A few weeks ago I was watching a program on kangaroos. When baby kangaroos (called “joeys”) are first born, they are tiny, almost embryonic. Their forelimbs however are powerful enough to allow them to crawl up their mother’s bellies into her pouch and onto her nipple. They remain attached to the teat for several months, maturing in the pouch as placental mammals, such as cats, dogs, horses and even humans, would in the womb. Eventually the joeys start sticking their little heads outside of the pouch. They ultimately jump out of the pouch and start hopping around on the ground, although they return to their mother for warmth and nourishment. On leaving the pouch for the first time, the young kangaroo is described as a “born again joey” because he or she is then at the same stage of development a placental mammal would be at the moment of birth.
Of course the phrase “born again joey” is a play on words on the expression “born again Christian,” which in its turn comes from Jesus’ declaration to the Jewish ruler Nicodemus in John 3:3: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” In popular usage, though, the term “born again Christian” refers to a person who has explicitly stated that he or she has accepted Jesus as his or her personal saviour. While this definition is fairly simple, the “born again” phenomenon has a number of social, theological and other implications worth examining in more detail.
I first became aware of this phenomenon in my hometown of Windsor, Ontario, a small mainly working-class city on the border with the United States. When I left Windsor in the late ‘80s to go to college, the town seemed to be literally teeming with born again Christians. Two of my high school teachers, for instance, claimed to have been born again. However, the born again trend began in fact around the 1970s and continues until this day. “Born again” celebrities include Jewish-born folk singer Bob Dylan; Larry Flynt, editor of the pornographic magazine Hustler; Norma McCorvey, the woman who was “Roe” in the case legalizing abortion in the United States and who later became a pro-life activist; and actor Kirk Cameron. Perhaps the most famous “born again” is current US President George W. Bush, who said he “found Jesus” and proceeded to break his heavy drinking habit. Though born again Christians are not associated with any one particular denomination, they tend to belong to fundamentalist groups such as the Baptists, Pentecostals and Church of Christ rather than liturgical churches like the Lutheran, Anglican, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox ones.
I was always intrigued by why people became “born again.” One recurrent pattern that struck me was that many, though not all, of them had found Jesus at a time of crisis in their lives (example: George W. Bush). In other cases, they embraced born again Christianity because they felt they were “missing” something from the religion in which they were raised, typically the Catholic or a mainline Protestant Church (a phenomenon I mentioned in my previous article on why some people were drawn to the New Age movement). For instance, a Catholic friend of mine in high school confided to me that she wasn’t “getting anything out of” her weekly Mass and thought being a born again Christian might help brighten up the spiritual lacklustre in her life. Ironically, a Catholic nun once told me that perhaps some Catholics left their Church because it no longer offered things like processions, pilgrimages, etcetera that in the past made their religious practice more meaningful.
For some individuals, getting “born again” motivates them to make changes for the better in their lives. Some have managed to break free of alcohol or drug abuse. Norma McCorvey now counsels women faced with crisis pregnancies. On the other hand, at times it appears that the born again experience is a bit like a spiritual “high” that relies a great deal on emotions and day-to-day feelings – like falling in love. And while I think spiritual intensity is positive in many ways, if one’s relationship with Jesus depends on one’s mood at the moment, there is a danger that this relationship may deteriorate once the “high” wears off. Some born again Christians may end up questioning or even renouncing their faith after the initial bliss fades. Bob Dylan, for example, returned to Judaism. Norma McCorvey eventually joined the Roman Catholic Church. Larry Flynt became an atheist and described his former conversion as a “bipolar condition” (“bipolar” refers to the disease once known as manic depression). As a practising Christian myself, I prefer a more “even-keel” relationship with Jesus to one punctuated by manic ups and downs, just as I think a good but not always exciting marriage has greater promise of lasting than a head-over-heels love affair.
Members of liturgical churches believe the “born again” experience occurs through baptism. Indeed, shortly after John 3:3 Jesus tells Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” The sacrament of baptism as a new birth is prefigured in Ezekiel 36:25: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean.” The idea of baptism as a rebirth is strengthened by the fact that both physical birth and baptism involve water: in the first case, the amniotic fluid from the womb and in the second the sprinkling by a priest or minister.
