With Thanksgiving coming up, many of us are probably already daydreaming of that first bite into the Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. In fact, button-popping, indigestion-inducing gluttony has all but been normalized in the American ethos when we think about the late-November holiday. And pop culture has undoubtedly played into that. Think, of course, about Joey in Friends shamelessly wearing 'Thanksgiving pants' - actually maternity pants - so that he can more easily consume Thanksgiving turkey unrestricted by his pesky waistband.
Indeed, we've become so accustomed to eating obscene amounts of food and drink to show our thanks that we may have lost track of whether God would approve of our seasonal overeating.
It's a hypothetical question, of course, and one that isn't so easy to answer. Does God approve of Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Origins
Perhaps we should start by shedding light on a few misconceptions that continue to abound concerning the quintessential American holiday.
Some might believe Thanksgiving started as a Christian affair amongst the early Pilgrims and Puritans. Turns out that is only half the story - the origins of the holiday are about as Christian as hunting colored Easter Bunny eggs to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.
Thanksgiving was actually derived from an ancient English yearly pagan harvest celebration, completely separate from the more solemn religious "days of thanksgivings" act practiced by the Church of England without any particular date. While the two eventually merged, the fact remains that our more modern celebration (the family gatherings, the large meals) are definitely more 'harvest home' than Puritan; and the cornucopia a pagan symbol more steeped in Roman and Greek mythology than any Christian religious text.
Still, the 'first Thanksgiving' was indeed a real event, a shared autumnal feast between early Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians. However, it was a celebration of a good harvest after a tough and dangerous winter. And while glory to God was undoubtedly given, that was hardly the main event.
Glutton for Punishment
The Bible, in fact, frowns upon any sort of thanksgiving that simply focuses on one big meal a year. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" writes Paul in (1 Thessalonians 5:16 18).
Then there's the whole gluttony issue.
It's bad enough we seem to focus so much of our thanks on one Pilgrim-inspired holiday, but then the fact we do it by serving turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, scores of casseroles, and liberally-buttered dinner rolls, topped off with cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and every brand of craft beer and wine imaginable, to the point of literal comatose, scores us no points with Proverbs 23:21:
"For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And slumber will clothe them with rags."
The meaning is clear. Over-indulgence, and the lethargy that comes with that, leads to ruin. And lest we forget that gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins. Gluttony not only leads to the sort of gross over-indulgence depicted in Proverbs 23:21, but also denies the needy food and creates needless waste.
You can see where all this is going. God frowns upon the notion of excess. And for too many of us, Thanksgiving has become more a celebration of food and a reason to stuff our face than an actual giving of thanks.
All Things in Moderation?
Of course, there are plenty of Christian defenses of Thanksgiving, and not everyone thinks that one day of over-indulgence a year is a sin. A piece by Religion News Service says that all of the positivity associated with Thanksgiving - love of family, togetherness, building joyous memories - is worthy of a mulligan on the gluttony front. It's the rest of the year we should be worried about, says Brevard College professor Mary Louise Bringle. "Sitting around the table at a feast is not a gluttonous act, sitting in front of the television gobbling potato chips is."
The larger sin at hand, she says, is the failure to recognize God's role in providing you sustenance. To fail to recognize His hand in your meal. "Eating too much," she says, "is [only] a small part of gluttony."
She argues that its the other 364 days of the year we need to be watching out for. One big meal, celebrated joyously amongst family, isn't a sin. It's when we take our excessive desires into our daily lives that it becomes a problem.
Food for Thought
As the Apostle Paul said, the human body is God's temple. Isn't clogging your temple's arteries and expanding your temple's gut an affront against God? On the other hand
Given that many of us so rarely get to sit down with our families and enjoy a large meal in loved ones' company, can't we get one holiday where we're allowed to over-indulge a bit? Can we just count our blessings on Thanksgiving, and save counting our calories for another day?
What do you think? Does God really approve of Thanksgiving dinner and all the overindulgent excess that goes with that? Or is reinforcing our family bonds and breaking bread with those we love enough that we can get a pass - for one day, at least?
60 comments
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Furthermore, I don't care if God likes it or not. As far as I can tell, I'm not here to pleàse my dieties anyway. I believe in them, and honor them, but won't be their slave. I've got my own life to live, as I see fit. And I can't see how stuffing my fat face is going to cause any karmic debt.
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Minister Mike
I do not know anyone who attends T-day gatherings intent upon eating more than they usually do. Oh, sure, the gatherings are larger than a "regular" meal, but only because the meal is intended to serve more people - so there is more, and a wider variety of - food. I'm not saying there aren't gluttons, just that I don't know any of them and that most folk who attend their family gatherings on T-day eat the way they eat every other day of the year.
