Man bashing as a "Catholic" Mainstay

The poison of feminist activist "research" has spread through the Catholic post-feminist bog world already. But it is an interesting comparison to see the fundamental differences between the portrayal of men as a group and women as a group. Before going on I suggest reading my very brief critique of the "study" here: http://durstonia.blogspot.com/2011/06/men-really-do-see-half-naked-women-as.html

Now before I tear these lists apart I want to strenuously point out I believe Chastity and practicing Custody of the Eyes are valid and incredibly important and holy acts. I believe the people involved are not malicious and are quite sincere in their efforts. What I am pointing out is how anti-male sentiment has infected the Church to make it an inhospitable and demeaning environment for men to occupy.

Let us first start with Top 10 Reasons Men Should Practice Custody of the Eyes: http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2011/06/top-10-reasons-men-should-practice.html

10 and 9 are neutral pious and orthodox advice, but then keep in mind that is the bottom of the list! 8 to 3 are downright offensive and demeaning.

"8 - Custody of the eyes builds up chastity.
Chastity helps us to properly order our sexuality. If we do not have custody of the eyes, it means our sexuality is dis-ordered toward objectification - not love - and needs to be healed."

Big problem here is the idea that male sexuality is inherently "dis-ordered." that is to say, corrupt. Homosexuality is also a dis-ordered sexual state but the difference is that one heterosexual visual arousal is natural, homosexuality offends nature and Natural Law. Biologists have conclusively shown that males are visually stimulated. The visual stimuli that attract men are young, attractive, flat stomached, hour glass figured women is in fact the markers of the optimal parameters in a mate to create a healthy child with the lowest probability of defect. This is on all levels a positive good, and indicator of the brilliance of the divine creator in formulating our natural impulses to the greatest good. Finding women attractive to look at is not the same as making them objects; that is a feminist myth with no scientific support. Now to lust after a woman and to look at a woman with attraction are two different actions. It's as my Priest quoted of his spiritual director in seminary, "the first look is free." That is a positive acknowledgement of healthy male sexuality and the difference of which I am speaking.

"7 - It is what every gentleman should do.
No woman who respects herself wants to be lusted after or looked up and down. No real gentleman would dishonour a woman by doing so."

Ah it’s the old feminist “A Real Man” shame tactic; because if you don’t agree with them you clearly not “A Real Man”. Catholics can try and cover this up by saying “A Real Gentleman” instead, but the fact remains it’s a shame tactic rather than a rational argument. It’s designed to shame men into agreement rather than have to actually demonstrate your point. Clearly the author can’t support the point above so they have to use shame instead.

And in a rare case, it’s actually turned on a woman to which I also disagree. It’s perfectly natural for a woman to want to be looked up and down. That is the reverse aspect of the point made above. If men naturally look for certain physical features it would naturally follow that women would naturally want to emphasize and display these. There is nothing evil or demeaning here. It is HOW these are emphasized and displayed that is ordered or disordered not the behaviour itself as is being suggested here. So you’re not “A Real Man’ if you look; and you’re not a “Real Woman” if you like being looked at. Let us Catholics just adopt the Burka and be done with it then?

"6 - It helps a man to see the whole woman, not just parts of her body.
When most men see an immodestly-dressed woman, their brains automatically start to objectify her. Thus, men need to be able to see the truth about who a woman is - not just to break her down into objects he can use for his selfish pleasure."

This pseudo science is addressed above in my previous blog

"5 - It avoids scandal.
Think of King David. If he would have practiced custody of the eyes he might have been able to avoid much worse sins - adultery and murder. Now think of what happens when a man is caught in a lustful look toward a woman."

And the misadristic perceived  fruition of positive male sexuality is demonstrated here: Rape, Adultery and Murder! What a load of garbage! “Don’t look at the girl walking down the street Tommy, it may lead to you murdering her family and raping her in the blood of her butchered family members.” The clear message here is men are inherently evil and if we allow a slight crack in our defences, we’ll turn into the monsters we really are. Think of how a young boy entering puberty or a man attempting to experience the Faith fully feels being told this is how he is seen. Or the girls and women that are supposed to want to marry and submit to these “monsters”.  Positive no doubt.

So much for Men being made in the image and likeness of God. The God who looked upon His creation and said it was GOOD! We are not Calvinists. We do not believe in the Total Depravity of Man from the Fall.

“4 - It helps fight off temptation.

Men suffer from sexual temptation frequently. To have custody of the eyes helps a man to fight off an even stronger temptation of lusting after a woman after he ogles her."

Now we get to decide if even the natural look is akin to fondling with ogling. True, men do suffer from sexual temptation frequently, but the answer here is that all looks and natural male sexuality is deviant, sinful, behaviour. And mortal sin deadens the will and intellect to resist further sin that is true. But based on the list thus far, basically just being a Man is an Occasion of Sin so I fail to see how he could stop it if he tried.


“3 - It helps our sisters not feel objectified.
If for no other reason, we should witness to the dignity of a woman by controlling our passions.”

Help our sisters not feel objectified? I’d say it’s difficult to make them not totally terrified after seeing the portrait of men in this List!  To “feel objectified”? What does that mean? How can anyone reasonable guard against how an indoctrinated post-feminist victim monger would “feel” after reading this anti-male tract? Clearly Men need to walk on pins and needles around women lest they offend their delicate emotional states by just looking at them with our “sexually dis-ordered” attraction!


Now let us contrast that with the same blog’s list for women: Top 10 Reasons Why Women Should Dress Modestly. http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2011/06/top-10-reasons-women-should-dress.html

Now I don’t even have to address the list directly as I actually like it in most ways. Women are treated generally in a positive way, if not angelic that is problematic when compared to the previous list. Why is it problematic? I’m glad you asked. The difference is that males are bad and girls are good. Girls are angels, Boys are devils in disguise. Women are victims men are victimizers. This is the diametrically opposed views of the sexes when comparing these two lists.

People wonder why boys and men are not participating or drawn to the Church? Here’s why! Who wants to be subliminally told they are evil, potential murders who’s every glance at the opposite sex is an adulterous affair that metaphysically ravishes and victimizes some poor girl.  What the Catholic Church needs is to give TRULY POSITIVE portrayals and examples of manhood that respect their dignity and value as human beings, fathers, boys and MEN. Until this happens, I don’t see any reason why a man would want to become a practicing Catholic.

Let's look at the difference of the portrayal of men by a Church Father on the subject. Observe how he assumes the strength and dignity of Catholic men. He assumes they're acting in such a way and by this way he is admonishing and exhorting them to the higher ideals and grandeur of Manhood. Catholics today can take a page out of this random quote from my notebook.

"Christians have the commandments [of God] engraved upon their hearts and observe them in the expectant hope of the world to come... Their men keep themselves from any illicit union and from any manner of uncleanness. They observe the commandments of their Christ with great care and live chaste and holy lives as the Lord their God commanded them." (Apologia, 15)

Aristides, in his apology [explanation] to Antonius Pius