Righteous husbands and fathers are increasingly undervalued in our culture and underrepresented in our media. Much of what gets a laugh in the typical sitcom are cheap jabs at the idea of leadership in the home, rightfully exercised by a good man working to teach and guide his family.
This ought not to be.
Fathers and husbands are not buffoons, always suffering from some gaffe or aloof ignorance on the issues facing their families. They are not an empty symbol of days gone by, when intentional parenting was more commonplace.
Many men in the world strive for peace in their homes. Many work toward wholesome support of their wives and children. Many strive to overcome challenges and improve themselves. Most want to make the world a better place by building up those around them.
Will you join me in pushing back against the demise of the strong American man? Will you take opportunities to encourage righteous fatherhood? Will you help me strengthen husbands and patriarchs?
One small way to begin is to seek out quality media, to oppose the garbage saturating our world, dominating our collective attention. In addition to consistent study of the words of God found in the scriptures and other prophetic teachings, I invite you to seek wholesome worldly media, which can uplift and inspire.
Outside of the scriptures, I wholeheartedly recommend enhancing your study of the greatest man who ever lived, Jesus Christ. A primary source for my study is Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage. This masterful work is thoroughly cross-referenced to other fine books, written by inspiration of God. These other sources include many appropriate contributions from scholars and thought leaders in various Christian denominations.
In addition, I suggest Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. This book gives penetrating insight into the value of adversity and suffering, if appropriately applied to oneself by choosing to overcome instead of being overcome.
-----
The following movies exemplify and celebrate true manliness. I enjoy them each for the different ways they contribute to my understanding of righteous manhood.
In no particular order, with their year of release and director:
Life Is Beautiful (1997, Roberto Benigni)
Forrest Gump (1994, Robert Zemeckis)
The Family Man (2000, Brett Ratner)
Regarding Henry (1991, Mike Nichols)
The Rainmaker (1997, Francis Ford Coppola)
The Frisco Kid (1979, Robert Aldrich)
A River Runs Through It (1992, Robert Redford)
Bridge of Spies (2015, Steven Spielberg)
K-19: The Widowmaker (2002, Kathryn Bigelow)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003, Peter Weir)
Glory (1989, Edward Zwick)
The Monuments Men (2014, George Clooney)
How Rare a Possession: The Book of Mormon (1987, Russell Holt)
Secondhand Lions (2003, Tim McCanlies)
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006, Gabriele Muccino)
Up (2009, Pete Docter, Bob Peterson)
Dances with Wolves (1990, Kevin Costner)
Hook (1991, Steven Spielberg)
Dead Poets Society (1989, Peter Weir)
Father of the Bride (1991, Charles Shyer)
October Sky (1999, Joe Johnston)
Finding Forrester (2000, Gus Van Sant)
The Incredibles (2004, Brad Bird)
Remember the Titans (2000, Boaz Yakin)
The Iron Giant (1999, Brad Bird)
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995, Steven Herek)
Stand and Deliver (1988, Ramon Menendez)
Dragonheart (1996, Rob Cohen)
I'm confident there are many other worthy additions to these lists. Find them.
