Trying a Mens Group


HoosierGuy
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I think I've just observed the most bizarre tangent ever.

In all seriousness though, I do think that the societal expectations placed upon men ('men don't cry' etc) can cause some issues when certain emotions can't be expressed- losing one's father for example comes to mind. We (men) were imbued with emotions for a reason, and I think that decades of masking them renders us unable to express them when needed- while I too would probably raise an eyebrow over male emotional blubbering, I can't help but think that it's simply a result of the emotional pendulum swinging the other direction- from underexpression to overexpression. While I don't see how a bunch of men standing around crying is helpful, I could see the potential value in a 'camp' allowing men an emotional outlet and teaching them how to express hurt, anger, etc, once again.

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There's nothing wrong with this conference, but I'm wondering if it will be a mountain top emotional experience with little follow through. Far better to find a small group of spiritual brothers to meet with once and awhile and do stuff together.

Very good point. I remember when I first entered the mission field and my mission presiden0t2 told us he didn't want us to have spiritual highs, because that typically meant that we were also having spiritual lows. He wanted us instead to strive for a constant level of spirituality.

Michael Scinto was so distraught by the camp that he committed suicide. The article is based on a letter he wrote to the local sherriff's department beforehand.

Admittedly, I never clicked on HG's original link, but something about the whole concept sounded "off" to me from the beginning. It sounds like a scam, or at the very least, a spiritually damaging thing with which to get involved.

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I'm aware of that Houston article. If I recall, he was a drunk wasn't he? Perhaps he was going to kill himself anyway. I'm going to a sneak peak next week and check this group out.

Sure it could be a scam but my therapist went through it, I'll talk more about it with him this week. No way I would join the Promise Keepers, too right wing for me.

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I'm aware of that Houston article. If I recall, he was a drunk wasn't he? Perhaps he was going to kill himself anyway. I'm going to a sneak peak next week and check this group out.

Sure it could be a scam but my therapist went through it, I'll talk more about it with him this week.

You previously said you really could not find anything negative about the conference. Yet you know of the Houston article, and of a man who MAY have been driven to suicide by the experience? Perhaps you've already decided to go, and so dismissed the negative?

Here's another link alluding to the pagan and shamanistic elements of the program, and offering some comparison contrast to traditional psychotherapies. Mankind Project & New Warriors Training Adventure — Warren Throckmorton

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You previously said you really could not find anything negative about the conference. Yet you know of the Houston article, and of a man who MAY have been driven to suicide by the experience? Perhaps you've already decided to go, and so dismissed the negative?

I already decided to check it out. I asked here just to hear opinions on something like this. In past I would want to try something like this, post it here or talk with someone else, hear "No, that's crazy" or "Yes, do it", then have a big sad battle in my mind and get depressed.

I'm realizing if I want to do something then I should do it without all the useless drama involved.

Yeah, the guy killed himself. That's sad. But he was a drunk, what do you expect? If I do the camp hopefully it can help me progress more.

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Yeah, the guy killed himself. That's sad. But he was a drunk, what do you expect?

What is that supposed to mean? That all drunks kill themselves or deserve to be driven to suicide? I realize that's a bit of putting words in your mouth, but I can't help thinking that's what you mean by this statement.

To be perfectly honest with HG, drunk or not, I'm not sure that you are in the best position to go to a conference like this and make it out better on the other side. A casual reading of your posts over the last 6 months suggests that you are currently in a pretty fragile state, and I would guess that you're bi-polar. Are you prepared to deal with any negative effects this "camp" might have on you?

Edited by Wingnut
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Why are we debating this? He's a grown man. He can make his own decisions. Let him go and find out for himself. Doesn't really matter what the opinion is of anyone of this site.

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I was only asking PC because no matter what the opinions might be or have been, he has made up his mind. So seems rather moot to even continue.

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It took me all of two minutes on Google to find this group extremely disturbing. Sitting around naked with a bunch of other men and passing around a large wooden penis is not normal behavior. The Arizona chapter of this group is geared towards homosexual / bisexual men. That makes sense to me, as straight men prefer to be clothed while hanging out with other men.

