The Essenes Were MGTOW?

 

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Were the Essenes MGTOW? That is men going their own way*. Look how Josephus describes them,

“2. For there are three philosophical sects among the Jews. The followers of the first of which are the Pharisees; of the second, the Sadducees; and the third sect, which pretends to a severer discipline, are called Essens. These last are Jews by birth, and seem to have a greater affection for one another than the other sects have. These Essens reject pleasures as an evil, but esteem continence, and the conquest over our passions, to be virtue. They neglect wedlock, but choose out other persons children, while they are pliable, and fit for learning, and esteem them to be of their kindred, and form them according to their own manners. They do not absolutely deny the fitness of marriage, and the succession of mankind thereby continued; but they guard against the lascivious behavior of women, and are persuaded that none of them preserve their fidelity to one man.”[i]

Of course the actual ideology of MGTOW did not exist in first century Israel. But it is interesting how they did not believe women could ever be faithful just like MGTOW men. This is not the view of the Scriptures, and it is not the reality of this world for many people. This, is the view of MGTOW men today, however, who will often talk about how you cannot find any good women anymore, or ever trust a woman. This is clearly false and a massive over-correction to the ills in our society today. Which have as much to do with men, as women, if not more so with men. 

Josephus even notes that there are some Essenes who recognized how extreme this was and took wives, and sought to live with them in a holy way. Their reasoning? If every man avoids women the human race would die out. Of course, there is never going to be a society where every man rejects women in totality, at least I find this highly unlikely. So what is really going to happen to those that shun women is that they and their ideology will die out, and they will fail to have much impact on the future. Which, praise God, will be the end result of MGTOW. 

Some of the MGTOW ideas might live on after them, but they will not really take great hold in this world, because most men love the company of a good woman. And there are still a lot of really good women, and many men know this. And their ways will outlast those who shun women out of fear. The MGTOW ideology is as bankrupt as the Essene ideology.

It's important to note that just because MGTOW men oppose feminism, and the imbalance in the family courts and many other ills in society, does not make them good. There is nothing the devil would like more than for western men to give up on family altogether. It is the engine of society, it is necessary and good. Which shows that at the end of the day MGTOW is just Satanic ideology as well. MGTOW vs Feminism is Satan vs Satan. Don't choose either side. Choose the right path: good old fashioned Christianity. It rejects both ideologies. 

*edit: MGTOW's are men's right activists that are to men, what feminists are to women.  That is they tend to lay much of the blame for society's ills at women's hands, just as feminists place it at men's hands. 

List of References

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[i] Josephus, Flavius. The Wars of the Jews; or the history of the destruction of Jerusalem (p. 156). Kindle Edition.