For those of you who want to know what ACTUALLY happened on the first Thanksgiving, check this out.
Origin myths do not come cheaply. To glorify the Pilgrims is dangerous. The genial omissions and false details our texts use to retail the Pilgrim legend promote Anglocentrism, which only handicaps us when dealing with all those whose culture is not Anglo. Surely, in history, "truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost."
8 comments:
This is still a Christian Nation, founded on Christian values. I will take this day to honor God for the blessings He has given me.
Feel free to have immense guilt about the first Thanksgiving. May it give you heart burn.
Yeah, I don't get this. So you're saying you'd rather believe a fairy tale and the truth?
I also don't think that being a Christian and believing in the Thanksgiving myth go hand in hand. I'm a Christian and have no qualms about exploring historical facts.
I like this story better.
No, Anon, this is not a "Christian Nation," it is a nation that tolerates Christianity, along with all religions. We were founded by Deists and Secularists who recognized the inherent danger of founding a nation upon one single religion.
America is not even a nation with a Christian majority. It is the unfortunate tendency of Christians to co-opt everything within their sight. Not by the tenents of faith, but by the actions of their believers, who have seized land, treasure, slaves, you name it from every culture Christianity has encountered. If Christians want it, they will find a way to steal it, co-opt it or attempt to ruin it if they can't.
The article fails to point of that the so called "Pilgrims" were run out of both England and Holland for their persecution of others, not for their "faith."
Anon, I'm sure your faith gives you strength, but it sure hasn't granted you either wisdom or tolerance.
We were founded by Deists and Secularists who recognized the inherent danger of founding a nation upon one single religion.
Secularists? Really? Can you name one?
The nation was founded not on "tolerance" of Christianity, but on the principle of diversity of belief - that people should be free to worship as they as individuals deem best. There would be no official state-sanctioned church. That was quite an idea back then - and still is when you look around most of the world.
Nice link, Kevin. I don't often agree with you but you made me laugh out loud. Thanks!
"We were founded by Deists and Secularists who recognized the inherent danger of founding a nation upon one single religion."
Really? Of the 55 men who signed the Constitution, 3 were Deists, 1 was unknown, and the rest were all members of Christian churches of various denominations at a time when church membership required swearing to that denomination's statement of faith. Most of those denominations would today be called "Fundamentalist". You can read more details here. He also lists the source for this info.
Oh, and by the way:
"A Bible and a newspaper in every house, a good school in in every district—all studied and appreciated as they merit—are the principle support of virtue, morality, and civil liberty."
—Benjamin Franklin (One of the Deists mentioned above)
Dan wont learn anything from that link. His mind is already made up and he wont admit any error.
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