Hey, How Come Young Men Are Getting Religion All Of A Sudden? Oh, I Think We Know! -- Wonkette

[erronis]

https://www.wonkette.com/p/hey-how-come-young-men-are-getting
Robyn Pennacchia

Young men are desperate to bring the patriarchy back and women ... are not.

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about the growing Gen Z gender divide. Women are becoming more liberal and less religious, while men are becoming more conservative and more religious. Last week, Vox ran an article about this, suggesting that the increased religiosity among young men is a driving factor in their rightward turn.

It’s a theory. I guess. But I’d argue it’s the opposite. Men are becoming more conservative because they’re mad at feminism, and subsequently becoming more religious as a result. Conservatism, for the most part, requires religion and makes very little sense without it. Social conservatism in particular.

The fact is, young men are currently in thrall to a variety of hyper-religious influencers who promise them that religion can make the patriarchy great again. Matt Walsh, Michael Knowles, and Nick Fuentes are trad Caths (Catholics who like to pretend Vatican II never happened), Charlie Kirk and Joel Webbon are Evangelicals, Andrew Tate is Muslim. I’m not sure what flavor of religious Tim Pool is, but he’s previously tweeted that “It should be illegal not to believe in God,” so …

These influencers are not just making young men more misogynistic or more racist — although they are, Blanche, they are! — they’re also making them more religious.

. . .

[Historic NY]

1. Are they suddenly going to become priests, or monks....This could attract incels & pervs would fit right in.

[brush]

29. And their cult, maga leader is irreligious as they come.

Couldn't quote a Bible verse if the 'burning bush' appeared before him...not even "Jesus wept."

[keep_left]

34. There was actually a recent article about this--in the NYT, I think.

It described a developing schism in the Catholic Church: a divide between the clergy and laity that threatens to become an unbridgeable chasm. Although there has always been division over dogma and doctrine, it has been largely silent outside of church walls; it was generally kept "in the family", so to speak. However, in recent times, the influence of Church media has become much greater; the EWTN network in particular has taken on Hollywood production values (and budgets), now catering almost exclusively to radtrad Catholics. Even the numerous "problem priest" scandals at EWTN have hardly taken any wind from its sails.

The NYT article illustrates the problem: the most recent Catholic seminarians are increasingly out of step with the laity. The pernicious influence of radtrad media (EWTN, Relevant Radio, etc.) makes things even worse. And of crucial importance is that many of these seminarians are academic mediocrities. No longer are they "the princes of the Church"; many in the laity have long surpassed them in the educational and professional meritocracy, and they know it. (Many of them were educated in seminaries by the laity, who often are more accomplished theologians than the clergy).

[Midnight Writer]

2. Jesus in his teachings did not relegate women to second-class status. Christian Churches did.

I have a dear friend who will not appear outside her home without her "cover' on her head, because her church teaches that God is offended by the sight of an uncovered female scalp.

Churches are, by and large, propagators of the myth that women are less worthy, that they are to act as "helpers" to men, that they are to submit authority to men, that God sees them in an inferior light, that their only role is as wives and mothers.

[erronis]

3. That so disgusts me. There are a few religions that are much less idolatrous of their leaders

but they are not the ones causing this hatred of women.

[hlthe2b]

8. There was a book first published many years back called "When God was a Woman" by Merlin Stone that looked at the

incredibly long history of Matriarchal societies and religions before and sometimes alongside developing Christianity and the systematic dismantling since. It is pretty eye-opening no matter one's background and current beliefs.

[erronis]

10. Thanks - I'll look for that online.

[ananda]

45. It's very good.

A friend recommended it to me some years ago,
and it was very enlightening.

[mucholderthandirt]

74. Just put it on hold at the library. I think I read it many many years ago, but don't know for sure.

Still worth a read.

I used to be a pagan, goddess-worshipping hedge witch, but now I'm your garden variety atheist.

