Topic : Male, Man, Men

An ancient Greek legend tells of the Sphinx that terrorized the city of Thebes. This ferocious creature—part lion and part human—positioned himself on the main road leading in and out of the city. To anyone wishing to gain entrance to the city of Thebes, the Sphinx would pose a riddle. If they gave the correct answer, they would be allowed to pass. If not, the Sphinx would devour them. The riddle was simply this: “What walks on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon and on three legs in the evening?” For months, no traveler could successfully solve the riddle, and all those who attempted perished.

Enter the hero Oedipus. When he journeyed to Thebes and encountered the Sphinx, he boldly declared the answer. “Man,” he said. “in the early days of his life he crawls on all fours, at the apex of his youth and vigor he walks on two legs, and in the twilight of old age he must walk with the use of a stick.”

Man has always been a riddle, and the solution to the complexity of humanity has not been so easily solved as the Sphinx’s conundrum. Modern business experts observe, for example, that successful corporations must balance only three components: ideas, things, and people. But successfully dealing with people—whether employees or customers—will easily occupy 80 percent of your time, energy and resources.

Daniel Lockwood, Multnomah Message, September 1997

GLENDALE, CA (EP) - American men are among the world’s “most pagan,” according to pollster George Barna. A study reported in The Barna Report, his newsletter, found that the church has little or no influence on many American men.

About one in three American men claims to be a born-again Christian, but only 28 percent attend church on any given weekend. Other forms of religious activity—including Bible reading, Sunday school attendance, and giving time or money to a church—have all declined among American since 1991.

Barna also found that even men who claim to be Christians often hold unorthodox beliefs that are at odds with biblical Christianity. For instance, 28 percent deny that Jesus was physically raised from the dead, while 27 percent say He committed sins. Surprisingly, 55 percent of self-identified Christian men agreed that all people “experience the same outcome after death, regardless of their way into heaven.”

Barna found that less than half of Christian men believe that there are absolute moral truths (47 percent) or that the Bible and religion should be primary influences on moral thinking (40 percent).

To reverse this trend, Barna says churches must provide a male-friendly environment, including opportunities to interact with other men, practical Bible teaching, and real-world solutions to personal problems.

Northwest Christian Journal May 1997

“You’re just out of date,”
said young pastor Bate
To one of our faithful old preachers
Who had tarried for years in travail and tears
The gospel to poor sinful creatures.

“You still preach on Hades,
and shock cultured ladies
With your barbarous doctrine of blood!
You’re so far behind you will never catch up—
You’re a flat tire stuck in the mud!”

For some little while, a bit of a smile
Enlightened the old preacher’s face.
Being made the butt of ridicule’s cut
Did not ruffle his sweetness and grace.

Then he returned to young Bate,
so suave and sedate.
“Catch up, did my ears hear you say'
“Why, I couldn’t succeed if I doubled my speed,
“My friend, I’m not going your way!”

Source unknown

• honest enough to admit all my shortcomings;
• brilliant enough to accept flattery without it making me arrogant;
• tall enough to tower above deceit;
• strong enough to treasure love;
• brave enough to welcome criticism;
• compassionate enough to understand human frailties;
• wise enough to recognize my mistakes;
• humble enough to appreciate greatness;
• staunch enough to stand by my friends;
• human enough to be thoughtful of my neighbor; and
• righteous enough to be devoted to the love of God.

- Gordon H. Taggart

New Man, July/August 1994, p. 13

Why do men have such difficulty connecting in significant relationships?

• Men are self-reliant.
• Men don’t feel.
• Men don’t touch.
• Men don’t need fellowship.
• Men see life as a puzzle.
• Men are too macho.
• Men are very competitive.

Source unknown

• Men do not know who they are as men. Rather, they define themselves by what they do, who they know, or by what they own. - Alexander Mitserlisch, counselor
• Men have an aversion to showing/sharing emotions except during contact sports. - Anon
• Epperson’s Law. When a man says it’s a silly, childish game, it’s probably something his wife can beat him at. - Don Epperson, quoted by Bill Gold in Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, January, 1980
• The male’s inability to ask directions is genetic. That’s the reason why it takes 500,000,000 sperm to fertilize one egg. None would bother to stop and ask directions.
• My need to dominate and shock comes from losing my mother and then being very attached to my father and then losing my father to my stepmother. - Madonna

1. Men commit suicide at 4 times the rate of women.

2. Men between 18 and 29 suffer alcohol dependency at 3 times the rate of women of the same age.

3. More than 2/3’s of all alcoholics are men; 50% more men are regular users of illicit drugs than women.

4. Life expectancy for men is 10% shorter than for women; the incidence of stress-related illness, such as heart disease and certain cancers, remains inordinately high among men.

5. More than 80% of America’s homeless are men.

From Men’s Ministry Leadership Seminar, Promise Keepers, 1993, p. 5

Let’s admit it—all of us have twinges of insecurity about ourselves. But it is possible to grow toward being a totally secure man, says Larry Titus, president of the Men Reaching Men ministry in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

According to Larry, a totally secure man:

• Does not need to tear down others to build up himself.
• Considers inner convictions more the mark of a man than outer toughness.
• Finds talented people an inspiration, not a threat.
• Knws how to take the garbage he was dealt in life and recycle it into energy.
• Forgives people who may never have the courage to apologize.
• Lives his private life as if it were public.
• Considers people more important than projects and plans.

New Man, November/December, 1994, p. 12

Astronaut Michael Collins, speaking at a banquet, quoted the estimate that the average man speaks 25,000 words a day and the average woman 30,000. Then he added: “Unfortunately, when I come home each day I’ve spoken my 25,000—and my wife hasn’t started her 30,000.”

Sports Illustrated

• Is 5’ 9” tall and 173 pounds.
• Is married, 1.8 years older than his wife and would marry her again.
• Has not completed college.
• Earns $28,605 per year.
• Prefers showering to taking a bath.
• Spends about 7.2 hours a week eating.
• Does not know his cholesterol count, but it’s 211.
• Watches 26 hours and 44 minutes of TV a week.
• Takes out the garbage in his household.
• Prefers white underwear to colored.
• Cries about once a month—one fourth as much as Jane Doe.
• Falls in love an average of six times during his life.
• Eats his corn on the cob in circles, not straight across, and prefers his steak medium.
• Can’t whistle by inserting his fingers in his mouth.
• Prefers that his toilet tissue unwind over, rather than under, the spool.
• Has sex 2.55 times a week.
• Daydreams mostly about sex.
• Thinks he looks okay in the nude.
• Will not stop to ask for directions when he’s in the car.

Men’s Health, quoted in Parade Magazine, 12-29-91, p. 5

Major Needs of Women

1. Affection,

2. Conversation,

3. Honesty and openness,

4. support,

5. Family commitment.

Major Needs of Men

1. Sexual fulfillment,

2. Recreational companionship,

3. An attractive spouse,

4. Domestic support,

5. Admiration.

His Needs, Her Needs, quoted in C. Swindoll, The Grace Awakening, Word, 1990, p. 256