Paul D. Naylor: Flexible faith

On a recent Sunday, while enjoying my Bloody Maria cocktail as part of Sunday brunch at a local restaurant, I had time to reflect on “sincerely held religious beliefs.”

Back in 1979 when I moved to North Carolina, I was not able to have my Sunday cocktail until after 1 p.m., due to “sincerely held religious beliefs” enforced by statute.

But a few years later, due to the arrival of the religion of professional football, these “sincerely held religious beliefs” enforced by statute were changed to accommodate the tailgating ritual of this new religion.

So now I am able to enjoy my Sunday cocktail at noon rather than 1 p.m. Praise the Lord.

This story was originally published July 4, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Paul D. Naylor: Flexible faith."