Jehovah's Witnesses and Born-Again Christians are too much alike its scary

by booker-t 41 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  hmike

  I don't use the term in every day speech, either. It's kind of assumed that all Christians are "born again", otherwise it's a complete waste of time them reading John 3.
  I do understand that it has some connotations in the USA that seem to be absent over here, though.

  I remember the phrase "born again" first became popular in the 70s (I think President Carter used it of himself). It was intended to distinguish between those who had the Holy Spirit in them, and re-born as a new creation, as opposed to people who simply claimed to be Christians and may even attend church (usually what would be considered a "dead" church by those claiming to be BA--I won't name any specifics).

  I never use the phrase myself either. "Christian" doesn't need an adjective--labels create barriers.
• 

  rick_here

  LittleToe (if yer still around?):
  
  I, too, could describe my beliefs as "partial preterist." But I didn't arrive at them by reading preterist stuff. Rather, "partial preterism" is a convenient way of saying it. (To be a "partial preterist" involves selecting from the various preterist beliefs). Iow, for me anyway, good ol' fashioned exegesis was "how I found my beliefs" about the End-Times.
  
  All:
  
  Re: "Born-Again Christians."
  About 20-30 years ago "BAC's" and "evangelicals" were virtually synonymous phrases. "Evangelicals" is still used in a general way to describe conservative Christians -- who are both theologically and politically conservative.
  
  However, in the last 15-20 years or so there are the "New Evangelicals," and/or "The Evangelical Left" (a term coined by Millard Erickson). Many of these Christians still identify themsleves as "born again." Yet a surprisingly large number of them are leaving conservative theology behind (and embracing liberal theological views). The Barna Institute has taken surveys of "BAC's and their beliefs." Their statistics show that many of them do not believe in the existence of a personal devil, that there are other ways to God (other than Christ), and that that homosexuality is not a sin, just to give a few new "born again" variations.
  
  Take Jimmy Carter as an example. Formerly a Southern Baptist, he now accepts the use of condoms and other forms of birth-control as the "norm." Iow, he has left the Southern Baptist belief that abstinance is the rule.
  
  Just some thoughts,
  rick
  
  \o/
• 

  hmike

  "Evangelicals" is still used in a general way to describe conservative Christians -- who are both theologically and politically conservative.

  What term would you use to describe someone like me, who would be considered about 90% conservative Christian and 90% politically liberal?
• 

  LittleToe

  Rick:
  So you're saying that we're ecclectic, like many Christians

  "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity (love)." Augustine.
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  barry

  Gday LT, But its in non-essentials liberty If I remember correctly and also makes better sense.
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  LittleToe

  Hi Bazzer,

  Long time no chat.
  You could be right, my ole son, you could be right

  How's it going on, then?

  Laters,
  Ross
• 

  Narkissos

  You could both be wrong

  http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/augustine/quote.html
• 

  scotsman

  BookerT, seems like you've generalised way too much. LT couldn't be less like a JW or member of a cult, hell, he's aquainted with me a gay atheist. Well, maybe agnostic.

  I agree that there are some fundamentalist groups that are eerily like JWs, the Church of Christ for instance. I've been to a couple of the their meetings (out of nosiness) and their striking similarity with Witnesses was one of the things that helped me out. Raised with the belief that the Witnesses were unique I was shocked to discover that they weren't. To be in receipt of the (loving) pressure to have a bible study with them reminded me of myself speaking to individual that walked off the street into the KH. It was surreal.

  I'll let you carry on with your christoteric talk now. Partial preterist? Sheesh!
• 

  LittleToe

  ROFL @ Didier - regardless of who wrote it, I still like it - LOL

  Scotsman:
  I hadn't thought about the affect of the similarity of other groups, too much. Ironically it was this that swayed my sister, so you would have thought that I would have, huh?

  To be honest, it's not been my experience, though you know what I'm like for keeping an open mind on things. Maybe I should hunt one down (like a dog) just for the twilight zone effect!
• 

  El Kabong

  It seems to me that those churches who profess to follow Christ the closest are often the most un-Christ like.
  
  Some time after leaving the JW's, I too experimented with different churches. I do not think it's fair to say that ALL Christian churches are like the JW's. However, I've found that the "born again Charasmatics" have the most resemblance to all of the bad qualities of the Witnesses. I've found that they, for the most part, are very judgemental. I've acutally had one say to me that because I was a Jehovah's Witness, I was worshipping the Devil and therefore, I'm going to Hell. Wow!!! What encouragement. Many of them seem like they are gloating to others that they are saved, and you are not. Ha ha ha. You'll be sorry at Judgement day, and I'm just going to look at you and laugh. Very un-Christ like indeed.
  
  But, it is not fair to paste that kind of label on other religions who profess to be Born Again. There are many out there who really do try and do the work of Christ without being Judgemental. Believe it or not, I have met some people outside of the Witnesses and Charasmatics that were more Christlike than all of them put together.