Giving Thanks FROM America

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I am thankful for all who read this particular posting. Its purpose is to make the case of the clear connection between God and America by using the example of tomorrow's great holiday. The following are a few excerpts taken from proclaimations regarding Thanksgiving from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Men whose intellect, wisdom and character far exceed the politicians of today. My hope is that those who have Faith in God are encouraged to know that such profound leaders share their view that America and God are congruous. To those who believe that religion is the major devisive factor in this country and that fundamental Faith in adhering to God's Will is an obstacle to freedom, I would like to make firm this point. While your argument may or may not be correct and have merit (at this time, I am not making any argument for or against that view), one thing is for sure, that view is inconsistent with the view of previous generations' definition of America, in particular from two of the greatest Presidents this country has ever had.

I encourage you all to read, not just my notes and excerpts, but the entire writings in their context (see links) and let me know if you believe that I am misunderstanding or misquoting the author's true intentions.

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George Washington in 1789 proclaimed the First Thanksgiving. In his view, it was "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". He shamelessly assigns this day for Americans to be in "service of that great and glorious Being who is the Beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country..."

He precisely establishes that Faith is not a divider of this country, but a uniting factor:
"And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly"

He continues to state such ideas that might be considered exclusionary and arrogant by believing that God should "guide all sovereigns and nations". Also, Washington has the audacity to believe in Universal Objectivity as he asks God "to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue" obviously with the belief that there is such a thing.

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In 1863, Abraham Lincoln established that Thanksgiving is to be a National Holiday.

He challenges those who do not acknowledge God by stating that "we are prone to forget the source from which [our bounties] come ..., which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. "

Lincoln acknowledges that no matter the greatness of the founding fathers, the benefits to this country are from another source:
"No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. "

In this excerpt and the following one, he explains his belief of the connection between not only God and this country, but also our submission to Him through our behavior and the blessings this country enjoys:
"It has seemed to me fit and proper that [we] should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States ... [to] a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And 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... 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, tranquillity and Union."

God bless you all and I hope you have great Thanksgiving weekends!