What Precisely Is A Jesus Freak?

[_Some Schmo]

So far as the use of the term now. I would equate it (though again, generalizations can't be applied across the board) with saying something such as "I'm a sports freak". Meaning a devotee of atheletics. Jesus Freak = devotee of Jesus. About the same as in the sixties.

OK, I'm completely with you now. Freak=Enthusiast.

I also see how my own unfavorable experience with the church has likely turned "Jesus Freak" into a pejorative for me personally, and not necessarily society at large.

by the way, I didn't realize you were that old... er... I mean... experienced. :) (This is a typical backwardass Schmo compliment). I had imagined you as much younger for some reason.

[_huckelberry]

Jersey Girl, you are not the only one from that time who posted above.

Lived in fear, hmm. Well that discription might be a bit better than all peace and love.

I thought the peace movement was a reaction to bomb shelters and the grade school get under the desk drills for the atom bomb.

Let me die in my footsteps before I go down under the ground.

[_Pokatator]

Jersey Girl, you are not the only one from that time who posted above.

Lived in fear, hmm. Well that discription might be a bit better than all peace and love.

I thought the peace movement was a reaction to bomb shelters and the grade school get under the desk drills for the atom bomb.

Let me die in my footsteps before I go down under the ground.

Huck, I believe you are right to a degree that the movement had beginnings in the Arms Race and the fear of Russian A-bombs. The actions of school bomb drills and backyard shelters was in the 50s but the real movement of active protests and lifestyle changes leading to an active movement was in the 60s and the time of the Vietnam War.

I lived through that being a late 1940s baby. I did the bomb drills in grade school and saw neighbors build bomb shelters. I know the fear of the draft and watching rich kids get student deferments that was unfair but it eventually did not get the numbers they needed so the lotto was started. I remember the fear of getting number 9, unfortunately or fortunately I didn't pass the physical.

I believe Jersey Girl has presented a very truthful and accurate assessment of that era. Thank you Jersey Girl you brought back a lot of memories and of course, some are good and some are not so good.

Blessings,
Pokatator

PS Timothy Leary said, "If you remember the 60s, you weren't there."

PSS I met his brother, Really Leary, it was quite a trip.

[_Sam Harris]

"Jesus Freak" as used by Evengelicals today is someone who is passionate about their faith. There are Evangelicals who would proudly call themselves this name, but that doesn't mean that they are Fundamentalist in leaning. Let us not get into the confusion between the words "Evengelical" and "Fundamentalist" that has come up on this board more than once. Not all Evangelicals are Fundamentalist, and vice versa. The Fundamentalist viewpoint can fit into many different religions.

I do not think that someone who has faith is a Jesus Freak, though I see the need for some to use the slur to make themselves feel better.

I never even heard the term before.... I think the person that used the term was attempting to explain, to me, why I find some of the things said on this board startling.

I think growing up in a secular atmosphere vs. religious atmosphere will create some pretty strong impressions upon people. I often say I'm a heathen -- I really shouldn't. When I come into threads and say my take on things (for instance Charity saying women that have had three partners are promiscuous -- or mentioning rape victims by "nuts and sluts") I'm shocked that others seem to think I'm the one out of whack. Then, I have to remember I'm not a "heathen" -- I'm just a woman that did not grow up with any sort of religious indoctrination.

I was being silly this morning and didn't want to offend anyone with my post. I don't care what people have faith in. I do care when I'm told that I'm somehow disgusting or sinful. :)

Mon, I think that you have a very unique POV, and I'm not sure what the person you were talking to was referring to. If he (or she) was referring to the anti-religionists who just can't stop talking about the evils of religion, then yeah, I can agree with the statement that was made. They are still on the subject, even though they're looking at it from a different angle. They don't realize that they haven't let go yet.

I'm a heathen. Be proud of your heathenism.

Your not growing up under religious indoctrination just makes you curious about those of us who did. And for the record, I think you asked a good question. It was one of the responses you got that I was being sarcastic about.

Some use the term Jesus Freak to demean anyone who believes in Jesus, whether or not this person is seeking to indoctrinate at all. The believer is despised for simply believing.

Most of the times that I've heard the term in my generation, it's being used by people who are not ashamed of their faith.

Continue being a voice of sanity here, no matter how many people accuse you of being oversexed, ignorant, or whatever else they call you.

OMG! I want "oversexed and ignorant" to be my custom title!!! :D

I actually like a lot of the teachings of Jesus -- that of which I know... I find few other historical (assuming for a moment he was a historical figure) that would be on the same sort of scale. Ghandi comes to mind...

Mon, you're unique. Plain and simple.

As far as Christian teachings, at the base they are noble. But then you insert fear and tribal tendencies into the mix and you get a very exclusive religion that feels that only those within the country club are "saved". A lot of what is within Christianity today has nothing whatsoever to do with what Jesus taught. And it's maddening at times to try to get a fundie to find Jesus' actual words on some of the things they condemn. They will quote Paul or the Old Testament, and say that since God penned the Bible, these have to be Christ's words. But I refuse to see it like that.

[_Dr. Shades]

This will be my last post for a bit. It's my busiest time at work . . .

"Work?" Why did you sell out to the Establishment?

[_Jersey Girl]

Why did I even look at this board? I had every intention of disconnecting from here for a bit, yet here I am. So much for breaks. This post was too tempting to me not to reply.