And gluttony is not a sin that can be found in the Bible. Seriously. But if you don't want to be a glutton - don't.
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John Daly
U kidding? U virtue signaling?
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Minister Mike
Hmmm. Perhaps, if you learned to communicate effectively your posts could be taken seriously instead of ravings by a child without self control or a modicum of intelligence.
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Lionheart
How can mythical gods approve or disapprove of anything?
As for religious people like Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn et al who have a gluttony of money, when we have so much poor and homeless among us, I'm sure they are laughing all the way to the bank, and digging their own Hell.....hopefully.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
My God and Goddess just want us to be happy, without causing harm. Pig out!!! And develop an all-American, middle-aged gut (like I've succeeded at doing)!!!
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Ben
I don't know about the God of Abraham - he does seem to like his people to to without and to suffer, but my Gods want for us to celebrate. Especially if it's a celebration for all the things that the God/desses have provided for us. It's a National holiday that comes but once a year. Eat drink and be merry!
PS: as for this being some sort of Pagan event .... they must be alluding to Mabon, which is Sept. 21st. And another thing, most Christian and/or secular Holidays are just repackaged Pagan holidays. So enjoy, this pagan gives his blessings that you do so.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Ben I am with you. If you are a white Christian in America, be thankful for Manifest Destiny and God giving us this land to kill, enslave, rape, pillage and pollute.
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Leona Weisenbach
Thank you...I love the Pagan holidays
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Leona Weisenbach
Thank you...I love the Pagan holidays
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Leona Weisenbach
Thank you...I love the Pagan holidays
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Ellen B. Wentzel
God wants us to be happy and good to each other. I honestly don't think he cares much about what or how we eat on Thanksgiving. I have gratitude in my heart all the time. I think this is a ridiculous topic.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@Ellen B Wentzel - You must white and Christian. Shouldn’t we be good to the Native Americans? After all, it was their land and their food our forefathers stole from them. How can you be happy knowing you are not being good to them?
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Michael Barton
Of course God approves of Thanksgiving. The amount of charity that comes out of this month and next month make up for any gained pounds.
God does not want us all to live like Monks. We get to choose our path, and He's impressed with our decisions; sometimes not, but mostly yes.
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Carrie
Sounds like crap to me. We must consider that, if you will, it was the first instance of Americans feeding the first illegal immigrants. The Americans were not Christian, although the immigrants were. When it was made a holiday, it was a day for people to get together and be thankful for what they had and break bread. Religion didn't have anything to do with it. There are no specific church services. We used to take the children to the movies while our parents prepared dinner. Now I am older and look forward to seeing and sharing a festive meal with my siblings and their children. Not a Christian, don't go to church. There is no prior claim on the day.
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Minister Mike
There were no Americans at the "first Thanksgiving". The people to whom you refer had no name for themselves other than, "the people". They did, however, have a bucket stuffed with derogatory names for other people not of their tribe/family - pretty much like real Americans.
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Leona Weisenbach
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Kat
did God approve of The Last Supper I don't think he Minds is eating and having a good time with our friends and family where do you see something wrong in that at all and a lot of people also help those who could use food so I see nothing wrong with it Minister Katherine Strid
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minister james
...appears to me that it's just another facet of our American consumer-based societal worship-of-wealth religion: "...if some is good, the a whole lot more must be better!...". Enjoy the day as you see fit, and may we ALL find a better day...
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Lori
I don't have a clue as to whether or not "God" cares about Thanksgiving and our gluttony and neither does anyone else. I think the only thing that matters is to recognize that Thanksgiving is a good time to put our opinions about politics and other controversial topics aside so we can find common ground around a table of family and friends. Live, Laugh and Love.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
It's also rude to talk when our mouths are full of food. We could accidentally spit some out onto somebody else's plate.
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Val jester
I reject the premise of your headline.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Go ahead Val, I can take it. This isn't the first time I've been rejected, but I still think you're cute.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I reject your rejection. So, there!
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I'm glad I wasn't after a clown, jester. I'd be afraid nobody would ever take me seriously.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
In my a above comment the word named should be between wasn't and after. Thank you.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Please tell me if Vàl is short for Val-et, Val-ley girl, or Val-erie. Those valley girls are a lot of fun, but I wouldn't let one park my car, for it could end up in the Val-kyries.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I've got a photograph of myself in my Ball High JROTC uniform, shortly after my seventeenth birthday, that reminds me of how I don't ever want to be skinny again. I was then 6'1", weighed 120 lbs., and had a 26" waist. I'm now a little taller, wear a 42" belt, and weigh at least 265 lbs.. I was skinny long enough, and will never deprive myself of food! I've been heavier than this before, and now that I'm thinking about, by the end of the holiday season, I bet I'll be ten pounds heavier. Thank you for giving me a positive goal to work toward.
