Here we are, meditating on the Sacred and Healthy Masculine, triggered by the killing of two young men and wounding of a third by a 17 year old fellow with an AR-15 strapped to his chest who has become something of a cause celebre for the right wing media and political machine.
And the following headline greets me this morning in Politico Magazine: “Why Republicans Can’t Stop Talking About Masculinity.”*
The author presents an interview with Kristin Du Mez, the author of the recent book, Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, and introduces the interview this way:
Republican Lawmakers and hopefuls seem particularly interested in the idea of masculinity lately. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley claimed the left was telling men their “masculinity is inherently problematic.”
Representative Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina in a video urged mothers to raise their sons to be “monsters” and complained that America is trying to ‘demasculate’ all young men “because they don’t want people who are going to stand up.” Cawthorn and several other congressmen are offering Kyle Rittenhouse jobs as an intern in their congressional offices, based apparently on his credentials of killing and wounding other young men.
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Du Mez points out that in white evangelicalism there is the idea that “masculinity is a God-given thing” and by masculinity they mean “a kind of rugged militant quality.” Aggressiveness is a virtue and “the assertion of white, patriarchal authority or power” can restore order against civil rights gains in the south and turn back feminism. “This kind of restoration of a rugged American manhood becomes not just popular, but politicized in a very partisan way.”
See “Why Republicans Can’t Stop Talking About Masculinity,” by Katelyn Fossett, Politico Magazine, 11/21/2021 06:55 AM EST
See Matthew Fox, The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: Lying in wait. Photo by Kenny Mitchell on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you also see an understanding of masculinity as foundational to much of the authoritarianism and resentment that is fueling politics in the world today? How important is it to stand up to that version of masculinity?
Recommended Reading
The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
To awaken what Fox calls “the sacred masculine,” he unearths ten metaphors, or archetypes, ranging from the Green Man, an ancient pagan symbol of our fundamental relationship with nature, to the Spiritual Warrior….These timeless archetypes can inspire men to pursue their higher calling to connect to their deepest selves and to reinvent the world.
“Every man on this planet should read this book — not to mention every woman who wants to understand the struggles, often unconscious, that shape the men they know.” — Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of The Left Hand of God
9 thoughts on “Political Incarnations of the Toxic Masculine”
What I find most disturbing regarding the authoritarianism of not only the unbalanced expressions of the masculine aspects within humanity but also the utter oppression and suppression of the feminine aspects; as well as the absolute distortations, and misuse and abuse of the true Gospels message within the Christian faith, that is fueling American politics today… IS The FALSE TEACHINGS BEING PERPETUATED, for personal gain and the illusion of power.
The true teachings of the gospel message within the Christian faith, have not only suffered its own self-imposed crucifixion throughout the history of the Church itself, but now this same self-imposed crucifixion is taking place within the political and judicial arena as well.
Now, more than ever, the voice of the prophets and the mystics whom are awakened and aware of the TRUE teachings of Christ Consciousness and His gospel message of Love, Compassion, Mercy, and Justice, as well as the wisdom ways of being and living in right relationship with each other and the all and the everything of creation, must be resurrected… like the phoenix rising from the ashes… lest the current crucifixion results in not only our own extinction but also that of the great web of life of which we are so intricately woven together into the fabric of.
Jeanette, You are right, “The true teachings of the gospel message within the Christian faith, have not only suffered its own self-imposed crucifixion throughout the history of the Church itself, but now this same self-imposed crucifixion is taking place within the political and judicial arena as well,” and because of this the Church has actually been on the side of wrong. And so as Meg said, we need millions of Hildegards to speak out to the powers that be!
We must all ponder the question—What is true *courage? What is true masculinity in the image of Divine LOVE?
*from the Latin ‘cor’ meaning ‘heart’.
My wife Patti hates guns! And therefore she’s not fond of the “NRA Lifetime Member” sticker on my minivan driver’s side window. But I’ve explained to her that the NRA I knew in childhood was focused on firearm safety and education. Our family were hunters and fishermen for generations. The NRA of today is a horrible aberration of a once useful organization. The sticker has prompted conversations wherein I can share my views on the current ugly status of the organization.
I also am old enough to remember when the NRA was an honorable organization that also promoted conservation.
America does not just trust violence over nonviolence it is in love with the myth of male violence.all of us have been fed it male and female alike.it is in our DNA and will not change easily if at all. Mair
One of my favorite John Wayne quotes:
“Forgive Your Enemy, but Remember the Bastard’s Name”
One of the ironies of John Wayne’s fame as a “real man” is that he never served in WW2, unlike many of his colleagues. There are various reasons or excuses for this, but he was called a draft dodger by many. This is a common pattern for politicians who claim to be “tough guys”, like the recent President of the U.S. Power over and violence and lies are the tools they use, and they continue to be successful. I agree that the issues need to be discussed, but if you have noticed, those who believe they are right under the aegis of religion married to empire have no interest whatsoever in conversation or cooperation. Their “unity” is the forced, lockstep agreement to their agendas. They do not understand the power of love. But I still believe that love is the only answer, and we must continue to love the hell out of them, as the Rev. Dr. Jacqi Lewis teaches.
Sue, I feel we have no end of examples of the toxic masculine. What I believe we need are examples of what the Sacred Masculine looks like, not just in theory, but in real life. Of course we all know that Jesus was the ultimate model for true masculinity, but we need more concrete models that are doable for men. We have looked at Fr. Bede, Thomas Merton and others, but men need to have sacred heroes to look up to–that draw men to WANT to be more “Christ-like”–whether they believe in Christ or not.