By: Ortland H. Bodie Jr. – There are many problems plaguing our wonderful nation — any one of them could be the soup du jour. One that is particularly critical and dear to my heart is the stark absence of strong men in our society. The traditional family has gone the way of the dinosaur and, with its demise, we have witnessed the rise of at least three generations of manslayers and deadly vipers.
Statistics reveal that 65% of live births in The Bahamas are to so-called “single” mothers. The putative fathers are rarely acknowledged or mentioned. This might sound simplistic, but there are deep societal and psychological issues that stem from this abandonment. Too many of our boys and young men are relegated to the back burner and, for multiple reasons, evolve into menaces to society. Some end up spaced out and walking our streets like zombies. Others transition from high school dropouts into freshmen at Fox Hill Prison. The majority of the rest end up “missing” — fugitives from justice or dead.
On any given Sabbath or Sunday, visit your home church or sanctuary and you’ll see that the pews are filled with girls and women. There is, of course, only a handful of men. The backbone of today’s regular church is female. This is not in order with God’s law. The male — God’s first human creation — was ordained to be husband, father, breadwinner, protector, role model, priest to his family or clan, and, without a doubt, an ambassador for the Kingdom of God. No more, no less.
We hear and see women-based advocacy groups popping up like flies (not in a bad way) every day, but seldom do we hear of the emergence or sustained development of a boys’ or male-centered organization. I submit that one of the most critical needs in our nation right now is the organization and establishment of what I propose to call the Strong Alliance for Men, or SAM for short.
Some of the objectives of SAM would be to encourage boys and men to develop a deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ; to collectively repent of negative traits and return to universal spiritual truths; to recommit to our wives, children, and wider society — especially the household of faith; to seek and develop occupational skills that allow us to legitimately earn incomes well above the so-called “livable wage”; and to become engaged in wholesome activities and meaningful community involvement.
SAM may not become all things to all Bahamians, but with your support, its formation would be a giant step in the right direction. Any boy above the age of ten, and all Bahamian boys and men (from 10 to 81 years old), are invited to reach out to me at (242) 428-4814.
May the Lord continue to bless and preserve The Bahamas.
