What is Masculinity?

[SonsOfCaleb]

This thread is only to get opinions on this topic from both men and women. It's not for arguing or debating.

What is your view or definition of masculinity, and why is that your view? What is masculinity to men, and what is masculinity to women? What are the benefits and positives of masculinity in our society?

 

[Live4Him3]

What is masculinity?

Just look to Jesus Christ for your example, and NOT to the world's definition of the same.

The Bible:

"Jesus wept." (John 11:35)

The world:

"Big boys don't cry."

Etc., etc., etc. (ad infinitum)

 

[SonsOfCaleb]

What is masculinity?

Just look to Jesus Christ for your example, and NOT to the world's definition of the same.

The Bible:

"Jesus wept." (John 11:35)

The world:

"Big boys don't cry."

Etc., etc., etc. (ad infinitum)

"Jesus wept" is what you call masculinity? God has both masculine and feminine qualities. To say 'look to God' to know what either one is isn't sufficient because He has both. Which side of God is masculine and which side is feminine? What is masculinity? What does the world say it is? What do you say it is? What does God say it is? What is it in fact?

 

[Lynx]

This thread is only to get opinions on this topic from both men and women. It's not for arguing or debating.

What is your view or definition of masculinity, and why is that your view? What is masculinity to men, and what is masculinity to women? What are the benefits and positives of masculinity in our society?

To me masculinity is taking care of business, whether it's making money to provide for a family or shooting a terminally ill dog. It is doing what needs to be done because it needs to be done - not to gain favor with someone, not for pride, not for anything except it just needs to be done and he can do it.

I remember a guy talking about being a kid during an economic depression. His father was doing maintenance at the time, working at a Greyhound bus garage, but he lost the job because Greyhound had to cut back a lot. For a time he picked cotton. "That was the only job Dad ever did than I think hurt his pride, but if it kept food on the table he was determined he would pick the **** stuff."

My own dad is not perfect. He has made a few mistakes. When mom had an affair and then divorced him, he found another woman "on the rebound" and spent the next couple decades regretting it. But he never left her. I've never seen him bail out of anything just because it got hard.

It's not how strong or how smart or how rich you are. It's whether you will stay with it when it gets hard, or whether you'll quit and leave people hanging. That determines whether you're a man or not.

(replying to SoC)

 

[Live4Him3]

"Jesus wept" is what you call masculinity? God has both masculine and feminine qualities. To say 'look to God' to know what either one is isn't sufficient because He has both. Which side of God is masculine and which side is feminine? What is masculinity? What does the world say it is? What do you say it is? What does God say it is? What is it in fact?

So, you think that Jesus was both masculine and feminine during his incarnation?

If so, then I totally disagree with you.

P.S.

Godly MEN like David, Jeremiah, and John wept, too.

 

[SonsOfCaleb]

So, you think that Jesus was both masculine and feminine during his incarnation?

If so, then I totally disagree with you.

P.S.

Godly MEN like David, Jeremiah, and John wept, too.

Everyone is given a motivational gift at conception. (These are the character traits mentioned in Romans 12:6-8.) Yours apparently is the gift of mercy. However, no one is expected to remain stagnant in their gift. christians are supposed to not only mature in their motivational gift but are supposed to grow in the other six gifts that they don't have.

I know about men weeping, but that's not what makes a man a man. You're viewing life through your motivational gift which is how it's supposed to work; but leaning too heavily on just one out of seven motivational gifts becomes unhealthy. Read the character traits-- good and bad-- of a person who is born with the gift of mercy and you'll see why you feel so strong about compassion, sympathy, protecting women, overlooking deserved punishment and correction in favor of mercy, etc.: https://iblp.org/questions/what-spiritual-gift-mercy.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

What is masculinity?

Just look to Jesus Christ for your example, and NOT to the world's definition of the same.

The Bible:

"Jesus wept." (John 11:35)

The world:

"Big boys don't cry."

Etc., etc., etc. (ad infinitum)

True.
We just read a little while ago in John 11 at Lazarus' funeral,

" Jesus wept."

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

What is masculinity?
That might entail a list of attributes.

Who is perfect masculinity?
Simple answer.....Jesus

 

[Lynx]

Godly MEN like David, Jeremiah, and John wept, too.

When a grown man cries
You can feel the thunder
He can call down angels
With signs and wonders
He's a powerful man
With a weary soul
And his tears can touch
The very heart of God
When a grown man cries

- Bruce Carrol

(replying to Live4Him3)

 

[Live4Him3]

Everyone is given a motivational gift at conception. (These are the character traits mentioned in Romans 12:6-8.) Yours apparently is the gift of mercy. However, no one is expected to remain stagnant in their gift. christians are supposed to not only mature in their motivational gift but are supposed to grow in the other six gifts that they don't have.

I know about men weeping, but that's not what makes a man a man. You're viewing life through your motivational gift which is how it's supposed to work; but leaning too heavily on just one out of seven motivational gifts becomes unhealthy. Read the character traits-- good and bad-- of a person who is born with the gift of mercy and you'll see why you feel so strong about compassion, sympathy, protecting women, overlooking deserved punishment and correction in favor of mercy, etc.: https://iblp.org/questions/what-spiritual-gift-mercy.

