More Thanksgiving Drivel

https://americanreformer.org/2024/11/the-death-of-thanksgiving/

Dunson is upset because of the commercialisation of Christmas and the fact that the 'season' starts in conjunction with Halloween. Thanksgiving is skipped over.

The answer to this is obvious. We live in a capitalist society and with a retail economy, Christmas is critical. Thanksgiving is only a boon for the grocery industry. The Utilitarian ethics of capitalism make it so and make it right. If he has a problem with this, critique the system and the values its spawns - but don't hold your breath. He is writing after all for the American Reformer.

Thanksgiving is faux holiday created by the American state during the Civil War. In that age of Romanticism, the Mayflower/Plymouth Pilgrims became icons of American idealism and they were utilised by those wishing to unite the nation. Lincoln in particular wanted to celebrate the turning of the tide at Gettysburg. Some seventy years later the current date was fixed by FDR in conjunction with the already burgeoning retail season connected to Christmas.

In other words it was about celebrating 'the troops' and consuming by means of shopping. It's just a big scam and always has been.

I don't need or want the state to tell me to be thankful. We are thankful every day and while some consider it a convenient time to gather, as so many have the day off work, I (for my part) will not be bound by the state to keep this day and attach some kind of nebulous spiritual meaning to it. And when it gets blended with a bunch of mythological drivel about the nation - then you can forget it.

We pray for the peace of the city but when Babylon tries to appropriate our covenant and make up festive or holy days for us - it's time to resist. As I've written before, go have a turkey dinner if it pleases you. Get together with family but don't sanctify a day that is common and if you're with Evangelical types that are trying to put a Christian spin on it - that must be rejected out of hand. Glorying in their shame and unfaithfulness they rejoice when the state produces some kind of syncretist civic liturgy. They think it a victory and that it promotes godliness. All it produces is chaos - lawlessness in terms of the gospel. The lost cannot be thankful in any Biblical sense but Dominionists do not understand this.

Dunson falls into the same confusion trap that manifests itself over and over again every year. He confuses the Biblical call to thanksgiving with this civic holiday created by the American state. Such confusion breeds confusion.

He may celebrate America and bring judgment on himself. Today I think about the gluttony and decadence - people stuffing themselves and getting ready to shop even while the bombs drop and societies are destroyed by the Wall Street machine. People are starving while Dominionists 'feast'.

Dunson hopes the rapist-adulterer and criminal Trump will clean up the Sodomite spectacle of the Macy's parade so he can feel good about watching it. That's like turning to Pharaoh for protection or Nero for wisdom. So stuff you face and feel good about America. Feed your delusion and your decadence and rest in the romanticised hope of the blind. I thank God every day but I want nothing to do with American Thanksgiving. For in the end the thanksgiving Dunson and so many others 'feel' and promote is in reality an expression of idolatry.