hjmick
Diamond Member
- Mar 28, 2007
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Perhaps this article will help put an end to this idiotic discussion...
I'll post the relevant portion as well as provide the link to the article in its entirety.
Although Washington was not a Christian, but a Deist, many people in the newly formed United States of America would have seen Washington’s proclamation as referring to the Lord. Thanksgiving, as proclaimed by George Washington, would be a day of prayer to give thanks and ask God to help the nation.
Later, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation on October 3, 1863, declaring Thanksgiving Day, the last Thursday of November, as a national holiday. He was urged on by Sarah Hale, who persistently campaigned for the holiday.
Lincoln hoped the observance of Thanksgiving would encourage a reunion of the nation during the Civil War. As the President that officially inaugurated the holiday, Lincoln is credited with making Thanksgiving a national holiday.
Thanksgiving Day became enmeshed with the history of the “first” Thanksgiving in 1621, to provide a nationalistic narrative to the holiday. Especially in the 1800s and 1900s, children were taught about the events at Plymouth, but with a simplistic view of the happenings.
The overarching idea was that the Native American Indians passed the land over to the new settlers, but this was not the case. Sadly, children in schools in the past and present were not taught about the colonialism behind the holiday and the bloody wars that followed the “first” Thanksgiving.
The colonies spread and thrived, eventually turning into America, at the expense and oppression of the Native Americans.
As is noted in a theological journal article about Thanksgiving, “We selectively recount the story of the pilgrims, their courage and valor, while at the same time selectively ignoring the cost their growing abundance and expansion meant for native peoples who were already living here even as some of us reap the benefits.”
Americans need to keep this in mind on the day we give thanks for our land and country.
www.christianity.com
This faux outrage about the omission of an Almighty being from Biden's Thanksgiving Declaration 2023 is without basis and, in my humble opinion, just folks looking for a reason to be angry. I don't like Biden any more than I like P01135809, but this whole thing is just stupid.
I'll post the relevant portion as well as provide the link to the article in its entirety.
An Official National Holiday
Recognizing a day of thanksgiving was not restricted to the Christian communities. On October 3, 1789, George Washington proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a day of Thanksgiving to give thanks to the “Almighty.”Although Washington was not a Christian, but a Deist, many people in the newly formed United States of America would have seen Washington’s proclamation as referring to the Lord. Thanksgiving, as proclaimed by George Washington, would be a day of prayer to give thanks and ask God to help the nation.
Later, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation on October 3, 1863, declaring Thanksgiving Day, the last Thursday of November, as a national holiday. He was urged on by Sarah Hale, who persistently campaigned for the holiday.
Lincoln hoped the observance of Thanksgiving would encourage a reunion of the nation during the Civil War. As the President that officially inaugurated the holiday, Lincoln is credited with making Thanksgiving a national holiday.
Thanksgiving Day became enmeshed with the history of the “first” Thanksgiving in 1621, to provide a nationalistic narrative to the holiday. Especially in the 1800s and 1900s, children were taught about the events at Plymouth, but with a simplistic view of the happenings.
The overarching idea was that the Native American Indians passed the land over to the new settlers, but this was not the case. Sadly, children in schools in the past and present were not taught about the colonialism behind the holiday and the bloody wars that followed the “first” Thanksgiving.
The colonies spread and thrived, eventually turning into America, at the expense and oppression of the Native Americans.
As is noted in a theological journal article about Thanksgiving, “We selectively recount the story of the pilgrims, their courage and valor, while at the same time selectively ignoring the cost their growing abundance and expansion meant for native peoples who were already living here even as some of us reap the benefits.”
Americans need to keep this in mind on the day we give thanks for our land and country.
Christians and Thanksgiving
Thus, Thanksgiving Day in America is not truly a Christian holiday. There are Christian traditions associated with the day, but the official national holiday declared by Abraham Lincoln is not rooted in Christianity. Instead, Thanksgiving is a secular or civic religious day that is grounded in America’s history and used to support nationalistic ideals.
Is Thanksgiving Truly a Christian Holiday?
Even though Thanksgiving is not a Christian holiday, followers of Christ can choose to observe the day to the glory of God, thus making the day special even if other Christians choose to abstain from celebrating the holiday.
www.christianity.com
This faux outrage about the omission of an Almighty being from Biden's Thanksgiving Declaration 2023 is without basis and, in my humble opinion, just folks looking for a reason to be angry. I don't like Biden any more than I like P01135809, but this whole thing is just stupid.
