thanksgiving

[zachshrader]

Am I wrong for not celebrating Thanksgiving, a tradition of men?  My family gets together every year and plays music together and I havent attended in the last two years.  My grandmother texted me today who is a Christian, and says "Zach I know youre a different religion and i respect that but i missed you today"  so i replied saying "Im not a different religion mamaw, Im a Christian and i choose not to celebrate any tradition of man which is what all of the holidays are." 

[zachshrader]

I mean even atheists and pagans, satanists, luciferians, whoever it may be celebrates thanksgiving.  They even celebrate all the other holidays, so shouldnt we separate ourselves from these things?  These things of the world??

[Jeanne]

Thanksgiving is a bit different from the other holidays like Christmas and Easter in that it's strictly an American holiday and is not based on paganism and witchcraft. Therefore, you can use your own judgement to decide if you want to observe it or not.

Just my personal opinion, but if this is pretty much the only time the whole family gets together, I would kind of want to be there. It might be a good opportunity to explain to some of them what you believe and why.

On the other hand, if they get into all kinds of other things that you'd rather not be involved in (such as watching football), then it's perfectly okay not to go.

This is one of those things that the Bible does not specifically prohibit and you should follow your own conscience on the matter.

[anvilhauler]

I would seize on "thanksgiving" as a day to further talk about the gospel message.  Thanksgiving?  Giving thanks to who?  The gods? 

To the audience:  Ah, you believe in God   .....  that's good   ,,,,,  we are part way there already.  Lets talk further about God and His interaction with mankind.

Acts 17 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. ...

Having a day that is all about the harvest is ideal. A good chance to talk about the great harvest that is to come where the wheat is separated from the chaff and gets stored in to the barn and the chaff is burned up.

[Masha]

Are you sure it's not linked to any witchcraft or paganism?
If that is so that would be a surprise to me. On the other hand, as in europe all american things are adopted, thanksgiving has not been popular here at all. It might confirm that there is no occultism involved with that festivity, ....things like christmas and halloween are brought in with much enthusiasm.
I have not time to do any research but it would be interesting to know more about it.

[creationliberty]

There's recently been a media storm condemning Thanksgiving from mainstream sources, which ought to raise red flags for most people. Some sources say that Thanksgiving started in 1621, and more recently, people are saying it began in 1937 with the slaughter of the natives, which to me, seems a bit suspicious with the timing of the new-age "social justice warrior" movement.

I've heard some interesting evidence on both sides, but the research I had done into the journal of a man named... UGH! I can't remember. I have searched through my email archives to see if someone told me the name, or... I can't remember. This is frustrating. There is a man that if I could remember his name; he was a Christian evangelist in that day that traveled back and forth from America to England and vice versa, and if you research his journal, you'll see a more clear picture that Thanksgiving did have good intentions, but was sullied as the years went by based on the actions of wicked men. If I ever hear or see the guys's name, I think I'll recognize it, but I just can't remember right now.

Thanksgiving and prayer unto God is individual, and you don't need a specified holiday for it. It's up to you one way or another, but in the research I did many years ago on the subject, the one thing I can say for sure is that there was nothing about pagan or witchcraft involved with or connected to the history of Thanksgiving.

[Kenneth Winslow]

I have an ancestor who wrote a letter to a friend concerned what is commonly called the first Thanksgiving ,and others matters.

https://www.presbyteriansofthepast.com/2017/11/21/first-thanksgiving-edward-winslow-1621/

[hashed]

On the other hand, if they get into all kinds of other things that you'd rather not be involved in (such as watching football), then it's perfectly okay not to go.

Why would you rather not be involved in watching football?

[creationliberty]

Edward Winslow! That's right. That's the name of the guy. If you guys want to know more about the foundation of Thanksgiving, research the journal of Edward Winslow and that will help. I may do a teaching on that someday, but for now, it hasn't drawn my interest to do it yet.

[zachshrader]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone.  I always learn a lot from here.

[strangersmind]

They are doing thanks giving here in the Philippines. But to tell you the truth they seem to find any tradition they can  celebrate.