This will be my last post for a bit. It's my busiest time at work . . .

"Work?" Why did you sell out to the Establishment?

For a smart guy you sure are uninsightful. The freaks didn't sell out to the Establishment, Shades.

We became it.

[_Jersey Girl]

So far as the use of the term now. I would equate it (though again, generalizations can't be applied across the board) with saying something such as "I'm a sports freak". Meaning a devotee of atheletics. Jesus Freak = devotee of Jesus. About the same as in the sixties.

OK, I'm completely with you now. Freak=Enthusiast.

I also see how my own unfavorable experience with the church has likely turned "Jesus Freak" into a pejorative for me personally, and not necessarily society at large.

by the way, I didn't realize you were that old... er... I mean... experienced. :) (This is a typical backwardass Schmo compliment). I had imagined you as much younger for some reason.

Context is everything, isn't it? I saw that the first posters on this thread were lacking the cultural context. I don't know if you're imagining me as much younger is a compliment or not. I am experienced in a great many things ;-) and I like that I am. In my head, I don't feel much older than I did back then. It doesn't matter how old you grow to be, you'll find that you never have all the answers. I like that because it leaves the door open for me to continue to make mistakes and go easy on myself when I do!

[_Jersey Girl]

Jersey Girl, you are not the only one from that time who posted above.

Lived in fear, hmm. Well that discription might be a bit better than all peace and love.

I thought the peace movement was a reaction to bomb shelters and the grade school get under the desk drills for the atom bomb.

Let me die in my footsteps before I go down under the ground.

I think the peace and love we were promoting was a direct response to fear. It wasn't always a case of us wanting the world to unite in love as much as it was about not wanting the boys to be forced to go to Vietnam. It was our attempt to stop it. Well, it's all intertwined, isn't it?

[_Jersey Girl]

Jersey Girl, you are not the only one from that time who posted above.

Lived in fear, hmm. Well that discription might be a bit better than all peace and love.

I thought the peace movement was a reaction to bomb shelters and the grade school get under the desk drills for the atom bomb.

Let me die in my footsteps before I go down under the ground.

Huck, I believe you are right to a degree that the movement had beginnings in the Arms Race and the fear of Russian A-bombs. The actions of school bomb drills and backyard shelters was in the 50s but the real movement of active protests and lifestyle changes leading to an active movement was in the 60s and the time of the Vietnam War.

I lived through that being a late 1940s baby. I did the bomb drills in grade school and saw neighbors build bomb shelters. I know the fear of the draft and watching rich kids get student deferments that was unfair but it eventually did not get the numbers they needed so the lotto was started. I remember the fear of getting number 9, unfortunately or fortunately I didn't pass the physical.

I believe Jersey Girl has presented a very truthful and accurate assessment of that era. Thank you Jersey Girl you brought back a lot of memories and of course, some are good and some are not so good.

Blessings,
Pokatator

PS Timothy Leary said, "If you remember the 60s, you weren't there."

PSS I met his brother, Really Leary, it was quite a trip.

I saved you for last, Pok, because I just love you. :-)

I know the fear of the draft and watching rich kids get student deferments that was unfair but it eventually did not get the numbers they needed so the lotto was started. I remember the fear of getting number 9, unfortunately or fortunately I didn't pass the physical.

My memories are exactly the same especially what you said about "rich kids". You can tell alot about a culture or counter culture/generation by the music it produced. Here's one that I think typifies the roots of the "peace movement". There was alot of anger and fear, behind all of that peace and love:

Complete with Fish Cheer uncensored:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5btZWbViPA&feature=related

Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die Rag (Next Stop Vietnam)

Country Joe & the Fish

Come on all of you big strong men
Uncle Sam needs your help again
he's got himself in a terrible jam
way down yonder in Viet Nam so
put down your books and pick up a gun we're
gonna have a whole lotta fun

(CHORUS)
And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for
don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Viet Nam
And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates
ain't no time to wonder why, whoopee we're all gonna die

Come on generals, let's move fast
your big chance has come at last
now you can go out and get those reds
cos the only good commie is the one that's dead and
you know that peace can only be won when we've
blown 'em all to kingdom come

Come on wall street don't be slow
why man this war is a go-go
there's plenty good money to be made by
supplying the army with the tools of its trade
let's hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
they drop it on the Viet Cong

Come on mothers throughout the land
pack your boys off to Viet Nam
come on fathers don't hesitate
send your sons off before it's too late
and you can be the first ones on your block
to have your boy come home in a box



p.s. I'm glad that you didn't pass the physical. :-)

[_Some Schmo]

Context is everything, isn't it? I saw that the first posters on this thread were lacking the cultural context. I don't know if you're imagining me as much younger is a compliment or not. I am experienced in a great many things ;-) and I like that I am. In my head, I don't feel much older than I did back then. It doesn't matter how old you grow to be, you'll find that you never have all the answers. I like that because it leaves the door open for me to continue to make mistakes and go easy on myself when I do!

Without a doubt. And the more I learn, the more I'm crushed by the weight of what I realize I don't know.

I seem to be stuck at about 26 years old. This August will be my 16th 26th birthday.

:D

And yeah, I think that imagining you were younger is a compliment. Means you're still pretty sharp. (Well, it could mean that... I think that's likely what gave me the impression, anyway).