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The Doctor
While no fan of modern christianity, the 7 sins and 7 virtues which replaced the 10 commandments are not at all bad things and in fact are full of simple common sense wisdom.
The Virtues 1. Chastity, note this is not celibacy, being chaste is basically just being picky about partners and having the sense not to jump into bed with a total stranger and thus exposing oneself to the myriad of dangers from STDs to them being potentially violent or the like. I am a big fan of lust between 2 consenting adults who know each other well enough to know they are safe when at their most vulnerable.
2.Temperance. What is temperance exactly? In a nutshell self control. In fact basically most of the 7 virtues can be summed up as the virtue of self control but lets go on.
- Charity. While temperance is the opposite of gluttony, It also goes hand in hand with this one. After all as a social group that has gotten to the level of civilization we have has in large part been due to a mixture of self control, and helping those in need when we are doing well. Part of that story of the first thanksgiving that should be stressed is that prior to that harsh winter there was actually mostly mistrust and varying degrees of violence between the puritan colonists and the local tribal groups. However seeing the dire straights and almost certain doom of starvation closing in on those colonists removed the mystique of their strangeness and let the tribe see them as just people trying to desperately cling to life. That tribe, perhaps to its own and all others detriment chose charity because that is what any good human would choose when seeing people starving.
So maybe while stuffing yourself do keep in mind the very message the silly satirical show Southpark tried to send 20 years ago with its season 1 thanksgiving episode. Maybe to really give thanks for being well off you should try to make sure those in need in shelters and on the streets have a good full belly on a harsh cold day.
4.Diligence. the counter to sloth aka being a lazy waste of air. Perhaps consider taking abit of your time and expend abit of your energy to try and make those really in need of a good hot meal have that simple dream come true and be the reason others give thanks.
- Patience. What I often feel entirely too close to running out of dealing when dealing with racists, zealots, and nationalists.
6.Kindness. If I have to explain this one then this world is really doomed.
7.Humility aka being humble. Something lacking in far too many, who often use race,gender, place of birth etc as a reason to feel proud and act better then those suffering and in dire straights.
So maybe on Thanksgiving day, every time you take another bite you dont need of food your going to deit away the calories of or complain about the added pounds of, at least take a moment to imagine a child cold and hungry out there in the world that would weep in joy and see you as a living god of mercy and charity for even a meager offering off the plate your going to clear, and the food that you will waste over the coming week.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Virtues are nice to aspire to, but let's talk reality.
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Ilmenheru Terikson
There is nothing unreal about striving to be at our bests.
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John D. Partin
Let's talk reality, then. Are you and other people here aware of the obvious connection between gluttony or overeating and heart disease and the ongoing obesity problem in this country and world, which results from overeating and which even Bill Maher and other atheists complain about? Many people dig their own graves with their spoons! So, that isn't just a Christian idea or complaint. Are you aware of the connection between anger and ulcers or road rage and domestic abuse and killings of other people in anger? Are you aware of the connection between not exercising, due to sloth or laziness, and heart attacks? Pride causes those infected by it to think only about themselves and aggrandizing themselves, and not to be concerned, proportionately, about other people or what happens to them. Lust makes people care only about their own sexual pleasure and believe in using other people for that purpose, which results in rape, child molestation, going to prostitutes and not considering them human beings, but just things to use for sex, white slavery and sex trafficking. Greed makes getting money and acquisitions more important than people and so anything goes for doing so, from selling drugs to children and being in illegal drug cartels and murdering cops and other people who get in your way to child prostitution and child pornography. Envy is what led Hitler to desire other people's countries and possessions and has led Stalin and Communists and other people to covet things belonging to other people. Indifference to other people's problems and misery is what keeps Man's inhumanity to man going on. So, virtues certainly aren't just "nice to aspire to" and "pie in the sky", but of very practical necessity in this world and the seven deadly sins definitely affect our lives negatively and need to be avoided as much as possible, and aren't just religious propaganda and brainwashing. I know that you joke a lot in this blog site, but even you can be serious, sometimes, and talk seriously when that is called for on some subjects, such as this one.
