“A Boy Named Sue,” by Johnny Cash
— Friday, September 2nd, 2011 —
For some time now I’ve been concerned that Christians are not paying serious enough attention to a temptation the apostles warn against constantly. That temptation is “pugilism” or “quarrelsomeness.” It is, you might say, the draw toward hyper-masculinity, in which assertion and aggression itself is defined as “manhood.” You can see that in everything from Hip-Hop lyrics to some evangelical sermons about Jesus.
And, man, is it dangerous.
In this week’s episode (below) of “The Cross and the Jukebox,” we take a look at another song by Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue.” This is a lighter song of Cash’s—certainly not on the level of a song we examined last week, “Hurt”—but I don’t think the issue in the song is merely of a father’s naming his son “Sue” in order that he might grow up to be “tough” and “mean.” The key matter isn’t just the name. It’s that the father left. The son had to prove himself a man, without a father there to affirm that manhood.
This song, I think, ought to prompt a question about what it means to affirm a holistic masculinity, in which manhood is defined in terms of Jesus Christ, and not the other way around. Listen in, and join the conversation.
Enjoying the podcast so much! Thanks brother!
Are you aware of anyone having trouble downloading this particular episode? (Boy Named Sue) I’ve tried downloading from this site & also via iTunes - both with no success.
Thanks again!
This was a good message, Dr. Moore, and a very entertaining song. My thoughts from hearing your message is that I’m curious to hear your thoughts regarding Biblical manhood in the church in terms of women teaching boy’s in church Sunday Schools. Its one of those subjects not often addressed, but definitely something that comes to mind.
This was very good, thanks! A though jumped out at me that I wanted to share: I read G.K. Chesterton’s book Orthodoxy recently, and in it he argues that while Paganism comes to balance by nullifying extremes, Christianity comes to balance by pushing both extremes to the max simultaneously in a paradoxical relationship. He illustrates this using courage, humility, and charity, but I thought it applied well to manhood as well.
Manhood is not about sheer strength. Nor is it about sheer meekness. And, surprisingly, it is not just about finding an ideal balance between the two, where a man is not too strong or not too meek. Instead, true manhood is a combination of the most surpassing strength and the most surpassing meekness in the same person! As you say well in the podcast, Jesus illustrates this perfectly as the warrior-king who bears his marks of complete submission openly. A man is called to be both head of the household, and servant of his family. He is called to pioneer a course fearlessly, and at the same time to lay down his life as soon as it is necessary. We don’t want anything less… we don’t want men who are neither strong enough to lead nor weak enough to serve, we want men who are strong and weak simultaneously!
Would it be possible to post the transcript for the Cross and the Jukebox podcasts?
-Jake
Amen! Amen! Thank you for this good and important word. I am a missionary serving in SE Asia, but currently on home assignment. I wanted to plug into a men’s ministry while in the USA. But what I have found is that much of the material promotes a “Gladiator-type” (raw power) form of biblical manhood.
Just last week I was asking myself why men do not look to Jesus as the model for ultimate manhood instead. So thanks again for this valuable topic and for the way you presented it.
Good message. It brings to mind that the author of a WW2 book entitled “See Here, Pvt. Hargrove” was written by a man named Marion (Hargrove). Also, until Florence Nightengale founded the Red Cross, Florence was primarily a man’s name.
This is such a timely point, as the cultural pendulum is swinging away from effeminacy in many places. Yet our aging hippy pastors still mentally inhabit the 1970s or even Clinton’s 1990s. They are teaching men (especially those going into the ministry) to be harsh and brutal, to lord it over God’s heritage, to be callous, to hate meekness and to replace biblical, Christ-like masculinity (which is protective) with a raw-steak-eating, shotgun-toting caricature of it. My family and I just escaped a church, thank God, exactly like this, in which Godliness is equated with this kind of false masculinity. And you’re right about it being dangerous, because these churches crush souls and don’t care about all the pain they cause. In fact, it seems the more people they hurt the more righteous they think they are. All in the name of “not being effeminate.”
Another great post, thanks for the write up! Have a great day and cant wait to see future posts