I have been thinking a lot about the Thanksgiving Holiday the past few days and I have come to the conclusion that I don’t like it. The great American Philosopher Debi Downer was right to point out the ‘evils,’ which in our haste we are often too ready to overlook.
[Although I know the skit is meant to satire pessimism--sometimes being jaded means not ignoring the problems around you while so called ‘optimists’ prefer to float along in self-imposed blissful ignorance. For a full reading of the issues Debi points out, check out this link that has the complete transcript of this SNL episode. -- http://snltranscripts.jt.org/04/04fdowner.phtml ]
Now I know what your saying, “Come on m_dizzle how can you not like Thanksgiving? Is there any more American holiday?”
Good question--but maybe that’s the problem. It is THE most American holiday!
Thanksgiving is the day where Americans not only turn a blind eye toward gluttony and overindulgence [that happens the other 364 days a year -- 365 in a leap year] but we also ENCOURAGE and EXPECT people to do it. The norm for this holiday is that families will make more food then they need so that they can consume more then they need so that they can end up throwing out more food then usual. American self-centeredness at its best (worst?). Not only is it a holiday centered around conspicuous self-absorption, but it is all done (excused) in the name of being thankful!?!? That just seems twisted to me.
“I am so thankful that God has given me all this stuff, so I’m going to eat myself into a coma. God bless America!”
[Of course there is the whole other issue of how indigenous Americans see this holiday and what it represents to their story.]
The whole time I was eating my Thanksgiving meal the song ‘Hunger Strike,’ by Temple of the Dog, ran through my mind [if you haven’t heard it, it’s worth the 99 cents to download it off iTunes]:
“I don’t mind stealing bread from the mouth of decadence, but I can’t feed on the powerless when my cup is already overfilled.”
My cup is definitely overfilled and yet I continue to consume. God help me.
I think the answer to my American Overindulgence will be found in a reclaiming of the spiritual discipline of fasting. Through self-imposed hunger for spiritual purposes, I am able to identify with those that do not have food to eat. As Paul points out [1Cor.9:27], we need to become masters over our bodies. It is also interesting that Paul makes this statement in 1 Corinthians immediately after he was speaking about the ways he identifies with diverse people groups for the sake of the gospel [by making his body his slave]. There is something there that I choose to explore deeper.
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