It might be interesting to contrast the liturgical view of baptism to that held by people who actually call themselves born again Christians. First of all, while the former believe in infant baptism, most of the latter do not (one “born again” girl I knew who had been baptized a Catholic as an infant was later rechristened). Most born again Christians would probably not see the baptism of a baby as proof of him or her being born again. In addition, born again Christians often speak of being saved, which they usually associate with the moment they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal saviour. However, the Apostle Peter explicitly declares that “Baptism doth save us” (1 Peter 3:21). One Lutheran Missouri Synod website adds to this distinction by explaining that “Lutherans do not direct people to subjective personal experiences (i.e. being born again as a personal experience) for assurance of salvation, but to God’s objective Word and Sacraments.” Baptism, as opposed to an emotionally-driven personal experience such as “finding Jesus” all of a sudden, provides a concrete sign of a child’s (or occasionally adult’s) membership in the family of God.
Going back to the subject at the beginning of my essay – kangaroos – I must say that I nicknamed my fourteen-month-old daughter the joey because like a baby kangaroo she is always at the breast and because I carry her in a “pouch” (Baby Bjorn). She was baptized in August of last year. She is now starting to walk around outside of the pouch. So I suppose she is both a born again Christian and a born again joey!
Interesting. I didn’t know bob dylan was a christian for a while, I find that jews who sometimes try to give christianity a try usually don’t stay because at times they are well informed in judaism so the many contradictions of christianity usually sways them away. But its more noticable how in the textus receptus how baptism was added by yours truly the catholic church. Norma McCorvey seems like a case of psychological problems which explains what has happened to her over the years. I would say she needs therapy to fix her head up a bit. Whenu start hearing babies and assuming a god is making you hear it, call the doc. That’s my advice.
-pqsk
Dear pqsk,
Thank you for your comments. Regarding Jews who convert to Christianity, I don’t have precise figures for today’s world. However, there is a book called “A people who shall dwell alone” by a researcher named Kevin Macdonald (obviously not Jewish, judging by his name). It said that in the past, Jews who converted to Christianity were usually those who were so-called “losers,” unsuccessfully economically and/or academically. Jews tend to be a very high-achieving community, so perhaps those who weren’t felt they weren’t accepted by their coreligionists.
About Norma McCorvey, there is an interesting article that appeared about her shortly after she “converted” to the pro-life cause. Actually, contrary to what some media reported, her “conversion” wasn’t a St.-Paul-on-the-road-to-Damascus type of transformation; she was already having doubts about abortion even before that. This article portrays McCorvey realistically and avoids casting her as the “reformed sinner” as the pro-life movement did or as a naive pawn manipulated by anti-abortion forces as some of the pro-choice movement did. Here is the link: http://eileen.undonet.com/Main/7_R_Eile/Norma_Roe.html.
Emilia
I had a born again experience in 1987, that you could/would call a spiritual high but, was much more than that. Yes, it came via a crisis moment. I was getting divorced and was heart broken/crushed/rejected. I couldn’t stop crying/sobbing to the point of not being able to breathe (almost). I collected myself just enough to phone the 700 club and somehow pray w/ a fellow who guided me through accepting Jesus as my lord and savior.
As we were finishing up that all-important prayer, my hands began to shake/tremble, and I was calming down quickly to where I could talk w/out crying/sobbing. I felt a glowing/warming sensation in my abdomen (from my chest – lower stomach). I felt joyfully energized yet simultaneously also peaceful/calm. It was a high alright but miraculously so soon after feeling entirely the opposite. I wish every born again could feel this way just once (if they havent already).
And why do I Know this was a true-blue born again experience and not some emotional high as you and others are wary/critical of? Simple. As it is written in Ps 34:18; 51:17; and
Lk 4:18 where Jesus declared himself in the temple by quoting Isaiah saying,”…..to make
well those who are broken-hearted…to…preach the gospel to the poor…he hath sent me to
heal the contrite of heart…” I was never as ripe/ready to sincerely come to Jesus as th
that day. So he saved me and am sure countless others in similar to dissimilar fashion(s).
