Man Up and Support the First Things Website

Three items on the agenda this morning:

First, we need your help. During the month of October First Things is attempting to enroll 500 readers as web donors. Because the website receives no subscription income, we rely on our generous readership to help us underwrite the expense. If you haven’t done so already, please consider making a donation .

Second, we also need your help in raising awareness about the First Things website. Although many of you already mention our articles and blog posts on Facebook, Twitter, and blogs (and we thank you for doing that), we hope you’ll take the time today to specifically recommend our website in your social media venues. Of course we’d also appreciate you mentioning us to your contacts in the “offline world.” (Do people still have lives that are not completely lived online?)

Third, in a completely unrelated matter, I want to express my appreciation to everyone who read, commented on, and shared with their friends, my recent article “Jesus is Not a Cagefighter.” The issue of Christianity and manliness is an important topic, and one that I hope to return to again in the future. But for now, as a way of saying “thank you” to regular readers of my column, I’m giving away one autographed copy of William J. Bennett’s The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood . (See disclaimer below.)

Again, this is not related to the fundraising effort. Technically, it isn’t even really related to my column. There won’t be a test to see if the person that I give the book to actually read that particular article—or any of my columns. I’m just giving away a book. If you’re interested, send me an email at jcarter@firsthings.com with the subject line “Book of Man.” All you need to include in the body of the email is your name. On Sunday night I’ll randomly select the recipient.

Disclaimer: First Things is not holding a drawing and is not giving away a book. A signed copy of the Book of Man was given to me personally to give away to one of my readers. I will randomly select someone to give it to out of everyone who sends me an email expressing interest. There is no requirement to be considered. I hope you’ll mention our fundraising efforts in your social media venues, but whether you do or don’t has absolutely no bearing on my giving away the book. Just so we’re clear: I have a book that I plan to give to someone who reads this blog. I will choose someone who sends me an email saying that they would be interested in receiving it. That is all. I will be paying the postage out of my own pocket to send someone a really great collection on manhood.

So why include both items in the same post if they are not related? Because I want those people who are actually going to tell people about the First Things website (all of you, right?) to know just how much we appreciate them. Don’t read more into this than is intended. In other words, don’t be all lawyerly . No one likes you when you do that.