The Masculinist sent out his latest letter yesterday. Good stuff. The gist is that men who are looking for marriage need to be both a good long-term prospect but also a good short-term prospect. He calls it Attraction + Investment. He contrasts it with the “Servant Leader” evangelical model which is all about how to be a good dad and husband but not at all about how to be a desirable dad and husband. Or about getting married in the first place. I think he’s on to something. I am a melancholy introverted intellectualish inoffensive Mormon guy, but I am and always have been about the cockiest punk of a melancholy introverted intellectualish inoffensive Mormon guy that can be imagined. And I ended up marrying just way way out of my league. This insight applies to both sexes, by the way. The G. daughters are solid, stable, compassionate people but they are also having their attention directed to matters of dress, grooming, fitness, and the small graces. Forever starts with Flirting or Eternity starts with Easy on the Eyes.

In general, I see a real problem with contemporary American Christianity, and contemporary American Mormon Christianity, and basically contemporary America. Its a rejection of the flesh. You first start with some basic moral principles, usually not very sophisticated ones, usually pretty much strawmen, and you first resent that reality does not conform to it, and then you deny that reality does not conform to it. You insist that women are the same as men, you insist that being a nice person will make everything work out nice for you, you insist that getting drunk at parties with strangers should have no dangers, you insist that the angels will catch you if you leap off the temple.

The body is not a punishment. The logic of fleshliness is meant to be. The constraints of reality are beautiful in their way. Embrace them.