Thanksgiving – why bother?

http://theundergroundsite.com/index.php/2009/10/thanksgiving-why-bother/

Posted: 31 Oct 2009 12:32 PM PDT Including public prayers to God on Thanksgiving is becoming as “politically incorrect” as mentioning Christ on Christmas. In 2005, the Maryland Board of Education began teaching their students that the Pilgrims landed on the American continent by luck. In the new public school curriculum, in effect re-naming Thanksgiving “Lucky Thursday” per some sources, students are not taught that God had any part in the thank you for what the Pilgrims had. The Board of Education felt they were facing a constitutional dilemma. By contrast, we have discovered documented statements like this one by Edward Winslow at the first recorded Thanksgiving, 1621 (bolding mine): “…many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoyt, with some ninetie men, whom for three dayes we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deere, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governour, and upon the Captaine and others. And although it be not always so plentifull, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plentie.” And here is George Washington’s first Thanksgiving Proclamation on November 26, 1789: “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.” We aren’t sure that the First Thanksgiving took place on the last Thursday in November, and God didn’t declare Thanksgiving a holiday. Of course, the Bible makes no mention of it (nor of Christmas). The New Testament sets only two covenants before us: The Lord’s Supper and the Ordinance of Baptism. Thanksgiving wasn’t even declared a National Holiday until President Franklin D. Roosevelt made the decision in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941); and not every President between Washington and Roosevelt prayed thanks to God on that day. But isn’t it still OK to thank God? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4: 6-7, NIV). Our American Thanksgiving holiday is just as good a day as any to do so. Heaven forbid, one day in our American households on Thanksgiving, a knock will come at the door and a U.S. Government official will demand a place at the table to be sure we don’t issue thanks to God for what we have.

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