Toxic Males & Progressive Politics

[Olde Tymer]

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Christian men have a pot-holed path to navigate. One the one hand they have to be
strong without being bullies, and on the other hand they have to be tender without
being sissies; for example:

● 1Pet 3:7a . . Give honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel.

NOTE: Although husbands are senior in the Christian marriage relationship, their
position doesn't grant them carte blanch to mistreat their wives any more than
Jesus has carte blanch to mistreat his church. (cf. Eph 5:28-30)

The Greek word for "honor" basically means: a value.

The word for "weaker" basically means: having no strength, i.e. fragile.

And the word for "vessel" basically indicates anything from a soup bowl to a
cardboard box; in other words: a container.

Peter isn't saying women are physically weaker than men; he's saying Christian
husbands should exercise the same care with their wives as they would a fragile
antique worth thousands of dollars like, say, a Ming vase. Nobody in their right
mind handles a Ming vase like a farmer handles a 5-gallon bucket. Not that some
women couldn't take that kind of handling; it's just that its unbecoming for a
Christian man to lack sensitivity.

This particular assessed value isn't an intrinsic value, nor is it a deserved value
either; but rather, it's a gratuitous value. In other words: Christ commands
Christian husbands to categorize their wives up there with Dresden china even if
she's as tough as a female cop and/or a UFC mixed martial artist the likes of
Rhonda Rousey-- and this is not a choice; no, it isn't optional; it's required.

Christian husbands who treat their Skil saws and their tomato plants with more
care and concern than they treat their wives can just forget about associating with
God on any meaningful level.

● 1Pet 3:7b . . as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not
hindered.

Note the word "together" which is quite the opposite of autonomy and/or
independence.

Couples sometimes assert themselves with words like "What I do is between me
and The Lord." No; marriage changes everything between one's self and The Lord
because people become one flesh in marriage: no longer two sovereign individuals.
(Gen 2:22-24)
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[Fred]

What would be a "toxic female"?

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● 1Tim 5:1a . . When speaking to an older man, appeal to him respectfully as
though he were your own father.

Those instructions weren't given to a child, rather, to a grown Christian man in
charge of managing a whole church. So I gather that if a man in Timothy's position
is required to associate with seniors as his betters, then ordinary Christian men
would also be required.

* I was in a Sunday school class one morning where a young fellow substituted for
the regular teacher. After practically every sentence during his lecture, the fellow
would pause, tighten his lips, turn down the corners of his mouth, squint his eyes
into narrow slits, and look around the room with a fierce scowl on his face; and
better than half that room was older than he was. I don't know about the rest of
the group, but as a man easily twice his age; I deeply resented the looks that
youngster was giving us.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● 1Tim 5:1b . .Speak to the younger men as you would to your own kindred.

In this case, the kindred would be sort of like a man's younger siblings; viz: his kid
brothers. Young boys look up to their big brothers; who by all rights should be
setting the example as role models that a growing boy can be proud of. Big
brothers ought to be available too, and not treat their younger siblings as excess
baggage and/or uncool nerds and morons beneath their dignity to be seen with.

* Men who grew up in dysfunctional homes, where human relationships were an
ongoing cold war, are going to find that 1Tim 5:1b is very difficult to practice in a
manner that cultivates peace, love, and understanding. But were they to speak to
the younger men in church the very same way that they're accustomed to speaking
to their own families; it would produce disastrous results.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● 1Tim 5:2a . . Speak to the older women as mothers,

Honoring one's mother means giving her the respect that her age and her maternal
position deserve. It means watching your language, and it means keeping a civil
tongue in your head. It means speaking to her as a grown-up instead of a child. It
means treating her as one's better instead of lesser. It means deferring to her
wishes instead of demanding your own.

NOTE: In some cultures, elders have to earn respect, i.e. they have to deserve it;
whereas in Christianity their respect is taken for granted; they don't have to earn it.
For example: according to Lev 19:32 the younger generation is expected to honor
the older; not because they deserve it, but because God requires it. Why? Because
He too is an elder, viz: disrespect for an elder on earth is felt by the elder on the
throne in Heaven.

