| You're sort of dealing with two sides of the same coin here. One
is that, perhaps because church in the US has become a female
activity for the most part, being a Christian or even religious
is often perceived as feminine. As a noticable believer in an all
boys high school, I was seen praying and reading the Bible I took
to school, I more than once had people look at me a little funny.
People who took the time to know me didn't think me that wimpy
for it but some people did.
This causes two effects. One is that many male Christians tend to
avoid any *other* activity that may encourage people to think them
less than male. This may be why Pat Robertson avoids "domestic"
interviews. The other effect is that often churches go out of their
way to find "male" activities for young men. Many traditional male
activities, drinking, smoking, "running around with loose women" etc,
are not all that compatible with Christianity. For many young men it
becomes important for their self image that they have activities that
are compatible with both their religion and being "male."
Now some might say that this concern with "maleness" is a side
effect of an unhealthy society. I'm not sure I could agree with that.
I do in fact see Christianity as far less preoccupied with sexual roles
than society at large. The search for male activities is clearly a
support activity necessary for reasonable development in the society
that we live in. Likewise it is a recognition that there are some
intrinsic differences between the sexes even beyond what culture alone
dictates.
Alfred
|