[ForgedCrank]

12. This is

not true at all. In fact, the churches place women and men in a higher position that is role dependent. It is laughable to think that women are some subservient tool in the family role. In fact, it's almost always the exact opposite. Women run the household, they run the financing. Entire farms are managed by the wife, and the men are just the the ones that manage the field and equipment operations. If someone accused a woman of being a slave to their husbands, I know more than a few that would answer that with a knuckle sandwich. It's funny how these caricatures acquire a life of their own.

[MLWR]

19. I guess you never read Ephesians 5:22, 5:23 and 5:24.

[ForgedCrank]

41. Guessing isn't

your primary skill it appears

[littlemissmartypants]

20. What "churches" are you referring to? ...

Your experience seems so much better. More pleasant and egalitarian. I'd like to know more.

❤️

[EdmondDantes_]

24. It depends on the specific religion

In Catholicism women can't reach the same level as men in the church. Some versions of Islam let women lead mixed groups, some don't. Orthodox Judaism women have a harder time. But Reform and Conservative Judaism, a much easier time. Quakers had women leaders long before that was okay in other religions.

[KPN]

26. Women run the financing? What does run the household mean to you? Farms managed by "the wife"? Where can I see some

of them?

My wife is a strong woman. She is -- as my middle son says -- "the most well-balanced person he has ever known"; I agree with that. She would outright disagree with you. As do I.

[ForgedCrank]

42. I'm not

here to participate in your quiz. If you 'd like to know more, read less Christian bashing, ignore me, and get to know people. Church would be the best place to do that.

[KPN]

63. Well, I don't read much Christian bashing per se.

Sorry that I may have offended you. I meant the Qs as rhetorical, but do see how the last one might have seemed quizzical.

I have 4 siblings who are “Christians”. The three who talk in any way about a woman’s role are evangelicals. The 4th is the only one who I see as living according to Jesus’ word — and he never implies specific womens’ roles.

The other 3 are Trumpers. They call themselves Christians. I’ve been to 2 of their churches while visiting. They are anything but in my view. That’s where my info comes from.

[ForgedCrank]

69. There are

posers in any given classification. We have Democrats who behave like Republicans, we have perverts posing as priests and teachers, and we have politicians claiming to be Christian who are nothing of the sort. Who really believes that Trump is a God fearing Christian? You know, the guy who used to spend so much of his time at the old Playboy mansion? Please. Hell, a guy claiming to be a Democrat just blew up an IVF facility somewhere. What someone says they are means nothing, it is their actions. But people look at, for example, those ones who call themselves Westboro Baptist Church, and build their definition of a Christian based on that. Doing so is nothing short of dishonest.
A womans role in the context of a family is whatever roles she chooses, and 9 times out of 10(, at least where I live), they chose traditional roles, and a lot of those align with what is defined in The Bible... at least loosely. No one is forcing anyone to do anything they don't want to. Some folks watch entirely too much handmaidens tale TV shows.
The issue I have is when people find a bad example (of which there are plenty), and build these insulting caricatures of what a Christians is, and sell it to others who spread it out of nothing more than their own hatred. I saw a post just this morning of someone claiming he was at breakfast and heard people praying that transgenders get kicked out of the military and illegal immigrants getting kicked out of the country. I'd bet you my bank account that no such thing happened. This is the sort of insulting BS that passes around here, and it's not just one here and there, it's every day. It is said just to display hatred, and it's almost all based on falsehoods, and it's almost ALWAYS in reference to Christians.
I don't think some understand that in my deep-red Republican area, probably 3 out of 4 people in my church are Democrats. Yes, Christians. Some need to take a pause and look inward because from a political perspective, they damage us all... and that's sitting aside the personal insult that it is to me.
Also one more note: when I post, I most often post generalized statements. I forget that I am replying to a specific person and that isn't always what I meant. So no need to apologize, my grievance regarding this topic is the overall mood here regarding Christians and especially that it is allowed (and even encouraged) here.

