It doesn’t seem that telling women their biggest challenge isn’t sin but rather self-esteem truly brings them closer to God or encourages them to attend church on Sundays.
This kind of advice appears to be everywhere these days.
BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey raised a point with former Green Beret and Virginia State Representative Nick Freitas, saying, “Why should you give up your free time to go to church if you’re just going to hear the same thing over and over?” She noted that people are often just hearing “what they want to hear.”
It’s not only women who are being misled, however.
Stuckey also questioned whether followers of figures like Andrew Tate are facing similar issues. She suggested that there’s a push to appeal to young people by mimicking Jesus, adopting traits like being rough, rude, arrogant, and materialistic, and treating women poorly, arguing it’s all part of a skewed notion of masculinity.
Freitas agreed and described this mindset as characteristic of what’s referred to as the “manosphere.”
“When we think about the manosphere—people like Andrew Tate and others—the first thing to recognize is that their appeal to young men isn’t solely based on their accomplishments,” he explained.
“They often project strength, wealth, and attract women, which can be appealing, especially to young men lacking a spiritual foundation,” he continued.
He noted that many young men feel supported by figures like Tate when no one else seems to recognize their struggles. He emphasized, “Men often equate loyalty with love.” So when they see someone like Andrew Tate, they think, ‘He was there for me when no one else was. Now, if the church tries to criticize him, it feels like a betrayal.’
Freitas believes that while it’s critical to address the tragic and sinful behavior of these figures, it’s also important to understand the root of the problem.
He described the “masculinity” promoted by the manosphere as hedonistic, focused solely on personal pleasure, which fundamentally clashes with Christian values that prioritize sacrifice.
“What I want to convey to young people is that while I recognize Andrew Tate has certain skills, the ultimate meaning and purpose you’re seeking can only be found in the realization that God exists,” he clarified.
“God offers meaning and purpose for your life,” he added. “He wants you to be strong because it’s a tough world out there.”
