Manliness is next to godliness?

[Paul Whitaker]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-godmen7dec07,0,5040895.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Too long to copy to one file on NazNet.

This article should cause some discussion.

[Gary Swartzlander]

"Well, isn't that special!!"

First, the article states that it's a "fringe" movement. I expect it will stay there.

Seems to me it's more of a movement to justify a life unchanged than to justify a changed life.

[Kevin Bowser]

Although I agree that there has been a "wussification" of men. I believe that we as men have allowed that to happen. In the end, we have done it to ourselves.

Now, as for this GodMen approach... I can't buy into all of that. Is he saying that there is something inherently manly about using profanity? Give me a break. Profanity is a sign of a small vocabulary and an undisciplined tongue!

"Jesus was a very bad Christian," Coughlin declares. After all, he says, the Son of God trashed a temple and even used profanity — or the New Testament equivalent — when he called Herod "that fox."
Hummm, I don't think Mr. Coughlin is an appropriate judge of who is/was a good Christian.

But some men at the conference run into trouble when they debut their new attitudes at home. Eric Miller, a construction worker, admits his wife is none too pleased when he takes off, alone, on a weekend camping trip a few weeks after the GodMen conference this fall.

"She was a little bit leery of it, as we have an infant," he reports. "She said, 'I need your help around here.' "

Miller, 26, refuses to yield: "I am supposed to be the leader of the family."
Is this guy being a leader? Or is he just being selfish? What about sacrificing for the own that you love. What about "protecting" your wife from being overworked and overwhelmed by the day to day duties of being a Mom to a newborn?

I think there is a kernel (albeit a small one) of truth to the premise of the article. But I think it is easily lost in the testosterone laden rants and in the misperception of who Jesus the man really was. It seems to me that this guy wants to make God after his image rather than God making him after God's own image.

[John Kennedy]

Just what the world is waiting on: strong, virile, 'me Tarzan - you Jane', he-man Christianity. Bill Gothard ries again.

[Billy Cox]

This sums up my thoughts on some of the 'wuss' worship songs that I hear in church...but I'm in the band, so I don't have to sing the words.

Much of GodMen's message rings true. The profanity may bother some, but I understand the rationale. It's kind of like women burning their bras in the 1960's.

One just can't expect women and male sympathizers to hold absolute sway on the local church forever.

[David Cash]

Either a moderator got wise and got rid of my hotly worded post last night, or I managed to hit the wrong key when I tried to post. Just as well maybe.

Personally, I don't think manliness is about foul language, lewd pictures, maintaining a strong body odor, or making women cry. Strength doesn't demand violence. Leadership doesn't demand abusing your followers--or going off by yourself to the wilderness while a wife runs things on her own.

There are a lot of people out there who emphasize male leadership in the home and church. They have a strong biblical basis for what they say, but the impressive ones aren't swearing and playing Hollywood tough guy. They're very involved with their families and practice the familiar conservative Christian lifestyle. While some of them do get overawed at their own importance, even the typical household dictator is rarely brazen enough to say that Jesus wasn't a good Christian. The ones who manage to remain loving family men while trying to fulfill a Biblical masculine role are some of the nicest guys on earth, and since that is the Biblical model, it's as we should expect..

David Cash

[Hans Deventer]

Either a moderator got wise and got rid of my hotly worded post last night, or I managed to hit the wrong key when I tried to post. Just as well maybe.

I haven't done it and haven't heard either Dave or Scott deleted a post, so I think it was the Lord who granted you grace.

[Roland Hearn]

That's a fascinating article, Completely worthless as an idea but fascinating. It amazes me how much people can see the problem but miss the solution. I genuinely want to find ways of reaching people but things that increase the capacity for lovelessness and abuse are never going to be the solution. True transformation into a son of God capable of reflecting the heart of God is the only solution. It is also something that men really do get excited about.