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John D. Partin
Let's talk reality, then. Virtues aren't just "nice to aspire to" or "pie in the sky", but of practical necessity in this world and the seven deadly sins are very destructive, personally and societally, in this world!! Are you and other people here aware of the connection between gluttony or overeating and heart disease?! Many people are digging their own graves with their spoons. Even Bill Maher and other atheists complain about the ongoing obesity problem in this country and world. So, this isn't just a Christian idea or concern. Are all of you here aware of the connection between lack of exercise, due to sloth or laziness, and heart attacks? Lust means caring more about your own sexual pleasure than you do about other people, and so thinking that it's "right" to use them for that pleasure, as with child molestation, rape, bestiality, necrophilia, white slavery and sex trafficking, child pornography and prostitution, and going to adult women prostitutes to use them for sex, instead of treating them as human beings and as you would want your daughters or mothers or yourselves to be treated! Anger is well known to be responsible for ulcers and road rage, domestic abuse, killings in anger and passion, broken homes and families and relationships, and serial killings. Envy of other people's countries and possessions is what motivated Adolf Hitler to want to claim those countries and possessions for himself and Germany, as well as motivating Stalin and Communists and other people throughout history to covet other people's countries and possessions. Greed makes people care more about getting money and possessions than they do about other people, and so willing to do anything to get that, such as selling drugs to children and being in illegal drug cartels and murdering cops and other people who get in the way of their business and profits. Pride means people's aggrandizing themselves to the point that they don't care what they do or what happens to other people. Indifference to other people's problems is what keeps Man's inhumanity to man going on!!
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
What do you suggest we do about those starving children, Doc, mail them the extra food off of our plates, or do you think making ourselves feel bad about our overabundance is going to help them in some way. I'd feel a lot better by giving myself positive affirmations, rather than negative ones.
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Ilmenheru Terikson
How about just look into donating to a local shelters food bank? Or inviting a less well off family to your home for the big days meal? We dont have to reach around the world to help. But if everyone would try to help those less well off then them that are near by then eventually that kindness could reach around the world.
The why bother or whats the point attitude you express makes me wonder if your claim to actually minister to others is just all talk. No matter our personal faith focus. to be a minister is to minister to those in need.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
For two years I volunteered at a soup kitchen run by Catholic Charities here in Galveston, Tx. Less than a year ago l volunteered for going on two years passing out food at a Baptist church's monthly free food giveaway ( and the pastor there didn't approve of Paganism or Wicca, but it didn't hurt me to act like a Christian for a few hours every time I was there, so I could help. I did volunteer work for about a year, five days a week, with Aids Coalition Of Coastal Texas, Inc. . I'm even a past chapter president of Victorious Missionaries, a Christian missionary group for and of the physically handicapped and chronically ill. I'm even a former Secretary-Treasurer of the Lambda Galveston A.A. group. As a teenager, l did volunteer work with a boy scout troop of mentally retarded children, and taught swimming for the special Olympics. However, I'll still stuff my fat face, and never think about starving children while I do. Nor will I put myself down for not being totally virtuous. I'm good enough as I happen to be. You have a different style of ministering sir, but I don't knock you for it.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I hate to boast, but on Thanksgiving I gave away six very full plates of food from my home to neighbors, and my brother came over and ate Thanksgiving dinner with me. I finally got through eating all that food yesterday. Three jarrs of unsweetened applesauce came in the mail from Amazon Prime today. I guess I'll have that, as well as Tuna Helper this evening, with three cans of Starkist. My internet service will be shutting off soon, and y'all wont be hearing from me for a few months. Got a lot of other expenses during the holidays, and that fifty bucks a month is much needed. So, happy holidays, and I shall return, after fat Tuesday.
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John Daly
Comment removed by user.
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John Daly
U hate to boast? LOL
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Leona Weisenbach
Understand...Have a good fattening holiday. Be safe.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Merry meet and merry part, and merry meet again. Blessed be!
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
And if all else fails, try running skyclad through a forest, while picking berries.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
By George, I think he's got it!
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Richard Lee Cornell
Eat all you can eat for you next meal is out of a dumpster.
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John Daly
Good article for communists and the joe biden brigade of criminals
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Richard Lee Cornell
I grew up poor. Oats in the morning. Maybe powder milk on it. Water was cheap. Went to a relative house for holidays. Their left overs became our meals for the next couple of days. Dad worked at a low paying job. Mom did a job when she could find work. At 12 I picked corn, pulled onions, pick apples. If I could stuff myself I did. That poor church mouse could become dinner if it was caught. We live in a country that is 25 trillion dollars in debit. It imports food from around the world. People exports food from India where people do not have enough to eat, feed Indians here. Many countries export their food to the US even if people are starving in those countries.
On a foot note.
There are 20 million adults in this country the know where their next drug fix is coming from even if their kids are starving.
