In defense of John Eldredge's "Wild at Heart," I think the author of this article has interpreted him too literally. What Eldredge is doing is employing contemporary myths to tap into what Freud, Jung and others tapped from the classic myths of Rome and Greece. When he cites Kevin Costner or Mel Gibson it's in service of explicating some unique facet of the male psyche, but not a license for "running off and doing something stupid."(p. 206) Mr. Eldredge has written a psychotherapeutic tool that aims for Howard Thurman's wish for men to discover what makes them "come alive," because "what the world needs is (men) who have come alive," not men who are politically correct or culturally sensitive. Let's paint our faces blue and get real!

Jim Altman
Stanley United Methodist Church