A lot of really great guys and true Warriors contributed to that thread, including Bill G, Redd, Boomer, and Sir Robert aka Robert Loring -- so it's great reading, and it's also now richly illustrated.

Really great pix.

Well worth a visit.

And as an added bonus, I've put up a link to a page which gives some examples of same-sex union ceremonies from the first thousand years or so of Christianity.

To access the link, go to the discussion of Boswell's Same-sex Unions in Premodern Europe, and just click on the picture.

Reading the book itself would be even better, but it's an intensely scholarly tome, and not for most people.

But if you visit this little page that's up, you'll get a good idea of what's in the book and also of some of your heritage, particularly if you're Christian, that's probably been hidden from you.

John Morgan, whose page this is, also has a great discussion of Sts Sergius and Bacchus:

Saints Sergius & Bacchus

Butler’s Lives of the Saints Vol. IV, p. 50 (1956)

"Sergius and Bacchus, Saints, two fourth century martyrs, according to legend, officers of the Roman Army on the Syrian frontier. On their refusal to sacrifice to Jupiter, they were sent to Rosata in Mesopotamia, where they were scourged so severely that Bacchus died. Sergius later was beheaded. The church over Sergius’ grave was restored 431, and shortly afterwards, Rosata became the seat of a bishropic; it was renamed Sergiopolis. Sergius and Baccus became protectors of the Byzantine Army. Their feast day is October 7."

Morgan then quotes from Boswell about the details, contained in ancient documents, of their martyrdom; and how after death they became the archetypes for same-sex relationships among early Christians.

For, in the story, Sergius and Bacchus are re-united in Heaven as a reward for their Fidelity and Faithfulness on earth.

So the story is very touching, but also very important for us as an example of military men and Roman officers, Warriors, whose Fidelity to each other and to their Faith led them literally to Sainthood.

Ck out THE POWER OF THE MASCULINE and the link on that page to John Morgan's discussion of Boswell.

You'll be glad you did.

And dude, if you're even a tad pissed off that your Masculinity and God-given right to be a Warrior have been stripped from you, don't forget to

© All material Copyright 2006 by Bill Weintraub. All rights reserved.