This has been in the news this year, but most of us have probably ignored it because it has nothing to do with us: Men’s Only Gyms. It seems that a lot of MAGA men, especially those under 40 who identify as Christians, are flocking to these church sponsored ministries. Them Magazine reported on this in July, and one devotee they interviewed said this about why he is doing this: “One of the most common places affairs and infidelity begin is the gym. I’ve lived that reality,” he wrote in the caption, adding that God “called me to create a different kind of space… where men can grow stronger physically and spiritually, without the distractions of lust and temptation.” This idea is nothing new; these single-sex gymnasiums were all the rage thousands of years ago in ancient Greece, and men’s only bathhouses/saunas exist in other parts of the world as well.
This is one more example of mean not being able to control themselves – a whole new way of asking women, “What were you wearing that caused this to happen?” when they are ogled or cat-called or treated inappropriately. Among Evangelicals, this concern about being alone with a woman who isn’t your wife is called the “Billy Graham Rule.” The rule was formalized in 1948 during evangelistic meetings in Modesto, California, when Billy Graham, Cliff Barrows, Grady Wilson, and George Beverly Shea agreed to “avoid any situation that would have even the appearance of compromise or suspicion.” And please understand – I have been, and always will be, very careful about this kind of thing. Boundaries are really important in my line of work, and there should never be any room given for behavior that seems inappropriate. But working out in a crowded gym? Please.
Why are so many men so fragile and weak? Think of all the clothing restrictions that exist in some religious groups, from Burkas to the complete covering that many Amish and Mennonite women wear, women’s bodies are dangerous, we are told, and they cause men to lust and sin. I am not advocating minimal clothing; all of us should be covered appropriately. What I am questioning is the weakness of men who can’t look at an attractive woman without imploding morally. Skirts below the fingertips – shirts just below the neck – even hair coverings to minimize those with that fetish. Maybe men should grow up and learn some self-control. It isn’t wrong to find someone attractive, but lust turns them into objects. Maybe these men need to stop blaming women and point the blame where it belongs – at themselves. Because real adults respect people for who they are on the inside, not for what they look like on the outside. Grow up, guys.
Prayer – Holy God, help us all to mature into who You hope us to be. Amen.
Today’s art is “Inner Beauty” by Josie V. Toney.