<p>Garland, the official position of the UMC is that coming to accept Jesus is a personal experience. In other words, it is not necessary to become “born again,” but it’s not unacceptable. I am not aware of anyone in my midwest UMC who would describe herself as born again … but I bet there are some in my in laws’ Georgia UMC who would.</p>
<p>thanks kelsmom. Not a term I’d ever seen used in a NJ UMC. So, it’s not a tenet, but if one wants to use that wording, one can? I’d always thought of “born again” as a specific tenet of some denominations.</p>
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Inveniamviam, you might want to read the whole thread. You did not say whether you would consider yourself an Evangelical, but if you do, you should realize that you are being called a Bible thumper.</p>
<p>
Do you really know any Christians who do that? Really? Have you even ever seen it? Yes, we’ve all seen one on t.v. from time to time or maybe a street preacher when we go out, but I’m talking about Christians from churches in your community. Evangelical Christians comprise about 26% of the U.S. population. If even a fraction of them were “Bible thumpers”, you would see it every single day.</p>
<p>The OP said:
Yes, he said he was using the term “Bible thumper” in jest, and I believe him. But as the thread went on, views were expressed that linked the term “Bible thumpers” with those who are socially and politically conservative and who are not members of mainline Protestant denominations. Also, if one shares one’s faith with someone who believes differently and gets too persuasive about it, then one can be insulted as a “Bible thumper”.</p>
<p>Before you jump on the “let’s insult Bible thumpers” bandwagon, you might want to make sure you aren’t one of the ones being insulted.</p>
<p>Garland, I found this explanation about the UMC’s take on being “born again”:</p>
<p>The need for new birth
The Christian life involves not only an assent to certain beliefs; it involves far more of a renewal of our spirit. “You must be born again” (or “born from above”), said Jesus. (John 3:17) Unfortunately, the phrase “being born again” has been woefully misused in our time as a means of claiming spiritual status or insisting that others must have the same kind of spiritual experience as oneself. Because of this misuse, United Methodists seldom use the term today. But the idea is still present – that Christ will bring about spiritual renewal in the lives of all believers. (from Kent UMC website)</p>
<p>I especially like this explanation: [New</a> Hope United Methodist Church Blog: April 23, 2006–Born Again](<a href=“http://newhopeumchurch.blogspot.com/2006/05/april-23-2006-born-again.html]New”>New Hope United Methodist Church Blog: April 23, 2006--Born Again)</p>
<p>There is more than one way to be “born again!”</p>
<p>Thanks, Kelsmom. Interesting reading.</p>
<p>im a devout, born-again atheist. my motto is live and let live and respect and tolerate thoses who havent the same belief as me for no one can have an absolute certainty of such matter-no one besides those who are arrogant and pretentious…peace be to allllllll</p>
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<p>I don’t know about that. After all, you don’t seem to exhibit much doubt. Where do you fall on that scale? Are you, as a devout atheist, absolutely certain of your atheism, and therefore arrogant and pretentious; or are you not quite so certain of your atheism, and therefore not quite so arrogant or pretentious?</p>
<p>Why do you feel the need to dig up a year-old thread to tell us this?</p>
<p>The most powerful examplars of Christianity I know are those who, through the practice of their faith in daily life, show by living example the grace and peace and love that believers can attain. </p>
<p>On the other hand -and I am generalizing here - those that concentrate more on talking about the virtues of their faith show by living example how religiousity in some people can lead to intolerance of others, contradicting in their actions the words they profess.</p>
<p>For those whose faith impels them to evangelize, remember that deeds themselves, or deeds with well placed words are much more powerful than words alone as a profession of faith. My suggestion are words I remember from years ago:</p>
<p>preach daily speak when necessary</p>
<p>Kei</p>
<p>Funny how I agree, yet disagree with Advice in post 35. I completely agree Jesus believed in helping the poor, hungry and disadvantaged. But I remember no indications that he tried to force his government to fund such programs. As best I remember he wanted people to choose to donate, and to choose to teach the hungry(give a fish…") how to take care of themselves. He didn’t expect government to reimburse the father of the prodigal son after he returned broke.
If I were to put that in a modern context, as you did, I would not come to the conclusion that Jesus would demand the government(all taxpayers) to be required to pay the bills of others; but rather that many would choose to help financially, and many would choose to show persons a healthier way of living to help avoid medical problems.
Of course in no way am I saying a healthier life avoids all medical problems; only that some problems are a matter of poor choices.</p>
<p>One Christian standing up to be counted.</p>
<p>(pro-choice, pro-gay rights, and not Bible-thumping - I also believe that God loves non Christians just as much as He loves me)</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^^^</p>
<p>Thank God for such Christians!</p>
<p>Kei</p>