SABBATH, PARADOX, AND THE REST OF THE STORY The Sabbath/ Shabbat is rooted in Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15. It is a most basic reminder “to rest, to cease, to keep.” Jesus brought new light to the Sabbath law and traditions. Should a doctor stand by at home on the Sabbath and let a patient die? Does a doctor need a day to rest? What does a Sabbath day mean to you, your neighbor or another faith tradition? Let us fast forward from Bible lessons and questions about Sabbath to 2019 and fast food and retailing. Toss in a side salad of hypocrisy with a dash of paradox and let us go under the surface to find the truth beyond the headlines on Facebook, Twitter, or your favorite newsfeed. Remember Paul Harvey (1918 – 2009) and ‘The Rest of the Story’? My taste in fast food has evolved over six decades. My favorites over time went from Frisch’s (especially the fish sandwich, double tartar sauce and onion rings during Lent) to White Castle (midnight snack and delicious coffee ) to McDonald's (double quarter pounders – no cheese), to Wendy's (Chili, Frosty and fries) back to McDonald's (Egg McMuffin or McGriddle) and recently to Chick-fil-A. They offer exceptional chicken sandwiches with pickles, fresh salads and funny advertising. There has been a mysterious fuzzy line in my mind between
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Faith Food
hypocrisy and paradox. To others the difference in these two words and concepts might be obvious, but not to me. I went to a dictionary and the Greek root of the words and found hypocrisy = to pretend to be something one is not. Paradox = to find something contrary to expectation. Personal hypocrisy - I have a love/hate relationship with sugar and could eat a dozen donuts all by myself in one day. I know that sugar is bad for me and causes systemic inflammation in my body. I tell people to cut back on sugar yet don’t walk the talk as I can put down four chocolate chip cookies with a glass of chocolate milk as an afternoon snack before my nap. This hypocrisy annoys me. I beg for forgiveness and pray for the strength to resist. Personal paradox - I know Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays to give their employees a day off to rest and enjoy personal time. Chick-fil-A is thus a rare corporate enterprise that walks its talk and honors the Sabbath. But my digital newsfeed recently announced that the city council of San Antonio, Texas, approved a measure that barred my current favorite fast food chain from opening a location in the San Antonio airport. What? How in the world is a fast food restaurant creating such controversy? What is in the heart of this corporation?
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