[Mariana]

80. Christianity is as Christianity does.

The majority of Christian voters in the US cast their ballots for Trump three times. In 2024, he got 63% of Protestant voters and 59% of Catholic voters, according to the exit polls. When most of the Christians are Trumpers, it's pretty hard to argue that Trumpers aren't Christians.

[lonely bird]

28. Role dependent?

Intriguing concept.

Makes me wonder.

[ForgedCrank]

44. It's not

all that mysterious.

[lonely bird]

65. Mysterious?

Nah. Not mysterious at all.

Patriarchal?

You bet.

[musette_sf]

62. aka Complementarianism

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complementarianism

Yeah, nah.

[CrispyQ]

35. LOL. They didn't even see fit to include women in the Holy Trinity.

God the Father, God the Son, & then there's a ghost. They could have written God the Parent & God the Child, but no. It was all men, no women. When you realize man created God to control woman, so many things fall into place & make sense.

[travelingthrulife]

51. You betcha!

[mucholderthandirt]

75. That's a load of bullshit there. I lived with a stupid evangelical, you have no idea.

Wife is subservient to the husband, he rules in all ways. Not just the ex's church, but many of them took this turn, or were always this way.

[IronLionZion]

39. They prefer old testament smiting and wrath instead of the teachings of Jesus

[ForgedCrank]

46. They do?

I'll have to remind everyone of that when I go to the next service. Seems they all forgot that is what they are supposed to be doing.

[IronLionZion]

55. Did you read the OP?

The extremist/fundamentalist sects are gaining lots of followers specifically because of the hate. They love fire and brimstone.

[ForgedCrank]

58. I've learned

more about what I believe today on DU than I have for the 35 years I've been an active Christian.

[IronLionZion]

59. 42 years for me

the OP isn't about you or any mainstream Christian churches. OP does include other non-Christian religions like Islam too.

[ForgedCrank]

61. Well, except

for multiple times daily that Christians (and that includes me) are referred to as "christ-o-fascists" and mocked continually with these make-believe caricatures. It also seem to come from the never-ending supply of people who "was a Christian for xxx years". Uh huh.
Denying there is a deep rooted hatred for Christians here is not exactly inline with reality. Frankly, I'm shocked that any claiming to be Democratic in nature would allow this sort or continual hate-bashing. Yet it continues unimpeded, the behaviors we claim to fight against. Did you not see how many times I got attacked in this one single thread? So yes, it is directed at all Christians. It's very disappointing that we condone this sort of hatred here.

[lonely bird]

68. Attacked?

Last edited Sun May 18, 2025, 05:31 PM - Edit history (1)

So, anyone should just accept what you believe without any response? Or are only positive responses are acceptable?

You are free to believe as you wish. It makes no difference to me from the standpoint of my relationship with my wife. It does make a difference to me when examined as it is disguised social control.

Had to add something…

Deep-rooted hatred for Christians? No. There isn’t because it isn’t about you. It is about religionism which is the attempt to claim anyone’s religion should be enforced by the state monopoly of violence.

That being said, any belief structure is by nature subject to analysis when presented on a discussion board. When you participate on said discussion board you should expect responses that might be unpleasant for you. You may get none or you may get many. The influence of what I call the Pharisaical Right on politics in this country is unacceptable.

There is an old saw: when you mix religion and politics you get politics.

[mucholderthandirt]

76. No one has attacked you, bro. Given some blowback, sure, because you're saying dumb stuff.

[Sequoia]

54. Paul the Apostle

Had a negative attitude towards women especially. Be quiet, submit, and cover your head in church. He wasn't winning converts to killing Christian when he was known as Saul.

[LastDemocratInSC]

56. The Flying Spaghetti Monster requires that

all passenger cars have either alloy wheels or wheel covers that look like alloy on all four wheels. That's almost the same as wearing a head covering and makes as much sense to boot.

[erronis]

70. "His" noodly appendage? I guess that's pretty damn non-PC

Last edited Sun May 18, 2025, 07:08 PM - Edit history (1)

but I'm a happy pastafarian!

