Thanksgiving is widely celebrated in the United States as a holiday of gratitude and togetherness, but some argue that its roots are tied to pagan traditions. The origin of Thanksgiving can be traced back to early settlers in America who held harvest festivals to give thanks for a successful agricultural year. It is believed that these early harvest celebrations were influenced by ancient pagan rituals that were practiced by various civilizations. In ancient times, many cultures held harvest festivals to honor their gods and goddesses of agriculture. These festivals involved feasting, giving thanks, and performing rituals to ensure a bountiful harvest in the future. For instance, the ancient Greeks held the Thesmophoria, a festival dedicated to the goddess Demeter, who was the goddess of grain and agriculture.

Was thanksgiving a pagan holiday

I read some very interesting websites while doing some online research for my annual Thanksgiving sermon, which will be given on Sunday, November 21st. These sites strenuously object to the Christian observance of Thanksgiving. The objections raised by these websites seem to fall into two main categories. The first category of objections claim that Thanksgiving should be ignored because the holiday fell on the same dates associated with pagan harvest rituals earlier in human history. The second category of objections focuses on the idea that thanksgiving to God should be given every day and that a single day focusing on thanksgiving to God somehow robs God of the thanks He is due every day.

First, I will discuss the objection concerning the accusation of pagan roots of the holiday.

To my surprise, I discovered several websites that put forth the idea that our current celebration of Thanksgiving Day has its roots in pagan practices, and thus should be rejected by all Christians. A good representative sample of this philosophy appears below in a statement by John D. Keyser of Hope of Israel Ministries. I have pasted these comments exactly as they appear from Mr. Keyser’s site:

"On the surface Thanksgiving seems like a harmless enough observance; however, the surface ice is very thin! Lurking in the murky depths below is a veritable lake of PAGANISM awaiting the unsuspecting participant. The HARVEST HOME, CHRISTMAS and HALLOWEEN all have rituals in common that date back to ancient BABYLON and Semiramis! Many of the foods on the Thanksgiving table were a part of PAGAN WORSHIP, and one food in particular was REJECTED by the early Puritans as being UNFIT TO EAT AT ANY TIME! Read how Thanksgiving is an INFERIOR SUBSTITUTE for the TRUE Feast of Ingathering set apart by your Creator God as part of His Holyday calendar to teach mankind about the INCREDIBLE HUMAN POTENTIAL awaiting each and every one of us."

After reading similar arguments from other websites, I offer some comments in defense of celebrating Thanksgiving Day even though earlier pagan societies celebrated harvest feasts.

I have no doubt that pagan societies celebrated successful harvests with a variety of civil and/or religious ceremonies. So, I will not bother to dispute that pagan harvest rituals took place throughout early history. Using Mr. Keyser's argument to not celebrate Thanksgiving Day because pagan societies also celebrated harvest rituals, I could argue that married Christians shouldn't engage in sexual intimacy because pagan societies since the beginning of time have engaged in sexual practices that Christians declare to be immoral. Or that Christians shouldn't eat food because pagan societies in millenia past have practiced gluttony and drunkenness. I hope you can see the problem with Mr. Keyser's teaching (and those who are similarly mistaken in their teaching).

However, just because pagan harvest rituals took place in the autumn, that doesn’t automatically mean Christians cannot thank the true God for His blessings at that time of year (since the harvest season occurs at the same time of year for pagans and for Christians). To forbid a Christian observance of Thanksgiving Day just because pagan societies have previously observed pagan celebrations on the same date is a flawed argument. As I have already stated, using the argument of past practice as a reason to prohibit the observance of Thanksgiving Day, a person can easily cast doubt on the most innocent activity. Consider the following argument, “Are All Firemen Communists?”:

The color red is considered to be the color associated with virtually every communist revolution in history. Socialists in Europe adopted the red flag as their symbol during the Revolution of 1848, also known as the Spring of Nations, People's Spring, Springtime of the Peoples, or the Year of Revolution. The red flag has been a symbol of left-wing politics since the French Revolution (1788-98). The red flag was the symbol of the Paris Commune which ruled Paris for a short time in 1871. Debates over the policies and outcome of the Commune had significant influence on the ideas of Karl Marx, who described it as an example of the "dictatorship of the proletariat". Since then, virtually every communist revolution of the 20th century has taken place under the red banner of communism.

