Anonymous
Posted November 20, 2007
Pornography. A mere mention of the word conjures up deep, disturbing emotions and insights a riot of epic proportions within my very being. To speak the word ¿pornography¿ makes me understand that this murderer of men and women alike will no longer be a silent killer, and that pornography will never be a victimless crime, although some would certainly enjoy this falsity to be masqueraded as reality. To read about it, the lives it has captured, the civil wars it has caused, and the abuse it has levied invokes fear, and yet gives me hope and courage, and a perspective that pornography is neither a ¿you¿ nor ¿me¿ issue, but rather a ¿we¿ issue. This theme of courage, specifically the courage to combat the social ills caused by the deceitful and cowardice nature of the billion dollar pornography industry, and even pornography itself, is outlined masterfully in Luke Reynolds¿s new book, A New Man, truly a book for every man. Reynolds confronts his own personal nemesis of pornography head on, equipping readers with a surplus of power and reason. The gentle yet passionate Reynolds honestly reveals his own struggles and how the ultimatums presented him by life have given him the courage to fight porn in his own life, but more importantly to fight the influence of pornography on culture. With a first-rate, in-depth analysis of the effects that pornography has on society, weaving its web of destruction far beyond the advertised agenda of ¿fantasy and pleasure¿, Reynolds reminds readers of the correlation between pornography use and violence, rape, murder, and other heinous crimes. At first glance this idea may be met with denial, but that is exactly what the pornography industry wants you to think! There is insurmountable empirical data outlined in Reynolds book that makes this reality impossible to deny, and even more difficult to accept. Reynolds links multiple national travesties, including the Ted Bundy murders and the recent Virginia Tech shootings, to the effects of pornography on society, numbing us to violence, robbing us of any real voice, and making that which is insecure even more so. Now there are many books of the self-help genre on the market discussing the personal battles of lust and pornography. The problem with most of them, as I have found as an interested partisan in the issue of pornography, is that they attempt to attack the problem by confronting individuals, hoping to inspire change in one¿s self and for one¿s self. Unfortunately, the disease and addiction of porn is not solely about the viewer or those being viewed, but rather about a monstrous corroder of communities throughout the world that has, and excuse my pun, snuck in through the back door. Reynolds thankfully strays from this common idea of fixing yourself, and offers a refreshingly au courant perspective and a greater incentive to not only abstaining from pornography use, but to replace the disease of pornography with a cure, and that cure being to engage the pornographic industry as a pugilist would battle a hated rival. Pornography must be faught against valiantly, knocked out, and perpetually ¿down for the count¿. Remember the scene near the end of the Oscar winning film Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, the scene in which he is sprawled out on a table, being tortured in an unmentionable way? This is how I, along with many men that I have encountered feel as we have attempted to fight the good fight against pornography, only to be bruised and bloodied by a seemingly overwhelming opponent. But let us not forget the ardent cries, the pain and yet peace in Gibson¿s voice as he cries out the single word ¿freedom¿, amidst the greatest pain any man could imagine. In the same way in which one word, the word freedom, could break the bondage of slavery, inspire men to fight, and instill courage to change a nation and a world, Reynolds uses a multitude of words, backed by his own experience, to do the same. Reynolds, who as the title of his book sug
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Posted January 3, 2008
Over the years public outcries have rightly exposed all manner of abuses: sexual, drug/alcohol, child/elderly, you name it. In A NEW MAN Luke Reynolds¿ discussion of pornography addiction and its degradation of women provides a service to humanity by exposing yet one more devastating affliction which some people must face. He provides a vehicle for men to explore their true masculinity¿-in fact their true selves¿-by being real, not the fantasy of Rambo or some other macho monster so prevalent in our culture today. As a long-time school counselor, I¿ve heard my share of sexual abuse stories perpetrated on children. I¿ve seen teenagers dress provocatively for school, because that¿s what they view on every sitcom on TV. I¿ve walked through corridors laced with foul language, and when questioned, the kids look blank as if to say, ¿What? What did I say?¿ That¿s how common lewd human behavior has become in society today. The proliferation of baring one¿s body, using crude mannerisms, and swearing has desensitized people to a reasonable standard of decency. So if there¿s a book, a course, or TV program that brings to light one more act that mankind must clean up, then let¿s have it. Let¿s have it from every media outlet. So people know they don¿t have to suffer alone, in shame. Education is powerful, healing, and necessary to our well-being as humans. It's helped alleviate drunk driving, child molestation, untreated mental illness, as well as a host of other problems. One small step for A NEW MAN, one giant leap for Luke Reynolds and the humanity he¿s trying to elevate.
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Posted January 2, 2008
A New Man opened my eyes to the pervasiveness of pornography in our culture. According to author Luke Reynolds, the industry grosses more money per year than the three largest media corporations combined. After explaining his own exposure to pornography at a young age, Reynolds tells of teaching a college class two days after a school shooting. When students begged his opinion about violence in society, he made a bold statement: ¿The more pornography a man views, the more violent and abusive he will become.¿ With a title page subtitle of Reclaiming Authentic Masculinity In A Culture Of Pornography, the book might be viewed as a heart-to-heart chat between Reynolds and his students. He discusses how, besides encouraging violence, pornography shatters relationships since fantasy experiences substitute for the real world. Reynolds not only confesses his own past involvement but shares how he overcame his weakness after receiving an ultimatum from his fiancée. Reynolds sees pornography as a choice, not an illness. While discussing how men visit pornographic websites to watch women being abused, he writes: ¿Men cannot both use and love a person: the choice is one or the other.¿ The 113-page book is easily read in a sitting or two and contains an appendix ¿For Women,¿ which includes the personal testimony of a woman who put up with her husband¿s pornography and abuse. In an attempt to preserve the marriage, she lost her self worth. The testimony of Reynolds¿ wife, Jennifer, offers hope to those distraught and confused about handling such situations. This little book makes a big contribution toward helping Reynolds and his wife realize their dream to end the use and abuse of women through pornography. A New Man includes a valuable Resource List of books, documentaries, films and websites that address the topic.
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Posted November 24, 2007
Luke Reynolds has written a powerful and important new book about the disastrous effects of pornography on males in our society. A New Man is timely and should be read by anyone who has ever gazed at a centerfold or rented a porn video. Reynolds writes with a fierce passion, and argues that the overconsumption of pornography not only turns females into objects, but produces massive numbers of weak and emotionally immature males. It's hard to deny the impact that violent and demeaning pornographic images have had on the last few generations of males, particularly in the United States. Reynolds tells of his own prior addiction to pornography, and how overcoming it led to spiritual growth and a strong and lasting relationship. I strongly recommend this book to everyone.
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Posted October 8, 2007
A New Man by Luke Reynolds is an absolutely fascinating view of modern man that outlines how pornography, advertising, and popular culture affect his confidence, his effectiveness, his relationships, and his contributions to society. It is exceptionally well-written, straight forward, and powerful I couldn¿t put it down. Insightful, surprising, and at times provocative, Reynolds¿ style is immaculate. A must read for both men and women.
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Posted September 7, 2007
This book doesn't mince words. We need to open up this area of masculinity and health in order to grow.
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