I mean, this has got to be some sort of joke.
If the war-on-Christmas crowd asks us to put Christ back into Christmas, these Thanksgiving religionists urge us to celebrate Thanksgiving with the emphasis on thanking God. But complaints about a secularized Thanksgiving are even less convincing than the outcry over Christmas.Yes. If you thought the "War on Christmas" was silly, here's a cause for the real crazy neo-fascist Christian to latch onto: It's the "War on Thanksgiving."
In Christianity Today's Leadership Journal, Eric Reed decried a "thankless society" that has forgotten the holiday's putative religious significance. R. Albert Mohler Jr. of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary called the secular vision of Thanksgiving "empty and false" on the Washington Post religion blog, On Faith.Mind-blowing, eh?
Here's what I would like to ask these silly, wonked-out, fundy-folks who demand that Thanksgiving should be treated as a religious holiday:
Do non-American Christians celebrate Thanksgiving in other parts of the world?
No. So, why should anyone believe it to be a religious holiday?
I suppose the beautiful irony in all of this is that the Pilgrims loaded up their boat and headed West in pursuit of a religious freedom which many of today's screechy, stone-headed Christians actively seek to take away.
Now, I have no problem if people want to thank their god(s) on Thanksgiving. If you believe that brings more meaning and relevance to the holiday, knock yourselves out. But, do make sure you show the proper amount of respect for other beliefs in this free nation, and try not to consider the holiday of others who don't share your mythology "empty and meaningless" for your own arrogant, spiritual ego-stroking. After all, so long as I'm free to believe as I damn well wish and spend my holiday with family and friends who share that simple --yet valuable-- freedom, my Thanksgiving will hardly be meaningless or empty.
Gyaagh! Is this how the Taliban got started?
-DP
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Posted By Dan to The Wisdom of a Distracted Mind at 11/19/2007 10:04:00 AM
Hmmmm.....
ReplyDeleteThis is me reading your entry........."Ohhhh,,,, ahhh,,,,ouch,,,,oh good one,,,,wow that was funny,,,,you gotta be kidding,,,,,it never stops,,,,," and so on and so on.
In other words, loved your post :o)
All Hail Thanksgiving
Rebecca Anne
Pilgrims seeking religious freedom and a lot to be thankful for for surviving and having food, and Native American's, who were thoughtful enough to share survival and food gathering tips and likely were not Christians. Some can make this a religious holiday, sure, shrug, if someone wishes to. I am thankful to God for many things, including survival and food:) It is, however, one of the most secular holidays I know the US to have, in additional to Independence Day.
ReplyDelete(Laughing Uproariously) Not going to go there. From a Native's Point of View, it should of been labeled Thanksless anyway. Then again they did use religion to try to obliberate the Native people anyway so why not (still snickering here). Why the hell can't someone just be thankful. No gimmicks, no reason, no religion, just a warm fuzzy feeling. (Hugs) Indigo
ReplyDeleteI am glad its one of Americas celebrations we have not taken to, unlike Halloween...... I say celebrate it how you like, where you like, doing what you like. Agree with you Dan, as always!
ReplyDeleteGaz