Georgia is apparently one of only three states that maintains blue laws. A blue law is a law specifically designed to enforce moral standards often in regards to what activities may occur on Sundays.
Here in Georgia, you may not purchase alcoholic beverages at the local grocery store after midnight on Saturday and before Midnight on Sunday. There are exceptions in the code for eating establishments and large sporting or performance venues (O.C.G.A. § 3-3-7).
I really didn’t have an opinion on the matter either way until the Georgia Christian Coalition began being quoted again and again regarding the issue.
On their homepage they have posted their apparent position:
Senate Bill 137, which would legalize the sale of packaged liquor on Sundays, is currently up for review by Georgia Senate. The Georgia Christian Coalition opposes this measure on the grounds that greater access to alcohol on Sundays would lead to an increase in DUIs and other alcohol related incidences.
Wait. No concern over keeping the Sabbath holy? The grounds for opposition are reduced DUIs? Jim Beck, president of the Georgia Christian Coalition has promised his own e-mail drive to get opponents of Sunday alcohol sales into the fight.
But it was noted by Sen Nan Orrock that when the question regarding the sale of alcohol at the new Gwinnett County baseball stadium came up, the Georgia Christian Coalition was silent. It was only after Sen Orrock brought up the issue, that Jim Breck commented:
Jim Beck, president of the Georgia Christian Coalition, said his group makes a distinction “between alcohol sold by a vendor —- at a bar or at a stadium —- and packaged alcohol sales where no liability is attached should someone overserve a customer.”
My point in writing about all this is NOT to get into an argument over the sale of alcohol on Sundays. My point is to show that not everyone waving a Christian flag around or printing the word on their letter head has the best interest of the Church in mind. The name of Christ is often associated with folks who cannot make a rational argument, who argue over things that really are not important in the grand scheme of Kingdom building. While we are out fighting battles, on questionable ground, over taxes and alcohol sales, Satan is sitting in our churches stirring up gossip and covetousness. While we are acting like Pharisees, enacting blue laws to “protect the Sabbath”, we are failing in regards to sound doctrine within the church.
Paul warned Titus to “avoid foolish controversies and strifes and disputes about the Law” (Titus 3:9) yet here we are, doing exactly that. These petty strifes interfere with our testimonies regarding truly important matters.