Men Writing for Men – Regaining Manhood

The purpose of Men Writing for Men is not to disparage the great many women author who pen tremendous stories. Rather, this conversation is to encourage men to rekindle the masculine spirit that has become hidden amongst a culture of exaggerated sensitivity and feminine censorship. Women can indeed write great tales of adventure, mystery and suspense, but men need to read the brazen words that can only be fully communicated by other men.

It has been asked more times than can be counted, “Where are all the real men?” The question is often asked by women who are looking for more of themselves in a man than they are for a real, masculine leader. This truth is likely to offend the sensitivities of a female audience, but this conversation is aimed at the men who have become uncertain of how they should talk, how they should act, and how they should write.

It isn’t than men need to come out of their caves armed with a club and issue guttural demands. No, that is not manhood at all. The image of a controlling, abusive male is the exaggerated opposite of the whimpering coward. True manhood lies somewhere in between, but in order to communicate what makes a real man, such a definition needs to be retrieved from the ashes of our modern culture.

So, what does it mean to be a man, a real man, with real and honest emotions, cares, thoughts and desires? If one cannot realize what a man is, how can we communicate with other men? Where can we look to discover the many aspects of man that have been tamed out of us for so long, without swinging the pendulum too far and thus becoming the overbearing brute?

The tide has been out for so long now, that it may be difficult to find what we seek among contemporary literature. At the same time, if we go too far back, we will uncover the simpleton picture of the archaic and domineering master. I, for one, am convinced that what we seek, as Christian men, can be found in the Bible. There are other sources too, but we must start with a reference with which to gauge the polar opposites. If the stories we wish to tell do not derive from the God-given spirit within us, why should we try to write at all?

Yes, the Bible is where we must begin to rekindle our minds with the traits of honor, leadership, value and wisdom. This is, of course, a discussion and by no means a dictatorial pronouncement from my point of view. No, I am as immersed in our current culture as any of you reading this and I have experienced too many failures of manhood to be counted. It is my utmost desire for this to be a searching and revealing experience and conversation among many male authors.

So, the question for this week is: “What are the characteristics of a man?”