The Indiana Gazette is a daily newspaper that serves Indiana County in Pennsylvania. Local newspapers play a vital role in communities by providing news and information that directly affects residents’ daily lives. Additionally, they foster a sense of community identity, highlighting local achievements, culture, and history. However, when the media starts promoting religious ideologies that align with the political aspirations of Rome, they lose their independence and turn into propaganda operatives, manipulating public opinion.
On November 23, 2024, the Indiana Gazette published an article promoting the idea that only Sunday is the Sabbath. To say that only Sunday is the Sabbath is to push a divisive rhetoric that is not only inaccurate and unfair but also exclusionary.
The newspaper published the following, in part:
• “What image comes to mind when you hear the word Sabbath? A day of rest and relaxation? A day to restore spent batteries? A day to finally schedule those fun activities you don’t have time for the rest of the week? A day to worship God? A nice, long, delicious Sunday afternoon nap? Parking it before the television to watch the game? Or a day to catch up with all the work you couldn’t fit into Monday through Saturday?” [1]
• “For me, Sabbath meant a day of rest, and that, traditionally, was Sunday. And only Sunday.” [1]
•“God created Sabbath on the seventh day to give the rest of what He created balance. A life without Sabbath, without rest, is out of balance. Sabbath is not an option but an integral part of life. A lifestyle, not a day.” [1]
• “Father, I pray for guidance, wisdom and discernment as I continue to follow Your lead of establishing Sabbath margins in my life so that nothing holds me captive but You. Amen.” [1]
To say that the Sabbath is only on Sunday is false because it does not take into account the religious beliefs and biblical practices of groups that hold that the Sabbath falls on Saturday. For Jews and other Christian denominations, such as Seventh-day Adventists, the Sabbath is observed from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening, in accordance with the biblical command to rest on the seventh day (Exodus 20:8-11). This seventh-day Sabbath has been maintained for thousands of years and is deeply rooted in God’s word.
While Sunday is regarded as the day of worship by Roman Catholics and most Protestant traditions, it is not universally accepted by all. To claim that there is no other Sabbath but Sunday is an attempt to erase dissenting interpretations and diminish the religious diversity that exists among faith communities. Respecting minority religious groups is essential for fostering religious freedom and liberty of conscience.
Prophecy warns us that in the last days there will be a struggle over God’s commandments, particularly the Sabbath. In fact, Sabbath-keepers will be subject to persecution for opposing the obligatory observance of Sunday.
“To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for a Sunday law. Those who fear God cannot accept an institution that violates a precept of the Decalogue. On this battlefield comes the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error” (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 450).
“Those who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness, and contempt of authority. They will be accused of disaffection toward the government” (Great Controversy, p. 592).
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