[Skittles]

73. which makes me wonder why any woman participates is such garbage

disgusting

[Mariana]

81. Early childhood indoctrination is very powerful.

Christianity has had two thousand years to refine its recruitment, indoctrination, and retention techniques. They are very good at it.

[Skittles]

83. I know church folk are THE biggest child groomers on the planet

I'm just surprised more people don't start thinking logically when they are adults.

[Mariana]

78. Jesus in practice selected only men to be his disciples.

According to the stories, at any rate.

[magicarpet]

4. If it allows them to shit on women and hate the others,....

..... who can be marked as different -then these young men are all in.

It is macho manly to espouse toxic masculinity - it proves to your friends and the world you are no pinko-softy-pushover.

[delisen]

5. Anti-Christ Christians are a phenomenon. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Cafeteria christians, too. . . . nt

[Bev54]

6. I am doubtful that many of those named are not becoming more religious but have discovered

that if they play that way in public, it is easier for them to grift those who do believe. It all comes down to how much money they can squeeze out of them.

[littlemissmartypants]

22. President Psychopath certainly sniffed grift quickly.

Didn't take him long to fake a conversion.

❤️

[Bev54]

47. He cannot even fake it well.

[Walleye]

9. And part of their new religion is to be as impolite as possible. And suffer no consequences.

I don’t know whether they’re not brought up right or they have no discipline as boys, but some of these guys don’t seem to know right from wrong. What I really hate what really pisses me off in a visceral way is when you see a group of young guys, and you hear them laugh at the ridicule of a woman. It’s more of a guffaw than a genuine laugh. They are not laughing because it’s funny. I remember a line in a Kurt Vonnegut book “love may fail, but courtesy will prevail“ they think being courteous is being weak

[BattleRow]

13. Nor is kindness weakness,either.

[Walleye]

14. Especially kindness. Joe Biden, one of the kindest man I've ever met was called week.

[CrispyQ]

37. Seems to me that they deem pretty much all positive human attributes as weak (feminine) & embrace the worst.

Remember sometime in Trump's first term, there were stories of preachers/ministers reporting that men in their congregation thought Jesus was weak.

[Starbeach]

11. How Convenient

Male dominance is God's will!
Well, OK then.

[Walleye]

16. By keeping us away from good jobs, they eliminate half their competition in life

They’re afraid they’ll get beat by a girl

[mdbl]

15. Just watch "A Handmaid's Tale" on HULU to see where they want this to end up

That's why I can't believe there are women in the repug party. I guess they all have stockholm syndrome.

[Martin68]

18. I suggest reading the novel. Far superior to the TV series.

[mdbl]

23. I suggest the TV series for those that fall asleep in front of a book in 5 minutes like me

But thanks. I am sure there are things in the book missing from the series.

[Martin68]

49. Anything the series added was superfluous - part of the padding required to make a novel into a long series.

I pity those who are unable to read a full-length novel. they are missing out on an entire universe experience. The book was a work of art: an entire world fully realized and shared without a single extra word.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

27. It's an excellent novel and the film is good too. (Haven't seen TV series, no time). . . nt

[generalbetrayus]

32. With all due respect, I have found both the book and the TV series fascinating and frightening.

I plan to reread the book and watch the series again after it finishes up (soon).

[IronLionZion]

57. Even in that series, some women like being the wives of commanders

it gives them power over others. And commanders love having power over lower class working men. The wealthy love a servant class who don't have much choice in life.

[valleyrogue]

60. Andrea Dworkin's classic "Right Wing Women"(1983) explains the mindset perfectly.

These women support the right because they believe the right will at least try and protect women from male aggression, especially rape. They think that if they follow all the prescriptions of the right, nothing bad will happen to them. They truly believe men will protect them (from other men). They also cling to the right because they know how the system is (still) heavily rigged against independent women, for that means almost certain poverty, especially in old age. They support the "traditional family" because they see that way of life is the "better deal" than being at risk for poverty and perhaps being more vulnerable to rape and prostitution.

