My Mom: "those Born-again Christians Are Just Weird"/ Me: I'm One Of Them!

Ok i've recently had a bit of an identity crisis. I was feeling upset because I felt rejected by a few of my friends who I met from my old Christian group. I know I ought to move on, but I was still hurt and feeling left out by something that happened. I spoke to my mother, and she said oh you know those Christian people can be real weird. they aren't normal. I said, I am not sure this has to do with them being Christian. Although I must say I did sort of expect something from the fact that they were Christian. I expected to not to be hurt.
She said these born-again people are just strange. I told my mother, but, I'm a Christian. She said, no you're not like them. Aren't you in that group just because you wanted to meet people?
I was a little shocked and offended - why on earth would I join a Religious-themed group just to meet people. I joined the group because I was a BORN-AGAIN Christian. But i found myself feeling a bit embarrassed to tell her that. perhaps it was because she had just got done saying born agains are weirdos.
But I was offended that she would think I was insincere in my reasons for joining that group, about why I spent so much of my time with these people and why I started going to church. I suddenly felt this feeling of sadness and emptiness. Like something that was very important to me, my faith, was dismissed. And also of embarrassment - that my mother would think i'm a "weirdo" too, since I'd identify myself as born-again. I felt almost as if I had to deny that I was born-again to her, and it just felt wrong, as if I was doing something shameful. Have you guys ever felt that way? like you felt for a moment almost ashamed? like you had to hide your faith / status as a born again Christian?
Luckily that feeling only lasted for a moment. After I thought about it, i thought - my mother does not define who i am and she does not get to declare who I am and what I am. And she doesn't know my true faith and doesn't know what is going on inside my head. I decided to live in a godly way and follow Christ - and it was almost as if this whole interaction was testing that. But I was still feeling a little weird that she thought I only joined the group to meet people. It seems like a bizarre thing for me to do. Of all the groups on campus to choose, I picked the religious one?! That just makes no sense considering I used to be a pretty outspoken atheist. Why on earth would I choose a Christian group to meet people, if I didn't truly become a born-again Christian?

Then I had a breakthrough of sorts: Doesn't the Bible say that we will be persecuted for our faith? And we'll be rejected? Can anybody find any of these passages off the top of their head?
In the end I even sort of felt better about my initial friendship dilemma. I felt rejected, but I sort of felt calm about it, because I know that Christ was rejected too and in a far worse way than I am by my friends.
What started as me feeling hurt and rejected turned around and makes me feel at peace, enlightened and calm.

I'm sorry if this was poorly written and makes no sense, but does anybody have any similar experiences? or can perhaps add anything to what i've said? Does what I said make sense?
 
I love what you have shared here, jmilly! Your testimony here reveals a strong faith and your desire to fellowship with people of like mind and heart is normal and to be praised.

Yes, God actually promises us persecution for righteousness' sake. I have undergone much of that and the Lord has given me this verse to comfort me:

James 1:2-4 (NLT)
My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways. 3 You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won’t need anything.

So, as the NKJV says, "count it all joy"!

Matthew 5:10 (CEV)
God blesses those people
who are treated badly
for doing right.
They belong to the kingdom
of heaven.

1 Peter 3:14 (NLT)
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.


I am comforted in knowing I am a member of one huge family of God. That can be a real source of comfort for you, too. So many have gone before us, and we are going before others, as well.
 
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Ok i've recently had a bit of an identity crisis. I was feeling upset because I felt rejected by a few of my friends who I met from my old Christian group. I know I ought to move on, but I was still hurt and feeling left out by something that happened. I spoke to my mother, and she said oh you know those Christian people can be real weird. they aren't normal. I said, I am not sure this has to do with them being Christian. Although I must say I did sort of expect something from the fact that they were Christian. I expected to not to be hurt.
She said these born-again people are just strange. I told my mother, but, I'm a Christian. She said, no you're not like them. Aren't you in that group just because you wanted to meet people?
I was a little shocked and offended - why on earth would I join a Religious-themed group just to meet people. I joined the group because I was a BORN-AGAIN Christian. But i found myself feeling a bit embarrassed to tell her that. perhaps it was because she had just got done saying born agains are weirdos.
But I was offended that she would think I was insincere in my reasons for joining that group, about why I spent so much of my time with these people and why I started going to church. I suddenly felt this feeling of sadness and emptiness. Like something that was very important to me, my faith, was dismissed. And also of embarrassment - that my mother would think i'm a "weirdo" too, since I'd identify myself as born-again. I felt almost as if I had to deny that I was born-again to her, and it just felt wrong, as if I was doing something shameful. Have you guys ever felt that way? like you felt for a moment almost ashamed? like you had to hide your faith / status as a born again Christian?
Luckily that feeling only lasted for a moment. After I thought about it, i thought - my mother does not define who i am and she does not get to declare who I am and what I am. And she doesn't know my true faith and doesn't know what is going on inside my head. I decided to live in a godly way and follow Christ - and it was almost as if this whole interaction was testing that. But I was still feeling a little weird that she thought I only joined the group to meet people. It seems like a bizarre thing for me to do. Of all the groups on campus to choose, I picked the religious one?! That just makes no sense considering I used to be a pretty outspoken atheist. Why on earth would I choose a Christian group to meet people, if I didn't truly become a born-again Christian?

