Happy Thanksgiving
Observations©
By Donald S. Conkey
Date: November 25, 2010 - # 1048 - Title: Thanksgiving: A different, special
kind of national holiday (749)
Thanksgiving is a unique and different American holiday. Its uniqueness is because it is distinctively
American with it roots sunk deep into America’s early history, reaching back to the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth
Rock in 1620, and who, being grateful to their God for their survival held a feast of thanksgiving.
America’s
national holiday, Thanksgiving, is different because of all of American’s national holidays it is America’s only
holiday for all Americans regardless of religious beliefs, cultural beliefs, racial identity, or profession. Christmas focuses
on Jesus Christ; New Years focuses on reflections, and football; Martin Luther King’s Birthday holiday focuses on
equality; President’s Day focuses on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln; Easter’s focus is on the resurrection
of Jesus Christ as mankind’s Savior; Memorial Day is associated with the Civil War veterans; July 4th celebrates
the signing of the Declaration of Independence; Labor Day’s focus in on the working man and woman, and Veterans Day
focuses on America’s millions of veterans.
But Thanksgiving’s focus is on the traditional family, with traditional family understood to be one man married to
one woman - with or without children, with each family free to worship God according to their own conscious. This is America’s
uniqueness - allowing individuals and families of all nationalities, races and religious faiths to enter its portals free
to worship according to their own conscious, with their different doctrines and beliefs. And this uniqueness is because of
America’s first amendment in its Constitution. No other nation had, until 1791, allowed such religious freedom. And
this freedom did not come without heated debate, and compromise. And this uniqueness allowed my church, the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, to be created in upstate New York in 1830, becoming today the only major world religion to
be established in America
Those who have studied and pondered America’s early history saw clearly just how the hand of God protected the Pilgrims
after being forced from their native countries because they wanted to worship their God in ways different from the proscribed
worship rules and doctrines established by the existing state religion. These students of America’s history also saw
that hand of God on each of the Founding Fathers as they were creating America, the first nation to ever allow freedom of
religious thought and practice. Jefferson’s use of words such as “Nature’s God, Creator, Supreme Judge
of the World, and divine Providence” is more than sufficient evidence to show just how important God was to the Founders
and to their efforts to establish a new nation where the responsibility for governing was on their shoulders, not dictated
by the ‘elite few’ who had treated them only with contempt and as subjects.
I agree with
those who believe America is unique, that God had literally watched over the Pilgrims and founding fathers. The writings
of an ancient historian included these words: “… this is a land which is choice above all other lands; …”
But here was a caveat! That caveat was: “wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off;
for it is the everlasting degree of God. And it is not until the fullness of iniquity among the children of land, that they
shall be swept off.”
Later, as those people fell into iniquity, this historian described what happened to this once prosperous people. Said he,
“And it came to pass there arose a rebellion among the people because of that secret combination which was built up
to get power and gain; and there arose a mighty man among them in iniquity, and gave battle unto the leader and did overthrow
half of the kingdom; and he did maintain half of the kingdom for many years.” The historian continued by describing
the enslavement of the people by those who led the secret combination. This was anciently, but it sounds like America today.
Is it possible that America’s turmoil and division today was caused by a secret combination ‘built up to get
power and gain,’ and enslave the people? For its first 200 years America served God. In recent years those who would
‘get power and gain’ have been successful in removing God from the public square – from our schools, from
our courts, from our dialog – demeaning Him as political incorrectness.
America was founded on faith based principles, based on guidelines clearly established by America’s
Judeo Christian foundation. And God protected them. What better time to remember these values than on America’s national
holiday of Thanksgiving – a time all Americans should be ‘thankful.’
