Beyond
doubt Scalpay is a christian island, most of the islanders
attend the Free Church of Scotland and a small number
attend The Church of Scotland. As such the Sabbath
(Sunday) holds great importance and is strictly observed.
The
Outer Hebrides (mainly Harris and Lewis) also adhere
to this observance which is often ridiculed in the
press. These islands are possibly the last place in
the United Kingdom that still upholds this way of
life. Until recently it was common to observe the
Sabbath (Sunday) in one form or another throughout
the U.K. but little evidence of this remains.
The
islands are in a unique situation, in that, they can
isolate themselves from the rest of the U.K. on Sundays,
so they may observe the Sabbath (Sunday) without interference
(there are no ferries or flights either to or from
the islands on a Sunday). This has in the past offended
few people, but as time marches on and mobility increases,
and the demands of tourism increase, many people are
now asking why the islands insist on this policy.
Those
who know and love the islands will have some idea
of the complexity of the debate and below is a newspaper
article (kindly donated) which refers to an attempt
to run a ferry on the Sabbath.