An interesting article.

I definitely saw myself in a lot of those strengths, and in two of those weaknesses.

Anyhow, the irony is that so many people I know view me as a heartless bastard.

Go figure.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

This thread is only to get opinions on this topic from both men and women. It's not for arguing or debating.

What is your view or definition of masculinity, and why is that your view? What is masculinity to men, and what is masculinity to women? What are the benefits and positives of masculinity in our society?

I think this is debatable and perhaps even somewhat cultural what would constitute masculinity and feminine traits. Because women are designed with different percentage of hormones, we see some women respond with tears more often than men, for example in different circumstances.
I don't think crying is necessarily a feminine thing. Just an example. We see men in laughter, but perhaps not as much as a group of girls at play. Both are appropriate in context.

The thing I know that we all want to avoid is the thought that Jesus is often portrayed in art like movies and paintings. I don't agree with many depictions of Him because He was not effeminate. The Bible talks about that as a sin as men are concerned.
I Corinthians 6

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind..."

That's something that I don't think you meant about Jesus. That doesn't mean that we men are all some Conan character though. We are all different, but should not be androgynous. There are distinctions in behavior and even appearance between men and women that Hollyweird and homosexual artists like Michaelangelo didn't depict with Jesus.
Glad you brought the subject up, because it gets me to think about this in more details.
📖🙂👍

 

[SonsOfCaleb]

An interesting article.

I definitely saw myself in a lot of those strengths, and in two of those weaknesses.

Anyhow, the irony is that so many people I know view me as a heartless bastard.

Go figure.

It's possible to be both caring and bitter if you've been hurt enough times.

 

[SonsOfCaleb]

I think this is debatable and perhaps even somewhat cultural what would constitute masculinity and feminine traits. Because women are designed with different percentage of hormones, we see some women respond with tears more often than men, for example in different circumstances.
I don't think crying is necessarily a feminine thing. Just an example. We see men in laughter, but perhaps not as much as a group of girls at play. Both are appropriate in context.

The thing I know that we all want to avoid is the thought that Jesus is often portrayed in art like movies and paintings. I don't agree with many depictions of Him because He was not effeminate. The Bible talks about that as a sin as men are concerned.
I Corinthians 6

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind..."

That's something that I don't think you meant about Jesus. That doesn't mean that we men are all some Conan character though. We are all different, but should not be androgynous. There are distinctions in behavior and even appearance between men and women that Hollyweird and homosexual artists like Michaelangelo didn't depict with Jesus.
Glad you brought the subject up, because it gets me to think about this in more details.
📖🙂👍

It's not a trick question. Everyone has an opinion on this topic. I was asking for people's opinions.

 

[TheNarrowPath]

This thread is only to get opinions on this topic from both men and women. It's not for arguing or debating.

What is your view or definition of masculinity, and why is that your view? What is masculinity to men, and what is masculinity to women? What are the benefits and positives of masculinity in our society?

It is the opposite of femininity. For me it is the opposite of what I am. So if I am emotional, masculinity is logical. It doesnt mean the man is never emotional, it just means his logical side is one of the traits he presents upfront etc The benefits to masculinity are that you have traditional roles such as fathers who are the male role models for their sons (even daughters) and husbands who protect and provide for their wives/families. I think masculinity isnt just physical, its a presence that is very attractive to women. Masculine men are very self assured and dominant in a good way. Someone said in another thread the Jesus was loving and caring, well he was but in a masculine way. Masculinity walks with a purpose and thats what Jesus did.

 

[Kireina]

How I view masculinity is not by a man's appearance or how he carries himself or how big his muscles or how tough looking he is or how handsome he is or how much money he got... but how's the condition of his heart 😊

A masculine man is a godly man


A man with a kind heart


A caring/ loving man

A good provider (doesn't matter if he got a lot or little money as long as he is doing his best to provide for himself and his family)


Accepts when he is wrong


And a forgiving man ☺

 

[Lanolin]

Yang is masculine

You can look up the qualities associated with yang just google it.

 

[TheNarrowPath]

If I had to sum it up in one sentence I would say masculinity is strength like when a man slowly inhales, his chest rises, his shoulders straighten but more importantly is the inner strength.

 

[akaDorthy]

If his "man bun" is done up nicer than my "mom bun",
if his nails are whiter, filed nicer, and buffed shinier than mine,
and if his chest is bigger than mine,
well then that's just a "pretty man/boy" and certainly NOT masculine (IMHO)

 

[TheNarrowPath]

If his "man bun" is done up nicer than my "mom bun",
if his nails are whiter, filed nicer, and buffed shinier than mine,
and if his chest is bigger than mine,
well then that's just a "pretty man/boy" and certainly NOT masculine (IMHO)

If men have to have long hair I do appreciate the man bun hehe

 

[Lanolin]

OP you seems confused about gender why all the questions all of a sudden?