What is an "effeminate" man?

I believe the biblical meaning is a man who acts like a woman in an attempt to pass himself off as a woman.

The modern societal definition is a man who has feminine mannerisms. But that is highly subjective. By that definition, Pierce Brosnan could be said to be effeminate.

In this case, the contemporary definition is not the bilical definition.

 

EFFEMINATE: Having qualities more often associated with women than with men.

This does not, in any sense, mean that a man is trying to be like a woman, or that they are homosexual. Nor does it stop them from being Godly men, husbands, and fathers.

 

I so hate to intrude , but the some of the qualities generally considered to be feminine or masculine are neutral. I mean, women are considered to be more caring than men, more nurturing, more attuned to their own and others' emotions - none of these are things that are bad qualities in men. Similarly, some masculine qualities are being more logical, more handy, more decisive -- none of these are bad qualities in women. It has often seemed that many of the qualities that the world assigns to women are of less value (oh, she's so emotional!) and those assigned to men are of higher value (oh, he's so calm in a crisis) - in other words, they're stereotypes.

An effeminate man? The only things I could even begin to think to say that would make a man effeminate would come off sounding like those things are negative qualities, and then what does that say about women? A woman can assert herself in a Godly manner, just as a man can be sensitive in a Godly manner - a woman is certainly allowed to express her opinion and I don't see how a woman could be a good child bringer-upper ( ) without asserting herself with her children, and a man who is not sensitive . . . well, what's that we say about having a hardened heart?

 

But, the Bible does say that the effeminiate WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10, "Know ye not that the unrighteous SHALL NOT INHERIT the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, NOR EFFEMINATE, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor theives, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

Personally, I believe there is spiritual wickedness that seeks to feminize men starting from when they are boys.

"Churches must be able to paint a picture of thoroughly biblical masculinity. This means that we must reconsider the attributes that we will admire in our young men. For instance, Proverbs tells us that "the glory of young men is their strength" (Prov. 20:29). Do we reward strength in our boys? Or do we soften them with pity? Do we teach them to loath the sins that will attack their strength, like laziness, gluttony, and sexual sin? Or do we paper over these sins and pretend that they are the Christian virtues of meekness and tender-heartedness? If the Church is going to have an answer to pagan masculinity, it must understand what godly strength looks like and how to cultivate it in young men."

From: http://www.credenda.org/issues/14-3recipio.php

 

Effeminate - 1. soft or delicate to an unmanly degree in traits, tastes, habits, etc.; womanish.
(American College Dictionary)

Effeminate is translated from the Greek word for soft. That was the easy part. The hard part is making it relevant and accurate for our everyday lives. In the effort to bring about an ill conceived notion of equality of the sexes, the differences have been blurred (in our thinking) to the point where it is difficult to verbalize those characteristics without offending someone or causing an argument. I don't think the Bible is talking about the mere physical structure of a man because that is determined by chromosomes. It is included in a list of sins that are a matter of choice. How you behave IS a matter of choice. Men who behave (on purpose and even carelessly) like women are rejecting the Biblical idea that men and women should behave differently. Even Christian men and women are refusing to acknowledge the emotional, psychological, intellectual, and God established differences between men and women.

Johnv said,
I believe the biblical meaning is a man who acts like a woman in an attempt to pass himself off as a woman.

Good point, John. Even if it is not an attempt to actually convince people that he IS a woman, he is, nonetheless trying to act like a woman. It is much stronger than merely not living up to some sort of societal macho image.

 

HCL: My personal belief is that this scripture is not referring to Heaven; but rather the Kingdom of God within us while we are on this earth. JMHO

Gina: Yes. I would say that.

Blessings,
Sue

 

Are you kidding? A woman with a toolbelt is hardly feminine. But it's incredibly sexy

 

>>Are you kidding? A woman with a toolbelt is hardly feminine. But it's incredibly sexy<<


I Love it!!
Really, I am not sure what I thought about the definiton until I read the one from UMMM, can't remember the poster, sorry!, but the one that said someone who was TRYING to be feminine. I'm with Kelly on this one. I think that as a society we are rewarding men who act toooooooo manly.