That first night, I thought I’d never get to sleep as I was so full of energy, prayers, and thoughts, and conversations with God. Yet I did sleep. I remember being awoken by a vision
of the sun rising fast on a lifeless/leafless tree (at the time, I wasn’t sure if it was a
nuclear explosion, as again it was FAST). It startled me awake so much so i gasped for air
upon waking.
It was incredible. I had felt/experienced another episode of the mysterious power of God. It was 4am (or so) in the morning. The full moon was shining brightly through the bay window. I got up and felt like I’d been visited ala rapture style, and felt my first pangs of “groaning in the spirit,” as if I’d been left behind, or was still separated/apart from God, thanks to my remaining human form. Yet my “glow” remained w/in my abdomen.
That glow (shekinah glory?)stayed with me for several
months and really turned my thoughts, desires, and dreams upside down.
I’m not entirely sure why THE GLOW left me. But the Holy Spirit did not. I faced trials tribulations afterwards that challenged my faith severely but “that,” as Paul Harvey used to say, “is another (long)story.”
shalom…………Mike O:)
Dear Mike, thank you for your response. I am happy that your experience appears to have brought peace in your life, despite the challenges you have (and inevitably in the future will) face. I suppose as a member of a mainstream church (Lutheran) I can’t really identify with the born-again experience, but if it has helped you, that is good.
Being a Lutheran for so many years of my life, I am sooooo grateful to have some out of that religion and learn real truth.
In the Bible, show me just ONE example of infant baptism! There is not a single one! Only adults or those who deliberately make the CHOICE to ask Jesus into their heart and know they need a savior are baptised or saved. Baptism, because of obedience, often follows but baptism in and of itself, saves no one.
Salvation is for those who decide in their heart to follow Jesus and to make Him Lord of their life. Parents cannot do it for their children and none of us can make that decision for another….although we can pray for them to make that decision and we can be an ambassador for Jesus to them.
True or genuinine salvation DOES result in a changed life or “fruit.” I never saw a changed life in the Lutheran Church although I would never state that all Lutherans are lost….but far too many are!
Many pew sitters in Catholic and Lutheran churches call themselves Christian but have never asked Jesus into their heart nor made Him Lord of their heart/life. Infant baptism + church attendance does not = salvation.
Dear J,
Thank you for your comment. Regarding the Bible, there may not be specific examples of infant baptisms, but there is no commandment saying that infants should not be baptized. As I wrote in my article, when it says that whole families were baptized, we can safely guess that meant the children in it as well.
About parents making decisions for their children, I’ve had my daughter baptized, and although I don’t attend church every Sunday, I try to expose my daughter to the faith. I hope she stays with the faith throughout her life, but of course I have no guarantee, particularly here in Toronto, where there are people of every religion on earth, it seems. And she might decide as an adult not to practise any faith at all. In the end, all I can really hope for is that even if she is no longer a Lutheran or a Christian at all she can still say her background benefited her.
I myself love the Lutheran Church, but I realize it’s not the church for everyone. It might not be for my daughter. But for me I think it is the way to Jesus, and hopefully my daughter will feel the same.
I pray in my own home, I pray in the shower, in bed, before I eat,etc. I pray to God and have a special relationship with him. However I get annoyed with my born again friends who constantly are quoting scripture, yelling “Praise the Lord” all the time and look down on me because I’m not like they are. They try to shove their beliefs down my throat and I object to that. I listen to rock music, I read other books besides just the Bible. God gave me a brain to use and think for myself. I feel that most of thse born agains are cliquish and just do as their church leaders tell them to do!! No preacher,priest etc is going to dictate how I live my life and I how spend my leisure time! I had one born again friend get real snobbish and hostile toward me because I listen to rock music and read sci fi and horror fiction!! Give me a break!
Hi, Emily (nice to hear from someone who shares my name, somewhat), thank you for your comment. I think some religious groups go a little off the deep end when it comes to rejecting the so-called world. Rock music seems to be a particular pet peeve of some religious extremists. I joke that at least the Jehovah Witnesses are consistent: they might reject modern rock stars for their “immoral” lifestyle, but they also forbid their followers to listen to Beethoven because he supposedly contracted syphilis. But if I were to join the Witnesses and follow their teachings to a tee, I’d basically be music-less.