National Sunday Law: Fact or Fiction?   2nd Edition

Appendix

Lord's Day Alliance Response to National Sunday Law

By Dirk Anderson, 2022


Statement by Tim Norton, Director of Lord's Day Alliance

"I believe in the volunteer way of worship and I do not believe that there should ever be a state church and therefore do not propound any kind of a civil religion.

"I appreciate the freedom we have in our country and as I told you, I will do everything I can to help maintain that freedom, which includes freedom of worship. It is also completely foreign to me...to be involved in any kind of persecution with anyone who disagreed with me on any subject including the day of worship. ...we believe that the best way for people to worship as they should, is to worship as they are led without any legislation forcing that worship or that day of rest."

Lord's Day Alliance Responds to Questions from www.nonegw.org

QUESTION: Are you in favor of passing Sunday legislation which would prohibit Seventh-day Adventists from working on Sunday?

ANSWER: Absolutely Not! No laws should be passed to prohibit anyone from working on Sunday.

QUESTION: Do you believe it is likely, or even possible, that Sunday legislation recognizing Sunday as a national holiday will be passed in the next 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?

ANSWER: No, nor would we ever be supportive of such an effort.

QUESTION: Would you favor legislation to force Seventh-day Adventists to honor Sunday on penalty of imprisonment or death?

ANSWER: Absolutely not...this would be preposterous. This idea of supporting such penalties for not honoring Sunday has been attributed to our organization in the past, but such claims have never been true.

QUESTION: o you favor a worldwide, universal Sunday law to enforce Sunday observance upon the entire world?

ANSWER: Absolutely not.


The source of the above is: Tim Norton, Executive Director, Lord's Day Alliance, in an e-mail sent to Dirk Anderson, Feb. 17, 2001. Following is the e-mail exchange in its entirety.

Dear Dirk,

Thank you for your inquiry. I think our position has been clearly identified in the past, however I will answer your questions just as presented below. As well, I would refer you to the statement of my predecessor at the Lord's Day Alliance, Jack P. Lowndes, as posted on your website. Our positions have not changed.

"I believe in the volunteer way of worship and I do not believe that there should ever be a state church and therefore do not propound any kind of a civil religion.

I appreciate the freedom we have in our country and as I told you, I will do everything I can to help maintain that freedom, which includes freedom of worship. It is also completely foreign to me...to be involved in any kind of persecution with anyone who disagreed with me on any subject including the day of worship. ...we believe that the best way for people to worship as they should, is to worship as they are led without any legislation forcing that worship or that day of rest."

As well, I am attaching a personal statement I have prepared on the matter. Please let me know if I can provide additional information.

Finally, what exactly is the purpose of your work? Please let me know.

Sincerely,
Tim Norton
Executive Director, The Lord's Day Alliance of the U.S.
770.936.5376
tnorton@ldausa.org

>>> "Dirk Anderson, editor" 02/17/01 12:00AM >>> Dear Mr. Norton,

I was wondering if you could clarify your position on several issues:

1. Are you in favor of passing Sunday legislation which would prohibit Seventh-day Adventists from working on Sunday?
Absolutely Not ? No laws should be passed to prohibit anyone from working on Sunday.

2. Do you believe it is likely, or even possible, that Sunday legislation recognizing Sunday as a national holiday will be passed in the next 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?
No, nor would we ever be supportive of such an effort.

3. Would you favor legislation to force Seventh-day Adventists to honor Sunday on penalty of imprisonment or death?
Absolutely Not...this would be preposterous. This idea of supporting such penalties for not honoring Sunday has been attributed to our organization in the past, but such claims have never been true.

4. Do you favor a worldwide, universal Sunday law to enforce Sunday observance upon the entire world?
Absolutely Not

Thanks in advance.

God bless,
Dirk Anderson


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