Is working on the computer servile work?

[FriendlyJosh]

This is regards to working on Sunday.

 

[CryOfALion]

The Hebrew word for servile work is "abodah," which means laborious work. If you are actually working by using the computer - as in, what you are doing goes toward your job responsibilities - then that is servile work.

If you are playing Starcraft, or surfing the net that wouldn't qualify as servile (but, it wouldn't be an honorable convocation to God.)

The point of the Sabbath was to get the Hebrews out of the slave mentality of working every single day. The emphasis is on actual labor and work. You can "do work" as in using energy to do something, but it isn't to be servile. When Christ healed, that was considered work to the Pharisees because they missed the point. They had more restrictions in the Sabbath than God put on us, and they were teaching other people the same restrictions.

 

[FriendlyJosh]

nevermind thanks for taking the time to share.

 

[CryOfALion]

are you sure? what i've seems to indicate manual labor

"What is Servile Work?
The sort of work traditionally done be manual laborers. Includes: plowing, drilling, digging seed, gardening, lawn mowing, mechanicing, welding, loading, plastering, house painting, folding laundry, ironing, or sowing."
source: Catholic Answers Forums - View Single Post - What is servile work?

servile work
1. (Roman Catholic Church) RC Church work of a physical nature that is forbidden on Sundays and on certain holidays
source:servile work - definition of servile work by The Free Dictionary


Unnecessary Servile Work:
Servile work is that which requires labor of body rather than of mind.
Work performed by laborers, such as farming, mechanical and industrial labor, is forbidden, even if done for pleasure and without gain. Work in which the mind has the greater share or which is done for recreation is not servile and is not forbidden. This includes reading, writing, typing, drawing, painting, playing music, traveling, hunting, fishing, and the like. However, with the advance of the computer age there is a fine line that has blurred to where people become engrossed in their own 'thing', if you will, and ignore their neighbor, even their family, and worse, forget what the Sabbath really means.
source:Catholicism Made Simple (cms36.htm) as featured on The DailyCatholic, a Traditional Catholic publication dedicated to perpetuating the One True Faith and preserving the Traditional Latin Mass in this time of the Great Apostasy by upholding the sedeva

I am sure - the Hebrew is specific. And, this is what I meant before: these "rules and classifications" of allowed work is the same mistake the Pharisees made - which is why they accused Him. Chris even told them about Daniel picking ears of corn; that would be considered servile to the Pharisees.

The Sabbath is not about creating a prison for a day where you are afraid to turn off your lights, or get something to eat. It is a rest day. As I said, people have complicated the Sabbath - putting more restrictions than God gave us.

 

[pdudgeon]

I am sure - the Hebrew is specific. And, this is what I meant before: these "rules and classifications" of allowed work is the same mistake the Pharisees made - which is why they accused Him. Chris even told them about Daniel picking ears of corn; that would be considered servile to the Pharisees.

The Sabbath is not about creating a prison for a day where you are afraid to turn off your lights, or get something to eat. It is a rest day. As I said, people have complicated the Sabbath - putting more restrictions than God gave us.

you make a very valid point in your description of the way the work is done, as well as the need for a day set aside for rest; both mental rest and physical rest.

We are so used to working that often we work more or longer hours than we should, and we pay for that in not having enough time for our family life, or not enough time for sufficient sleep or rest.
Of course the work that fills our hours is important, but over the long time span of our lives it's importance is fleeting compared to the importance of our families, or treating our body with respect and care so that we don't burn out from exhaustion.

The problem is never that there's not enough work to do---the problem is found in the importance we ourselves (or others who are over us) assign to that work.