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 6 Jul 2004 @ 12:26, by celestial
Author of "Judiasm: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow;"
and "A GLOBAL ETHIC."
April 01, 1994
Mr. Hans Küng C/O
The Crossroads Publishing Company Co.,
370 Lexington Avenue,
New York, N.Y. 10017
Dear Mr. Küng,
This week, I just finished reading your book "Judiasm: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow." Your effort to help reconcile the Jews, Muslims, and Christians is the most admirable effort I've seen; however, considering their stance on the creation and the Sabbath (and Sunday), I seriously doubt they will fully accept each other on all levels until they acknowledge the truth that the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath.
Your book raises the question whether the Sabbath can ever be reconciled among the various religions and has it led us to believe the Sabbath is the only workable routing for humanity. It also raises a theory concerning the concept of Sabbath. Herein may lie the solution to the dilemma.
On page 3, you give a brief reflection on world history with homo sapiens existing for possibly 200,000 years as opposed to religion's estimate of 6,000 years. On page 515, you state that the week does not have an astronomical basis like the month and the year. By historical criticism and much research we now realize that the creator did not create the earth in six (6) days (and rest on the seventh (7)); therefore, it should be obvious the concept of Sabbath was purely a creation of man's mind (the Sabbath was created for man) as was also the week. I propose the theory that had the month originally been divided into three (3) weeks, a ten (10) day week, the concept of Sabbath would have dictated that the earth was created in nine (9) days and the Lord rested on the tenth (10th)!
You are correct concerning the Sabbath (page 514) that economic, political and religious issues are fused into an explosive mixture which can become dangerous in any society. In no way should we abandon a periodic day of rest with its collective benefits to society, but our headlong rush toward less work and more leisure seems to be the leading cause of the disintegration of society (the idle mind is the workshop of...); it is also the direct route to poverty (bankruptcy). Proverbs 6:6-11 admonishes us to observe (duplicate?) the behavior of certain social, colonized insects (ex, ants; honey bees?). Collectively, to avoid extinction, humanity must work toward a single goal, the colonization of space.
To conclude, I ask these questions, which if unanswered now, must be addressed in the near future. How will the Sabbath apply on other planets, which we will eventually colonize, and which have completely different astronomical calendars (and possibly multiple moons)? Since man has recently recognized that he has the ability to physically alter not only the angle of axis of the rotation of the earth, its rate of rotation, as well as its orbital path (all which can be performed on other planets, as well as our moon), can the traditional Sabbath actually stand as an absolute in full view of advancing truth?
Thank you for writing that book; I read it with my mind on a solution and I hope I have helped contribute to the solution.
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Category: Opinions
5 comments
6 Jul 2004 @ 12:59 by spiritseek : sabbath
to me means to take one day any day to rest and have fun, if not how can we relax from the stress.
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That is the point of sabbath. My point in the letter to Mr. Kung was that the "WEEK" could have been 10 days long in the begining, instead of 7 days, and the "day of rest" would have been on the 10th day instead of the 7th day.
6 Jul 2004 @ 15:07 by : hmm
to stop everyone falling out about actual time earth time space time planet time etc etc it will probably be easier to just stick to GMT !*grin*
But no - I think even if the first sabbath took place on the tenth day - there will always be someone who just has to disagree - and go to war over it eventually !
Taken in big enough lumps - or even tiny little atom ones - time loses it's meaning - it stretches and or it shrinks - it goes faster or slower - and yet - time is all we have .. for the 'moment' !
I hope we learn to put it to good use ! (before it runs out !!!)
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WAR. Now there is a tragedy of mankind. At times I think of all the people who died prematurely due to wars, etc., and wonder what the world would actually be like now if they had not died; what those deceased would have contributed.
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crikey ! there you have some material for a whole new log !!
War isn't obligatoiry though - maybe if one engaged in more dialogue we'll eventually find common ground !
6 Jul 2004 @ 15:10 by vibrani : Sabbath
every religion has their own appointed day of rest - I don't think the same hour or day for everyone is necessary. For me Sabbath is a time to let go of the mundane world and get back in touch with spirit, to do what is enjoyable, and to recuperate the body, and how we each do that varies.
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Excellent point. I'm all for diversity and can only hope and pray that all religions can and will be tolerant and respectful of each others beliefs.
6 Jul 2004 @ 16:47 by martha : I agree with Nora
and why not take a bit of each day for rest so therefore every day is sabbath.
6 Jul 2004 @ 16:51 by : Gosh - what an excellent Idea !
wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone took some time out - every day - to celebrate their sabbath ! Talk about Peace on Earth and goodwill !
Yes - good suggestion - I'm for it !
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