Abe Lincoln gets the credit for Thanksgiving, especially in the Era of the Obama Team of Rivals Transition. I prefer to go back to the real source for the holiday: George Washington.
If this post resembles last year's Thanksgiving post, so does my dinner menu. Some things are timeless, including the words of the Father of Our Country and pumpkin pie. Drive safely and try not to fight too much with the relatives.
Political correctness has undercut the meaning of Thanksgiving for some small children and historically-challenged adults. As a result, there is some confusion about to whom the Pilgrims gave thanks that First Thanksgiving.
Though the Pilgrims invited the Indians (or Native Americans, if you prefer) to their feast, in gratitude for the Indians' kindness, the point of the feast was to worship and thank the Lord -- not the Indians.
George Washington understood that distinction and amplified it in his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789. Our first president reminded us that "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."
America's exceptionalism is a direct blessing that flows from the faith of Washington and many of our other Founders.
In addition to gutting the reason for our most sacred holidays, political correctness also teaches us that we should dismiss the Founding Fathers as a bunch of "dead white guys." And any time a public official refers to the Lord, we are warned that the "religious right" stands ready to impose a theocracy.Washington's Proclamation reminds us, however, that we are a country founded upon Judeo-Christian values. The Pilgrims sought freedom of religion -- not freedom from religion.
Our first president's directive speaks to us as forcefully today as it did to our new country in 1789: we are to give thanks to the "great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be."
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4 comments:
Amen!
Amen!
Happy (Belated) Thanksgiving, Bridget.
Not all of us left-wingers are anti-religious, despite protestations to the contrary. I (and others of my ilk) just like to keep my religious practice and my government laws separate, even if they are related at times. This makes it easier for Congress to follow the precepts of the Constitution, where it is written that they shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
While I agree that the Pilgrims were seeking freedom of religion, it is obvious from some of the actions taken against those with whom they disagreed on religious matters, that they were primarily seeking the right to freely worship as they saw fit and at times to force others to do the same; thus we see in the history books some religious leaders leaving (or even being forced to depart) from one colony for the establishment of another colony based on the religious practices of the people living therein.
By maintaining the First Amendment's prohibition against the respect of one religion over another, we maintain our personal ability and freedom to worship in the manner we, as individuals, see fit.
I went to Calvary Episcopal Church for 10:00 mass on Thanksgiving morning where a baptism was being held in addition to the regular service. At the service, we in the congregation repeated our own baptismal vows.
And we prayed for both the current president as well as the incoming one. Our country needs helps and seeking such help from a Divine Being, however that being is defined, is frankly patriotic.
-- Jeff
Obama is relying on Lincoln's books to help him run the country. If that were the case, anyone could read a book and do it. The Ivy-League Illuminati politicians have a weird logic.
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