Saturday, July 18, 2009
Caledonian MacBrayne under fire
An unholy row has broken out over a ferry company's decision to sail on Sunday between a Scottish island and the mainland. Residents on the Isle of Lewis who keep a strict Sabbath — no television, no housework, no shopping — are angry that the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry company is to start running services between Stornoway, the island's capital, and Ullapool on the Scottish mainland. The company says it has no choice because not to run the service would potentially put it in breach of European laws on equality. Presbyterian residents on the predominantly Gaelic-speaking island say the service is threatening both their faith and their lifestyle.
"This is an affront to the wishes and religious beliefs of the people of the island and CalMac has run roughshod over us," said John Roberts, spokesman for the Lord's Day Observance Society.
"The Sunday ferry service is a direct threat to this way of life which stands for Christian beliefs, the Bible and the word of God. We'll end up with Sundays like they are in the rest of the U.K. or the U.S. where it is just, go to church on Sunday morning and the rest of the day is yours."
The national Keep Sunday Special campaign said it was concerned people were being forced to accept Sunday sailings against their wishes.
Given that taxpayers have an interest in CalMac, the legal advice they received should be made public as their decision may have serious consequences across the UK. The Western Isles have long maintained Sunday as a day of rest to protect relationships and preserve community. Sunday sailings will inevitably lead to more Sunday working. The evidence is clear that parents who work on a Sunday see less of their children that day and most do not make up for the lost time on another day. The sailings will also change the nature of the entire community. Keep Sunday Special believes in having time for family, friends and community. Culturally, Sunday has provided a great time to do this.
IMO: By now most people on the mainland do not seem to care about Sunday work, which shows the sad state of the many clerics there. But the islands are being subjected to European law without their consent, or any referendum as promised by Westminster.
"This is an affront to the wishes and religious beliefs of the people of the island and CalMac has run roughshod over us," said John Roberts, spokesman for the Lord's Day Observance Society.
"The Sunday ferry service is a direct threat to this way of life which stands for Christian beliefs, the Bible and the word of God. We'll end up with Sundays like they are in the rest of the U.K. or the U.S. where it is just, go to church on Sunday morning and the rest of the day is yours."
The national Keep Sunday Special campaign said it was concerned people were being forced to accept Sunday sailings against their wishes.
Given that taxpayers have an interest in CalMac, the legal advice they received should be made public as their decision may have serious consequences across the UK. The Western Isles have long maintained Sunday as a day of rest to protect relationships and preserve community. Sunday sailings will inevitably lead to more Sunday working. The evidence is clear that parents who work on a Sunday see less of their children that day and most do not make up for the lost time on another day. The sailings will also change the nature of the entire community. Keep Sunday Special believes in having time for family, friends and community. Culturally, Sunday has provided a great time to do this.
IMO: By now most people on the mainland do not seem to care about Sunday work, which shows the sad state of the many clerics there. But the islands are being subjected to European law without their consent, or any referendum as promised by Westminster.
# posted by uv : 9:26 AM
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