Have you ever wondered why fire engines are red? Given the radical political meaning associated with the color red, certainly patriotic American firemen should rebel against red fire engines/gear… unless of course, all firemen are really communists! The color red has been associated with communist revolutions since the 1800’s, yet fire departments love the color red EVEN THOUGH RED IS THE COLOR OF COMMUNISM. Think about this: the lightbars on their fire engines proclaim their political leanings. While the lightbars atop most police vehicles are some combination of red, white and blue (good American colors), fire engines only seem to use red lights on their engines. Also, firemen are always rushin’ (Russian?) from place to place. And let’s not forget that they wear “turn-out” gear (really a code for turn-coat?). This information should cause us to question the political leanings and the trustworthiness of firemen. True American patriots would make sure that their engines were painted any color OTHER than red since red is the world-wide color of communism! Lastly, firefighters typically belong to a union which is pledged to the mutual good of all their brother firefighters, similar to the communist philosophy of “to each according to his need, from each according to his ability.” They refer to each other as “brother” just as dedicated communists refer to each other as “comrade”.

Beware of your local fire department, they may just be communists!

Does the fact that most fire engines are painted red really proclaim that all firemen are communists, just because communists used the color red as their symbol earlier in history? The answer is, OF COURSE NOT. There are reasons that fire engines are red, and none of them have to do with communism. According to the TrulyGeeky website:

"An emergency vehicle like a fire truck or ambulance should be noticed by everyone so that people can make way to it, so it can reach its destination as quickly as possible. We are all inherently trained to associate red with “danger or emergency”. It is the least scattered, most visible color to the human eye. Not to mention, red captures attention and it is the color of fire and blood that explains why the fire trucks, siren alarm, fire extinguishers in buildings, stop signs and stop indications in traffic signals are all red."

See? There are several good reasons why fire engines are red – and none of them have to do with communism.

Or, does Mr. Keyser (in his comments above) mean that the ONLY proper time for Christians to give thanks to God is during the Jewish Feast of Ingathering (a.k.a. the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths)? First, I would remind Mr. Keyser that some of the pagan harvest feasts he maligns actually predated the Jewish Feast of Ingathering and took place at the same time of year. So, how is it OK to celebrate the Feast of Booths and how does he forbid the celebration of Thanksgiving Day when both Thanksgiving and the Feast of Ingathering were predated by pagan feasts which took place at the same time of year? Or is Mr. Keyser saying that Christians must be bound by ONLY Jewish holydays to please God? The Apostle Paul took Peter to task for the practice of forcing Gentiles to live as Jews, celebrating only Jewish holidays:

Galatians 2:11-14 NKJV Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I [the Apostle Pau] withstood him [Peter] to his face, because he was to be blamed; (12) for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. (13) And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. (14) But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?

Paul covers the same topic of forcing Gentile Christians to observe Jewish holydays in Colossians 2:16-23:

Colossians 2:16 NKJV So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

So, why must a day given specifically to thanking God, which has nothing to do with earlier pagan worship, be prohibited? It is entirely possible to pick any day on the calendar and find that some pagan society held that date in esteem. It is also entirely possible to take any date on the calendar and consecrate that date to worship God in thanking Him for His bounty and goodness to us. The command for God’s creatures to give thanks to Him is a major theme throughout the Bible.

Now to the second objection. Some theologians object to Thanksgiving Day because they say people should give thanks to God every day and not just on one special day of the year. I agree whole-heartedly that all people should give thanks to God at all times. However, giving thanks to God on a special day does not stop us from giving thanks to God on a daily basis in addition to that special day of thanksgiving.

