I am not ‘Born Again’

Have you been born again? I have been asked this directly a few times in my life. After some thought about what it means to be reborn, what it means to the inquirer especially, I have to answer honestly.

No. I am not ‘born again.’

I’ve always struggles with the ‘born again’ concept. It always seemed strange to me. I don’t consider myself ‘born again’ because I felt like I have never left God’s presence.

I was born and raised the son of a minister. I was always a Christian and have always been in a relationship with God. When I did my confession of faith and baptism as a young teen, it felt contrived and I kinda felt like a fraud of some sort. After all, I had had no great revelation, no straying out of God’s presence, no great prodigal return so I just didn’t understand what the big deal was. It was like going through an initiation to a fraternity you have been an active member of for years.

As I became an adult, I met many people who were ‘born again,’ who had been apart from God’s presence and suddenly returned with fireworks and a heavenly host singing glory to God in the highest. Frankly I was kind of jealous. What were they getting out of this that I wasn’t? How could they have such a wonderful soul lifting experience having just met Christ while I was on this seemingly humdrum relationship where I could walk into God’s kitchen and grad a soda from his fridge and watch TV with him on the couch?

I definitely understood the feelings of the non-prodigal son watching the great party thrown for the returned brother especially when people hung on his every word telling of the adventures of his party-boy lifestyle.

What the Bible story doesn’t tell us is what happened a year after the homecoming. I probably could predict it from watching so many ‘born agains’ come to terms with their new life. Where was the next big party?

When the streamers are taken down and the cake is all eaten, the new Christian settles into the normality of bake sales, Sunday school teaching, committee work, arguments about the mission budget and organizing the chili supper. A dis-satisfaction sets in and they soon start focusing on where their next ‘born again’ high is going to come from.

Not satisfied with sitting on the couch watching TV with God, they want to start redecorating the many rooms of his mansion. Let’s add a new grotto swimming pool or host a great revival party.

I am offended by the implication by ‘born agains’ today that if you are not a ‘born again’ Christian, you are not really a Christian. Yeah, yeah Jesus died for our sins, that’s great. But have you gotten to the part about where he fed the hungry and blessed the poor? Have you thought about what Paul is really trying to tell us, something that theologians have been contemplating for 2000 years? Have you heard that it was considered a sin to earn interest from a loan?

I’m wondering why God had Hosea marry a whore and what His promise to the meek really meant. Jesus has been my Savior since I first learned the song Jesus Loves Me This I Know.

There are some people who really do experience a rebirth into a relationship with God. And I celebrate with them. But too many prodigal sons enjoy being prodigal sons and always need another homecoming. But worse than that, they belittle us non-prodigals who never felt the need to leave in the first place.

I’m happy to not be ‘born again’ because I realize my relationship with God is do deep and  unwavering that no party can exceed the day to day presence of him in my life.

That was a great welcome home party we had for you last night… now grab a broom and help us clean up the place.

People nowdays showing there bad manners!!!

There are few things in life that bother me more than someone being disrespectful. That really gets my goat. Good manners cost nothing. Why should ignorant people feel that they have the right to disturb my metaphorical goat that was quite happily grazing in its pen of solitude, minding its own business? Some people…

Take the people who are either incredibly unobservant or unbelievably inconsiderate, and pretend not to notice when an elderly passenger gets on the bus. No really, please take them. Away from me. No amount of staring seems to have the desired effect. Allow me to be the chivalrous one then. Maybe they just don’t care.

Just like a man I had the misfortune to meet in my gym. At peak times, it’s common to share use of the machines, alternating sets. That’s normal. This guy acted like I’d just slapped him on the arse and said “Giddy-up big boy”, whilst undressing him with my eyes.

It’s not like I wanted to engage in some male bonding with a stranger. I don’t talk to people in the gym. I wasn’t expecting to high five him in between sets. Hell no. When I made this clear and explained that it was the appropriate gym etiquette, he simply said: “But I don’t want to”. I glared as much as I dared, but what could I do? He was a big lad. The prick.

