Fear based appeals to masculinity are so interesting to me. Some of the appeals say that any man who isn’t afraid of facing life unarmed is a wimp. Some say that any man who doesn’t want to hide behind a giant army is a wimp. And most importantly this time of year, some of the appeals to fear say that any Christian man who isn’t afraid of Christmas being stolen by non-Christians is a wimp.
Bill O’Reilly has been disappointed that more Christian ministers have not risen to protect the baby Jesus from the Jews and Muslims who have the temerity to want to celebratetheir own holidays instead of the Christian holiday.
When O’Reilly asked Jeffress why so few pastors have voiced the appropriate outrage at this war on the holiday, Jeffress replied: “Wimpy pastors produce wimpy Christians, and that is why we are losing this culture war and I believe it’s time for pastors to say, you know, ‘I don’t care about controversy, I don’t care whether I’m going to lose church members, I don’t care about building a big church, I’m going to stand for truth regardless of what happens.’”
So the argument, as best I can follow it, goes: “Real men are terrified by any real or perceived threat that their leaders point out. Real men should panic and lash out whenever their leaders tell them to, or else their masculinity is suspect. But real courage means a willingness to not to let fear define our choices. And sharing the world isn’t an attack on the Christian message, it is the Christian message.
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So, for all of my fellow Christians whose idea of Christmas is rubbing our faith in someone else’s face, I have two words for you: “Bah! Humbug!”