Patriotic conundrum

[Wingnut]

July 4th is on a Sunday this year. How do you feel about patriotic events and special holidays that fall on the Sabbath?

1) Will it be a normal Sunday for you?

2) Will you have a barbeque with family/friends?

3) Will you go see a big fireworks spectacular?

4) Will you do fireworks at home?

What do you feel is or isn't appropriate for a summer holiday like this that falls on the Sabbath?

[Dravin]

Well 1 and 2 are pretty much the same for my family these days. We did used to go camping for the 4th and we'd still do so even if it fell on a Sunday (though I dimly recall holding sacrament meetings out camping once or twice). Growing up in Alaska (as far north as I did) the 4th wasn't a good day for fireworks, and the 4th hasn't been on a Sunday since we moved to Utah. Not sure what we will do, probably do them on the 3rd.

[Just_A_Guy]

All I know is, they're doing Stadium of Fire on Saturday this year.

[Guest mormonmusic]

If it involves my non-member family I do it all on a Sunday. They are religious people themselves, so it's pretty tame usually.

[Jenamarie]

1) Will it be a normal Sunday for you?

We'll still go to church. Even if we were traveling (which we aren't this year) we always try to go to church on Sunday if we can find a chapel.

2) Will you have a barbeque with family/friends?

We'll likely just bbq for ourselves. We have no family near by.

3) Will you go see a big fireworks spectacular?

Probably, yes. It's only a quarter mile away from our house, so it's not like it'd be easy to miss.

4) Will you do fireworks at home?

No, but we never do that anyway.

We also have the interesting twist in our family that the 4th of July is also our oldest son's birthday. So there will be cake and presents from us and the grandparents (via mail) that day as well. No party, though. Probably just a trip to the zoo earlier in the week.

[pam]

Being in Utah most of the activities will be on Saturday. Even the fireworks shows from what I'm understanding.

[Dravin]

Just talked with my Dad, looks like the family is going camping. I'll join them.

[mightynancy]

I was shocked one year when we were in Utah on the 4th. It fell on a Monday, and they moved the fireworks shows to another night.

[pam]

I know in one city in Utah they always have a carnival all day on Saturday followed by fireworks...I think they keep it on that day every year no matter what.

[ADoyle90815]

I live where the LDS population is a minority, so there will be fireworks shows all over on Sunday. I usually go to a BBQ with friends at a local park, where the fireworks show is launched from across the street. Fireworks are illegal in my city, so I don't do any fireworks at home. I'm not LDS, so I have no issues with any celebrations on Sundays at all, so I'll be celebrating on the actual day as I do every year.

Edited June 6, 2010 by ADoyle90815

[marshac]

1) Will it be a normal Sunday for you?

No - We can't light off fireworks here, so we will be traveling to my parent's place.

2) Will you have a barbeque with family/friends?

Yes

3) Will you go see a big fireworks spectacular?

No

4) Will you do fireworks at home?

ABSOLUTELY! My wife and I look forward to this all year long.... we are 'those' neighbors who haul boxes and boxes of fireworks out to the curb in an effort to re-create the experience of WWII until 3AM..... then when we're done and the neighborhood is shrouded in smoke we think "how much did we spend on those?"

Choice Simpsons quote- "What better way to celebrate the birth of your country then by blowing up a small piece of it!"

Edited June 6, 2010 by marshac

[Moksha]

While the 4th of July may fall on a Sunday, the really big day in Utah falls on a Saturday July 24th.

The Daze of '47 Celebration. Bigger fireworks, bigger picnics, bigger parades. Men have even been known and allowed to grow facial hair for this event!

[hordak]

The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

I don't see the sabbath as list of does and do not but as a day of rest. A day to enjoy what i have and to rest from "daily grind". Because of school and work a day of "rest" for my family is spending time together with out other distractions ,such as studies, tv, cleaning, etc so this fits in with our situation perfectly.

[James_Fryman]

yeah our ward holds events on saturdays, with an excellent fireworks show put together by a member who is alowed to own them

[Gwen]

i don't know yet what our city will be doing. probably fireworks on sun. we will most likely do our family things on sat, normal church and such all day sunday and then go view the city fireworks on sun night. i don't see how enjoying the fireworks with your family is totally inappropriate. this is actually the only city i've ever enjoyed the fireworks in and something i look forward to all yr.

a couple of pictures i took last yr.

Gallery » LDS Mormon Network

Gallery » LDS Mormon Network

[Hemidakota]

July 4th is on a Sunday this year. How do you feel about patriotic events and special holidays that fall on the Sabbath?

1) Will it be a normal Sunday for you?

2) Will you have a barbeque with family/friends?

3) Will you go see a big fireworks spectacular?

4) Will you do fireworks at home?

What do you feel is or isn't appropriate for a summer holiday like this that falls on the Sabbath?

