for their efforts and for their responsibility to their family and community. Then isn't it unreasonable to deny this person the opportunity to pursue their interests on the one day they are likely to have any time off for themselves? Do we really expect everyone to be so well off that they can and should take a weekday or a Saturday off from work if they want to go hunting? Is it our intent nowadays to support a law against Sunday hunting that means that responsible hard working individuals should just accept loosing out because they have put their family first? It sure looks like the "haves" are unwilling to share what is in the public trust with the "have nots".
It is time to join the 21st Century. The "Blue Laws" of the 19th Century no longer apply to today's society. Today's society is a 7 day work week with little time spent pursuing ones chosen recreational activities. The continued balking at the issue of Sunday hunting is tantamount to "Recreational Discrimination" There are many arguments that arise in the presence of this issue. All of which hold no weight when really scrutinized. It seems that the biggest debate is the religious belief that Sunday is a day of worship. Isn't there a thing nowadays supported by the constitution called the separation of Church and State. It seems that the continued use of this argument is unconstitutional.
I implore you to vote in the affirmative on these issues when they come to vote. I also implore you to do as much research on the subject as possible. If it works in 43 other states it can't be as bad as others would have you believe.

Wow..... What a post!!!!! [8D] You said it all, and then some! What we all should do is take your post, cut 'n paste it into a Word document, and tweak it out a little bit to make it into a professional letter, and send it to Governor Warner, and all other state officials.

Butch A.

I agree with Butch, but then I usually do. O2b was intelligent and eloquent in his post and I will be doing just like Butch said and sending it to my state delagte.

Well said O2b!!

Hello to all,

As a United Methoidst Pastor, I have had a blast reading the posts and watching the conversation progress. This is good for all of us. It helps each of us to articulate and define our positions. Everyone brings some valid points. Please note, what is below is not an attempt to evanglize, but is just food for thought.

Basicly, here are my final 3 cents...

The "Blue Laws" should not be on the books! I would never want a majority of persons from a different denomination or religion to determine what I can and cannot do.

Food for thought: An orthodox Jew would never hunt for sport. It would be against Levitical Law. The original concept of the Sabbath is an Old Testament idea, that is carried over to the New Testament, yet not in quite the same way. Remember the Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. The idea of the Sabbath was part of the Torah Law that "HAD" to be followed or one was sinnful against God. Yet, for New Testament Christains, we still support the idea of the Sabbath, but not as a law of the Old Testament. Remember Christ came to challenge and change the Law.

Today, for those who are Christians, we look for the relational aspects of the Sabbath, and we ask a critical question...how is our relationship with God enhanced because we keep the Sabbath and how is our relationship with other Christians built up becasue we worship and keep the Sabbath. It does not matter if the Sabbath is taken on Monday, Tuesday, Wed...etc...the fact is that as Christians we are call to take a day of rest and fellowship with God. Simply resting does not cut it, we have to be in tune with the Lord.

Think of all the places in the world were Christians cannot worship, Sudan etc...They have to keep the Sabbath in a very special way. Everyday for them is a day of Sabbath. For they are not sure if tomorrow will come. The Sabbath sould not be legislated, becuase if it is, it might not be the sabbath you really want.

Excellent post, Pastor Mitchell!

I would give anything to be able to hunt on an early Sunday morning, with just myself, my bow, and all of the woodland creatures awakening to the morning hours. To me it would be a perfect opportunity to bond with nature and with God above. I wonder if the Old Testament mentioned anything about Esau not being able to go hunting on a Sunday?!? Ha ha ha....

Butch A.

They say the lord made Sunday a "day of rest".
What better place to rest than in a deer stand???

Good post unitedmethodistpreacherman. I agree with everything you said. I will point out that I feel like I am closest to God when I am hunting. Primarily because at no other point in my life am I without distraction for so long. This is the one time that I have endless hours of no phone ringing, no TV, no wife, no friends, etc I can dedicate my time to the lord. However, I do believe that as a christian we should spend time in fellowship which is why I go to church the majority of the time on Sunday. I just don't think it should be against the law if I decide to spend that time with God in a tree as opposed to spending it with him in church.