Many of our human family brothers and sisters from American Indian tribes find concern that Thanksgiving and Americans in general are founded upon the conquest of the tribes in the Americas.
From a Christian perspective, the Gospel was always destined for islands, continents and new lands across the globe. Jesus commanded, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark 16:15
Thus, America was not the only place Christianity took root. The Faith spread to China, Japan and remote islands, to the ends of the earth. Although it would have been humanly ideal to protect the "Mother Earth" faith and spirits of native tribes, it was not in God's plan for the earth. Before Christianity, native tribes, Nordic tribes, Druid tribes, etc. also had a rich tradition of human sacrifice, the killing of children, virgins and foes. Roman and Greek gods had to be conquered too, fueled by evil spirits, torture and crucifixions.
So when it comes to celebrating Thanksgiving, well, the Bible tells us that God does not look on the external as humans do. But rather, God looks upon the heart.
Unfortunately, current generations for example, many do not know what barley is and they do not write script, let alone have knowledge that first Thanksgiving was about killing natives. Actually, should a person celebrate Thanksgiving in God's favor, in the heart, that is good enough for God.
In all reality though, beginning in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln risked his life to free slaves in America. He thus encouraged Americans to recognize the last Thursday of November as “a day of Thanksgiving” for all, slave and free. Prior to the Civil War and the freedom of slaves by President Lincoln, Thanksgiving was not celebrated across the country. It was a President Lincoln thing, a hero of human rights.
At Thanksgiving and throughout the year, our Lord encourages us to find commonality, not division. In fact, Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9 Now that's something for Thanksgiving.
Photo - Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. She was born in 1656, in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon. Many miracles were attributed to her while she was alive and after her death.
