Thursday, November 28, 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Permission Granted! Either Way. Whatever!
The advertisement began, "There's been a lot of talk about hot dogs lately" and then went on to promote a particular brand of hot dog. I recall thinking, that I had not heard one bit of talk about hot dogs almost ever. "There's been a lot of talk about ______ lately", you fill in the blank, seems to have caught on as a way to introduce one's view about something that probably no one at all is talking about or asking but the advertiser wants to push his product anyhow.
Welcome to the world of Prophet Robert Thiel, who now has given Christians the definitive answer, which is "Sure fine if you wish" or "Don't worry of it if you don't, about it being appropriate or not for Christians to observe Thanksgiving and whether it is appropriate for to be thankful.
I am surprised the article did not contain the obvious warning found in Galatians 4:10-12.
10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. 12I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.
... but that would be unhelpful and only open the traditional can of worms associated with this scripture and what it might actually mean. The good news is that his scripture can be used effectively by Jewish and Gentile Christians against each other depending on what constitutes days, months, seasons and years observed, but let's spare us.
The only reason I bring this up the day before Thanksgiving is that there has been A LOT of talk about this whether it is right or wrong for a Christian to give thanks, on Thanksgiving practically everywhere I go this past week. It dominates the news and that's all I hear in stores and in the workplace.
Last Sunday and certainly Saturday, churches were filled with near riot conditions begging clergy for the answer to this nagging question, that with the actual Thanksgiving holiday looming, simply MUST be answered NOW, lest we fall into depravation and offending The Most High with our mere human reasonings and wisdom, which we all know is pure foolishness if we are not careful in our discernment to the answers of such deeply troubling questions. Just don't ask about football on Thanksgiving.
"The fourth Thursday in November is the American holiday called Thanksgiving. Unlike most holidays observed in the USA, this one is not of pagan origin. Hence, the vast majority in the Church of God (COG) consider it an “optional” (not biblically-required) holiday."
Comment: First of all we need to get the actual date set firmly in our minds so we evidently don't confuse it with Christmas which, sadly and of course will be addressed far more seriously soon.
It is not of pagan origin. That's a good thing and of ultimate importance to understand before going on to answer this pressing question that so many have been talking about. It also does not rank up there with the Biblically required ones either, so get that straight.
The Prophet Robert goes on: Concerning the persecution of the Pilgrims and their coming to America.
"The persecutions of the Pilgrims somewhat remind me of the history of the Church of God"
Comment: Somehow we knew it would
The Prophet Robert goes on then nostalgically reminding the savvy reader of the old WCG hymns speaking of, praise and thanksgiving along with a good round of proof texting with a Topical Bible on words like "give thanks", "thanksgiving" and such. Without those, we simply can have no clue as to what the answer to the question might be.
In conclusion Prophet Bob adds another piece to God's Puzzle on the rights and wrongs of living on Earth. He boldly ventures into a scripture that actually more have talked about the meaning of than even hot dogs. But let's keep use of it to focus in on the pressing question at hand.
"While Christians can observe national holidays, presuming they can do so without sinning, they do not have to keep holidays like Thanksgiving. While he was mainly referring to fast days, the following from the Apostle Paul seems to be applicable here:"
NOTE: Sinning is a function of national holidays, not God's Holydays. And too, Thanksgiving is not like God's Holydays, which you do have to keep, so let's get that straight from the start.
Continuing... and seemingly applicable
"5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. (Romans 14:5-6)
If one has a problem of conscience keeping Thanksgiving, then one should not. But, either way, Christians should thank and praise God.
Give thanks and praise the Eternal!"
So there we go! It's ok to give thanks as a Christian! Or not! It depends on how you feel about it but it's OK! Or NOT! Go for it! Or NOT! Also, let's be sure our praise and thankfulness is of and for the Eternal and not the harvest.
Sadly and of course, being grateful and thankful , as an agnostic, pagan or atheist, is not addressed in this article so I don't know the anwer to that question.
But, and may the gods forgive my human reasoning and wisdom of man, which I know is foolishness to Prophet Robert, I will risk a personal gratitude for the harvest even though I don't have to if I don't wish to, but I will so I do and we all should, unless some feel they shouldn't. Do what you wish, or not.
“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” – Tecumseh
So, Happy Thanksgiving
or not
depending!
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
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