I will be at my friend’s ward who is currently serving in the Bishopric. I want to give my testimony and my gratitude for him, with listening to the Spirit on that 1st of July night in preserving my life through the priesthood.

I felt something was wrong when I posted it in the morning in 2008, having many spiritual awakening moments from the Holy Ghost and others across the veil. When night came, I felt unusual pain in the head, the neck, and upper back. Then the pressure grew worst with the sac around the heart to the point it was choking the heart itself. It didn’t help me with blood thickening beyond normality [3.5 mlg vice .5mlg] in the veins and arteries. Aid of my son, who felt helpless as my beloved companion cried out when I began to grasp for air and knew it was a matter of time of relapsing, he ran down the street to one of my friend’s home. He came straight over immediately and gave me a blessing. No more than a couple of minutes I could breathe again. Sadly, the paramedics arrived after the fact. They felt surprise to see such fast recovery. Not only that, after talking to him, he felt the impression of the Spirit in not going to bed or getting undress. He stated, it felt weird for him to receive such impression. But, nevertheless, he complied to the promptings. Amazing member of the church/

Three days latter, left the hospital and as presiding president, was attending church again as nothing had happened. Again, I will be spending that Sunday at his ward, giving thanks to this man’s insight in listening to the Spirit.

What is important to GOD, should be more important to us for any given Sunday.

[pam]

i don't know yet what our city will be doing. probably fireworks on sun. we will most likely do our family things on sat, normal church and such all day sunday and then go view the city fireworks on sun night. i don't see how enjoying the fireworks with your family is totally inappropriate. this is actually the only city i've ever enjoyed the fireworks in and something i look forward to all yr.

a couple of pictures i took last yr.

Gallery » LDS Mormon Network

Gallery » LDS Mormon Network

I'm with you Gwen. I don't see how spending time as a family by watching fireworks is wrong even on the Sabbath.

[Wingnut]

I'm with you Gwen. I don't see how spending time as a family by watching fireworks is wrong even on the Sabbath.

That's kind-of what I've thought, too, and I wanted to see what others thought. I think we're still going to go sit out at the middle school in town and watch the big firework display there.

[Maureen]

If it involves my non-member family I do it all on a Sunday. They are religious people themselves, so it's pretty tame usually.

Hey mormonmusic, I thought your non-member family were Canadian.

M.

PS - For my family on July 4th, my husband calls his sister to wish her a Happy Birthday.

[Tonya9]

Yo, Wingnut:

If my veiws offend anyone, please kindly forgive me, ok>

The Savior said in the New Testament, "The Sabboth is made for man, not

man for the Sabboth." OK, so that leaves the whole issue open to interpretation.

"Worship", I believe (but could be wrong, of course) is a word that implies

conscious contact with Heavenly Father. Some people MAY BELIEVE I am

WRONG to go on jogs through nature of bike rides in the sun on Sunday.

For me, this is worship. Mind you, I realize I FIRST need to go to sacrament

and my other Sunday meetings at church. That, of course, is my first

Sabboth commitment. I had a friend (protestant but not LDS) who would

go hunting on Sunday and say, "My back yard is my church!" He didn't

worship formally in any church community. I didn't really agree with him

because he wasn't meeting the primary requirement of Sabboth which is

formal worship in an assembly of believers.

Sorry about gettin' too wordy. We are "one nation under God (Heavenly Father)"

so I believe any sort of serious (not just beer and the barbecue, watching

Fourth of July events on tv, etc.) patriotic event participation on the 4th

is a fitting and right thing provided we first go to our meetings.

Yours for proud and patriotic living,

Tonya (Catherine)

[bl8tant]

We're planning on having a BBQ, just with our family, followed by watching the big fireworks show our town puts on. I considered, but decided against, running in the annual July 4th 5K because it's on Sunday, but all of the other 4th-related activities y'all have discussed seem perfectly fine inasmuch as they promote family togetherness.

[Guest]

It is a perfectly appropriate day to celebrate the founding of this great and wonderful country that is a testament to God's plan to restore the gospel on this continent. The American Constitution is an inspired piece that is of God.

July 4th is also Filipino-American friendship day! July 4th, 1946 is when the Philippines was liberated from Japanese occupation and the American commonwealth. We became a sovereign country. Another testament to the inspired vision of democracy symbolized by the United States of America.

Double celebration for me! Complete with a block party and joint backyard fireworks. BBQ galore!

[Daniel2020]

4th of July activities are secular activities. Participating in secular activities on a Sunday is not the way to keep the Sabbath Day holy. (They take a person away from--instead of facilitating--rest and worship, the proper Sabbath activities.)

Furthermore, I go to Church to worship God. It upsets me when others--under the guise of patriotism--use Church services to honor and preach about something other than the Gospel of Christ.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Daniel2020