tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post322680878405108400..comments2023-09-13T04:31:43.283-07:00Comments on The Abandoned Mind: Orthodox are from Mars; Evangelicals are from VenusFr. Michael Reaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265035749268657422noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-40269360246803108802018-05-07T00:59:10.417-07:002018-05-07T00:59:10.417-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Virginiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10736464731390927333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-33874166367943995212007-09-07T11:36:00.000-07:002007-09-07T11:36:00.000-07:00and Catholics are from...? good thoughts here - i ...and Catholics are from...? good thoughts here - i read Podles some time ago and i think his was the book that began my journey of praying for men. <BR/> the whole thing puzzles me. Jesus was not only a man,hung out with a motley crew of 12 men, and did men's work as a 'tekton', He was the most manly of men. yet, He is also meek an humble of heart. how can such a Man not be atractive to 21st century men in the church? <BR/> and even though i'm a woman, i am deeply concerned about the small numbers of men in church. and not just because it makes for a smaller pool of guys to date, either. (smile) i find that so many men have no vision, and 'without a vision, the people perish'. i weep at the thought of such wonderous maleness going to waste on sinful stupidities as porn and workaholism.<BR/> can't blame the modern worship songs. most of them are written by guys like chris tomlin, matt redman, and david crowder. <BR/> so. since i do not have the answer, i will constantly pray to the One who had the bright idea of creating men in the first place!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-32434183789881717002007-06-13T13:03:00.000-07:002007-06-13T13:03:00.000-07:00Hi Michele,Thanks for reading my blog and for taki...Hi Michele,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for reading my blog and for taking the time to post your comment.<BR/><BR/>My use of the word “manly” was deliberate, and follows the custom of Orthodox hymnography in which many women are described as showing forth a manly courage in the midst of their trials and afflictions.<BR/><BR/>For example, one of the hymns of the Church calls the Myrrh-bearing women “manly” for courageously going forth to care for the body of Christ while the male disciples themselves had scattered and were in hiding. Perhaps the hymnographers who wrote such words were unenlightened and sexist, or perhaps they had an insight into humanity that we moderns lack. I can’t say, and I don’t intend to judge. But I will continue to follow the example of the Church in such matters whenever I can.<BR/><BR/>Fr. MichaelFr. Michael Reaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02265035749268657422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-53024144153441659222007-06-13T11:46:00.000-07:002007-06-13T11:46:00.000-07:00Fr. Michael, I am sure you had no intention of sli...Fr. Michael, I am sure you had no intention of slighting women in your post "Orthodox are from Mars; Evangelicals are from Venus." I also understand the need to stick to the issue at hand and to reign in over-long posts.<BR/><BR/>Still, I think you might have been more accurate and balanced by simply striking "manly" from your remark that "many Roman men came to faith in Christ by witnessing the courage and manly determination demonstrated by Christians who chose brutal torture and horrible death over denying Jesus Christ."<BR/><BR/>Why "manly"? This martyr's death was something entered into by many women. If a modifier is needed at all, might it instead be "Christ-like" or "God-given"?<BR/><BR/>It was women who bravely went to the tomb to find it empty. And many, many of the martyrs of the early church -- and since -- are women. Are these "manly" women? Must we Christian women -- in striving to deny ourselves daily, to take up our cross, and to follow Jesus Christ –- also seek to become "manly" in order to do so? I think not.<BR/><BR/>I don't think Christian women necessarily feel belittled when they "can't be powerful like men," as Philippa/Trudy suggests, but I do think they feel -- and are in essence -- belittled when their genuine strength is brushed over or dismissed.<BR/><BR/>MicheleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-73272627569886387172007-05-20T23:19:00.000-07:002007-05-20T23:19:00.000-07:00Well said, Fr. Michael! My current Protestant chu...Well said, Fr. Michael! My current Protestant church is focused on getting men to step up, an ongoing struggle in the Seattle area. <BR/><BR/>Hope all is well,<BR/><BR/>TomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-62597274008212644722007-05-16T12:05:00.000-07:002007-05-16T12:05:00.000-07:00A good friend of mine reported that the Easter ser...A good friend of mine reported that the Easter service at his Evangelical Church was called "Opening Day" and the "worship" song for the day was "Take me out to the ballgame!!"