HG - if you hear banjos, RUN! If you hear pigs squealing, RUN! And when someone passes you a penis, make sure it's wooden and not attached to anyone. Unless that's what you're looking for, in which case I hope you have a manly good time.

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What is that supposed to mean? That all drunks kill themselves or deserve to be driven to suicide? I realize that's a bit of putting words in your mouth, but I can't help thinking that's what you mean by this statement.

To be perfectly honest with HG, drunk or not, I'm not sure that you are in the best position to go to a conference like this and make it out better on the other side. A casual reading of your posts over the last 6 months suggests that you are currently in a pretty fragile state, and I would guess that you're bi-polar. Are you prepared to deal with any negative effects this "camp" might have on you?

I'm not bi-polar. I don't even have border line personality disorder. I don't think I do.

I do go to a group therapy that is for people with border line personality disorder problems but my therapist said it's also for people who have life skills problems like me.

Yes, it's sad he killed himself. But who's to say he wasn't going to do it anyway? He's a drunk.

From what I've read this group does not push religion or a certain sexuality on people.

Paganism? No harm in getting in touch with nature.

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Yes, it's sad he killed himself. But who's to say he wasn't going to do it anyway? He's a drunk.

Again I ask, as before: What is that supposed to mean? That all drunks kill themselves or deserve to be driven to suicide? I realize that's a bit of putting words in your mouth, but I can't help thinking that's what you mean by this statement.

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Again I ask, as before: What is that supposed to mean? That all drunks kill themselves or deserve to be driven to suicide? I realize that's a bit of putting words in your mouth, but I can't help thinking that's what you mean by this statement.

Alcohol makes many people unstable and do dumb things. He was probably already doing harmful things to himself. Being an alcoholic, yeah, he was harming himself. That's why I ask, is this really shocking? Is it shocking when drunks get in a car and kill themselves and other people? No.

What would be shocking is if a man or woman who drank little or none at all went through the camp and then killed themselves.

Again, his death is sad and unfortunate.

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It may well be that the man used alcohol to numb himself so he actually would go through with the suicide. Who knows, in the end. On the other hand, I am convinced that the training weekend exasperated his problems, rather than helping. Yes, he was one man. He abused alcohol. He ended his life. Nevertheless, his reaction to the training at least gives me pause for thought.

To be fair, though, here's the other side. The mankind project's response: MKP Response to Houston Press Article Continued | Welcome to the ManKind Project| Men's Issues | Men's Support | Men's Community

He confirms that some of the strange stuff mentioned in the letter actually happened. Of course he gives context, and of course, the group is not out to hurt people or traumatize them. They believe their experiential program helps most. But, yeah...the wood thing was passed aroung, and the men were naked.

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He confirms that some of the strange stuff mentioned in the letter actually happened. Of course he gives context, and of course, the group is not out to hurt people or traumatize them. They believe their experiential program helps most. But, yeah...the wood thing was passed aroung, and the men were naked.

Well, in a perfect world shouldn't people go around nude anyway? Isn't that paradise? Pitching the cloths and living the way God made us, nude?

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Wow, my therapist said I did have borderline personalty disorder. This is funny, I went in there feeling good and told him - I don't have Bi-Polar, I don't have depression, I don't have border line personality disorder. I have low self esteem! He said he has diagnosed me with border line personality disorder after he's gotten to know me. It's amazing how God keeps playing jokes on me. Girl interested in me - but she's too old or depressed! I'm feeling good and ready to tell the therapist - he said, hold on - you have border line personality disorder.

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Wow, my therapist said I did have borderline personalty disorder. This is funny, I went in there feeling good and told him - I don't have Bi-Polar, I don't have depression, I don't have border line personality disorder. I have low self esteem! He said he has diagnosed me with border line personality disorder after he's gotten to know me. It's amazing how God keeps playing jokes on me. Girl interested in me - but she's too old or depressed! I'm feeling good and ready to tell the therapist - he said, hold on - you have border line personality disorder.

You are who you think you are, Hoosier. People, even a therapist, can tell you what they think you are, but in the end, you have the ultimate control of who you are and who you want to be. Just take a moment to forget whatever anybody else say about you and look into yourself deeply and honestly and figure out for yourself what your problem is!

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