Thanksgiving - Who Do You Thank?

Discussion in 'Faith & Religion' started by Joseph Carl, Nov 21, 2022.

  1. Joseph Carl

    Joseph Carl Very Well-Known Member
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    From the 16th century explorers, to the 17th century pilgrims and settlers, to the 18th century Founding Fathers, and continuing to the mid 20th century, America has embraced Christianity. Though the secular educational system of today won't teach it and popular culture rejects it, there's a prevalence of laws, institutions, monuments, historical records, and quotes we have to support this claim. Nowhere is this more evident than the Thanksgiving proclamations that have been made by Congress, Presidents, and State Governors, with the Federal government alone issuing over 170 of them to date.

    I don't expect many individuals today bother to read the presidential proclamations that are released each year, yet alone the historical ones accessible now on the internet. A reading of the earlier ones though reveals the religious nature that our nation's leaders applied to this occasion. Consider this prime example from the country's most notable Founding Father:

    Proclamation for a Public Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer, October 3, 1789,
    by George Washington - 1st President of the United States of America

    “Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor - and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God ... Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be - That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks - for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation - for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence ... and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us. And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions ...to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue ...”

    Is there any separation of church and state being exhibited here? Is there any political correctness or ambiguity for accommodating irreligious people or those of other, non-Christian religions? Is there any doubt of who deserves the thanks, glory and honor for our country's many blessings?

    It seems Americans today are still committed to sitting down with family, enjoying a fine meal, and celebrating Thanksgiving day. But today's suppressed Christian culture has diluted the religious holiday. It's still common perhaps to hear people acknowledge their blessings, to express gratefulness, to even give thanks. But how often are those blessings specifically attributed to God? I'd suggest that such connection is being lost in our secular society.

    To those who sit down this year with any kind of meal or life worthy of giving thanks, I'd ask, who are you thanking? If it's not the God of the universe who governs all things, then what's the point? Giving thanks is only rational if there's a real, specific recipient. For 400 years, Americans recognized and publicly thanked the Christian God of the Bible for their blessings. That tradition continues on today with the Thanksgiving holiday, but honestly, can only be done if God's openly invited to the table.
     
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  2. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    It's kind of ironic they would proclaim America land of the free while housing many slaves.
    Most of the founders wanted to do away with slavery but South Carolina and if memory serves me one other state wouldn't join the Union and sign if they couldn't keep their slaves.
    The separation of church and state made Holidays a choice to be religious or not.

    And for good reason since it the Inquisition wasn't too long passed, nor the Massacre of Protestants at Huguenot, Florida by the Spanish Catholics.

    https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=dc70284c14cd69a4JmltdHM9MTY2ODk4ODgwMCZpZ3VpZD0xODI0MmQxZS1jMjg3LTZlODktMjFjOC0zZjdkYzM5MDZmZjMmaW5zaWQ9NTQ0Ng&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=18242d1e-c287-6e89-21c8-3f7dc3906ff3&psq=huguebot,florida+protestasnt+massacre&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9qZWFucmliYXVsdC5vcmcvMTU2NS10aGUtbWFzc2FjcmUtb2YtdGhlLWh1Z3Vlbm90cy1ieS10aGUtc3BhbmlzaC1pbi1mbG9yaWRhLyM6fjp0ZXh0PVRoZSUyME1hc3NhY3JlJTIwT2YlMjBUaGUlMjBIdWd1ZW5vdCUyMEJ5JTIwVGhlJTIwU3BhbmlzaCxoYWQlMjBiZWVuJTIwY2FwdHVyZWQlMjBhbmQlMjB0aGV5JTIwbmVlZGVkJTIwdG8lMjBzdXJyZW5kZXIu&ntb=1


    1565: The Massacre Of The Huguenots By The Spanish In Florida
    POSTED ON AUGUST 27, 2020 BY CALVIN BRYANT


    The early history of Florida, was a time of turmoil, as the race to establish colonies in the New World began to take place. Coinciding with the religious wars of by the Catholic Church that were taking place in Europe, the scene was set for religious conflict and bloodshed. However, it was far from the shores of Europe, in the unlikely destination of St. Augustine, Florida, that one of the most brutal massacres of the time took place. In fact, Fort Matanzas, just south of St. Augustine, earned its name from the killings that took place here, as ‘Mantanzas’, translates to ‘Slaughter’ from Spanish.

    There are lots of things to consider when discussing this subject.
     
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  3. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    For me, Thanksgiving comes with a sort of bittersweet emotion in that yes, I do thank God for what I have but after working in the homeless ministry for so long, I know that there are those who have so little and feel that there is nothing to be thankful for.

    Granted, at each ministry I have been involved with, there are dinners prepared so those who are without can have a safe place to eat and a feast to make them feel a little human for a bit but still, the atmosphere isn’t the same as sitting with one’s family, giving thanks and enjoying a time of comfort and unity.

    It is for them that I simply ask that whilst we give thanks to God for all that we have, that in those prayers of thanks that we all remember those who are lost and lonely are given peace and a feeling of hope.
     
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  4. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    It is a shame there are so many homeless now, we use to help the homeless when we lived close to the city and younger. So many have lost jobs and homes now it's very sad situation. Yet businesses are closing down from lack of employees. Help wanted signs everywhere, but how do you go to work from the street?
     
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  5. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    Had to sign in about this thread: We thank our Dear Lord for all we have and that he keeps us safe and guides us right.

