We don’t have all the answers to life’s burning questions. We can’t tell you exactly how to be successful. And, we won’t guarantee you that we’re the final stop on your development as a man. However, we can provide you with what we consider the fundamentals to be a full man. There are a few important areas that a man must devote himself toward. These are non-negotiable and to fail them, means to fail yourself. As C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Each day we are becoming a creature of splendid glory or one of unthinkable horror.”
The Lord
You have one mortal life. But, your soul will live on for eternity. Where your soul rests in the afterlife is up to you and your relationship with God. This isn’t a discussion on doctrine or denomination, as that is too lengthy and argumentative even within our editorial staff. This is more elemental.
Do you believe in God or that you are god? Is there something more powerful controlling the universe? Do you pray for salvation? Or, are you already perfect? Is life a finite string of coincidences, controlled by man’s will to power or under divine guidance? Your first and foremost step is to entertain, then answer, these questions. The Bible and the works of Christendom are your resources.
Ultimately, your service is to God. Your sacrifices are to Him. Your place is in His Kingdom. To dishonor Him is a mark on your soul. He forgives, but you must be genuine in your repentance. Your soul and your faith are always worthy of devotion and duty.
Your Family
Second to your faith is your duty to your family. As a man, you are the protector and provider of your family. If you are a father, this is your utmost responsibility. You are the king within your own castle. You are the mentor when your family members seek counsel. You must be wise, prudent and just. Above all, you must be Christlike in your sacrifices for them.
If you are a son, you must honor your father, mother and family. Like the Lord, they should not be disrespected or dishonored. You must protect and watch over your sisters, younger brothers and cousins. They look to you for inspiration and guidance. Do not fail them, just as your father cannot bring himself to fail you and your family.
Your obligations extend to the memory of your family, of the dead and your name. This is a foreign concept to modernity, honor cultures always will be. The veneration of the dead and Southern stoicism demand that you live up to the legacy of your family name. Do them well.
Your People
Finally, you must care and devote yourself to your people. Duty and sacrifice originate with God, then extend to your family and, in the end, to your people (or your tribe). Modern abstractions, like universalism, telescopic philanthropy and nonempathic altruism, are tiny drops in the bucket of mankind’s history. They are fads and, like all novelties of a soft era, will fade with the cycle of history.
Your people won’t, unless they are destroyed. And, that is one of your responsibilities – to help your people and continue their posterity. To do so, you must virtuous and honorable. The following is an excerpt, from a now long abandoned Southern institution, and it will guide you:
Without a strict observance of the fundamental Code of Honor [cf., that a gentleman does not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do], no man, no matter how ‘polished’, can be considered a gentleman. The honor of a gentleman demands the inviolability of his word, and the incorruptibility of his principles. He is the descendant of the knight, the crusader; he is the defender of the defenseless and the champion of justice… or he is not a Gentleman.
Always remember: Glory to God. Honor to Family. Service to the South.
Deo Vindice
Excellent points! Thank you.