I was going on holiday with my family a couple of years ago , the internal flights I took were unlike any others. We’d no sooner touched the ground than people were out of their seats, trying to get their hand luggage. I couldn’t stand up due the congested walkway, yet I felt someone pushing against me. I turned around, about to angrily remonstrate with the man sat next to me when, to my surprise, I discovered that the man who was sat by the window had one leg either side of the guy next to me and was attempting to climb over me too! What was wrong with him? I glared yet he smiled, wobbling his head apologetically. There was no way he was getting past.

Even worse than these examples, are the losers who think it’s fine to abuse someone online, just because they have the advantage of anonymity. The cowards. Or at least they think they have a cloak of invisibility. Whilst most of them will get away with it, there have been recent examples of individuals being successfully prosecuted for comments made online. Such as the student who was jailed for 56 days for racist comments made on Twitter. Hah, in your face racist! I’m sure he had a comfortable time explaining his views to his fellow inmates.

In fact, I recently had my first abusive comment on a recent post. It’s taken nearly two years, but finally I got one! And it was clearly from someone who is intellectually challenged, as he (it must have been from a man or boy) clearly misunderstood my intentions. He stated that he thought I was sad. I was actually feeling quite upbeat at the time. But then I don’t think that he was predicting my mood, but merely attempting to portray his belief that I wasn’t a cool dude like him. Thank God for that. The fact that I was adopting a particular persona for comic effect was clearly lost on him.

The question that I want to ask is: why? Can’t we just all get along? Living in big cities where it’s busy is no excuse for bad manners. And being nice to a stranger is actually a buzz. A modicum of effort from you to help someone in need can make a difference to his/her day. Why not try it?

You can have depression at any age because you wouldnt know what peoples going though and how they feel it till you feel it your self.

Sorry I used it from the age 14 because I also commented on someone’s blog with this and he was saying how its not a good enough excuse to have depression and commit suicide or feel suicidal but I believe you may feel like this at any age

I was going through a lot. lets just say in between January and April I got raped 2 times, my dad nearly died, my uncle did die of cancer, my mum stole off me and didn’t want me in my life then said she did and kept fucking with my head, teachers giving me stress because I was getting low marks in all my work and I was close to my first real exam, had a really argumentative time at home and physically bullied had names called, people taking the mick out of my family and me all just at school, when I tried telling someone they told me I was only attention seeking but I wasn’t then I lost all my friends but at the end of April I started to get a bit better about myself and didn’t feel the need to kill myself anymore and felt a little bit more happy about myself and I had my first serious relationship but he was trying to use me and have sex with me and then got bored of me and left but in the time we was together he fucked with my mine and made me feel shit. when I was 14 I moved to another foster placement and they didn’t know anything about me but it made my life turn around, im 15 now and living a better life now I just realized that I should just stay positive and keep in a good mood and forget the negatives.
At the moment iv got a amazing best friend, sittle sister and get to meet one of my brothers for the first time in over 9 years and my boyfriend… im newly with him but he seems amazing too…

Basically im glad I didn’t end it because going through all that made me the person I am today!

Im pretty much saying that you cant just be like oh your 14 you cant have depression there’s nothing in your life to be stressed about bla bla bla all you could have that’s bad in your life is bullies, and her parents don’t seem to care or whatever. First of all, talk to someone. Secondly, call the NSPCC if they really don’t care or if it is upsetting.  at the worse case but there are MUCH WORSE and people and getting hurt by there parents under that age.

I think people need to understand that there are horrid people out there and people shouldn’t say to the child there attention seeking if they tell you this because it only make them feel worse, yes I know there are kids out there that might use a similar excuse to get attention but just think if they keep telling you and the odd few other people over and over again and maybe even start crying and not telling the hole school… are they really attention seeking or theres a slight hint of truth in there do you think!
Just saying I also believe that young adults and kids both can feel like this, not only the older teenagers and adults.

THANK YOU IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IM SAYING XD