“The covetous man is always in want.”

 Horace

 

 

 

 

  

 

       An American Thanksgiving!                

                                                                    

  

by Mark Karapetyan 

 

Have you ever witnessed, in person, a pack of lions fighting over a gazelle or zebra?  

Have you ever observed a group of hyenas tear to pieces the flesh of innocent, adorable animals?  

Most of you probably have not, and that’s a good thing. The way these ferocious beasts attack their prey and kill them is bloody and gruesome.  

Lions and most other wild animals are very clever! They hunt in groups to orchestrate a team effort to increase their chances of making the kill. Most of these lions and other beasts hunt under the cover of darkness where they can easily observe and stalk their prey without the threat of detection.  

Although the way these brutal savages decimate other animals is heart-breaking and grisly, no human being considers these acts to be nefarious or villainous. We don’t label lions and tigers as immoral when they devour the flesh of their kill, nor do we object to their conduct toward other animals as unethical. That’s precisely what animals do, they literally behave just like animals!  

Nothing unusual here…  

What’s unusual is when human beings, who are supposed to be the finest and smartest of all creatures, act with no regard for decency and respect, just like these wild animals. What’s disappointing is when human beings resent, envy, and rail against each other instead of living with one another in peace, love, and harmony like they are commanded to. What’s appalling is when human beings attack, mutilate, and kill each other for selfish, greedy, malicious reasons. What’s most shocking is when adults, parents, and older folks who should know better, behave egotistically and greedily like they do, for example, during the holidays in America.  

Have you seen Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day? Let me fill you in…  

(Although what I’m about to tell you is not the norm for everyone, it is the case with the majority of people).  

Just like so many of our other holidays, the true purpose behind having a holiday called “Thanksgiving” is totally obliterated by an avalanche of greed.     

As most of you know, Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States. It’s a day where family and friends are supposed to come together to give thanks for what they have. Instead, it has become a commercialized day where people habitually gobble pounds and pounds of food down their throats as quickly as they can, as much as they can, as though there were a wide-spread food shortage around the world.   

Amazingly, the most hollow, superficial, and phony display of hospitality starts several days before the holiday even begins.  

The host (usually the wife / mother) starts cleaning the house to make it presentable for the guests.  

The living room turns into a five-star comfort zone that would make the dimwit British fake royals proud. The dining room gets an extravagant overhaul with matching china and utensils. The bathrooms get scrubbed inside out, top to bottom, while the kitchen is turned into a spotless food factory. The refrigerator is filled with all kinds of superfluous foods that would feed an entire block of people in Somalia. The carpets are shampooed and vacuumed. The flat screen TV, that’s big and wide enough to fit in a soccer stadium, is wiped clean for the up-coming mind-numbing, brain-freezing football game.  

Even the pets are groomed and given baths to assure a five-star review by the guests. After all, someone has to put on a show and impress all of these people, right?   

Everything is set and ready for the big day. Everyone is anxiously waiting…  

Then, Thanksgiving Day arrives!  

The mother/wife wakes up in the wee hours of the morning to tie up some loose ends before the guests arrive. She prepares that poor plucked turkey, full of steroids and growth hormones, that’s been thawing in the fridge for the past three days; then she shoves in it all kinds of weird vegetables, spices and herbs.  

A thirteen-thousand-pound bird cannot be cooked quickly; therefore, the cooking process lasts for long hours throughout the day. Many of the guests, who will later be arguing over climate change and other social issues, are commuting to their destinations in their SUVs, stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, polluting the globe by wasting gallons and gallons of fuel, and omitting soul-piercing amounts of CO2.    

Hours later, the doorbell rings, and the guests are greeted with cold hugs, fake smiles, and disingenuous words of love and praise. The entire house is noisy as everyone is catching up. Some are tasting the food while the host prepares the table, while others are showing off their expensive clothing, new hair styles, and photos of their last vacation to megalomaniac island (located somewhere in Tiny Brainland).   

Moments later, it’s time to self-glorify. The women can’t wait to pose for pictures and start snapping selfies of themselves to show the world how beautiful and creative they are with the five-gallon paint on their face that took them eighteen hours to perfect.  

The men, oh brother … they couldn’t care less!  

Most of them don’t want to be there, while the rest have no clue why they are even there. They have all been dragged along by their significant others. In most cases, however, as long as they eat and watch football, nothing else matters. You see, life is good when no critical thinking is required. Lucky for these men, food and football do not require such mental labor.  

The most crucial moment of the entire holiday is at hand. Everyone is sitting at the huge table waiting to eat. Everyone is waiting to tear the flesh of that bird since they haven’t eaten in years. The table is abundantly filled with all sorts of foods and deserts. There’s more food on the table than anyone in the house can eat. In fact, there’s so much cooked food that the leftovers alone could feed a battalion of U. S. marines stationed in Iraq! 

But I digress.  

