Robert Loring

Brotherhood

4-06-2004

Throughout human history there has traditionally been a sense of brotherhood between men. Traditionally, men in all cultures have shared with, loved, and engaged in intimacy with each other. But, in our modern society this is all considered "wrong" or even as "abnormal". In modern society a man who loves another man is automatically labelled as being "queer". What must be realized is that our modern society is the EXCEPTION and NOT the traditional nor historical male norm!!

What modern society has done is to destroy the sense of brotherhood between men and it has often done so ruthlessly and without compassion. The result has been that most men today are not only frustrated and confused but angry. And, some have become so angry that they have chosen to act out in violent ways as a means of expressing their frustration and anger.

Men want to share a sense of brotherhood and closeness with other men and this does NOT automatically mean such a man is "queer". Men want to feel accepted and free to express themselves and they want to feel some kind of connection with other men. This is natural and it is natural for any human being, be they male or female, to express love when they love another. What is abnormal (ie: queer) is the person who fights against his/her expression of love for another human being.

Some of the destruction of the sense of brotherhood between men has been carried out in the name of "equality". But, fact is Equality is not what has resulted. What has resulted is a mere subplantation in which one sex has been lowered below the other. There can never be any true equality until BOTH sexes see themselves as equals and honor each other as equals in every way. True equality cannot come about for as long as one sex is raised up at the expense of the other.

Many men today are in a dark psychological and spiritual "wilderness". They do not know who they are nor even what they are suppose to be. They do not feel any real connection or brotherhood with other men nor with people in general. They have bought into the false idea that life is "survival of the fittest" and this idea only breeds rabid predators bent upon the destruction and domination of other human beings. But, the destruction of the sense of brotherhood has gone even further than this because one of the results has been that many men today live in pain. Oh they don't express it and they don't talk about it but take a look into their eyes for, the eyes truly are the windows to the soul and the eyes tell the whole story. Ever noticed that when you wear a mask it is always the eyes which are the only real thing remaining unhidden?

The destruction of the brotherhood between men has led to a whole host of social and psychological problems. But, it has also opened up a hornet's nest of spiritual problems among men. Many men have become ticking time bombs as their emotions grow inside of them unexpressed and it should be no real surprise when that man explodes in rage and violence.

The brotherhood between men MUST be regained and all those lost in the "wilderness" must be found and brought back into the brotherhood of maleness. Modern societies must surrender the exception and return to the norm and that norm is the sense of brotherhood, sharing, love, and honor between men. In olden times it was the man who rejected this sense of brotherhood who was deemed as being "queer" (ie: strange). Further, such a man was considered to be a dishonorable man and men of honor (ie: men with a sense of brotherhood) would have little to nothing to do with such a man.

This site is a step towards regaining that sense of brotherhood between men be they gay, bi, straight, whatever. This site promotes traditional brotherhood and connection between men without pillaging the other gender. Many have commented on this site that they felt so alone or odd until they came across this site and they are relieved to discover that there are other men just like themselves. And that discovery is a relief because it establishes a bond and connection between all of us here. It answers the call of our male souls which for years have cried out in want of brotherhood with other men. Brotherhood is in our blood and brotherhood is natural not "queer". Our blood knows this and our souls know this even though our minds seem not to want to know this sometimes.

Throughout human history every great and significant Avatar has taught and promoted brotherhood between men. Loyalty, commitment, love, sharing....all these have been the elements of that taught brotherhood. Yet, for the most part, modern human society has rejected this ages old teaching and in our own arrogance we have become lost in the "wilderness" and now stand in the "living hell" created by our own egos. We have come to feel alone. We have come to feel no real sense of connection or brotherhood with other men nor with other people in general. We have adopted the macho image and the "lone wolf" image thinking that we are invulnerable and failing to realize that a "lone wolf" does not live for long. For, there is always a bigger predator just around the corner.

Man is given two choices these days. As men we can either be co-creators or we can continue to be the great destroyers that we have been in recent times. To be a co-creator with other men, our brothers, requires that we regain our sense of brotherhood with other men. It requires that we set aside our feeling of frustration and rage and start living out our feelings of love, loyalty, connection, and brotherhood. And, in the process, if the world wishes to declare us as being "queer" then so be it!! Labels are cheap and labels change. Besides you only wear a label someone else has cast upon you if you choose to live up to that label. But, if you don't then that makes that label invalid.