<BR/><BR/>Lord have mercy!!!Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16927506431388485893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-90498959786290179432007-05-16T05:38:00.000-07:002007-05-16T05:38:00.000-07:00I think that, as long as men in our culture are cl...I think that, as long as men in our culture are clueless about what a real man is, churches will have a hard time drawing them in.<BR/><BR/>I think we would be further ahead to proclaim a genuine manhood under Christ, and men would come. This not something we can fake, nor will it be easy.<BR/><BR/>For now, men by and large are too afraid to face each other in truth to feel comfortable in the presence of the Lord.Canadian Anglicanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11645103051869013761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-16710699608913047682007-05-14T20:06:00.000-07:002007-05-14T20:06:00.000-07:00Well said, Father (re: your last comment). Our so...Well said, Father (re: your last comment). Our society has feminized everything. What I believe we women need to do is stop bashing men and putting them down. TV programs like "Everybody Loves Raymond" only allows the continuing of tearing men down rather than raising them up.<BR/><BR/>It's is almost like women are saying, "Since we can't be powerful like men, then let's tear them down and bring them down to our feminine level."<BR/><BR/>This is a hot button for me. Raise our boys to be men!! There is nothing wrong with that!<BR/><BR/>(aka Trudy)Athanasiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13107488973500025470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-91407112733474985742007-05-14T10:34:00.000-07:002007-05-14T10:34:00.000-07:00Quote: "I do have to wonder if BBQ's and the whole...Quote: "I do have to wonder if BBQ's and the whole bit will introduce a few to Christ and then they become sincere Christians not the lukewarm need a gimmick types."<BR/><BR/>Well, we could <I>hope</I> for that, I suppose. However that still does not address the feminization of evangelical culture and theology that is the root cause of men disappearing from their churches in the first place. Is some soft and pudgy minister who dons a striped shirt and a whistle and gushes, “Call me ‘coach,’ guys!” truly what <I>real men</I> are looking for in church? Such obvious affectations seem only to underscore the girlish orientation of a faith that has long ago abandoned any genuine masculine content and is trying to “butch up” artificially. It sounds more like “The Village People” than true Christianity. What next, worship leaders who dress up in camouflage and say, “Let’s all play <I>Army men</I> for Jesus”? Most of the men I know would not be caught dead in such a goofy service.<BR/><BR/>Outreach geared toward men is a necessary idea. A monthly men’s meeting featuring a barbecue is a great opportunity for men in the church to bond and to invite their unchurched friends. But if men avoid the regular Sunday services because they find nothing appealing in them, or indeed find them rather wimpy, then we are right back to the original problem.<BR/><BR/>As I said, “gimmicks” are not the answer. What is needed is a return to the more ascetical form of Christianity known to our fathers, and the spiritual struggle inherent in such a faith. Christian men don’t need to be coddled and cooed to “in the gentle arms of Jesus”. What they need is a faith that provides them with the strong discipline and training to “take the kingdom of heaven by force” as Jesus taught. Such is in our basic nature, even if it is largely forgotten today.Fr. Michael Reaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02265035749268657422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-3167312398576288352007-05-13T20:15:00.000-07:002007-05-13T20:15:00.000-07:00That would depend on what you mean by "Read your e...That would depend on what you mean by "Read your entire post".<BR/><BR/>Of course I read the whole thing, but like a good homemade mac and cheese, it is very dense chock full of thoughts and insights.<BR/><BR/>So many in fact it is hard to engage them all actually, and the fact that i tend to agree with your views on this.