* In extreme cases-- e.g. serial killer Ed Kemper --common sense dictates that
mothers like his should not be respected at all; in point of fact, they should be
hanged for severe child abuse. Nevertheless, were Ed to take up Christianity, he'd
have to begin regarding his mom with a very different attitude than he does now.
(Ed murdered his mom back in 1973. He is currently 75, in poor health, and
contained in a criminal medical facility.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● 1Tim 5:1b . .Speak to the younger men as you would to your own kindred.

In this case, the kindred would be sort of like a man's younger siblings; viz: his kid
brothers. Young boys look up to their big brothers; who by all rights should be
setting the example as role models that a growing boy can be proud of. Big
brothers ought to be available too, and not treat their younger siblings as excess
baggage and/or uncool nerds and morons beneath their dignity to be seen with.

* Men who grew up in dysfunctional homes, where human relationships were an
ongoing cold war, are going to find that 1Tim 5:1b is very difficult to practice in a
manner that cultivates peace, love, and understanding. But were they to speak to
the younger men in church the very same way that they're accustomed to speaking
to their own families; it would produce disastrous results.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● 1Tim 5:2b . . Speak to the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

Men should especially avoid speaking to the young women in church as if they've
met in a beer joint or a bowling alley. There are some forms of language, and
figures of speech, that no sensible man would ever use around his real sister, so
we want to keep that in mind when around girls who aren't.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Eph 6:4 . . Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in
the training and instruction of The Lord.

Too often the first half of that verse is omitted and the focus swung entirely upon
the second. Well; let's break ranks and include the first half for a change because a
daddy's parenting style has far more effect upon a growing child than his religion.

To begin with: despotism, tyranny, totalitarianism, and injustice are not The Lord's
way of raising kids; but rather; His way is the manner of a shepherd; and good
shepherds aren't cruel to their flocks.

Maybe you don't burn your kids with cigarettes, pour Tabasco sauce in their eyes,
or lock them in a hall closet without food and water for two days; but do you ignore
their opinions, demean them with denigrating labels, ridicule them, threaten their
lives, work them as slaves without compensation, deny them things just so you
won't appear to indulge them, and/or say "no" to their requests for no good reason
than that you don't want to seem weak and under their control?

Do you routinely abuse their human rights, and/or relegate them to the level of
livestock rather than bona fide human beings with feelings and a mind of their own?
Do you nurture within them a feeling of importance, of belonging in your home, or
do you make them feel like an invasive species and/or an uninvited guest? Kids pick
up on things like that.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

serial killer Ed Kemper

Ed committed a number of unspeakable crimes, but nevertheless guys in his
situation are not beyond redemption

● John 3:16-17 . . For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not
send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him.

The Greek word translated "loved" rarely has anything to do with fondness. It
mostly pertains to benevolence, e.g. kindness, courtesy, lenience, tolerance,
generosity, charity, sympathy, compassion, etc. In point of fact no doubt many of
us disgust God and bear little, if any, resemblance to the kind of folks with whom
He prefers to associate.

Nevertheless, God was thinking of everybody, including Ed Kemper, when Jesus
went to the cross.

● Isa 53:6 . .We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own
way; and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

So if he had a mind to, Ed could take advantage of Jesus' crucifixion to protect
himself from retribution. But he'd still be the same old Ed Kemper, and in that
state, Ed has some very serious issues with women that are humanly impossible to
cure.

Well; I've no doubt that Ed would be the first to tell you that women in Heaven
would be in very grave danger with him there if not for a way to relieve Ed of his
issues with women. Well, as a matter of fact, God is in the wings for guys in Ed's
condition and He's well able to peel Ed's negative issues off him like a dead skin so
he can depart this life a different man.

● Col 2:11-12 . . In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful
nature-- not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the
circumcision done by Christ.

Judaism has its circumcision, but Christianity has one that's much better because it
has the power to liberate people from human nature's rather disagreeable
inclinations, viz: whereas Judaism's circumcision is merely a ritual, Christianity's is
the hand of God.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● 1Cor 16:13a . . Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage; be
strong.

The Greek word for "men of courage" basically means to act manly; defined by
Webster's as: (1) having qualities generally associated with a man; viz: strength
and virility, and (2) appropriate in character to a man.

