I used to be involved in the young adult singles group of a megachurch. My observation at the time was that at least 2/3 of the men involved were there to meet chicks. They were nominally Christian — enough so to fit in — but they were treating as a Sunday-morning singles bar, not a house of worship.

Every time a new woman walked in to the room where the group met, she was immediately surrounded by a half-dozen solicitous men trying to get her attention and favor. The poor girl wouldn’t even have time to find a chair before she was being hit on.

It was pathetic.

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Yeah, well, I’m no Llama or Drill, but I do what I can. Thanks.

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P.S. While I don’t particularly like your anti-Christian bias [though that's most likely not an accurate description b/c even though I don't know you I have an inkling that you're not so much against Christianity but rather you've been deeply hurt by a Christian or Christians], I do really appreciate your “tell-it-like-it-is” attitude and your great sense of humor.

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There’s another recent post (by HSK I think) about changing American evangelicalism from the latest Atlantic Monthly. Well, I had to go into the Big City today, so I spent a few hours at Barnes & Noble, and a few more at Books A Million. I thought I’d check out the article referenced. Well, lo and behold, the AM also had an article about the future of religion in Africa, which I read. The author is Eliza Griswold, and she’s the daughter of an American bishop in the Anglican or Episcopalian church. The article is about the growing war between Islam and Christianity on the continent. She focused on Nigeria, but made it clear that the trends she wrote about were taking place all over the continent. One interesting note is about the mass murders committed by both sides in Nigeria. And guess who encourages and winks at Christians committing pogroms against Muslims? The Anglican Primate Peter Akinola, the hero of so many conservative Christians in America for his stance against gays. Gay marriage is wrong, but the mass murder of Muslims is fine. But the main thing that’s pertinent here is the nature of much of the “Christianity” that’s spreading like wildfire. Guess what? Much of it is about using God to get rich. It’s barely more than a superstition. She quotes one man who frankly says he became a Christian to get rich. Nigeria is filled with preachers who make Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar look like Mother Theresa. Their sermons are about money, money, money. They write books on money, money, money with pictures of bundles of currency on the cover. So many people are converting from Islam to “Christianity” to get rich that the Muslims have mounted a counterattack. They started a group called NASTA or NATA or something like that, which is basically prosperity preaching from a Muslim perspective, i. e, Allah wants you rich. Now it’s spreading like wildfire.

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One of his most famous quotations, of course, is this one: “Within 100 years of my death, Christianity will be swept from existence and…pass into history.” Only 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society bought Voltaire’s house and turned it into a printing press and produced stacks of Bibles! During that century there was great growth and revival, new mission societies were born, and the Gospel continued to spread to every continent in the world. So despite your claim, Voltaire was totally wrong. Not only has Christianity not passed into history, but on a worldwide scale [and no, on other continents and in other cultures it doesn't have to and in fact shouldn't look like 'Western' Christianity] it is alive and growing and continues to be influential. And it will continue to do so, b/c Jesus has promised: “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

This is a losing argument for you, but maybe you can get the thread back on track by addressing the issue that you dodged at # 18.

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There is a fresh wind of change, a going back to the truth.

My son is 18. He is a man, albeit a young man still in need of mentoring. Biblically, there is no adolescence. I reinforce his adulthood as much as possible, because I want him to grasp that so that no one else can tell him otherwise.

I’m sorry for what you single people who are enduring with the current pervasive bias against your status.

I reinforce this to my daughters and all the sons and their parents who God sends my way. I’m glad you spoke up.

Also, I agree!! A man who dismisses all women as feminists is being just as narrow minded as those who can’t believe single people are adults. He shouldn’t be so timid. My husband won me because he wasn’t (visibly) scared of me. I liked his mettle.

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1. The answer to the lack of men in church is a “smash mouth” version of male ruled Christianity.

2. Women need to re-learn their place: following behind the men quietly, preferably with their eyes lowered.

3. If you’re a single, no matter how old you are, you’ll never be a true man until you get married.

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