By DAVID NOWAK
Long time past are the times of “Father Knows Best,” “Leave it to Beaver” and “The Andy Griffith Show.” Instead, we have been left with “Two and Half Men,” “The George Lopez Show” and “Modern Family” – nothing modern about it, this is a recasting of an older drama called Sodom and Gomorrah.
Society has emasculated its men and now suffers the consequences. Adam fails in the garden and suddenly there is no need for husbands and fathers.
On the contrary, research empirically shows that fathers have a major influence in the formation of their children, especially faith formation. The Swiss government commissioned a study to examine the effects of parental participation on the religious practices of their children. Startling but not surprising, the report showed:
• If both father and mother attended church regularly then 33 percent of their children became regular churchgoers, a further 41 percent irregular attenders and about a quarter not practicing at all.
• If the mother was a regular church attender but the father irregular then just 3 percent of their children became regular church attenders, 59 percent irregular attenders and 38 percent non-attenders.
• If the father was non-practicing and the mother regular just 2 percent of children were regular and 37 percent irregular church attenders, while 61 percent did not attend church at all.
Surprisingly, if the father is a regular church attender the children’s religious practice varied in an inverse relationship to their mother’s practice. If the mother was regular, 33 percent of children were regular. If she was an irregular attender, then 38 percent of children were regular. If the mother was non-practicing then 44 percent of children became regular attenders.
Even when the father is an irregular attender and the mother non-practicing, 25 percent of the children were regular attenders and 23 percent irregular attenders.
Even the research, done in 1994, shows us we need our fathers. Someone needs to start a revolution around fatherhood. If women want their equal rights and to be treated with respect they should invest in raising virtuous sons. Not submissive sons without backbone but ones that will rise up and give their life for a stranger at a moments notice. I do not care what the feminists say, I have never met a woman who did not want or need a knight to defend her honor and treat her the way God intended. Yes ladies, you were meant to have the men treat you like the crown jewel of creation that you are. The fact is, the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
If you are laughing at the programs mentioned earlier, that are offensive to our Lord, then can you really say that you are allowing Christ to rule your life? Most youth and young adults quickly retort to me that giving these pastimes up would mean they have no more entertainment and surely our Lord would not want that. I believe the cross says different.
Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. (Rm. 12:2)
I worked for many years as a chaplain in the jail and prison system in Texas and Wyoming and without fail I never counseled with an inmate who had a relationship, good or bad, with his father – they grew up without their fathers around at all! They themselves are now not there for their children and so the cycle continues.
To you my fellow fathers and brothers, wake up and take back the culture for your wife and children.
David Nowak is a Weatherford resident and frequent contributor to Viewpoints.
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