TSIYON NEWS

From Eliyahu

 

This edition of my newsletter is written for men, while being relevant for both men and women. The underpinnings of society have completely changed over the course of one lifetime and we all have been impacted by those changes. Here are some key shifts in expectations on men:

1. Gender Roles: In the 1950s, men were primarily seen as the breadwinners and heads of households. Not so much anymore.

2. Social Attitudes: There's a growing rejection of traditional gender norms, often leaving men without a sense of identity or purpose.

3. Masculinity: The definition of masculinity, with all masculinity often viewed as toxic masculinity, has had a feminizing influence on many men. Some even prefer to act like women or to ‘transition’ into ‘women’ because women are often seen as better, or because the man thinks he can compete better as a ‘woman’.

4. Emotional Expression: The mid-20th century sometimes discouraged men from showing vulnerability or emotion. Modern expectations encourage men to be more open about their feelings. This is not opposed to Scripture and is a good thing when appropriate.

5. Education and Career Choices: There's been a move away from the expectation that men will pursue certain careers. This change is a mixed bag for men.

6. Marriage and Relationships: Men are now expected to put the emphasis on equality and communication in their marriage. This sounds good, but can put irresolvable pressure on men in today's world.

 

Equality in relationships does not exist in the real world, since there is always a more dominant party in any relationship. Words have been invented to insure that edge always goes to the woman. These words, like hepeating, mansplaining, manspreading, and many others, all have the same effect as saying; "Shut up! You are a man and men are all stupid and have nothing worthwhile to say!" This is not healthy communication. Let's call it what it is: feminist mind control.

 

It should be noted, also, that most women are better at communication than men, putting some men at a disadvantage in the case of a toxic relationship. Such behaviors as these, of course, make reasonable communication a nonstarter, dooming the relationship.

 

None of this is true of successful marriages, of course, because godly men and women act in a way to encourage love and respect of one another, fostering considerate and meaningful communication at home.

7. Parenting: The expectation for fathers to be involved in parenting with a focus on active engagement in their children's lives, beyond financial support, has always been the ideal. Sadly, the modern reality of easy and frequent divorce often results in a father paying child support, while being allowed little or no active involvement in his child’s life. The effect of this from the man's point of view is a lot like slavery.

We could fill a book with much more, but the point is this: it is not easy being a man these days. There is a lot of confusion over exactly what manhood includes, and there is a lot of pain because of that.

So men, how are you going to meet up to the challenge of 21st century manhood? The right answer is: return to God's definition of manhood and be a Biblical man.

 

Here some would object and say: "Didn't men try that in the 50s? Most of the population went to church every week and biblical values were considered the norm. Didn't it turn out back then that men abused their wives and were generally tyrants"?

 

You would think so, if you believed all the feminist propaganda that has dominated society and the media ever since Betty Friedan's influential book "The Feminine Mystique" was published in 1963. However, what do the statistics actually show?

 

It is tragic to report that a study conducted by the Women’s Bureau of the United States Department of Labor in 1958 indicated that over 1 million married women in the US were physically abused by their husbands that year. It should be noted here that such abuse is not Biblical and should never have happened.

 

Having said that, in the United States today there are more than 10 million domestic physical abuse cases each year - more than ten times the amount of physical abuse of the 1950s! (Source: https://ncadv[dot]org/statistics)

 

Actually, just about every statistic you can research indicates that society was much happier and healthier in the 1950s as compared to the 21st century. Comparing the divorce rates is a good indication of that:

1950 - The divorce rate was 2.5 divorces per 1,000 married women per year. Not many people cohabited outside of marriage back then, with less than 0.01% in such relationships, making such cohabiting relationships statistically nonexistent at that time.

 

Now - As of the most recent data available, the divorce rate is 14.56 divorces per 1,000 married women per year. This is an increase of roughly 500% over 1950, which is horrible and destabilizing to all of society, but even this does not tell the whole story.

 

Times have changed and the norm today for many people is to cohabit together before or instead of marriage. Recent studies show that approximately 50% of women today report cohabiting with a partner as a first union, with 40% of these transitioning to marriage within 3 years, 27% ending the relationship, and 32% remaining in a cohabiting relationship beyond 3 years. Adding these breakups to the divorce rate tells us that most marriages/relationships fail. Effects of all of these breakups on the parties and on their children are traumatic, wrecking lasting havoc upon mental health and wellbeing.

If I had time I could write a book of statistics all making the same point. What the book would show is this: While a few changes in society since 1950 were for the better, most changes have made things progressively worse - in some cases catastrophically worse. At this point, one wonders just how much more 'progress' this world can stand. This proves out what Bible believers have known all along: The further any society gets from respect for God and Biblical standards the more dysfunctional and miserable that society becomes.

 

I know I'm supposed to paint a happy ending, but I can't put a pretty face on where this world is going. I'm not calling on men to save the world. There is only one Savior and most people have already rejected Him. That does not mean our Father in heaven does not have a plan for saving His own through the inevitable catastrophic end that is rushing toward this world like a freight train.

 

What I am saying to any real men who may be left is this: Its not too late for you. Whatever wounds may have been inflicted upon you, no matter what defeats you have experienced, what losses you have incurred, and what disappointments in yourself you may regret, its not too late for you. Get down on your knees and offer yourself to be God's man right now, in the power and authority of Yeshua Messiah. Workers and soldiers are needed - right now. Rise to the call to be a real man, God's man. Brother, if you are hearing me, rise up and answer the call.

 

A good place to get started would be at our meeting tonight, with Messiah's Mighty Men. All are invited to join us tonight, May 22, 2024, at Tsiyon.Net at 8 PM, Central, for this inspiring live stream discussion - especially focusing on the role of men.

 

In His Name,

 

Eliyahu

Tsiyon.Org

 

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