While he offers humor that connects with some people, I think he is coming from a very traditional perspective that is no longer relevant for many people in the Western World. That's fine for people who share his traditional worldview (where sex is sin w/out marriage, where men should not share, or even have, their feelings, and so on), but for those of us who do not share that view, his teachings are highly destructive, in my opinion.
Even within contemporary Christianity, there are at least three worldviews:
(1) Those who hold a traditional worldview (sacrifice self now to God's teachings for eternity in Heaven) wherein the Bible is infallible word of God.
(2) Those who hold or more modernist worldview that understands the Bible as metaphorical teachings from our distant past that can offer wisdom for how to live our lives if we look deeply into the stories and allegories, while understand the contradictions as the result of multiple authors and a pre-scientific world.
(3) Those who are entering or living in a postmodern worldview that understands God as a compassionate creative force in the Universe and Jesus as a profoundly human teacher of how to connect with that divine force.
Gungor espouses a traditional worldview, and there are many who share his perspective.
In my experience, those views put an emotional straightjacket on men and reduce their humanity.
I hope that explains my position on his real teachings. And yes, he does make me laugh.
I am happy that after going through three pages on google search I found a little more perspective on in this discussion here. After being forwarded the videos of Mark Gungor's marriage counselling sessions, I actually spent all of yesterday watching them completely and my repulsion towards what was being said beneath the thin layer of laughter which was not funny beyond a point is what provoked me in searching out if everyone else found him awesome and why was I finding him so facile!
I agree with you completely that his point of view may well be shared by many people, but is completely outdated for a lot of us who want to live in a more modern world of equality, dignity and honesty. I sincerely found it repugnant that he proposes the use of sex as a tool to get men to do 'our' jobs like laundry and killing spiders, and how young single women are just plain stupid for 'giving it away' before marriage. Has it occurred to him that women may enjoy sex also, its something which is quite special between a man and a woman to be made into a game, its not a prize to be given away and laundry is not a 'woman's job'?
3 comments:
I'd really like to hear your thoughts on his views that men shouldn't focus so much on their feelings. I'm a bit suspect of his teachings.
Hi Megan,
While he offers humor that connects with some people, I think he is coming from a very traditional perspective that is no longer relevant for many people in the Western World. That's fine for people who share his traditional worldview (where sex is sin w/out marriage, where men should not share, or even have, their feelings, and so on), but for those of us who do not share that view, his teachings are highly destructive, in my opinion.
Even within contemporary Christianity, there are at least three worldviews:
(1) Those who hold a traditional worldview (sacrifice self now to God's teachings for eternity in Heaven) wherein the Bible is infallible word of God.
(2) Those who hold or more modernist worldview that understands the Bible as metaphorical teachings from our distant past that can offer wisdom for how to live our lives if we look deeply into the stories and allegories, while understand the contradictions as the result of multiple authors and a pre-scientific world.
(3) Those who are entering or living in a postmodern worldview that understands God as a compassionate creative force in the Universe and Jesus as a profoundly human teacher of how to connect with that divine force.
Gungor espouses a traditional worldview, and there are many who share his perspective.
In my experience, those views put an emotional straightjacket on men and reduce their humanity.
I hope that explains my position on his real teachings. And yes, he does make me laugh.
Peace.
I am happy that after going through three pages on google search I found a little more perspective on in this discussion here. After being forwarded the videos of Mark Gungor's marriage counselling sessions, I actually spent all of yesterday watching them completely and my repulsion towards what was being said beneath the thin layer of laughter which was not funny beyond a point is what provoked me in searching out if everyone else found him awesome and why was I finding him so facile!
I agree with you completely that his point of view may well be shared by many people, but is completely outdated for a lot of us who want to live in a more modern world of equality, dignity and honesty. I sincerely found it repugnant that he proposes the use of sex as a tool to get men to do 'our' jobs like laundry and killing spiders, and how young single women are just plain stupid for 'giving it away' before marriage. Has it occurred to him that women may enjoy sex also, its something which is quite special between a man and a woman to be made into a game, its not a prize to be given away and laundry is not a 'woman's job'?
Monolita.
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