Meanwhile, men aren't held accountable for committing violence against women. They "can't help it." That is just the way the world is, in these women's mindset. It is up to them to "control" them by limiting their own movements and lower their expectations for their own lives.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

64. Fascinating pre'cis that makes absolute sense. Thanks. . . . . nt

[Martin68]

17. Absolutely. Conservative religion is a very convenient way to validate the desire to dominate women.

It is happening in Russia and India, too.

[leftyladyfrommo]

66. My experience with India indian men has

been awful. Women are just property and are meant to be seen and never heard. And if a woman does speak up she is totally ignored.

[uponit7771]

21. These grifters wrongly state teachings to justify patriarchy damn near as a new religion.

[littlemissmartypants]

25. I have a friend...

Who believes because she's become a Baptist she has to "submit to her husband" and I know that she's just setting herself up for abuse.

She also believes that she could never make it without a man. I believe that she has suffered from low self esteem all her life as a result of being a child of an alcoholic father.

It hurts my heart to see her suffer.

[SheltieLover]

30. Kick

[Americanme]

31. Just my opinion,

But it seems to me that conservative politics and religion both require belief in nonsense. And if that nonsense gives power to males, especially white males, all the more reason for them to claim they believe in it. It's all about power over others.

[stillcool]

43. I think it always has been

it's a great tool to make money and get people to do what you want at the same time. I knew someone who used to watch one of those tv freaks at a very vulnerable time in her life, and boy was she taken for the ride of her life, and nothing spiritual about it. Messing with people's minds seems to be a human trait passed on through the ages. I think maybe the Greek chose better gods though.

[hunter]

33. My wife and I both grew up in matriarchal families.

Women controlled the money and the property. The funny thing is we didn't think this was unusual.

My great grandmothers were fierce women of the Wild West. They had zero tolerance for bad men. It's said that one of my great grandmothers could kill a bad man and depend upon her friend the sheriff to clean up the mess and file the proper paperwork.

They were very much of the tradition that women should be handy with guns and knives, not just for hunting, but to keep the men in line. They probably agreed with Annie Oakley who said, ""I would like to see every woman know how to handle guns as naturally as they know how to handle babies."

My great grandfathers, grandfathers, and father were artists and dreamers. I suppose I am too.

Matriarchal traditions were not entirely crushed by patriarchal religions but they were driven underground.

[erronis]

71. You have a wonderful lineage of strong women.

As do I. And I appreciate their wisdom through the ages.

[calimary]

36. Sure glad I landed the man I did.

He had no trouble with me working while he stayed home with the kids when they were little. He didn’t want to work anymore, especially in a job that took him away from home. So he had clients whose needs allowed him to handle things from home. And I had a great career as a woman who broke into the once-traditional men-only club. He was proud of me back then, and he’s never hesitated to say so, to anybody, ever since.

How on earth did I luck out?

[k_buddy762]

38. Wrong on every level

Written from a secular perspective with no understanding whatsoever of what modern young men are going through. My sons, and all of my friends' sons, among them. All. Without exception.

All.

For all of my friends' sons who are within or past +/- 2 years of HS graduation, virtually none of them have any actual understanding of feminism, and it isn't on their radar at all. They care about girls, cars, hobbies, jobs, and maybe college. They all comment about the intense evil in the world that they see all over the various media sources, and they openly speak about how an opposing force must exist to counter that evil.

Blame social media for its addictive nature and the 24/7/365 displays of pure evil and crimes against humanity that all of our young people are exposed to. There has to be a counter. Most find spiritual faith to be that counter. And with all the western influence in the west, Christianity happens to fit the best for most folks.

Shamefully written article full of emotional nonsense and propaganda.

[erronis]

72. It's good to hear your perspective. These articles can be pretty one-sided since they are backing a position.

I don't doubt that most of our young people (teens into adulthood) have lots of conflicts and no simple resolutions. The world is changing with social media being one of the big influences.

[Mariana]

79. It's an opinion piece.

These articles can be pretty one-sided since they are backing a position.

