Whereas it is 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; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

From George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1789

The American heritage of Thanksgiving of course hearkens back to 1620 and the Pilgrims. After a failed experiment in socialism, in which half the settlers died, governor William Bradford reverted to a Scriptural model of free enterprise – resulting in a flourishing and plentiful harvest! The resulting feast, shared with the Indians, was was praise and gratitude to Almighty God for his grace and blessings upon the Pilgrims. This is totally contrary to how this event is presented to school children today.

The first presidential proclamation in the history of America was Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1789. However, the holiday was only observed at the state levels until the Lincoln administration, during which another national proclamation was made after the battle of Gettysburg. In 1941, Congress established an official national holiday of Thanksgiving.

The origins of the Holiday, coupled with the presidential proclamations, are solid evidence of the Christian foundations of Thanksgiving.  The Word of God admonishes individuals and nations to offer praise and Thanksgiving to Him.  The Apostle Paul reminds us in the 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. The might prophecies of the Old and New Testaments remind us that the nations of the earth will be ruled under Christ’s rod of iron.

Therefore it is evident that Thanksgiving is not only a distinctly American holiday, it is more importantly a distinctively Christian holiday. Will patriotic Christian Americans allow history revisionists to destroy one more vestige of our heritage? Our will we stand up and courageously tell the truth and teach our children properly?

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Psalm 11:3