The men are staring at the bird and salivating. Some women are checking out their lipstick and making sure the competition across the table from them doesn’t look better than they do. Others are making sure they have enough likes on social media for the pictures they just posted of themselves. God forbid they get less than seven thousand likes … sometimes life can be very unfair, you know.  

Then, in a few short sentences, the head of the household murmurs some thanks to God, and everyone starts feasting like scavengers! Those who haven’t eaten all day dive into their plates and chew the food just enough to swallow it (a behavior that would make Swiss cows jealous, since they eat in the same exact way – look it up!).  

Hours later, the carcass of that juicy, stuffed, fat bird lays in the tray as if it had been ravaged by a group of mountain lions.   

Everyone is full. Everyone ate so much that they can barely breath. But there’s more coming – now it’s time for desserts!  

A round of mega-doses of high fructose corn syrup is about to be served via apple pies and cakes.  

At this point, the men can barely breath. Their huge, healthy bellies – I mean six packs – are getting ready to explode. Most of them are already passing out on the couch waiting for the boring football game to kick off.  

The women, on the other hand, are already planning Christmas Eve dinner, and simultaneously gossiping while doing the dishes and helping each other clean up the dinner mess.    

Coffee and tea follow the delicious healthy deserts. Everyone is satisfied. By now, they have all consumed eleven billion calories in less than a day!       

What’s stunning is that the amount of time everyone spent praying, reading the Word, and giving thanks to God on this Thanksgiving Day is dismal or even non-existent compared to the time they spent commuting, eating, and conversing. Isn’t it pathetic that Christian families, who are supposed to be an example to others, spend ten or twelve hours, if not more, celebrating this day, but only a few quick minutes praying to God and supplicating?  

Why don’t the women, who usually prepare the turkey dinner for days, spend the same amount of time praying and meditating? Why don’t the men, who are supposed to be the spiritual leaders in the household, take control of this day and lead everyone else into celebrating God first by praying and worshipping Him in Spirit and truth?  

Do you know why Americans (mostly Christians) barely spend any time praying and thanking God on Thanksgiving Day? If they did those things for more than twenty minutes, nobody would show up.  

I am fully convinced that the main reason most Americans and Christians travel long distances for the Thanksgiving holiday is ONLY TO EAT.  

We have turned into a nation of gluttons, believe me!  

Suppose that all the invited guests in America were hypothetically informed that they would be celebrating thanksgiving with their loved ones by doing nothing but praying to God all day long. How many guests, including Christians, do you actually think would really show up just to pray?  

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)  

Moreover, if these guests were informed that the Thanksgiving dinner would be nothing but home-made sandwiches with non-alcoholic beverages, how many of them would travel from Boston to California, or from Seattle to D. C., to see their families and friends?  

If you disagree with my assumptions, go ahead, invite friends and family over to your house on Thanksgiving Day to pray and eat simple sandwiches. See how many even respond to you.  

It’s a sad reality we cannot escape. Americans have been deceived into thinking that celebrating holidays is about “things” rather than precious values and great traditions.  

It’s heart-wrenching that most Americans don’t even realize that the first Thanksgiving celebration took place in 1621. This feast was attended by both Pilgrims and Indians who joined together to thank God for their bountiful harvests of the previous year. This celebration was continued by the first American colonies, and later by the United States, as a time of thanksgiving for the blessings that God had bestowed upon the American people.  

The official Thanksgiving Day holiday was started in 1863 when Abraham Lincoln, at the end of the Civil War, asked Americans to set aside the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving to God for the blessings He had shown to America (one of which was an end to the Civil War).  

You see, dear friends, the entire purpose of this great tradition came about so that Americans would give thanks to God Himself, not to eat all day long like we do today.  

I am not bashing the great traditions of America. I am bashing how people distort these great traditions.  

When you are ignorant of and apathetic about your own history, you will never appreciate the event. You will never truly understand its meaning and purpose. That’s why, in today’s America, greed rules supreme. In today’s America, everyone wants more and no one is content with what they have.  

An average American is richer than most people around the world. That in itself is not a bad thing. Wealth is not evil. What’s evil is when a man worships his wealth. What’s tragic is when the needs of people turn into greed.  

Take, for instance, the day after Thanksgiving – Black Friday. This is the greediest, most uncivil, uncultured, barbarous day in America.  

It’s a day when millions of Americans (including Christians) line up before the crack of dawn at retail stores across the nation hoping to find great deals on cheap plastic stuff made outside the United States (mostly China & Taiwan).  

Deceived, covetous fools wait in the freezing cold for long hours for stores to open their doors so they can buy “things” and save money. The moment the doors open, they rush into the store as if they are in a Spanish bull run. They push, knock, and stump on top of each other with no regard for the elderly or children. Fights break out, many get hurt, and sometimes even killed. All of this for what? To save a few extra dollars…  

How pathetic!  

