Letters: Nov. 10, 1997

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I am sure that the Promise Keepers group, like every other large movement, contains its fair proportion of flakes and fakes [NATION, Oct. 6], but as a pastor, I have found that most men respond to its goals with genuine repentance accompanied by changed behavior, not just new resolutions that are easily broken. It is mystifying to me that some feminists cannot recognize a battle won, as their message has reached the hearts of so many men. Perhaps feminist philosophy is never to trust men. What do feminists want--subservient, feminized men? Is it possible they even want a world without men? The Promise Keepers remind us that to the Christian husband leadership means not dictatorial dominance but an embracing of the primary responsibility of a husband and father--the welfare of wife and children. The man will die for them if necessary, but certainly he will live for them. BRYAN NORFORD New Westminster, B.C.

One can't find fault with an organization that, on the surface, calls on men to repent their contemptible deeds against women and children. But there is something sinister simmering below that surface--the undermining of women's rights. The Promise Keepers movement is also suspect because it invokes scriptural authority, instead of intelligence or the power of reason, in its efforts to guide its members. The goal of the organization is not to better society in general but to improve the lot only of men who cherish so-called Christian values. DINA AUSTIN Toronto

The fact that the Promise Keepers cause alarm in feminist groups is more a commentary on the present state of the feminist movement than a justifiable fear. The apparent goal of the Promise Keepers is to save souls, and its message is biblical in nature. The only people who could truly be upset are female supremacists--not real feminists. As for founder Bill McCartney, he is a clear-cut example of a person who puts his money where his mouth is and a man to be truly admired, not feared. RICHARD JAMES SKAGGS MONTES Guatemala City

Who can question the sincerity and strength of faith of both the Promise Keepers and the Taliban leaders in Afghanistan? But the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Obviously, many of the Promise Keepers members feel castrated. Where do these feelings of impotence come from? Can they stem from the fragmentation of the family, the downgrading and elimination of jobs, employment and retirement insecurity, dependency on wives as co-breadwinners and the polarizing effects brought about by radical feminists who are using their much needed movement to galvanize hatred toward all males? BERNARD WISSER Alkmaar, the Netherlands

I congratulate the Promise Keepers for their positive impact on the lives of many women and children as men face up to their responsibilities and give their families the attention they deserve. Working in the health-care field with its large female work force, I have often been privy to the frustration and disillusionment felt by many women toward their men. For that reason, I find bizarre the criticism directed at the Promise Keepers by some elements of the feminist movement. I suspect its paranoid diatribe has more to do with bitterness and failure to recognize the enrichment of the lives of ordinary women, children and men. TONY KAMPKES Christchurch, New Zealand

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