Sure, I am old enough now and laugh at myself that I do not consider what I hear on contemporary radio as actually being “music” by any stretch of the imagination. As my father called my choice of music to be nothing but “noise,” I have become my father! Yes, there is a Culture Clash!
There are topics on the Forum about tattoos and man-buns that are designed to seek out a cultural divide. While some of this is “culture,” it goes way beyond that discussion down to sociological and anthropological issues. Not to use big words, but to summarize that the issue is much more than Old Farts vs. Youth and their cultural divide.
"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” This would include being under the power of popular culture. Can a Christian have tattoos and man-buns? Sure! But the better question would be “Is it profitable”?
In popular culture, Masculinity is now something evil and “Toxic.” The knee-jerk reaction of the cultural Feminism is to denounce anyone that will not yield, to be “mentally ill” “phobic” a “Homophobe”… as if that were a real answer! Yet, for those who are driven by Culture, it has the positive effect of whipping men into being more feminine.
Is this a good thing for society, men in general, and especially… the Church?
Anthropologically, men are defined by their differences from women. When the lines are blurred and minimized, humanity becomes more robotic and asexual. Being less distinct leads to being less of an individual.
It is natural for men and women to be distinct. Yet Culture now is moving towards unisex bathrooms, and open locker rooms. The move is to close the gap between the sexes by feminizing men, and not by making women more masculine. In modern sociology, masculinity is the devil!
In the beginning, God made man and woman. He gave each certain functions and responsibilities. The bible retains these distinctions. Men and women by nature, feel and accept these distinctions, that is, unless Culture trumps Scripture and nature. People do not naturally arrive at minimizing these distinctions, they are educated into believing that such distinctions are evil. Because of this, modern Culture is not attracted to the Church and Scriptural Christianity.
How is the Church dealing with it? I would say BADLY! It seeks to conform to the world by feminizing the Church! Especially in the past 50 years, the Church has slowly (if you call 50 years slow!) become more feminine. We are removing the masculine parts: Many Churches have taken out all the hymns that speak of the Church militant; the “fight” songs. Some have even neutered the Hymnbook to make God neutral or gender-fluid. In many Protestant Churches, there are currently more women in Seminary preparing for the Pastorate than men. If this trend remains, within a generation the clergy will be considered a feminine occupation like nursing and Children’s Daycare.
Because Christianity is not seen as masculine by many men today, the Church is attended by women more than men. The men that find the feminized Church to be attractive, have their masculinity in doubt (I do not speak of Homosexuality only, but Feminized men). Because of this, unfeminized men view Church and Christianity in a negative way. It is viewed as an impotent Church, attended by impotent men. Religion makes you look weak and unmanly. No self-respecting male would subject themselves to it! In fact, look at the women who drag their unbelieving husbands to Church. Most look like they are hostages that scan their eyes to find the exits, as if they are planning a jailbreak!
Biblically, and historically speaking, the Church has not been feminine; but masculine. There is a Biblical order that cannot be breached and not bring negative fruit. As long as the Church becomes more feminine, the more we will see that real men have less interest in it. Culture can drive the direction of feminism, but you cannot always defeat nature and the Biblical design of men and women being different.
There are topics on the Forum about tattoos and man-buns that are designed to seek out a cultural divide. While some of this is “culture,” it goes way beyond that discussion down to sociological and anthropological issues. Not to use big words, but to summarize that the issue is much more than Old Farts vs. Youth and their cultural divide.
"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” This would include being under the power of popular culture. Can a Christian have tattoos and man-buns? Sure! But the better question would be “Is it profitable”?
In popular culture, Masculinity is now something evil and “Toxic.” The knee-jerk reaction of the cultural Feminism is to denounce anyone that will not yield, to be “mentally ill” “phobic” a “Homophobe”… as if that were a real answer! Yet, for those who are driven by Culture, it has the positive effect of whipping men into being more feminine.
Is this a good thing for society, men in general, and especially… the Church?
Anthropologically, men are defined by their differences from women. When the lines are blurred and minimized, humanity becomes more robotic and asexual. Being less distinct leads to being less of an individual.
It is natural for men and women to be distinct. Yet Culture now is moving towards unisex bathrooms, and open locker rooms. The move is to close the gap between the sexes by feminizing men, and not by making women more masculine. In modern sociology, masculinity is the devil!
In the beginning, God made man and woman. He gave each certain functions and responsibilities. The bible retains these distinctions. Men and women by nature, feel and accept these distinctions, that is, unless Culture trumps Scripture and nature. People do not naturally arrive at minimizing these distinctions, they are educated into believing that such distinctions are evil. Because of this, modern Culture is not attracted to the Church and Scriptural Christianity.
How is the Church dealing with it? I would say BADLY! It seeks to conform to the world by feminizing the Church! Especially in the past 50 years, the Church has slowly (if you call 50 years slow!) become more feminine. We are removing the masculine parts: Many Churches have taken out all the hymns that speak of the Church militant; the “fight” songs. Some have even neutered the Hymnbook to make God neutral or gender-fluid. In many Protestant Churches, there are currently more women in Seminary preparing for the Pastorate than men. If this trend remains, within a generation the clergy will be considered a feminine occupation like nursing and Children’s Daycare.
Because Christianity is not seen as masculine by many men today, the Church is attended by women more than men. The men that find the feminized Church to be attractive, have their masculinity in doubt (I do not speak of Homosexuality only, but Feminized men). Because of this, unfeminized men view Church and Christianity in a negative way. It is viewed as an impotent Church, attended by impotent men. Religion makes you look weak and unmanly. No self-respecting male would subject themselves to it! In fact, look at the women who drag their unbelieving husbands to Church. Most look like they are hostages that scan their eyes to find the exits, as if they are planning a jailbreak!
Biblically, and historically speaking, the Church has not been feminine; but masculine. There is a Biblical order that cannot be breached and not bring negative fruit. As long as the Church becomes more feminine, the more we will see that real men have less interest in it. Culture can drive the direction of feminism, but you cannot always defeat nature and the Biblical design of men and women being different.
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