Consider the following: I have been married to my wife for 42 years. And during that time, we have practiced acts of love and thoughtfulness toward each other on a daily basis. However, even though we display our love to each other on a daily basis, there is one day each year that we mark our relationship in a special way. There is one special day each year that we celebrate our love in a meaningful way, remembering all the years of our lives together and the events that brought us to this day. That special day is our wedding anniversary. For that one day, our focus is on the love we have for each other to the exclusion of other people. Can you imagine the fate of the husband who does nothing to celebrate his wedding anniversary, telling his wife that there is no need for a special day to celebrate his love for her since he loves her every day?

In like manner, we are to give thanks to God every day. But I see absolutely nothing wrong with marking a special day each year when thanksgiving to God is emphasized. And a special day of thanksgiving does not diminish our thankfulness for God’s daily blessings and His daily deliverance from harm and evil.

In conclusion, I do not accept either of these objections to a heart-felt day of concentrated thanksgiving to God. So, happy Thanksgiving Day to you and your family!

The Pagan Origins of Christian Holidays

Jeremiah 10: 1 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

The Pagan Origins of Christian Holidays

Matthew 15:9
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Man’s Holidays: False Worship… Idolatry

Man has made numerous religious holidays that have nothing to with the God of the Bible. Lent, Good Friday, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are all man-made traditions. Not only does the Bible not support these days, it also speaks against such false worship. They are Idolatrous!

Easter

Ever wonder what bunnies, dyed eggs, and sun-rise services have to to do with Christ and his resurrection? The Bible and un-biased history reveals that “Easter” is an unholy custom with ancient pagan practices, celebrated before Christ died and rose from the grave.

Easter: A Pagan Festival, Not Holy

Easter: A Pagan Custom (Part 1)

THANKSGIVING

1 Corinthians 12:2 (KJV) “2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.” There is nothing wrong with giving Thanks to the Lord but we are to praise, worship, and serve God according to his Word and what he gave to Israel not according to man made traditions which is Idolatry. In many American households, the Thanksgiving celebration has lost much of its original religious significance. However, this simply means that it is a religious celebration. No different than Christmas and Easter. The roots of Thanksgiving Day can be traced to ancient pagan harvest festivals of Greece, Rome, and Egypt. The God of Israel did not ordain Thanksgiving Day but rather the Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus 23. When the people of the U.S. and Canada get together and pray with their families and when churches of all denominations get together to feed the homeless, it is not in honor or reverence to the God of Israel.

From Thankfulness to Greediness: Man’s Dumb Traditions

Observe The Harvest Festivals Given By God…Not Man’s..

HALLOWEEN

Discover the 3000 year old dark mythical history that was eventually mixed with the neo-pagan Roman Catholic Church which resulted in what is known today as Halloween.

Halloween Madness Among Our People/History of Halloween

Halloween Documentary

CHRISTMAS

Discover the real story of “Christ-mass” and the hidden truth about this “Christian” holiday. This feature broadcast details the history of Christmas and the many cultural traditions surrounding the origins of this holiday, with a serious examination of their roots in paganism and connection with its practices. Find out why we decorate the Christmas tree, put lights and decorations up around our homes, the myths behind “Santa Claus” and his magical reindeer, and was December the 25th really Jesus Christ’s birthday?

The True Story Behind the First Thanksgiving

For the Pilgrims and Native Americans, it wasn't all peace and harmony.

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Ah, Thanksgiving: Time to dive face-first into mountains of mashed potatoes, count our blessings and if we're feeling really ambitious, get up a friendly game of toss the pigskin with the cousins (or watch our favorite team do the same). But before we all descend into food comas, it's important to reflect on the real history of Thanksgiving — and the first one wasn't all peace, love and pass the gravy. While the settlers at Plymouth and their allies from the Wampanoag tribe really did get together in 1621 for a table-groaning, three-day feast to celebrate the settlers' first harvest, that's far from the whole story.

