Let the Men Fight!
A Frank Discussion of African-American Men and Christianity
by
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The Effects of Pederasty
In order to unsheathe their swords men must first remove the hindrances by understanding the obvious gender difference between men and women. Understanding that overt expressions of affection between men in this society may be interpreted as weak by some, it is reasonable to assume that men may have difficulty loving or expressing love for a male deity. It is also reasonable to assume that developing a love for Jesus is obviously less difficult for a woman than for a man. Absence sexual innuendo, there is no social stigma associated with a platonic relationship between a man and a woman.
Relationships between men are different. If a man has a close friendship with another man, he is careful who that man is and how the other man is perceived by his peers. To a heterosexual man “brotherly love” is a matter of appearance. Men will love Jesus differently than women. A man’s love of Jesus is a powerfully appreciative love. It is a “thank you man for doing that for me kind of love.” A masculine love for Jesus is, “You did not have to do it, but I thank you for it kind of love.” It is a grateful “good heads up kind of love,” and “how can I tell others about what you did, kind of love?” Believers must let men know that it is acceptable to love Christ in a manly and personal way, and that there is no stigma in loving the Lord.
As believers witnessing to male nonbelievers, spiritual leaders must be sensitive to the male psyche when using metaphors like the Church is the “bride” of Jesus. Although true, a male nonbelieiver may not understand the simile, and the task of disciple-making may become more difficult. To be effective warriors for Christ when witnessing, believers must be sensitive to the metaphors, analogies and language used. They may seem innocuous to seasoned believers, but they may be highly offensive to the person to whom one is witnessing.
The Bible, The Sword of the Spirt, is the obvious and most effective weapon for spreading the Gospel (Ephesians 6:17). Unfortunately, it has been kept in its sheath and rendered benign by the scathing innuendo and now scandalous accusations of pedophilia by Catholic priests. The recent problems of the Roman Catholic Church, concerning homosexuality in the priesthood, has been a secret scandal originating early in the fifth century and has continued to negatively effect all Christian denominations. To an unsaved heterosexual man this concept is repulsive. Homophobic fears in respect to Jesus and Christianity have also been fueled by the erroneous positions of selected secular and religious scholars. Blasphemously, some of the most celebrated secular and religious “thinkers” have questioned Christ’s manliness and have attempted to represent Him as effeminate. Their sacrilegious and profane positions have erroneously tainted the divine credibility of Christ and, therefore, tainted the credibility of Christianity. Literally muted since the fifth century, this undertone of satanic deception has retarded effective Christian evangelism and has been a sociological and spiritual anathema for centuries.
Christian men represented as effeminate got its genesis as the result of the socially acceptable practice of pederasty by Greek and Roman men during the early first century. Pederasty is the practice of older men, usually scholars, “mentoring” young boys in return for sexual favors. The Greek and Roman societies during the early first century were sexually decadent, rotten with debauchery and sexual perversion. Pederasty was considered fashionable and was practiced liberally for centuries in both societies. The most famous of Greek scholars, Plato, Socrates and Aristotle were notorious practitioners of pederasty and largely responsible for its proliferation (Percy,1996).
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About the Book
Involvement by men, especially African American men, in the Christian church has always been notoriously sparse. Pastors, seminary scholars, and Christian leaders, male and female, have pondered the problem, but it remains a question. The women ask, “What is wrong with the brothers?” My response is, “Why does it have to be something wrong with the brothers?” Could it be that as African American males want to hear something other than what is being preached? Have we considered preaching the Gospel of Christ from a masculine perspective? Is it possible that because the majority of churches are 70% female, that the Good News is inadvertently preached by male and female preachers from an implicit female perspective? Perhaps preachers are subconsciously more concerned with maintaining the satisfaction of the bulk of the tithing parishioners, who are women?
Let the Men Fight challenges the notion that the fault resides with African American men, and strives to provide a “male sensitive” Word. However, there is a caveat. The warning is, upon learning and accepting the truth, God expects us to go tell and teach others. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
About the Author
Gregory G. Ogle is a renegade, a modern day Peter whose controversial thinking and willingness to trouble the waters have taken him into the depths of Biblical history in search of answers to the apathy and ambivalence African American men have toward Christian discipleship. Uncertain of the African role in the Bible and the false stigma of male effeminacy attached to Christian men, Reverend Ogle brings light to both issues. He has dedicated his research to exposing illegitimate misrepresentation of both secular and theological academia. He has studied Greek and Hebrew in search of the authentic interpretation of our Holy Book, and has determined the source of his discomfort and that of many African American males who feel Christianity has not included them.
Let the Men Fight discloses the deliberate effort of religious scholars to conceal the contributions of Blacks in the Bible while clouding the issue of Christian masculinity. This book also reveals centuries of spiritual and moral violation that have systematically prohibited the Black man from mainstream religious matriculation. Rev. Ogle will show how this calculated and subversive series of behaviors and institutionalized attitudes has crippled, and continues to cripple, African Americans physically, socially, economically and psychologically. The resulting effect has been the African American male’s inability to wholly and comfortably accept Christianity.
The paradox is that the African American male, because of his suffering, has been chosen to lead his people and all of
Understanding God’s purpose for his life has brought Dr. Ogle to a comfortable position in the body of Christ. His comfort allows him the freedom to emancipate his bothers by explaining their spiritual turmoil and ultimately help bring them into the Christian church and the Body of Christ.
Reverend Ogle has prepared himself thoroughly for his calling. He has a B.S. degree from
Using the weapons of Love, Liberation and Restoration, Gregory Ogle is one of God’s warriors who will do what the Holy Spirit requires to restore men and women to God. His spiritually obsessive goal is to help reestablish the spiritual integrity of the Black family, and lead men on the spiritual crusade of restoring this nation and the world to God. Please read his book and help him. “Let the Men Fight”
Mrs. Debra A. Ogle