Labor was suspended and no national or private feasts were permitted to take place. Religious authorities went to great pain to fix the commencement of the month. Also, the Gnosticism of the Lycus Valley had its systems of new moon worship as well. Religious mechanism can attack our faith. If we place special value on religious apparatus rather than upon the person of Christ, we lose the reality of Christianity.
Many people give up food for lint.
Others wear uniforms or special clothing. Earlier this century many evangelicals would not travel on Sunday or go into an establishment where liquor was sold. Some Christian even chant mantras believing that God will specially bless them. What moment we think that our religion can commend us to God, we miss the boat about how to live the Christian life. If we were to keep the Sabbath day we would worship on Saturday.