Why Americans Are Forgetting the True Meaning of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day's significance in American culture appears to be diminishing. This 151-year-old national holiday, originally established to express gratitude to God, faces mounting challenges in modern society.
Thanksgiving holiday fading from memory
When President Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving in 1863, he designated it as "a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens," acknowledging divine providence in America's blessings. Today, two key factors contribute to its declining importance:
- Loss of Gratitude
- Modern society exhibits an increasing sense of entitlement
- Materialistic focus overshadows thankfulness
- Black Friday shopping often overshadows the holiday's purpose
- Younger generations show decreased appreciation for everyday kindness
- Parents struggle to model and teach gratitude
- Diminished Religious Recognition
- Many no longer acknowledge God as the source of blessings
- Success is often attributed solely to personal effort
- Biblical warnings about forgetting God's role prove relevant today
- Declining national prosperity may correlate with decreased gratitude
Family praying at Thanksgiving dinner
Family praying together at Thanksgiving
Colorful squash in harvest basket
Early pilgrims arrive at Plymouth Rock
Thanksgiving banner with enduring mercy message
Despite these societal shifts, individuals can choose to maintain an attitude of gratitude. As the apostle Paul advised, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Personal commitment to thankfulness remains vital, regardless of broader cultural trends.
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