These days; progressive politics (a.k.a. woke) would have us to believe that things
like manliness, strength, and virility are toxic, viz: threats to public health and
safety. Well; all I can say to Christian men is: DO NOT permit progressive politics to
define your manhood or you'll just end up a sissy boy and thus useless for standing
firm in the faith; instead your stance will become flexible, i.e. influenced by
evolving social customs.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Col 3:21 . . Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become
discouraged.

The Greek word translated "discouraged" has to do with breaking the spirit. Really
bad cases of emotional abuse can cause a child to lose the will to excel; sometimes
even the will to live, i.e. suicidal.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Matt 5:31-32 . . It has been said: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a
certificate of divorce. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for
marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who
marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

For a while here @ home in the USA, youngster's were getting married on an
experimental basis via so-called starter marriages with the expectation that their
first marriages will probably fail but at least they'd be the wiser for it.

Christian men cannot be doing that! If there is any doubt, any doubt at all that the
girl on your horizon may not be right for you, then it's best to reckon she isn't
rather than rolling the dice and risk coming up with snake eyes instead of a 7 or 11.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● 1Cor 11:14-15 . . Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has
long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?

"the very nature of things" can't be trusted to reflect the laws of God. In other
words: Paul isn't saying it's a sin for men to let their hair grow out because the
nature of things in 1st century Corinth was very different than the nature of things
across the ocean in the Americas.

In other words: the nature of things pertains to humanistic attitudes in matters
relative to propriety-- in particular one's own culture. For example: in the Roman
world of Paul's day; long hair on a man was nothing to be proud of, whereas in the
world of USA's indigenous people, long hair on men is strong and virile.

* In my opinion, long hair looks better on women than it does on men. In other
words; for me it's neither a moral issue, a fashion issue, or a cultural issue, rather,
it's just a preference.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Luke 22:35-37 . . Then Jesus asked them: When I sent you without purse, bag or
sandals, did you lack anything? Nothing: they answered. He said to them: But now
if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your
cloak and buy one.

I can recall neither the details nor the source, but I read somewhere that
Communist China is reluctant to invade the USA because too many citizens over
here have weapons.

When Fidel Castro took the reins in Cuba, his first order of business was to disarm
the people, even those who assisted his revolution, because he knew only too well
that if an armed citizenry could succeed in deposing Batista, they could be just as
successful deposing himself.

The second element of the Bill Of Rights has been construed by the US Supreme
Court to include personal self defense. But its original intent was that every
American possess weapons suitable for war in the event it becomes necessary to
muster a citizen army to help repel foreign invasion. In point of fact, had it not
been for Minutemen during the war of 1812, the colonists very likely would've been
crushed.

Personally, I do not fear the usual kind of foreign invasion conducted by military
forces. No, my fear of invasion is relative to the multiple thousands of illegal aliens
that the USA's current administration has been aiding and abetting to pour into my
land and allowed to go pretty much wherever they want and to do practically
anything they please, including criminal mischief. And God help us should someone
mobilize the 4.4 million Muslims residing here to begin killing Christians on sight.

Plus: should it ever happen that the grid becomes critically disabled, thereby
shutting down banking and merchandising, and rendering debit and credit cards
virtually useless plastic; we're going to see Mad Max chaos in this country like
never before.

● Luke 11:21-22 . . When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his
possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he
takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.

Point being: warfare has always been incumbent upon the guys within the ranks of
God's people.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Titus 2:2 . . Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in
love, in perseverance.

I used to get my watches serviced by an aging repairman at a local mall until the
day finally came when I could no longer tolerate his manners. He was around
seventy-five years old, cantankerous as can be, and perpetually cross. I often felt
like asking him if he ever gave any thought to his future. You know, Heaven is a
place of peace. A hateful man like that repairman would not only never fit in there,
but it wouldn't be fair to the others to permit him in their world.

"Cantankerous" can be defined as: habitually ill-humored, irritable, disagreeable,
bearish, cankered, cranky, cross-grained, dour, morose, sour; crabby, cross,
crusty, huffy, petulant, prickly, snappish; dyspeptic, ill-conditioned, thin-skinned,
complaining, and ill-natured.

A Christian man in old age really ought to be a sweet, mellow guy: a pal and a big
brother for the younger ones rather than somebody they'd prefer do the world a
favor by stepping in front of a bus.
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