Thanksgiving Day poll

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If I ever get the chance to go to America I live in the UK (Wales), I will plan it so I can be there to celebrate Thanksgiving. The way I imagine it as if it sounds like...
A fantastic day and a huge meal (yum, a hobby of mine) and parades, flags flying, fireworks, food I would love to taste (pumpkin pie hmmmm very intriguing) and of course lots of excited children, friends and family gathering to say thank God for America !
Hope you had a great day cousins !

 

[DocJohnson]

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

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 and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:

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 in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; 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 enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

 

[One Eyed Jack]

I'm not real big on holidays, and I don't really like my family. So it's basically just a day off to me.

 

[Ps82]

It's a holiday for our entire nation to thank the Christian God. The nation that accepted the saying In God We Trust upon our money. It's the day for a Christian to thank God. If people are not Christians then they might should just pick another day to celebrate.

All you have to do is read the Thanksgiving Day Proclamation given by Pres. George Washington to know that TG was traditionally considered by Americans as a holiday for thanking the Almighty God.

QUOTE his opening statement:
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 favour; and .... Congress have,... requested me "to recommend to the people of the U.S. a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed... with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God...

Then read the Proclamation by Pres. Abraham Lincoln when he was forming TG as an annual national holiday ... and you will also know the truth that it is a day to give thanks to to our Christian God.

Quoting part of his opening statement:
... To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God... They(these bounties and such we enjoy) are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

This is so simple to understand ... that only the simple minded could deny the truth.

Excuse me - if you were once simple minded, but now have seen the truth.

 

[DocJohnson]

"It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage, and such only, as he believes to be acceptable to him. This duty is precedent both in order of time and degree of obligation, to the claims of Civil Society. Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe." - James Madison, A Memorial and Remonstrance, 1785

 

[Lighthouse]

I'm not real big on holidays, and I don't really like my family. So it's basically just a day off to me.

If I were related to you I'd hate my family too.

 

[Ktoyou]

I'm not real big on holidays, and I don't really like my family. So it's basically just a day off to me.

You do not like your family, why? Divorce? You don't like your kids? Is it your parents, if so, why not like them, they are all you will ever have. My children not always saw eye-to-eye when growing up, but they love me dearly. I cannot imagine not liking your family? sorry if I have been too personal, but not liking ones family makes me sad and wanting to understand why.

 

[Ktoyou]

If I were related to you I'd hate my family too.

That does not help, it is a sad thing, not liking ones family, feel a little sorry for him, just imagine you not liking your family!

 

[The Graphite]

Biblically speaking, the phrase "Christian holy day" is an oxymoron. Although we are at liberty to enjoy traditional and secular holidays, biblically we have no days or seasons in the Body of Christ.

 

[Ktoyou]

Biblically speaking, the phrase "Christian holy day" is an oxymoron. Although we are at liberty to enjoy traditional and secular holidays, biblically we have no days or seasons in the Body of Christ.

Just how might that be?

No Christmas, no Easter? I am part of the Body of Christ and I think you are imposing an extreme and unnecessary opinion on what it means to be of the Body of Christ.

 

[Ps82]

So no one believes or trusts the words of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln? It is a national holiday set aside for Christian Americans to thank their God for their many blessings ... to ask him for mercy and protection.

Some of you should find copies of the Thanksgiving Proclamations of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln... and read them in entirety.

 

[DocJohnson]

So no one believes or trusts the words of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln? It is a national holiday set aside for Christian Americans to thank their God for their many blessings ... to ask him for mercy and protection.

Some of you should find copies of the Thanksgiving Proclamations of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln... and read them in entirety.

I respect George Washington greatly... not so much Abe Lincoln.

 

[The Graphite]

Just how might that be?

No Christmas, no Easter? I am part of the Body of Christ and I think you are imposing an extreme and unnecessary opinion on what it means to be of the Body of Christ.

Whoooaaaaaa there cowboy!

First of all, I didn't for a second say that it is wrong to observe any of those things. On the contrary, I wholeheartedly affirm our liberty in such things, and in fact, I encourage anyone unclear on that issue to check out Bob Enyart's recent show (at http://kgov.com) where he explains in a strong biblical cause how we have the liberty to enjoy things like Easter, Christmas, etc.

What I was trying to say was that there is no biblical directive for us to observe those things. Nothing in the Bible tells us to have a holy day where we celebrate Christ's birth. Is it wrong to celebrate His birth? Good grief, no. Are we commanded to hold a "sunrise service?" Never. And in fact, I observe Christmas and Easter, including a sunrise service, because we have the freedom to do so.

I call it Resurrection Sunday, and I do not use the egg/chick/bunny symbols, etc., because I used to practice witchcraft so I am sensitive to those things and have a distaste for them. However, I affirm the liberty of anyone who would enjoy those things in a Christian spirit of liberty. After all, who created eggs? That would be God. If pagans start using a thing as a symbol, does that mean we must be banned from its use? That's silly. God made eggs and bunnies and trees, and we can use those things in liberty, as long as we are not making offerings to Ishtar or other pagan gods, etc. Which we are not, of course.

Biblically, we have no Easter, no Christmas, or even a commanded Sabbath observance. Israel had a code of law that required such thigns. Paul makes it clear that in the Body of Christ, we do not have to. But we don't judge those who do observe things.

Hope that's more clear.

 

[Ktoyou]

Ok that is fine. I thought you were condemning it, as you know, that has been seen before. Glad you got over the witchcraft nonsense, that is, as you well know, leads nowhere.

 

[The Graphite]

Oh, it doesn't lead nowhere...

All roads lead to God. The only question is, when you get there, will you see your Savior? Or your Judge convicting you?

In an earthly sense, it led straight down into a bottomless morass of perversion, materialism and self-worship.

 

[LightSon]

I'm not real big on holidays, and I don't really like my family. So it's basically just a day off to me.

This is the 2nd most disturbing thing I've heard today. Sorry Jack. I cannot imagine being at odds with my family.

 

[One Eyed Jack]

You do not like your family, why? Divorce? You don't like your kids? Is it your parents, if so, why not like them, they are all you will ever have. My children not always saw eye-to-eye when growing up, but they love me dearly. I cannot imagine not liking your family? sorry if I have been too personal, but not liking ones family makes me sad and wanting to understand why.

It's complicated, going back to my parents' divorce and my dad's death, and a bunch of other stuff. I've never been married, and I don't have any kids, so it's nothing like that.

 

[One Eyed Jack]

This is the 2nd most disturbing thing I've heard today. Sorry Jack. I cannot imagine being at odds with my family.

That's all right. It beats being along for the ride. Besides, I've never really known what a family is, so it's not like I miss it.

 

[One Eyed Jack]

If I were related to you I'd hate my family too.

You probably would. Seriously though, I don't hate them -- I just don't like them.

 

[Ps82]

I respect George Washington greatly... not so much Abe Lincoln.

Thanks for your response to my post; however, the point was not whether anyone respected George or Abe, but was about their speeches about the correct meaning of Thanksgiving as a holiday.

People should read their proclamations about the holiday in American, and then there would be no debate about the meaning of the holiday. Their statements are so obviously clear!

It is a Christian Holiday ... for thanking Almighty God for blessings ... etc.
There is nothing wrong with Christians celebrating a holiday within our nation to our God. People, who like to be offended and who are either godless or worship false gods, can just start their own celebration on some other day.