Born Again Bozos!

[zinfamous]

Christians who claim to have repented of sin and claim Jesus as Lord.
Also known as being "saved".

I am a Christian. The "born-again" title became popular due to the evangelical movement. I don't mind saying I am saved or have been born again, but I think saying I am a follower or disciple of Christ (i.e. a Christian) is a better way to put it, since it makes it clear that the Bible and the life/teachings of Christ are central to it.

"born-again" is quite different, though. This applies, almost exclusively, to those who are "deep sinners" --recovering alcoholics, criminals, people of "low moral character," who have come to believe that Jesus, and only Jesus, is the one that has saved them from their wicked ways and only by following him, can they remain on the straight path.

These people aren't simply born into Christianity and grow up in the faith, they became Christian as a result of highly stressed lifestyle and as such, tend to be more fervent--and often delusional--in their belief.

That is not to say that all of them are dishonest with their faith, but it seems that the majority of them use it as nothing more than a crutch, and/or a means with which to further judge others that aren't quite like themselves (something that they once used drugs/criminal activity to fulfill).

 

[-Slacker-]

The hippocampus is the work of the devil anyway...

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

"born-again" is quite different, though. This applies, almost exclusively, to those who are "deep sinners" --recovering alcoholics, criminals, people of "low moral character," who have come to believe that Jesus, and only Jesus, is the one that has saved them from their wicked ways and only by following him, can they remain on the straight path.

These people aren't simply born into Christianity and grow up in the faith, they became Christian as a result of highly stressed lifestyle and as such, tend to be more fervent--and often delusional--in their belief.

That is not to say that all of them are dishonest with their faith, but it seems that the majority of them use it as nothing more than a crutch, and/or a means with which to further judge others that aren't quite like themselves (something that they once used drugs/criminal activity to fulfill).

I don't think the majority of born agains are "deep sinners." The ones I know of personally were people who fit your second paragraph. They grew up "christian" but didn't really follow the religion until some creepy cult guy (I use this term loosely) convinced them otherwise and they jumped ship from catholic/protestant to baptist or any of the other crazier than normal southern denominations. My sister is like this... and yea she's dumb as a rock.

 

[nanette1985]

That study fits a friend of mine perfectly. Was going to a Baptist church with a girlfriend, just so he could get some. Says he had a religious experience while sitting there ignoring a sermon 1 Sunday. Turned into a full blown Jebus freak, and put his brain on hold. His explanations, straight from his church leaders, about why the Bible was 100 percent accurate and the ultimate truth, were the stuff you'd expect from a 6yr old.

Did he get any?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Did he get any?

Oh yeah, and out of wedlock :biggrin:

 

[busydude]

Bad. Doing a good thing by the wrong method (in your case, by stealing from a king) is evil, and if he justifies himself, it makes him self righteous as well. It would be one thing if the king was guilty of stealing and he were returning the wealth to the poor. But that isn't the scenario you gave.

History is filled with examples of leaders and individuals who wreaked horrendous evil because they did "good" by evil means.

But his intent was right. Don't you guys value intent more than the actions itself? Robin Hood, or any common man for that matter, does not see everything the King does. He might have assumed that the King is getting all the money because of unfair taxation.

Regardless of the King being a good person or evil, Robin Hood's intent was to provide for the poor. The King, in spite of doing his best, will go to hell in the first place as he has poor people living in his kingdom.

 

[Macamus Prime]

Or, it could just mean that they really did have a life changing experience;

There is evidence that humans who have experienced severe, long-lasting traumatic stress, show atrophy of the hippocampus, more than of other parts of the brain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus