Thanksgiving links

Thanksgiving Links



     Thank You, Lord!     Thanks to God!

     Chronology: Pilgrims, Persecution and Thanksgiving

     Amazing answer to the Pilgrim's prayer -- Recorded by their leader, William Bradford

     Thanksgiving - Oswald Chambers

     Joy and Thanksgiving through Humility

     Whom do we thank?

     Our response to God's Greatness

     George Washington: Thanksgiving Proclamation

     Abraham Lincoln: Thanksgiving Proclamation

     George W. Bush: Thanksgiving Proclamation, 2002 and 2003

The First Thanksgiving Proclamation: "On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. That proclamation is reproduced here in the same language and spelling as the original.

      "While the proclamation quoted on this page is the oldest extant thanksgiving proclamation, the thanksgiving being announced was by no means the first thanksgiving. The Plymouth Thanksgiving traditionally regarded as the first thanksgiving took place in 1621, the fall after the Mayflower pilgrims arrived."

The Pilgrims & Plymouth Colony: "With the situation growing more intense the [Puritan 'Separatists'] realized they could not stay, yet they were not allowed to go. The English people were more or less prisoners in their own land and not allowed to go abroad without special permission from the King's Privy Council.... As a result of the impossible situation, [William] Bradford tells us the Separatists were forced 'to seek secret means of conveyance, and to bribe and fee mariners, and give extraordinary rates for their passages. And yet were they often times betrayed, many of them; and both they and their goods intercepted and surprised, and thereby put to great trouble and charge..."

Thanks to God: "In this stormy time of social transformation, no change impacts this nation more profoundly than its shifting views of God. And those views -- Christian or not --shape our beliefs, our doubts, our assumptions, our prayers, our relationships and our giving of thanks. So to understand the meaning of Thanksgiving, we might begin with two questions: Who is God? Why is He worthy of our thanks?" El Shaddai, the Lord God Almighty

The real meaning of Thanksgiving : "The Pilgrims came to America for one reason – to form a separate community in which they could worship God as they saw fit. They had fled England because King James I was persecuting those who did not recognize the Church of England's absolute civil and spiritual authority. On the two-month journey of 1620, William Bradford and the other elders wrote an extraordinary charter – the Mayflower Compact. Why was it extraordinary? Because it established just and equal laws for all members of their new community – believers and non-believers alike. Where did they get such revolutionary ideas? From the Bible, of course....
         "But it wasn't just an economic system that allowed the Pilgrims to prosper. It was their devotion to God and His laws. And that's what Thanksgiving is really all about. The Pilgrims recognized that everything we have is a gift from God – even our sorrows. Their Thanksgiving tradition was established to honor God and thank Him for His blessings and His grace." 2 Cor 2:14

A Very Christian Holiday: "The First Thanksgiving is one of those heartwarming stories that every child used to know, and some up-to-date teachers take special delight in suppressing. Many teachers approach children nowadays with the absurd presumption that they are triumphalist little bigots who must be taken down a notch and made to grasp that their country has made mistakes. In fact they are little ignoramuses who leave high school believing that their country has made nothing but mistakes, and they never do learn what revisionist history is a revision of.

      "It is especially sad when children don't learn the history of Thanksgiving, which is that rarest of anomalies -- a religious festival celebrated by many faiths. The story of the first Thanksgiving would inspire and soothe this nation if only we would let it....

     "Many Americans are afraid that fundamentalists are inherently intolerant and want to stamp out all religions but their own. Yet that first thanksgiving was celebrated by radical Christian fundamentalists, and American Indians were honored guests--as every child used to know." John 15:20-21

Glimpses Issue #20: Pilgrims in a Strange Land [link broken]:> "When King James assumed the throne of England in 1603, he was determined to assert to the fullest his authority over the government and the Church of England. He opposed those who wanted to reform the Church of England and bring its teachings and practices more in line with the Bible. In a fit of rage at these people, the Puritans, King James vowed, 'I shall make them conform or I will harry them out of the land, or else do worse.'...

      "One group of Puritans, the Separatists, were not willing to support the Church of England in any way. They believed the Church could only be under the headship of Christ, not the queen or king....

     "Realizing that in England they were not free to worship God as their consciences demanded, they resolved to move as a group to Holland. ... in Holland they had to learn new jobs, and even the children were worn down by hard work. Seeing all these evils coming upon them, these Englishmen in a strange land considered moving to America."

