Ken Ivory is a member of the Utah House of Representatives, a Republican serving District 39, and a member of the Latter Day Saints. He is also working to pass a law that would prevent major corporate franchises such as Burger King, Jiffy Lube, Pizza Hut, and others from requiring their local franchise owners to operate on Sundays. As an elected official, Ken Ivory’s job is to pass laws that address the needs of the state—and Sunday laws mandating time off for rest and worship have become a priority.
On December 9, 2024, The Salt Lake Tribune published an article titled “LDS House Republican Proposes Bill to Keep Franchise Locations from Having to Open Sundays” and expressed the following:
• “Many Christians, including members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, take the biblical proscription ‘thou shalt not do any work’ on the Sabbath not as a recommendation but as a commandment.” [1]
• “Now, a Utah legislator wants to make that edict a tad easier to heed by adding his own ‘thou shalt not’ into state law, forbidding corporations — from Burger King to Jiffy Lube to Pizza Hut — from requiring that franchise owners open on Sunday.” [1]
• “This bill is about respecting the religious beliefs and practices of those who choose to own and operate a franchise so they can choose to preserve a day of rest or worship,” Rep. Ken Ivory said in a news release. “This bill provides them with the freedom to observe the same ‘Sundays excepted’ right and expectation enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.” [1]
• “It appears the West Jordan Republican is extrapolating from Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution, which states that any bill not returned by the president “within 10 days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law.” This is the only place where the “Sundays excepted” phrase appears in the nation’s founding document.” [1]
• “Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, recently announced a bill that would prevent franchisors from demanding store owners operate on Sundays unless business owners have already contracted to do so.” [1]
• “The news release only mentions a Sunday exemption. It doesn’t state whether the proposed measure would offer similar religious freedom protections for Friday, the Sabbath for Muslims, or Saturday, the principal worship day for Seventh-day Adventists and followers of Judaism.” [1]
Sunday law advocates in the United States are making gradual progress toward the ultimate goal of mandating nationwide business closures on Sundays. This recent initiative in Utah, which targets major franchises under the guise of promoting worship, family values, and rest, demonstrates a strategic plan to normalize Sunday restrictions. If passed, this will undoubtedly help create a precedent that could be replicated elsewhere, framing the policy as a moral and social benefit.
Think about what is happening. We are talking about a calculated push by Republicans in Utah to pass a law with the goal of enforcing Sunday closures. It would be a statewide Sunday law for franchises. How long before all other businesses face the same pressure? How long will it be before other states become emboldened with these actions and impose their own Sunday closings? In any event, the Sunday movement is working to make Sunday laws more widely enforced, and we’re getting closer every day to the Mark of the Beast crisis.
Ellen G. White, a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, extensively warned about the coming of Sunday laws in her writings. She described Sunday laws as part of a broader movement that would lead to the enforcement of false worship and persecution of those who honor the biblical Sabbath (Saturday). Sunday laws would emerge under the pretext of promoting morality and social order but would ultimately restrict religious freedom and compel individuals to act against their conscience.
“The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance” (Great Controversy, p. 592).
“The Protestant churches will unite with the papal power in persecuting the commandment keepers. This union will be cemented by the grand apostate. While he seeks to unite his adherents in a grand unity, he will urge his followers to suppress dissent and enforce Sunday observance” (Last Day Events, p. 144).
“Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world” (Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 18).
“The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world. In a limited degree it has already gone forth; in several places the civil power is speaking with the voice of a dragon just as the prophecy has foretold” (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 451).
Sources
[1] https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/09/lds-lawmaker-proposes-bill/
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