I HAVE held back joining the debate re Sunday trading, but now feel comment needs to be made in response to both sides of the debate.
The Rev P Kyle (Letters, July 4) on this subject states Sunday has been set apart for the things of God. The fault with this statement lies in the use of the word normal. There are no normal working days left any more due to so called modern living and commerce demands re globalisation.
Today in Britain we live in a multi-cultural society, all with differing values and social arrangements. It is not the norm any more to work 9-5 Monday to Saturday and it is this society which allows freedom of choice as to how we spend our leisure time.
Many families/couples only have their days off together in midweek or again only on a Sunday, so they might decide to go shopping together. (Retail is acknowledged as the biggest leisure industry in Britain). This choice should not be condemned as the family unit is still together in this activity.
The opening of Tavistock Pannier Market for trading on a Sunday will certainly not decrease the numbers attending church. It will hopefully be a place where families and indeed the many lonely/single people in our community can meet and talk with others in a pleasant atmosphere.
I do not see trading on a Sunday as a sin (I am a practising Roman Catholic and lay reader) and would draw to the attention of Mr Kyle that in Catholic countries, trading on a Sunday has been the 'norm' for hundreds of years.
Finally, and this point does need to be made, the Church of England is one of Britain's biggest property owners and owns a share in some of Britain's biggest shopping malls. Why? to boost the clergy pension fund.
We did not hear an outcry from the Church when the Metro Centre opened on a Sunday for trading in the early 90s because the Church had a massive investment in that particular shopping centre.
John J Brady
Market Reeve
Tavistock
IN response to the letter from the Rev Phillip Kyle , I am confused by his arguments.
Jesus was Jewish and celebrated the Sabbath on what we now call Saturday. Sabbath is a Hebrew word. Therefore if the 'Sabbath' has been put aside for God's work then all Christians are breaking God's law by working on a Saturday. Or is it not really what God wants that matters, but the way man wants to interpret what He says?
I have no axe to grind on this issue but surely the Reverend is wrong by suggesting that Sunday is for God's work. Is it not better to view every day a day for God's work.
For to package this to a Sunday is to say that all other days are owned by and for the worship of Satan. Looking around one might believe this is the case. If God's work is to be done on one day only — then heaven help us all!
Brian A A Trew
46 Chaucer Road
Tavistock