       In England, non-conformity was illegal and separatists were persecuted. Could America be headed in the same direction? Yes! See Legalizing Mind Control

Pilgrims: A story of faith, courage and providence: "Whatever the king believed, the kingdom had to believe. That was the situation in Europe in the 1600s, when James I was not only the king of England and the commander of the military, but was also the head of the Anglican Church. Because some in church leadership were there for political power, there arose a movement to purify the Anglican Church, resulting in the nickname 'Puritans.'
      "The Puritans were loyal to the Anglican Church, as compared with the 'Separatists,' who considered it tainted beyond repair. The Separatists risked breaking the law to meet in secret and hold prayer meetings. Their ministers were often arrested for preaching without a license, their members' homes and farms seized, and some even branded on their face to mark them as heretics.
       "In 1607, after years of persecution, the Separatists fled to Holland where they could have some degree of religious freedom. Even though they didn't know the language, they struggled to build a community there, but met with limited success. Governor Bradford recorded:
       "'Being thus constrained to leave their native soyle and countrie, their lands and livings, and all their friends and famillier acquantance … to goe into a countrie they knew not ... where they must learne a new language, and get their livings they knew not how ... and subject to the miseries of war, it was by many thought an adventure almost desperate, a case intolerable, and a miserie worse than death.'
        "...In July of 1620, they departed from Leyden, Holland, to Southampton, England, and from there to America. Little did they know that of the 103 Pilgrims who departed, only 51 would survive the first winter." In the midst of intense suffering, God's faithful ones saw wonderful signs of His love. Read the rest, then see Isaiah 45:3

President Bush: Thanksgiving Proclamation: "In thankfulness and humility, we acknowledge, especially now, our dependence on One greater than ourselves.... May Almighty God, who is our refuge and our strength in this time of trouble, watch over our homeland, protect us, and grant us patience, resolve, and wisdom in all that is to come. I encourage Americans to assemble in their homes, places of worship, or community centers to reinforce ties of family and community, express our profound thanks for the many blessings we enjoy, and reach out in true gratitude and friendship to our friends around the world." Thanks to God.

         You may want to do a search on this website for "community" - the center for dialogue in the envisioned collective society. Or go to The Habitat II Agenda and click on "community and solidarity. Notice quotes by former head of UNESCO ("redefine words" and write a new "social contract") and Episcopal leader, Dean James Morton.

Mark Alexander: "Upon landing in America, the Pilgrims conducted a prayer service, then quickly turned to building shelters. Starvation and sickness during the ensuing New England winter killed almost half their population, but through prayer and hard work, with the assistance of their Indian friends, the Pilgrims reaped a rich harvest in the summer of 1621."

Our nation’s strength and Christian heritage stem from Pilgrims (link obsolete): "The first American literary classic is history 'Of Plymouth Plantation' written by William Bradford in 1647. It is a history of the little band of English settlers called 'Separatists' in England. We call them Pilgrims.

      "Bradford was only a boy in Scruby, England, when their group formed a house church. Their motto was, 'Reform now without tarrying for any.' They respected what they learned from the Bible and wished to follow the dictates of their conscience, free of external oppression. Such politically incorrect views earned them persecution from both the state church and the unchurched alike. It was under such pressure that part of their little congregation sailed for Virginia in 1620." Thanks to God

Pilgrims understood the real source of security: "One public-school textbook claims the name refers to the Pilgrims giving thanks to the Indians -- revisionism in the service of secularism. [But]...The first Thanksgiving, celebrated in October 1621, praised God for bringing the Pilgrims through an awful winter, when half their company perished. It also observed the commandment to the Children of Israel to perform a service of thanksgiving, after they entered the Promised Land...." See Myths, Magic, Mysticism, and Make-Believe and find "pilgrims"
    "In 1789, George Washington proclaimed the first national day of thanks. Our infant republic had survived the snows of Valley Forge to triumph over the greatest empire on earth -- reason enough to give thanks, the father of our country thought. Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a holiday, by a proclamation issued on Oct. 3, 1863. This came three months to the day after the Civil War's pivotal battle, when the republic once again was saved, seemingly by Divine intervention.
       "In his 1993 book "The Clash of Civilizations," Samuel Huntington identifies the characteristics common to a civilization (language, customs, etc.). However, Huntington writes, "religion is the central defining characteristic of civilizations." Every civilization is connected with a faith -- Christianity (originally, Western Civilization was Christendom), Orthodoxy, Islam, Hinduism and Confucianism." To please secular and inter-faith "consumers," many churches are now embracing traditions from such religions. Rom 11:33-36