In elementary school, most of us probably learned that English religious exiles began establishing civilization in what they called "the new world," winning over the local Indigenous people already living there with promises of friendship. Then, the Native Americans taught the new arrivals how to grow crops to sustain their growing society and everybody lived happily ever after. Well, not quite. The real story is far more complicated, not to mention a lot less kid-friendly.

In reality, the peace that brought the Wampanoag and the settlers together at that historic table wasn't as easy to come by as we'd like to believe. A lot of bloodshed took place both before and after that first feast, and mistreatment of Native Americans continues to this day. That's why many Native Americans and others mark Thanksgiving as a solemn day of remembrance instead of celebration.

Here's what really went down after the plates were cleared in Plymouth, Mass.

For instance, the ancient Greeks held the Thesmophoria, a festival dedicated to the goddess Demeter, who was the goddess of grain and agriculture. During this festival, women would celebrate by fasting, singing hymns, and performing rituals to honor Demeter and ensure fertile fields for the next planting season. Similarly, the ancient Romans celebrated the holiday of Saturnalia, a week-long festival dedicated to the god Saturn, who was associated with agriculture and abundance.

At least 100 people came to dinner

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• What Day Is Thanksgiving in 2023, Anyway?

If you're cooking for a crowd this year, take comfort in the fact that more than 100 people were in attendance that first Thanksgiving – and they didn't even have running water, never mind a dishwasher. At least 90 Native men and 50 Englishmen came to the feast, Plimoth Plantation colonial foodways culinary expert Kathleen Wall told Time. The Native people dined sitting on the ground, like they did at home, and the English ate at the table, like they did at theirs.

The group likely played marksmanship games and ran footraces in between dining on venison, geese, turkey and other fowl. The festivities lasted three days, since it took the Wampanoag a solid two to walk there. So yes, overnight holiday guests are deeply rooted in Thanksgiving tradition.

During Saturnalia, people would exchange gifts, feast, and participate in all sorts of merry-making activities. While Thanksgiving as celebrated in the United States has Christian and historical elements, it is argued that certain aspects of the holiday have pagan origins. The tradition of feasting, for example, can be seen as reminiscent of the harvest feasts held by ancient civilizations. Additionally, the act of giving thanks and expressing gratitude resonates with the intentions of many ancient harvest festivals. However, it is important to note that Thanksgiving as celebrated today has evolved and is now primarily associated with the founding of the United States and the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth. The holiday has a rich historical context and has become a symbol of unity and gratitude for many Americans. In conclusion, while it is true that aspects of Thanksgiving may have origins in ancient pagan harvest festivals, the holiday has evolved to have its own unique significance in American culture. While the debate may continue on the pagan influences of Thanksgiving, it remains a day for Americans to come together, reflect, and express gratitude for the blessings in their lives..

Reviews for "Thanksgiving and Paganism: Uncovering the Untold Story"

1. Jane - 1 star

I found "Was Thanksgiving a Pagan Holiday" to be completely devoid of any substantial evidence or reasoning. The author failed to present any compelling arguments or historical facts to support their claims. It felt more like a conspiracy theory than a well-researched book. I was highly disappointed with the lack of credibility and would not recommend it to anyone seeking accurate information about the origins of Thanksgiving.

2. John - 2 stars

While "Was Thanksgiving a Pagan Holiday" did raise some interesting points, I couldn't help but feel that the book was biased and selective in its presentation of facts. The arguments presented seemed cherry-picked and lacked a comprehensive analysis of all historical evidence. The author's attempt to depict Thanksgiving as solely derived from pagan rituals felt exaggerated and far-fetched. I was left wanting a more balanced and nuanced approach to the topic.

3. Sarah - 1 star

I was hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the historical roots of Thanksgiving by reading "Was Thanksgiving a Pagan Holiday." However, I was sorely disappointed. The author's arguments were weak, based on flimsy connections, and lacked substantial research or credible sources. The book seemed more focused on pushing a personal agenda rather than providing informative insights. Overall, I found it to be a poorly written and unconvincing exploration of the topic.

Thanksgiving: Pagan Influences in Early American Celebrations