In today's world, there are messages about how masculinity is toxic. Men should be docile, weak, dependent, idiotic, inherently bad and dangerous, shunned just for being a man, or should be more feminine. Then there is the flip side, where men are told to be the SIGMA MALE: Dominate, aggressive, and ruthless. There are few examples of what it means to be a man and masculine. Even fewer males have an adult male to model their life after as they grow up. According to the National Center for Fathering, 39% of all children in grades 1-12 in America today are growing up without their biological father in the home. 57.6% of Black children, 31.2% of Hispanic children, and 20.7% of White children grow up without a father present. 63% of teen suicide, 80% of all prison inmates, and 90% of all homeless and runaway children were raised in single-mother homes. We have a shortage of real men and an abundance of boys playing men in society today!
While the question "What does it mean to be a true man?" is difficult to answer, learning what NOT being a man is, gives some clarity on the topic. With all of this, we often overlook a critical part of being a man and a mature person. That is spiritual development. That is why I brought on today's guest, Doron Jones, to help with that topic. Doron is a man of God, former pastor, brother, husband, father of 4, and entrepreneur. With his experience ministering to youth for over a decade, ministering to adults, raising his children, and building a business, who better to teach about spiritual development as a man? In this episode, we cover Doron's journey developing as a man, what being a man is not, what it is, confronting your past in its entirety, how society is trying to influence masculinity, common pitfalls men fall into, the development of male spirituality, and some practical steps men can take to move out of those pitfalls and into their full masculinity.
If you are a man or woman, listen to this episode as we dive deep into what it means to be a man and not be a man and how men can develop into mature, masculine men.
In this episode, Doron references a few recourses he has used and learned from; they are listed below:
Adam Returns: The 5 Promises of Male Initiation by Richard Rohr
https://www.amazon.com/Adams-Return-Five-Promises-Initiation/dp/082452280X
A little book on the Human Shadow by: Robert Bly
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Human-Shadow/dp/0062548476
https://www.liminalwork.com/#/
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If you found this information useful, interesting, thought-provoking, or gave you a different perspective, put it into practice Today! If you know someone who would benefit from this information, share the show with them. We are building a community of like-minded people trying to make the world a better place by being the example and the one to be the change they wish to see in their lives, families, and communities. We need you to help us accomplish that mission!
Of course, y'all, make sure you go out and #EarnYourGoodDay!