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George Walter Kauffman
Thanxgiving is by far my Favorite Holiday ... Individuals being Individuals ... NO Presents Required ... Family, Friends, Foes being themselves ... Nothing better than a Prayer ... Saying Thanx and this is " Our " 400 th Thanxgiving .. God Bless YOU ALL
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John Casillo
The road less travelled......Who among the calorie conscious might suggest that thanksgiving day be a time of fasting instead....a time to reflect who among us is without sin.....Rev john
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John P Maher
WELL LOOK @ THE G O Pigs THEY ARE ON ALL SEVEN [ 7 ] of the DEADLY SINS, the WORST of the WORST !
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Sharon Veronica Meixsell
Honestly, sometimes we just so mired in the little things. There are so many other more important things in this world to worry so much about 1 day out of a year that we stuff ourselves like pigs (I don't now but I admit to it when I was younger). This is just something to make us feel guilty about ....oooh ....it is a sin. ooooo...so bad ...does God approve? ooooo,...you are going to Hell... PLEASE!! That is why established religions and churches I find annoying. God doesn't have to approve.. and (your) God whoever/whatever that may mean should NEVER be a Negative being. Just like I am getting annoyed with all of the media lately, I am annoyed with worrying about petty things...which are mainly ways to make people feel guilty over some issue. That is why I left the Catholic Church - practically everything you wanted to do you were made to feel guilty over and then go to confession. Especially if you are a woman...lots of religions women are not important. And if in that religion you are not seen as a valuable person why should you care what this God thinks.
I don't care if you agree with my comment or not. This is a frustration post...I feel this article should not have been written . It is putting too much emphasis on 1 day of the year and how we act. Maybe we should be talking about how God approves of liars and manipulators such as in the media outlets about politics that is far more dangerous than pigging out one day. People may not always say it but I truly believe while we may pig out everyone really is grateful for people in their lives and for other things in their lives.
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Sharon Veronica Meixsell
This entire article is a BIG GIGANTIC GUILT TRIP. IT SAYS WE ARE NOT VALUED AS A PERSON. GOD IS ANGRY AT US. THIS IMPLIES THAT GOD IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING BAD TO US. I TAKE OFFENSE AS A HUMAN BEING AND AS A REVEREND THAT YOUR POST MAKES ME OUT TO BE A BAD PERSON IF I EAT TOO MUCH. AND WHAT IS TOO MUCH/ WHO DECIDES THAT? IT IS TOTALLY SUBJECTIVE. I FEEL THE AUTHOR SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO THE AUDIENCE FOR SAYING THAT GOD DOESN'T VALUE US. THIS REALLY IS AN OFFENSIVE POST.
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Lionheart
To be honest Sharon I don’t think the god you refer to (if it’s real) values anyone. The stories are plagued with his brutality, and anger management issues. He certainly doesn’t value females, judging by his misogynistic rules. And to be honest, I am amazed any females actually want to worship that God.
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Kathryn Darcy Smith
Anything Biblical is a human construct so anyone who says "god thinks" or "god says", I immediately stop listening to because they are sadly ignorant of history.
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Lionheart
Totally agree! What history do you like to reference?
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Kathryn Darcy Smith
Sins are rules of morality and ethics established by HUMANS. Thus, they are fallible and human-minded. Gluttony is HILARIOUS and OBVIOUSLY born of jealousy of early history where those with little, felt jealous and angry over those with more. Food, money, possessions, etc.
Thanksgiving is also an excellent time to remember the family we've lost by talking about them, using their recipes, remembering them with love. Knowing our eternal soul will join them again when the time comes.
Pam, That's a wonderful way to celebrate this day. It is most needed today when our country is so divided by hate, lies, and greed. I have always had hope in the American people to pull back together and stop the dangerous road we are going down. But, it has come to such an ugly state I worry if we will.
I hope this includes 400 years our Christian and ancestors spent killing Native Americans so we could steal their land. If you are white in America, be thankful for Manifest Destiny and God Gavin’s us this land to rape, pillage and pollute.
So very true. My son and I on Thanksgiving and Christmas make dinners that reflect some dish that my mother would make, could be stuffing or could be a dessert. However, my loved ones are with us on this day. And if you truly believe that only the physical body dies and a Soul still lives you will understand that the only thing that has changed is the way to communicate with those that have passed on. My mother shows up as either a Ladybug or a Dragon Fly and yes other times as herself. I write poetry and at times she flows through me and the words I write are messages from her or an ode to her.
We will stuff our face this year because food and the Holidays were the happiest of times. Who cares if we eat a bit more. It is indeed a time for Celebration.
May I thank you.
Thank you Pam, you are entirely correct, Good bless you and yours.