So what that you bought a microwave for $9. How many more popcorn bags can you make with a cheaper microwave?  

The way these savages attack the stores and each other to grab the discounted items before anyone else puts wild animals to shame. At least with a group of wild lions and tigers, their attacks are planned and orchestrated brilliantly. With Black Friday shoppers, it’s the survival of the fittest.  

As I have said, many Christians are Black Friday shoppers as well. They also behave in this pathetic manner, and they should be ashamed of themselves. However, they actually brag about it on social media!  

When was the last time those same Christians got up early in the morning to pray or to read the Bible for hours?  

How can Christians trample each other to buy cheap goods on Black Friday, exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have?  

Have they forgotten that every day should be Thanksgiving for the Christian? Have they forgotten that they must be content with what they have?  

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)  

Jesus constantly taught that we should be content with what God has given us.  “A man’s life is not measured by the amount of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)   

He also commanded us not to “lay up for ourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break in and steal, but lay up for ourselves treasure in Heaven.”  (Matthew 6:19-20)  

Maybe next time before Christians line up like zombies in front of stores to buy cheap stuff on Black Friday, they should first read these verses above.  

Maybe next time Christians wake up on Black Friday at 2 a. m. to rush to the stores, they should remind themselves “to keep their lives free from the love of money and be content with what they have.” (Hebrews 13:5-6)  

But tell me please, how can these Christians read those verses when they don’t even own a Bible?  

The truth of the matter is that the people who act that way on Black Friday also act the same way every other day of the week. We only notice it on Black Friday because they are all drawn to the same place, at the same time, for the same purpose.  

Let’s be honest. Many Americans are very limited in their mental capacity and are only equipped by biology to respond to what is presented to them. Mix this condition with the complete brainwashing put out by the public school system and the corrupt, liberal media, and you end up with situations like these.  

Since the dawn of time, man has been blinded by greed and covetousness. Wars have been waged, married couples have divorced, partnerships have been dissolved, and friendships have been lost forever because of greed. Yet man still has not learned how to conquer this spiritual plague that’s been devouring humanity. Even Christians, who are commanded to be a beacon of light for those in darkness, suffer from this terrible sin.  

Why can’t you be content with what you have?

 

Money 

 

Workers earn it,                                              Heirs receive it,

 

 

 

Spendthrifts burn it,                                      Thrifty save it, 

 

 

 

Bankers lend it,                                               Misers crave it,  

 

 

 

Women spend it,                                             Robbers seize it,

 

 

 

Forgers fake it,                                                Rich increase it,

 

 

 

Taxes take it,                                                   Gamblers lose it…

 

 

 

Dying leave it,                                                 I could use it.  

 

 

 

                                                                                 Richard Armour  

 

I once read a story of a highly successful businessman who was once asked to make a substantial donation toward an urgent charity appeal. The businessman listened to the case presented then said: “I can understand why you approached me. Yes, I do have a lot of money, and yours is an important cause. But are you aware that I have a lot of calls upon my money? Did you know my mother needs 24-hour nursing care?”  

“No we didn’t” came the reply.  

“Did you know my sister is struggling to raise a family of eight on her own?”  

“No we didn’t” came the reply.  

“Did you know I have one son in a drug rehab clinic and another doing voluntary work overseas?”  

“No we didn’t.”  

“Well, if I don’t give them a cent, what makes you think I’ll give it to you!?”  

This story, my friends, perhaps summarizes the heart of man that’s filled with sin. 

 

There once was a Christian monk who loved to constantly overeat. One day he finally realized that greed and gluttony had been a stumbling block in his walk with Christ. So, he decided to find a remedy for his uncontrollable sickness.  

He cooked his favorite, delicious meal, seasoned it with the best spices, the most aromatic freshest herbs, and then served it on a table with a glass of wine.  

He left his food untouched for a week, and then returned to find it rotting, filled with maggots and worms.  

He looked at the table and mocked: “Sinful, greedy, glutenous body. Eat what you greatly desire!”     

This monk was wise enough to realize that the only way to get rid of his greed was to starve his flesh from what it desired.  

We, as Christians, must also learn how to starve what our flesh desires, and instead feed it the bread of life that comes from Christ Himself.  

If you are a Christian and greed is part of who you are, then I suggest you re-think who is it that you are worshipping, God, or mammon. You can’t worship both, you can’t be “of” the world and be Godly at the same time.  

Before I end this, I want to tell you that I know some of you are already hyperventilating over this topic by now. I assure you, this is mild compared to “An American Christmas” that’s coming up next. Stay tuned…  

So, for now, smile, relax, and enjoy your “Thanksgiving.”     

Finally, I want to leave you with this.

If you disagree with me and believe that Black Friday shoppers are just normal folks shopping for stuff they need, then let me ask you a question:  

How are the people in the picture below on the right any different from the zombies on the left?  

 

 

  

  “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”  

                                                                                          Socrates