Analysis Summary:

The article's factual accuracy is mixed. While the core claim of young American men being attracted to Russian Orthodox churches is plausible, the specific reasons cited ("absurd levels of manliness") and the implied scale are difficult to verify with the provided sources. The article exhibits moderate bias through its framing and potentially selective reporting.

Detailed Analysis:

• Claim:** Young US men are joining Russian churches.
  • Verification Source #1: Suggests young men are leaving traditional churches for Orthodox churches, but doesn't specify "Russian" churches.
  • Verification Source #2: Discusses why Orthodox men love the church, but doesn't focus on young American men specifically joining.
• Verdict:* Partially verified, but the "Russian" aspect is not explicitly supported.
• Claim:** These churches promise "absurd levels of manliness."
  • Verification Source #1: Mentions ascetic practices, which could be interpreted as contributing to a sense of manliness.
  • Verification Source #2: Discusses the appeal of Orthodoxy to men, but doesn't use the phrase "absurd levels of manliness."
• Verdict:* Difficult to verify directly. The phrase "absurd levels of manliness" is subjective and potentially biased.
• Claim:** A religion with traditions dating back centuries is attracting young American men.
  • Verification Source #2: Supports the idea of Orthodox traditions appealing to men.
• Verdict:* Verified.

Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:

• Verification Source #1: "In modern America, that's how any ascetic practice is seen - most other Christians do little to no fasting etc." This supports the idea that Orthodox practices might be seen as more demanding or "manly" compared to other denominations.
• Verification Source #2: "Rather than guess why this is, I emailed a hundred Orthodox men, most of whom joined the Church as adults. What do they think makes this church..." This suggests that the appeal of Orthodoxy to men is a topic of discussion and inquiry.
• The provided sources do not directly contradict the claim that young American men are joining Russian Orthodox churches, but they also don't provide strong evidence to support it. The phrase "absurd levels of manliness" is not supported by the provided sources and appears to be a potentially biased interpretation.
• Verification Sources #3, #4, and #5 are not relevant to the claims made in the article.