Yes, that's what opinion pieces are supposed to do. The mistake is reading an opinion piece as if it's a news piece.

[erronis]

82. Thanks, Mariana. That's what I tried to say as politely as possible.

Sometimes tact is not appreciated.

[IronLionZion]

40. "It's a lot easier to say abhorrent things if you think God is standing behind you, giving you a big thumbs up."

This is the key. Deplorables look for any excuse to be deplorable.

[love_katz]

48. Patriarchal religions have nothing to offer women, IMNHO.

I walked away from those kind of religions in 1985. I have no regrets and will never go back.
Those kind of religions are about Power Over others, especially women and their children.
If those kind of religions help you to be a better person and live a more kind life, welcome you are to them and you can have my share as well. The only thing I would ask is please keep it to yourself and don't try to pass laws or use social pressure to force it on the rest of us.
The patriarchal religions do not respect women in any way, nor do they truly value women's contributions to daily life and the skills needed to care for a home and family. Instead, they view it as a form of chattel slavery, where the labor can be demanded from women and the woman is also viewed as disposable. When we don't look young anymore ( like teenagers), then we're not seen as having any value and can be thrown away, traded in for a younger model.
As far as I am concerned, that kind of social model is sick, and it's also used to excuse the abuse of our planet, which is seen as female ( Mother Nature). Why would any self respecting woman want to participate in her own degradation and mistreatment? Incel young men, go look in the mirror if you want to see why you can't get any girlfriends. Your behavior is the exact reason.
I know not all men are like this. The ones who aren't usually had a strong woman for a mother, or they grew up in cultures where women are still respected and their contributions to society and daily life are actually valued. Such societies also have social structures in place which strengthen and support the women's position. My favorite teacher from high-school, a Lakota man who had eventually learned his people's traditions and customs told me a lot about this, and about the social structure of the Indian Nations who helped guide the Founding Fathers when they were trying to create a new kind of government. As Oren Lyons says, one of the biggest mistakes that the Founders made, was that they didn't include the women. It explains why we're in the mess that we are currently in. If we honestly want to find solutions to our many problems, the oppression of women and our exclusion from power must end.
Stand up Sisters. It's well past time to knock the patriarchy down.

[Metaphorical]

50. TESCREALism is a religion

TESCREAL is an acronym of Transhumanism, Extropianism, Singularitarianism, (modern) Cosmism, Rationalism, Effective Altruism, and Longtermism, and was introduced by Emile Torress and Timnit Gebru about three years ago to describe the cluster of overlapping post-humanist doctrines that have become a nascent religion in all but name. It's adherents include many of the Tech Bros that are likely pulling Trump's strings (aka the Paypal mafia - Musk, Peter Thiel, Mark Andreeson, Sam Altman and others).

It sounds inspirational initially, until you start digging deeper into the movement and realize that it is essentially the philoaophiL underpinnings of Project 2025 and pulls a great deal from Nazi "Hygiene" doctrine of the 1930s and 40s. God is visualized as the Singularity, down to a "rapture" date around 2040. Its adherents are mostly not engineers but the VC uberclass of Silicon Valley in particular. It can be thought of as the tech offshoot of Opus Dei. It is also incredibly misogynist.

[hildegaard28]

52. The real reason?

It's pretty simple. Religion says that women are supposed to be the servants of men. That's why young men are so attracted to it now. They can't get laid, they can't get married because modern women don't want to take care of their man-baby asses, and religion says that women were created to do just that.

[Skittles]

53. their "faith" is utter fucking bullshit

you cannot believe in the teachings of Jesus AND pimp for repukes - NOPE

[senseandsensibility]

67. I know! I know!

It's some version of finding more ways to control women.

[T_i_B]

77. Conservatism requires religion and doesn't make sense without it?

What absolute claptrap. There are many different strands of conservative thinking. And much of it contradicts a great deal of religious teaching. At times right wingers can be every bit as aggressively secular as the left.

I don't have all the answers to this question, but the article in the OP is completely clueless on all fronts.