Born Again Christians

[marc_the_dem]

How many of us know born agains that haven't hit rock bottom before turning into a born again?

[salinen]

1. W

has hit rock bottom twice that we know of.

[gWbush is Mabus]

2. lol

we should call them the "rock bottom born agains"

[Pegleg Thd]

4. Take it from a theologian

there is no such thing as a "born again Christian". It is just a term the fundies use to make themselves feel superior to the rest of us.

[Francesca]

3. while yes that is usually the case

my mother is one that honestly does not fall into this category. She was raised in Sicily a strong catholic and moved here when she was 19 (she is now 51) and 10 years after divorcing my father slowly started becoming an evangelical and started attending a born again church... She is very naive and exists in another world without question but has always been a kind person.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

5. the only one i know had hit rock bottom

before she was rescued by Evangelists.

[tuvor]

6. I'll be pedantic.

"Born again" as far as being a Christian is concerned, is redundant.

Paraphrasing, Jesus said that you can't get into heaven unless you're born again. Presumably there aren't many Christians who aren't interested in getting into heaven.

I think I know what you mean, though, and I can recall from my days as a member of the Lutheran church, many who didn't hit rock bottom. Some did, but most I think did not.

[Joe Power]

8. If I'm not mistaken

I believe that the correct translation is "born from above." Just one more thing a lot of these folks have gotten wrong.

[RUDUing2]

7. me...my dad.

but then again he is a Jimmy Carter type Southern Baptist...not a Falwell/Robertson one.

[MsAnthropy]

9. It's just a different kind of intoxicant to be addicted to n/t

[MostlyLurks]

13. Amen Sister!

My mom was an alcoholic, found religion and is now a Christoholic/Jesuholic (can't decide which I like better).

She uses religion in the same way she did booze and it (religion) puts a poison pill in her relationships in the same way alocohol did. The only people she used to hang around were drunks, now the only people she hangs around are evangelicals.

I still behave in the same "walking on eggshells" way around her now that I did when she was drunk, it's just that it used to be that I couldn't talk to her about how much she drank or she'd get pissed, now I can't talk to her about religion or she gets pissed (unless I "talk right" about religion, which is happening less and less these days).

Mostly

[MsAnthropy]

19. It's all about control

I empathize with what you've had to put up with, I was married to an alcoholic so I know the eggshell walk very well. In my opinion, an alcoholic may be easier to live with, at least there's some proper guilt and self-loathing involved. The Jesuholics all have that smug, moral superiority, believing everything they do is right and ordained by God. But either way, it's all a way to control others.

[marc_the_dem]

17. good point

I guess if you have an obsessive personality, it will extend into your religion...

[Vanje]

10. A lot of these saved persons....

....admit they were "born again" at age 6 or 7.

[Lenore]

12. 6, 7 or even younger..

5 in my case :-D

[SW FL Dem]

11. I do

I have an highly educated uncle, very successful personally and professionally. He was born again in the 70s and is now a total fundie. My neighbors across the street are born again, as far as I know they are a stable family.

[slor]

14. The few I know are more like...

Born Again Cretins.

[Cocoa]

15. I do

:shrug:

[Fleshdancer]

16. my mother in law fits that description

she's the only born again I know but she certainly didn't hit any rock bottom. The transformation took roughly 3 years or so and now she's completely gone.

Does anyone know what to do? It's rare to have a conversation with her that doesn't end up about God some how...no matter how hard I avoid the topic of religion. I'm watching her marriage crumble, her relationship with her only child withering to nothing, and even some of her closest friends aren't comfortable around her anymore. It's not so much that she talks about religion all the time, but the judging and attempts to convert. She says she's happier than ever, but it seems like anything can set her off and she's always, I don't know, uptight.

If her strained relationships and behavior were due to alcoholism or drugs, an intervention would be in order. However, since its bible thumping, we don't know how to approach the subject because she now seems to thrive on the concept of being persecuted for her beliefs even when she isn't. I don't care what she believes in, I just don't want it constantly shoved down my throat. Any thoughtful, sensitive suggestions?

[raggedcompany]

18. re: any thoughtful, sensitive suggestions

No thoughtful, sensitive suggestions here, because the situation calls for blunt honesty and decisive action, not sublety and passive reaction. Distance yourself from this person like you would an incorrigible drug addict. Enforce your own little intervention by telling her you think she's become a zealot, that you're sick of having her religion inserted into every conversation, and of her evangelizing you. Be brief, and speak in very simple and direct language. Don't insert any "digs" however hard that may be. A letter might work best, and a close friend might help you keep it honest and simple. If you care to give her a chance to salvage the relationship (an ultimatum, really) then do so, and state your conditions as simply as possible. Be prepared to kick her out of your life completely if she fails to meet these. Finally, remember that you can't control how she percieves what you say, so don't bother trying to explain it to her. Just say your peace and go.

Good luck.