 

John: I hope you have your bullet-proof vest on 'cause it's just a matter of time before someone tells you that sexy is the opposite of Godly.

 

I hope not Most Godly men find they Godly wives quite sexy.

Hey, I'm single, and I find Godly women quite sexy.

 

1 Cor, 6:9 tells us this ........ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
In the Greek there is no article used with the word "unrighteous" indicating that character, not the act, is being discussed. Paul is not saying anyone who has committed one of these acts is doomed to hell. There is forgiveness through faith in Christ (v. 11) which makes an individual a totally new person (2 Cor. 5:17). Those who experience the new birth are no longer sinners even though they sin
The Apostle Paul tells us that through creation, a revelation of God was made known to mankind As a result of man turning away from that light, he turned to darkness, with the final outcome being idolatry (Rom. 1:21-23).

Idolatry may be described as the worship of anything that takes the place of devotion to God. In the Old Testament this included false gods, idols, images, etc. (Dt. 32:37-38; Jud. 10:14; 2 Ki. 18:33; Lev. 26:30; Ezek. 14:6). In the New Testament idolatry includes being lovers of self, lovers of pleasures more than God (2 Tim. 3:2,4), with a strong emphasis on covetousness, which Paul states is idolatry (Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5).

The apostle John ends his epistle to believers by saying, "Little children, keep yourselves

 

continued from previous post ........ from idols" (1 Jn. 5:21). A strong antidote to this sin is a constant acknowledgement of God in all our ways with thanksgiving, praise, and glory to Him (Prov. 3:5-6; Rom. 1:21).
The word "effeminate" is found only one time in the King James version (this verse). The dictionary defines "effeminate" as "having the qualities associated with women; not characteristic of or befitting a man; unmanly; characterized by softness, weakness, or lack of force; not dynamic or vigorous" (The American Heritage Dictionary).

The word in Latin is "effeminatus" from the past participle of "effeminare," which means "to make a woman out of." Strong's Exhaustive Concordance defines this word as "a catamite," which is according to the American Heritage Dictionary "a boy kept by a pederast (a man who practices sexual relations with a boy)."

The marginal note in the New American Standard Version states, "i.e., effeminate, by perversion." Plainly stated, it seems that effeminate in this context is a male taking the female role in a sexual relationship with another man. Scripture plainly states such conduct as being against nature (Rom. 1:26-27).

The Apostle Paul stresses in this chapter that the believer's body is the Lord's (v. 13), the temple of the Holy Spirit (v. 19), bought with a price, and is to be used to glorify God (v. 20).
This phrase, "abusers of themselves with mankind," comes from one Greek word, "arsenokoites." This word was only used one other time in the Bible in 1 Timothy 1:10, where it was translated "defile themselves with mankind." According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance this word means "a sodomite" (homosexual).

 

So from what you are saying and what I believe as well, these people do not go to heaven in their unregenerate state. After they are saved these sins and any others fall under the blood of Jesus.

 

This man is not someone I want to date.

 

Oh no...not Pierce Brosnan...I love him. I don't think he's effeminate at all...I think he's a cutey pie.

 

I think this is a sort of difficult to answer. I know what I think is effeminate. It's like the way some gay men try to emulate woman.

But the kids at school call my son a *** pr *** (asterisks filled in by myself) which I don't think is fair. But he is fair...he's fair skinned and fiar haired and sort of quiet. He's not overtly agressive or testosterone charged like a lot of the boys, so he's getting a lot of grief about it.

My younger brother got the same flack at school when he was young. They look very much alike. I can only tell you that he became a very good fighter. In fact when he joined the Army he still got a lot of this attitude and he got into so many fights that they were constantly making him do 100 push ups. Needless to say...my brother is very muscular because of it. I dont' know if that's the right way to handle this sort of thing...but what is a boy or man to do?

People can be such jerks. They pick on anyone that doesn't fit into thier little club. It sort of makes me gag.

 

Yes a lot of that going aroudn isn't there, even in the christian community, and this board.

Sorry about your son, poor little guy. Not fair at all.