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Long, long ago, when I was still in a church, the elder said that he didn't know why atheists celebrate Thanksgiving because whom are they thanking? Pfft.

Here's a thanks to the farmers who grew the sweet potatoes and the wheat for the stuffing.

Thanks to what's left of my family and my friends who tolerate me.

Thanks to medical science for keeping my sister alive.

Thanks to all workers who have dedicated themselves to keep the world going during Covid.

That is the short list, but it is people whom we need to thank, not a deity.

Gwendolyn2018 9 Nov 26
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16 comments

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0

I haven't ever celebrated Thanksgiving. Mainly since I'm from a different country first off. And well correct me if I'm wrong here. But celebrating something that brought about the all but systematic extermination. Of the indigenous people here before. Isn't necessarily something that should be held in reverence. Let me state that this is simply my opinion on this.

1

When I was a Christian, I used to think atheist weren’t capable of loving and being good moral people. Atheist were completely devoid of any good.

Since I left the faith, I actually have come to realize that in a lot of cases atheists are more sincere than Christians. Atheists don’t put on this false mask trying to impress people. What you see is what you get and I can appreciate that

@Gwendolyn2018 It's the indoctrination about hell. People are so scared to think for themselves that they just buy the preachers line that atheist/agnostics are evil. Once you get over hell then you can see it for the bullshit that it is

@Gwendolyn2018 If there were a god or deity that created us i can't imagine he would sentence us to a lifetime of torment just because we disobeyed him even though he created us with the desire to disobey him.

0

As a farmer, I appreciate the thanks thrown our way for the food we produce all year long.

2

There is always a religious dankness hanging over being thankful at Thanksgiving, it makes no sense at all to thank the holy moly in the clouds but not the guy who busted his ass to pick the crops that wound up on your plate.

2

Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Halloween, are the names of American folk festivals...their "stated purpose", has been rendered meaningless via social practice. Turkey Day, The Easter Rabbit, Santa Claus, and extorting candy from neighbors with threats of vandalism is what those things are now about...it seems that it is true for all except the religious who doggedly persist with the origins of those myths.
🙂

2

A great quote from Shenandoah: Lord, we cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvest it. We cook the harvest. It wouldn't be here and we wouldn't be eating it if we hadn't done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you Lord just the same for the food we're about to eat, amen.

0

Aren't you thanking the native people who kept your ancestors alive so that they could go on and steal their land?

@Gwendolyn2018 I didn't mean you personally; I meant 'you' Americans. 🙂

1

Here's one answer: [rawstory.com]
Perhaps the 'elder' is less thankful in that with the rise of the nones there are fewer to fill his donation basket.

... and lack of money makes them lose faith with their "calling".

@Petter You may have no idea. FFRF along with Dawkins started what is known as the Clergy project. There are hundreds of clergy involved. [clergyproject.org]

1

That’s what I always tell people! I am thankful for much to many for the life I get to live, without needing an imaginary friend to pretend had anything to do with it. The religious mind is like a box from which they cannot escape.

6

It pisses me off when someone thanks an imaginary deity instead of those who have done the work. I am grateful to the generations before me that I am here. I am thankful to my daughters that they have continued the trend and the generations. I am thankful to science and medicine that I am even here, and that we have the comforts of life that we have. I am thankful to @Admin that we have this group to support one another.

2

It is so amazing to me that the religious always believe it is a god that you should be thanking.

2

Well said!

4

I've often thought the only consistent prayer a theist could pray would be something like this: "O God of unlimited abundance, Thank You for not allowing more of Your creation to starve than You do. Amen."

2

Well said. Funny, even growing up in a religious home, I never, ever considered thanksgiving a religious holiday.

@Gwendolyn2018 I agree, it’s been secular since the 40’s

5

.... you left out all those fine folk who voted for a change of POTUS.
The whole world owes them a "thanks giving".

2

I agree. There's so much we can be grateful for.

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