Gates Garcia contends that masculinity has been hijacked. He believes, “The left’s successful rebranding of masculinity as ‘toxic’ didn’t just rewrite a dictionary entry – it rewired the cultural DNA that once produced great men.” That statement struck a chord with me. When the word “toxic” was first used to describe men, I was already doing blogs for men. I vividly remember my initial response. I rejected the term outright but could not easily form any constructive responses because I would often think of descriptions that were now considered negative by the cultural influencers. The light came on for me when Garcia talked about “a linguistic jujitsu.“
What does he mean? His answer: “Why did ‘toxic masculinity’ stick? Because it performed a linguistic jujitsu: attach a moral defect to the identity you want to erase, then offer ‘liberation’ through re-education. Courage degenerates into ‘aggression,’ leadership into ‘oppression,’ fatherhood into ‘patriarchal privilege.’ The outcome is predictable: abolish the virtues that civilize male strength, then lament the violence or apathy that follows.”
Garcia went further in his article, arguing that the cultural collapse around masculinity was permitted. The opponents of masculinity, “turned moral virtue into pathology and repackaged fatherhood as an oppression.” He continues with this soul searching statement, “a generation of boys has been raised to doubt their instincts, to apologize for their strength, and to see their fathers as liabilities rather than legacies.” Garcia calls for the restoration of masculine virtue. “Not nostalgia. Not anger. But clarity.” We are in his words “at the hinge.” “The institutions may be hallow, the narratives poisoned, but the hunger for truth remains…..Masculinity is not toxic – it’s virtuous. When we reclaim that distinction, we invite our sons to stand tall instead of apologizing for existing – and we give civilization the allies it deserves.”
I very much appreciate Mr. Garcia’s challenge. From the beginning of this blog, I have been passionate to express a positive expression of masculinity found in the teaching of the Bible. I must confess that I am more comfortable expressing my concerns, rather than putting them into words. This blog is not a natural motivation for me. Rather it is a spiritual discipline, by which I have grown as a voice for godly masculinity. So, I take Mr. Garcia’s exhortation seriously to keep on doing what I do.
As a young man, I had no concept of my God given identity as a male. In my surrender to Jesus, I found healing for my masculine soul. With the continual support of my godly wife, teachers such as Larry Christianson, Richard Roher, Leanne Payne, and John and Paula Sandford, my eyes were opened to the Lord’s presence in my life. I found support from godly elders in my churches; men such Chuck Metelman, Dave Anderson, and Herb Gustafson. Scripture has been a continual guide, along with the inner healing of my soul as my heart was opened through contemplative prayer. I am eternally grateful for God’s grace and mercy in my life.
I agree that masculinity has been hijacked. We are notes Garcia at a “hinge” “The institutions may be hollow, the narratives poisoned, but the hunger for truth remains. And in that hunger lies our moment.” I cannot sit back and “tinker around the edges.” I exhort men reading this blog to recommit to follow Jesus. He tells us in Rev. 3:8, “I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” Young men are hungering for the truth. They are looking for exemplars, whom they can learn from. There is a “father hunger” in our nation that is crying out to be nourished.
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