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calum

Dont ya just love it! Progress comes to beautiful Eilean Leodhais at long last. Latest news is that chief bampot, 40yo virgin and Daily Mail columnist John Macleod has turned on his fellow dark-agers in the Lord's Day Observance Soc.

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The Lithgae Jambo · Helping with the Count Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 362

I see that the Ayatollah is still vocal.......I thought he'd have been long gone !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8153418.stm
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calum · Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 8:43 am Post subject:

Here's a petition for Sunday ferry sailings.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Ferry7days/index.html

Piece in a Gaelic blog about it:
http://radgedug.blogspot.com/2009...artas-ga-aiseag-null-leodhas.html
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Reluctant Hero · Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:36 pm Post subject:

I hear what you are saying about progress, but when I think back to the early 90s, it was good to have just one day when shops weren't open etc. Regardless if you are religious or not, if you had one day when most things didn't happen, it would distinguish it from the rest of the week.

Take Sunday dinner for example. Traditionally a time when the family got together for a meal and share on what's happened during the week. This has simply died and I think you can trace it back to commercialism. The pressure to open shops on Sundays is making everyday more or less the same.

In a decade or so, you won't be able to recognise the weekend. One week will end and the next will immediately begin.

I must be getting old Laughing

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Alasdair · Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 7:15 am Post subject:

I agree RH, there is something about rampant commercialism that has seen traditional rest days (and half-days) swept aside in pursuit of greater profitability, although perhaps we shouldn't be surprised given that we are all slaves to the economy and those who govern us see this as the be all and end all of evreything ... we're not people anymore or even the electorate, we're economic units.

What really gets me about this though is Calmac claims about having to run the service due to human rights ... what utter tosh.
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Cymro · Getting on a bit! Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1645

While I'm not particularly religious I don't see this as progress. In fact I'm inclined to see it as the exact opposite. It's only progress for those who want to either make money (which isn't a bad thing in itself in my opinion) or those who feel they have a right to go anywhere any time and ignore the wishes of other communities. I think there is something nice in respecting the nature and wishes of communities and them standing against the surge of 'modern life' in capitalism as has been mentioned, in transport etc. At the end of the day when you visit any area, be it an island, a rural village to walk the hills, a city, anywhere you are a guest of that area and you have a responsibility to respect the wishes and culture of that area. I don't see this development which has been forced over the democratic will of the people via the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (maybe it would have been good to hold a referendum on it though) was ignored by those deemed higher up within Calmac and the EU.

calum · Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:44 pm Post subject:

I see your point RH but the Wee Frees do not want a 'day of rest'. They want a 'day of worship' where not just ferries but washing clothes, watching telly, walking on the beech, playing football, even making meals is frowned upon.

Cymro - in recent years, and i've experienced this, locals in Leodhas have been held back from participating in these kind of 'leisure' activities and chores that people would do on a sunday simply becuase the churches believe they should be in church twice on a sunday or at home doing bible reading.

Bàs dhan chreidseamh seo!
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azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 4291

Cymro · Getting on a bit! Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1645

Aventinian · Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:44 pm Post subject:

I agree with Cymro's first post - 'keeping the Sabbath' is a good thing from a secular angle too.

However ultimately it is down to the individual. By all means respect it yourself, even encourage others to do so, but trying to force a business to remain closed is taking it too far.

If the Isles are a holy as some seem to make out, then there will simply be no demand for this service and it will cease to run.
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calum · Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 7:37 pm Post subject:

If CalMac make money, then surely that's good? CalMac are heavily subsidised and if a Sunday service can help keep all year round routes to smaller islands going then the better. Our rural economies and communities need help and superstition aint gonna do it.

Christians can't even agree on which day is the Sabbath. I was always told Sunday was the first day of the week plus 'Sabbath' is Hebrew for Saturday. In Spanish, 'Sabado' too.

In Europe, Sunday is often a 'family day' with most shops closed but people are not forced into worshipping any 'god' and they still have the choice of travelling.
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Cymro · Getting on a bit! Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1645

calum · Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 10:42 am Post subject:

Sorry, CalMac does need to make money and this route is and will be very popular. Yesterday, hundreds of locals turned out to cheer the ferry. That speaks volumes.

I don't share your visions of doom. This has not happened on Skye or the Uists where Sunday ferries are the norm. We ARE talking about human rights here. Just because these islands are deemed 'romantic' or 'beautiful' does not mean that ordinary people should not have the same rights to the services others enjoy.

I remember Lewis before it had street lights and pavements anywhere outside Steornabhagh. There were few buses, even to sites of interest such as Calanais. This all has come and is welcomed. Sunday ferries will be a great success and judging by yesterdays wellwishers, many locals do not want to live in a religious museum.
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calum · Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 10:45 am Post subject:

Regarding Skye, the only problem i'd identify is with so-called 'white settlers' buying the houses at inflated prices and opening craft shops which are of little local use. Having said that, it isn't all doom and gloom. The Gaelic college is a huge success and numbers of Gaelic speaking children are on the rise in Skye. Popelation too seems to be on the rise.

Hopefully this will happen in Lewis too.
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Dave Coull · Independentista Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 2809

calum · Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject:

Not true. Many Christians question the authority of having the Saturday 'Sabbath' on the Sunday. For example:
http://www.khouse.org/articles/2000/223/

Christians though hold the Sabbath on the wrong day, nevertheless. I was told this much by Christian scholar and professor of RME at Jordanhill College, Chris Foxon.

Either way, i object to having my life dictated by followers of middle-eastern folklore. As much as i'm interested in the Fenian cycle and stories of Fionn and CuChulainn, i don't see them as a basis for which to moralise and run society.
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Dave Coull · Independentista Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 2809

Most of the English names for days of the week have pagan origins, either Nordic or Roman. Sunday is the Sun's day, Monday is the moon's day, Tuesday is Tew's day, Wednesday is Woden's day, Thursday is Thor's day, Friday is Freya's day, and Saturday is Saturn's day.

Cymro · Getting on a bit! Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1645

calum · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:03 pm Post subject:

Dave, it doesn't take much for Christians to disagree with each other.

As so Sabbath - to orthodox Christians and Jews it does 'mean' Saturday just as it 'means' Sunday to most modern day Christians. Either way Sabbath/Saturday/day of rest is not held on the appropriate day by these Christians. As to my 'opinion' - aint that what religion is about? It's not proof certainly.

It is also the considered opinion of Chris Foxon. I'm not in a position to question Chris Foxon's credentials as scholar of religion but i'm happy to trust what he says. However, i'd love to hear about your credentials and grounds for questioning him.
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calum · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:11 pm Post subject:

Cymro - you forget that many islanders want a 7 day service. In fact a year round service is likely to benefit islanders more than tourists. I know and work with a few who'd love the opportunity to visit home more often from a Friday night to Sunday. If in doubt, go and google the Niseach Dr. Finlay Macleod's comments on the issue.

As to holiday homes. I can't see how an extra day's sailing will affect this. This has already been an issue for years anyway. If you know the Nis area of Lewis, you'll know it's one of the most traditional in terms of Gaelic speaking and 'traditional' industries such as crofting and fishing. However, even here the numbers of 'white settlers' has been on the rise for years and many of the multitude of homes you do see in Nis, that arent' already sold to incomers are either empty or occupied by an ageing Niseach.

The islands need all the help they get for their communities. The right to travel is a very basic one but the religious lobby wish to impede ANY activity on the 'Lord's Day' that does not include worship. Even the local sports centre is kept closed. Religious views are not a good enough reason to hinder progress.

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