    Now, as far as the homeless go, I've "been there, done that" and would definitely tell anyone that there are homeless that prefer, and actually want to be homeless. That's right! There are those where their family wants to help them, and they refuse the help.

    And, there are those that seek help, like I did, get a place to live and get a job.

    It's great to have compassion, but many don't want compassion. There are those that know about shelters for cold/freezing weather, but at a shelter, they can't smoke cigarettes or, basically, do what they want to. So, they sleep outside in freezing weather, because they choose that. Now, how do I know this, because I slept inside a Salvation Army building for three nights. Food, hot shower and a bed is what I got, but I had to leave each morning by 7AM. There were those that wouldn't go, because they couldn't have a cigarette after eating. Once inside the building, a person couldn't go outside until the next morning.

    There are those homeless that are felon's and have an extremely hard time getting a job.

    IOW, my compassion for the homeless only goes so far, because I lived around them for a couple of months...........I know!
     
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  6. Shirley Martin

    Shirley Martin Supreme Member
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    While I do believe that most true Christians are good people who will find grace in the eyes of God, I believe that Christ would be appalled at the atrocities that have committed in his name.
     
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  7. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    I am not a Christian but I am thankful for my life and my family. I don't thank anyone except perhaps my parents for teaching me right from wrong. I believe a good life is a combination of being a responsible person who works for the things they need/want... and a great deal of luck.
     
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  8. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    In today's World, most people do not want to think of God, let alone thank Him. they thank themselves, or their luck stars, for the good things that have come their way. They don't want to pray, or acknowledge God in any way. The Bible asks, "What doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36)
     
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  9. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    This is why the founders made religion a choice for all Americans. Although most were Christians a couple were atheist or agnostics.
    I call myself a Christian but don't always act like it.
     
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  10. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    Why do you post these long links that begin with a Bing search rather than posting the link that it actually directs to, which is much, much shorter, as follows:

    https://jeanribault.org/1565-the-massacre-of-the-huguenots-by-the-spanish-in-florida/

    Better yet, you could have simply turned the title into a link, which would make reading it less tedious, as follows:

    1565: The Massacre of the Huguenots by the Spanish in Florida

    If I wasn't the forum administrator, I wouldn't consider clicking on a link that is 5-6 lines long.

    As to the topic of slavery, most of the slaves came to North America long before the United States was a nation, as the link you provided shows, in that it refers to 1565, more than two centuries before the American Revolution.

    The global agenda would have us believe that the United States is solely responsible for slavery, ignoring the fact that slavery has always existed, and still exists in some African nations and elsewhere. As far as North American slavery goes, the blame should be placed where it belongs, on the Spanish, the Portuguese, and the English. Even Denmark, Netherlands, Brazil, Sweden, and Turkey were involved. Slavery existed in the United States for less than a century before it was ended by an awful, bloody war.

    For that matter, neither the thread title nor the opening post is about slavery. That was a digression from the OP. If you'd like to discuss how awful the United States is because of slavery (as if we're the only country that has ever had slavery), that would be a separate topic. May I suggest this one: How Does History Deal With Slavery?

    Despite a modern rewriting of history, the United States was founded largely as a Christian nation. While not all of the Founders were Christians, Christianity was widely respected and was central to the founding documents. Most of the Founders couldn't imagine a government such as that which they were setting up surviving in anything other than by Christian principles.

    By the way, slavery is not condemned in the Old or New Testaments of the Christian Bible. Slavery was condemned by righteous men, most of them Christian, who found the practice to be abhorrent, and it was ended by other US citizens who were willing to sacrifice their lives and everything they had in order to bring an end to the practice.

    This thread was posted in the Faith & Religion section, and the topic was Thanksgiving, and the embracement of Christianity by our nation's early leaders, particularly in the presidential proclamations that have been made.
     
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    Last edited: Nov 22, 2022
  11. Hoot Crawford

    Hoot Crawford Veteran Member
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    Who to thank? As I do every year, I'll thank my parents (Mother Nature & Father Time) for giving me and many of my loved ones another year on this earth.
     
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  12. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    In the vein of thought about what we are thankful for:
    To be sue, since the last Thanksgiving Day, this has been a very rough year for most of the members here but that said, we’re still here and for that, I thank God.

    It is sad that we lost a couple of people but i still thank God that we all had the chance ability to have been invited into their world whilst they were here.
    They were precious to us and we miss them.

    There are those who have fought against maladies such as Covid, Flu, organ issues and even Cancer and are still with us and for that, I not only thank God for this internet family but also thank Him for answered prayer on behalf of them.

    It’s a given that I do thank God for each day that He has allowed me another chance to get it right but more than that, I thank Him each day when my wife comes out and says Good Morning.
    A simple good morning is a signal that today, everything is going to be alright because she is still with me, and I with her.
    Even when I know that it’s not going to be an ideal day by any measure, the imperfections are diminished into nothing compared knowing that the lady who said Good Morning is the same lady God chose to walk with me no matter what today brings.

    As a side note, if I were to compile a list of things and times when I should have thanked God but didn’t, it would take far more than one single day we have set aside to give those thanks. For that alone, I thank God for His own grace and the fact that He knows my heart.
     
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  13. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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  14. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    Well, Beth, even if you aren't a Christian, God was with you and your doctor/doctors thru your cancer thing.
     
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