<BR/><BR/>I do have to wonder if BBQ's and the whole bit will introduce a few to Christ and then they become sincere Christians not the lukewarm need a gimmick types.The last causehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15392562046635863303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-11611265702237240652007-05-13T14:13:00.000-07:002007-05-13T14:13:00.000-07:00Last week I laughed with my husband as we read an ...Last week I laughed with my husband as we read an article about a new Men's Golf Bible. Its scriptural "lessons" were centered on golf-isms! <BR/><BR/>Following Christ and living a God centered life is not for chickens! BBQ not withstanding!<BR/><BR/>(aka Trudy)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-9994097154370548752007-05-12T16:31:00.000-07:002007-05-12T16:31:00.000-07:00Quite right, Trevor. Bear in mind however that my ...Quite right, Trevor. Bear in mind however that my post was in response to an AP article on the disppearance of <I>men</I> from evangelical churches, and the silly gimmicks that are being tried to reverse the trend.<BR/><BR/>There was no intention on my part to slight the women of the Church, but I needed to stick to the issue at hand.<BR/><BR/>My posts are already WAY too long as it is! :o)Fr. Michael Reaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02265035749268657422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-36153846846377208452007-05-12T12:28:00.000-07:002007-05-12T12:28:00.000-07:00(And women, by the way!)I was glad to see at least...<I>(And women, by the way!)</I><BR/><BR/>I was glad to see at least this brief remark, but how about discussing in more detail the way that even women exemplify the ascetic struggle? The Theotokos is "our champion leader," and the countless virgin and mother martyrs put their male captors and torturers to shame with their courage. So, masculine, yes--but any Orthodox man who doesn't respect women is clearly missing the point as well!<BR/><BR/>And on the flip side, Orthodox heroes are honored for their meekness, submission, humility; and far from the rock star image of a man whose macho is seen in his countless bed-partners, we emulate those who have remained celibate. Where would Orthodoxy be without all those little old ladies and their sons who eschewed the typically male career-centered life, the typically masculine roles of husband and father, and instead became life-long monastics? It's such a radically different picture!abuianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14177125847519190290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-49271656435814447412007-05-11T23:17:00.000-07:002007-05-11T23:17:00.000-07:00Bravo Father!Bravo Father!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-22663571314213593972007-05-11T21:21:00.000-07:002007-05-11T21:21:00.000-07:00I wonder if you actually read my entire post.I wonder if you actually read my entire post.Fr. Michael Reaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02265035749268657422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-5171646567295968542007-05-11T20:53:00.000-07:002007-05-11T20:53:00.000-07:00I didn't really notice actually, one seemed "hot" ...I didn't really notice actually, one seemed "hot" over all of this. For myself, it is a shame that a Church has to soft pedal so much, "Come to our Nascar 4th of July BBQ and Jamboree and then in small letters "oh yes, we will have a small service before the festivities commence".<BR/><BR/>That sort of thing never lasts, the bar can only be raised so high and then the whole thing becomes absurd. <BR/><BR/>All milk, no meat, weak roots.The last causehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15392562046635863303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-76478345064916546202007-05-11T17:09:00.000-07:002007-05-11T17:09:00.000-07:00Yeah, we have barbecues at our parish in our month...Yeah, we have barbecues at our parish in our monthly men's meetings. But we do not advertise these events as a viable substitute for Sunday worship services.<BR/><BR/>There is a difference between the two, or didn't you notice?Fr. Michael Reaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02265035749268657422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822203.post-55040227806047983132007-05-11T16:44:00.000-07:002007-05-11T16:44:00.000-07:00Other churches are offering men’s barbecue service...Other churches are offering men’s barbecue services, with your choice of chicken or burgers, after which the grill-monkeys separate into smaller discussion groups, perhaps to savor the rich, masculine flavor of the day’s suggested bible passage.<BR/><BR/>A Church service with BBQ? Where? Where? <BR/><BR/>That would be a great time to get to know ones fellow parishoners one on one and share one another's burdens...<BR/><BR/>Out of curiosuity, would this not be a good opportunity ot have real fellowship outside of listening to the sermon or singing the hyms?The last causehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15392562046635863303noreply@blogger.com