The next links show how God's truth and history are being rewritten, re-imagined and redefined in churches as well as schools:

A Review Of Pilgrims and Puritans: "Most contemporary treatments of these Protestant sects capitalize on this state of ignorance by characterizing them as harsh, legalistic disciplinarians having little compassion and finding even less enjoyment in life. But even though many of us would find aspects of the Puritan outlook a little too stern for even our conservative sensibilities, these pious pioneers were hardly the proverbial sticks in the mud depicted by leftwing academics and popular entertainment.

     "...the moral intensity characterizing the Puritan approach to life was the result of a sincere desire to serve God and seek His will for their lives. As such, these devout Christians did not shun life’s wholesome pleasures as often thought; after all, the first Thanksgiving celebration lasted for three days."

Media Bias. Those misunderstood Puritans (This quote gives some insight into today's media and classroom mockery of the Biblical values that inspired the Pilgrims): "Thanksgiving may be the one day a year when the Puritans, those early American settlers who came to the new world seeking 'purity' in worship, actually get a break. We get a terrific feast, and probably forgo consciously knocking our Pilgrim forefathers (and mothers), a branch of the Puritans, for at least the time it takes to get down some turkey and stuffing. But the rest of the year watch out. We're constantly reminded, in the words of H.L Mencken, that 'Puritanism is the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.' This year added a new twist to the old theme, as even the oppressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan has been referred to by major news media outlets as 'puritan' or having 'puritanical' elements." John 15:20-21. Among many other blessings, we thank God for the Internet which joins His people together around the world -- and offers a friendly alternative to The Mainstream Media.

The 'Foolishness' of God (link obsolete): "Secular culture has elevated human intellect, reason, technology, and wisdom to the top of the pyramid. Meanwhile God, the Bible, truth, and salvation are dismissed as superstitious, unsophisticated foolishness. The modern church has even adopted the same mindset — biblical truth and the simple gospel of the Bible are outdated, irrelevant, and offensive to so-called enlightened ministries." God's Wisdom or Human Foolishness

Plymouth Rock: "Once considered the cradle of American democracy, Plymouth is slowly but surely being transformed into a city ashamed of its past.... If you find yourself standing in front of Plymouth Rock this Thanksgiving Day, do not expect to hear stories of pious Pilgrims in search of religious freedom. Before you go, prepare your children and family for a slightly different vision of America's past.

     "If you walk fewer than a hundred yards from Plymouth Rock and ascend to Cole's Hill, the magnificent burial ground of the 50 Pilgrims who perished during the first cold winter of 1620, you not only will encounter hundreds of demonstrators who gather on the last Thursday of every November to disabuse the memory of the Pilgrim fathers; but you also can read the new monument plaque that describes the devastating effect of Christianity on North America, the 'genocide' of Native Americans by the Pilgrims and the importance of treating Thanksgiving as a 'National Day of Mourning.'" Deut 11

Students Free to Thank Anybody, Except God [link broken]: "Young students... read stories about the Pilgrims and Native Americans, simulate Mayflower voyages, hold mock feasts and learn about the famous meal that temporarily allied two very different groups. But what teachers don't mention when they describe the feast is that the Pilgrims not only thanked the Native Americans for their peaceful three-day indulgence, but repeatedly thanked God.

     "'We teach about Thanksgiving from a purely historical perspective, not from a religious perspective,' said Charles Ridgell....

     "'Schools don't want to do anything that would influence or act against the religious preferences of their students,' said Lissa Brown, Maryland State Teacher's Association assistant executive director. 'But the whole subject of religious toleration is a part of our history and needs to be taught.' ...

     "Teaching about a secular Thanksgiving counters the holiday's original premise as stated by George Washington in his Thanksgiving Proclamation: '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.' ... According to the Web site Plimoth.org... the Pilgrims 'fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean.'" See Charts: Total transformation

Primary sources for the "First Thanksgiving" (link obsolete): "Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty." (Dec. 11, 1621, A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth)

President Lincoln's Proclamation of Thanksgiving : (October 3, 1863): "The year drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. 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 cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of almighty God.... Deut 8:10
   "I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union." See Chronology and Nehemiah 1:3-10

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