Sir Robert

zhaanman

Re: Brotherhood

6-07-2004

I must agree with you as well this site has provided a haven for those of us weither it be only the one experience or many with the same partner. However it has allowed me to speak of things that only God and my nearly stepbrother knew of. Only here has such a fellowship been given were a man can leave himself truly open without remorse or a since of shame for acting out of what a "Normal" society might consider a Queer act. Yet it comes so naturally, I often have self-analyzed myself to try and understand why I felt the way I do when I without doubt love women. Yet I cannot deny that in the absents of affection I would turn to what I felt was a true since of caring from a male.

We can be manipulative when we feel the need but by law we are truthful in what we want or feel when we don't feel exposed or threatened that since of vulnerability becomes a drug that fuels the passion. An it's this, which makes it so true and so powerful that even if we've only had the one experience it never leaves us. So many of us men are afraid to admit the attraction because of the stigmatism of being considered "gay" or "queer" but yet in moments of weakness will often let it blurt out ok he looks good or what do you think you are a pretty boy? This in turn becomes jealousy or even hatred of the person just because of the thought Oh my god am I gay that punk's making me think like that he'll pay...

When in reality all it is, is a need to be held and to care for someone without walls. To grind and grunt and smell and hold and taste the very assents that makes you, you and to get lost in that moment. While with woman it can prove dangerous to expose ourselves so openly because more often than not it's used against us in a way that hurts to the core because we've opened up a part that is feminine in a masculine world our hard scaly armor left with one open and exposed for her to use as fuel to her flame which they gladly burn.

Most men would never try and degrade another like this, unless he was into it for the power trip and since of control. Which is not unheard of, but for the most part we just want a feeling of one ness in a place were we're not

zhaanman

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Bill Weintraub

Re: Brotherhood

7-19-2004

I thank Robert Loring for yet another excellent post and Antoine for his very perceptive thoughts.

Robert's right that the denial of brotherhood is a modern phenomenon and a very recent one.

And while true for all contemporary men, it's particularly true of men who love men.

For example, in the 19th century there was a tradition, sometimes underground and sometimes not, of male-male love and affection and of course camaraderie.

And in point of fact a number of people in America and in Europe -- Whitman here, Carpenter in England, and a significant branch of the extensive and very influential German youth movement -- were involved in what was called the "homophile" movement.

You don't hear that term very often anymore -- homophile, like homosexual, is another made-up word, though it has the advantage of being all Greek in derivation, and of having a pleasant meaning: "same loving" -- but the homophile movement built upon the best traditions of Western homosex.

And the movement was very widespread.

In America for example, not only Whitman, but writers like Melville -- whom some consider the greatest American author -- were influenced by and influenced in return the homophile movement.

In Melville's novels, the intense emotional and spiritual bonds between men -- including in Typee, the narrator and Toby; and in Moby Dick, Ishmael and Queequeg -- are strongly suggestive of male-male eros.

Such people took a much broader view of what male-male love and brotherhood was about.

For example, as Warrior Balance observed to me,

"A concept I think I see in "companion ship" and frot buddy sounds very fulfilling: "Com-Forting" not simply nurturing."

That's because in its original meaning "com-fort" means "with-strength."

Men giving strength to other men -- comforting them.

Can one man comfort another?

Yes -- by adding his strength to his buddy's.

And that's something that Antoine recognizes as well.

Such ideas continued to be influential well into the first third of the 20th century.

George and Stauffenberg

For example, in Germany, a poet named Stefan George (pronounced Gay-or-ga) had a "kreis" -- a circle of young men, in Socratic / Platonic style -- around him, including a number of men who later, as German officers, were part of the anti-Nazi resistance -- most prominently Claus von Stauffenberg and his brother Berthold, a naval jurist, who were pivotal in the July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler.

These were men who were aware of the great traditions and history of homosex in Western culture, and that awareness led them to take heroic action.

Heroic Homosex, though my invention as a phrase, was and can be again a reality -- if enough men wish it to be.

So if you're frustrated -- we have the answer -- but that means putting energy into The Man2Man Alliance and understanding that this will be a long fight for cultural change and renewal.

But by no means a pipe dream -- something which has been a reality in the past and which I have no doubt still is.

It was for me and Brett, and under different circumstances, it is for me and Patrick.

But if all you do is sit on your hands when I ask you to help spread the word or for donations, and then come to this site and jerk off once in awhile, nothing will change.

Eventually you'll be old and gray and all you'll have to show for your affectional life will be a series of masturbatory incidents.

Yet you can do so much better than that -- you can live an adventure and a dream -- if you have the courage.

© All material Copyright 2007 by Bill Weintraub. All rights reserved.

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