Strange story in the Times this week.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6513866.ece
An orthodox Jewish couple are suing the other neighbours in their block of flats for installing a motion sensor to automatically turn on the light in the communal stairwell when anyone leaves their flat. Their argument is that they will now be imprisoned in their flat over the Sabbath because if they try to leave, the light will automatically come on and they will have been responsible. They will thus have done "work" on the Sabbath, which is forbidden.
Whilst I am fully in support of maintaining religious customs, I can't help thinking that they are approaching this issue from completely the wrong side. An automatic motion sensor should be every good Jew's answer to prayer as it prevents the necessity for them to do "work" by manually switching the light on, and ensures that they don't break their necks falling down the stairs in the dark - thus creating a lot more work for the doctors and nurses at the Jewish hospital!
Come to that, if they are that strict in their observance, why would they want to leave the flat on the Sabbath anyway? In scientific terms, even a leisurely stroll round the park opposite would involve considerably more work than simply flicking a light switch (or not, as the case may be).
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