Sunday, October 2, 2011

Sitting In The Dark

The Telegraph is reporting this great advance for British Jewry:

Britain is to get its first ‘hands-free’ pedestrian crossing – so that devout Jews do not have to break a religious law that prohibits them from using electricity or operating machinery on the Sabbath.

What is most interesting are the near 700 or so comments, which clearly misunderstand the "prohibition on using electricity" and help remind us what a peculiar religion we really are:

So in our dark, freezing cold winter months in the U.K, do they all sit in the dark and freeze on the Sabbath including babies, small children the elderly and infirm... never heard anything quite so crazy ever? Religion at it's very worst.

And one guy who clearly does get it:

f these folks were really determined to stick to the laws of their faith the could not use these new lights any way because - they are powered by electricity! The problem with so many of these radical, devout members of so many religions is they are always looking for an out to breaking their own religious laws. In this case a handful are looking for an out and a handout from the British public of millions of pounds so they can go out when they are restricted by their religion from doing so. If you want to be religious, great, but don't ask your fellow citizens to pay for it and if you are that religious quit trying to find a way to trick God's laws.
- helen, north west, 2/10/2011 17:49
Exactly what I was think Mark! Perhaps I am a bit thick. What I don't understand theses ancient laws were handed to moses thousands of years ago, long before electricity was harnessed and controlled. Did Moses know then that one day we are going to have electric gadgets? - Mark, Wirral, 02/10/2011 16:45

I don't understand this, surely the fact that they dont touch a button makes any difference? If I was waiting to cros a road and someone else pressed the button, when the man goes green I walk and I would count this as me using this 'electric device' regardless or not if I was the one to physically press the button. Just my opinion anyway.
- Nic, Cambridge, 2/10/2011 16:11
 

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