| There's
a popular belief among some American Christians that the
American Thanksgiving holiday is necessarily religious. Aside from the
apparent desire to turn everything into an expression of their
religion, the primary reason behind this seems to be the idea that the
whole point must be to give thanks to their god - not any other gods,
just theirs, thus making it a Christian holiday too. If this is true,
then it makes no sense for non-Christians, or at least non-theists, to
celebrate Thanksgiving. Godless Americans Celebrate
Thanksgiving
It is undeniable that non-Christians and non-theists all over America
participate in Thanksgiving observances. This proves that the
insistence on the religious or Christian nature of Thanksgiving is
false. It simply can't be true, but this doesn't tell us why it isn't
true. For that, it must be shown that giving thanks to God is
unnecessary, or senseless, or that there are others to whom we can give
thanks to, or preferably all three.We Should Give Thanks to People
There are many people whom we should thank because of how they help us
either live at all or just live better. A common thread in these cases
is precisely the fact that it is humans who are responsible for that
for which we should be thankful, so it is humans whom we should be
thanking. At no point are gods involved; even if they exist, god aren't
responsible for that for which we should be thankful, so there is no
point in thanking them. On Thanksgiving, don't waste time with prayers,
poems about gods, or empty religious rituals. Instead, do something
meaningful like talking to your children about all the human beings who
work (often anonymously) to improve our lives. Stop to reflect on these
people and how your life has benefited. Giving Thanks to Farmers
Perhaps the most obvious humans to whom we might give thanks to when we
eat would be the farmers responsible for providing us with the food we
eat. Although massive corporations have taken over significant aspects
of food production and distribution, small farmers continue to play an
important role in growing, raising, and providing what we eat every
day. Most people are far removed from food production and forget what's
involved; maybe Thanksgiving is a good day to stop to think about
this.Giving Thanks to Soldiers and
Veterans
Also commonly forgotten are the sacrifices made by those in our
military. Even those who never fight in any wars still sacrifice
several years of their lives in order to be a part of an organization
which helps keep America free. The government has too often misused the
American military, but disagreements about policies should not cause
people to forget what our military personnel have done for us.Giving
Thanks to Doctors and Modern Medicine
It is difficult to comprehend how devastating diseases were in the
recent past. It's only been in the past few decades that doctors have
been able to treat infections and other conditions reliably and
consistently. Most of the medicine we take for granted is of recent
vintage and medical research is helping make more and more conditions
treatable, if not curable. Many of us would be dead several times over
if it weren't for modern medicine, a fact to be thankful for.Giving Thanks to Engineers and
Modern Technology
The technology we have today, much of which was barely imaginable less
than a century ago, has both saved lives and improved the way we live.
Lives are saved via medical technology, safety devices, and better
protection from the elements. Our lives are enriched by things like the
internet, easier travel, and new ways to create art. Technology has
also created problems, but the responsibility for problems lies with
us, just as does the responsibility for the solutions.Giving Thanks to
Science and Scientists
One of the defining features of our modern world is science, but too
often basic science is overshadowed by the bright glow of what science
produces. Science has been instrumental in improving what farmers can
grow, what the military can accomplish, what doctors can treat, and
what engineers can build. Science and scientists are the ones who have
helped make our world more understandable and hence have improved our
ability to live in it.Giving Thanks to Friends and
Family
Those listed above are usually distant from us and easy to forget, thus
making it important to stop to think of them, but we should also not
forget those who are closest to us and who are easiest to take for
granted. No person is an island; who we are is dependent upon those
around us and we should stop to give thanks to friends and family who
help us, support us, and generally make life worth living for us.Gods
are Irrelevant & Thanking Gods is Insulting
Sports players should thank parents, coaches, and teammates who helped
them develop their skills and thus made their victories possible.
Accident survivors should thank the engineers who designed vehicles to
help people survive accidents. Parents of sick children should thank
medical personnel who spend hours using skills developed over a
lifetime.Thanking irrelevant gods is an insult to the people responsible for what happens to us. It says that all the time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears we expend in improving ourselves and in improving the lives of those around us are ultimately wasted because the outcome will be determined by God, regardless of what we do. Whether for good or for
ill, though, our fates lie in our hands.
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