Then I had a breakthrough of sorts: Doesn't the Bible say that we will be persecuted for our faith? And we'll be rejected? Can anybody find any of these passages off the top of their head?
In the end I even sort of felt better about my initial friendship dilemma. I felt rejected, but I sort of felt calm about it, because I know that Christ was rejected too and in a far worse way than I am by my friends.
What started as me feeling hurt and rejected turned around and makes me feel at peace, enlightened and calm.

I'm sorry if this was poorly written and makes no sense, but does anybody have any similar experiences? or can perhaps add anything to what i've said? Does what I said make sense?
God used those Christians to show you how not to act. You are growing in Christ at a rapid rate there.

Everyone wants to be a Christian. Sin as much as want, just repent before you die....claim God's promises to be rich and always walk in healing...and then go to heaven for eternity. What better deal exists? You can agree with your mother, she is mostly right.

Just keep your eyes on Jesus. Sure it hurts when Christians hurt us. We go to meetings with our defenses down. We are supposed to be among warm, loving, kind, generous brothers and sisters...but many bugs are found by the light. Its just the way it is.
 
Ok i've recently had a bit of an identity crisis. I was feeling upset because I felt rejected by a few of my friends who I met from my old Christian group. I know I ought to move on, but I was still hurt and feeling left out by something that happened. I spoke to my mother, and she said oh you know those Christian people can be real weird. they aren't normal. I said, I am not sure this has to do with them being Christian. Although I must say I did sort of expect something from the fact that they were Christian. I expected to not to be hurt.
She said these born-again people are just strange. I told my mother, but, I'm a Christian. She said, no you're not like them. Aren't you in that group just because you wanted to meet people?
I was a little shocked and offended - why on earth would I join a Religious-themed group just to meet people. I joined the group because I was a BORN-AGAIN Christian. But i found myself feeling a bit embarrassed to tell her that. perhaps it was because she had just got done saying born agains are weirdos.
But I was offended that she would think I was insincere in my reasons for joining that group, about why I spent so much of my time with these people and why I started going to church. I suddenly felt this feeling of sadness and emptiness. Like something that was very important to me, my faith, was dismissed. And also of embarrassment - that my mother would think i'm a "weirdo" too, since I'd identify myself as born-again. I felt almost as if I had to deny that I was born-again to her, and it just felt wrong, as if I was doing something shameful. Have you guys ever felt that way? like you felt for a moment almost ashamed? like you had to hide your faith / status as a born again Christian?
Luckily that feeling only lasted for a moment. After I thought about it, i thought - my mother does not define who i am and she does not get to declare who I am and what I am. And she doesn't know my true faith and doesn't know what is going on inside my head. I decided to live in a godly way and follow Christ - and it was almost as if this whole interaction was testing that. But I was still feeling a little weird that she thought I only joined the group to meet people. It seems like a bizarre thing for me to do. Of all the groups on campus to choose, I picked the religious one?! That just makes no sense considering I used to be a pretty outspoken atheist. Why on earth would I choose a Christian group to meet people, if I didn't truly become a born-again Christian?

Then I had a breakthrough of sorts: Doesn't the Bible say that we will be persecuted for our faith? And we'll be rejected? Can anybody find any of these passages off the top of their head?
In the end I even sort of felt better about my initial friendship dilemma. I felt rejected, but I sort of felt calm about it, because I know that Christ was rejected too and in a far worse way than I am by my friends.
What started as me feeling hurt and rejected turned around and makes me feel at peace, enlightened and calm.

I'm sorry if this was poorly written and makes no sense, but does anybody have any similar experiences? or can perhaps add anything to what i've said? Does what I said make sense?

Hello and thanks so much for that testimony, absolutely brilliant stuff. I am a former youth and young adult Pastor and I can tell straight-away that you are one of the committed one's. You obviously have that depth of Jesus within to stand on what you believe and the Lord Jesus Christ will honor you for it. It sounds like God has some plans in store for you!
 
Is your mom a born again believer? It's hard for those who are not to understand why those who are 'are the way they are'. She might not be persecuting you per se but she maybe she just doesn't understand what it means?
 
Is your mom a born again believer? It's hard for those who are not to understand why those who are 'are the way they are'. She might not be persecuting you per se but she maybe she just doesn't understand what it means?
I think she is perhaps thinking of those who are insincere. And who use their "Christianity" as a way to judge others and be hypocrites.
My mother isn't born-again , she is Catholic, attends mass every week (where she doses off), and she prays sometimes (I recall as a child (a non-believing little brat child) her locking herself in the back bathroom, and she'd say she's going to the bathroom, but i would sneak around and i could hear her mumbling to herself, and I'd see her with a book later... a Bible I presume, now). That said, I don't really know what is going on with her. I think part of it is that she attends mass and she feels she has "paid her dues" for the week just by attending. It's not fair for me to doubt her faith though. I'm sure she's sincere in her faith, but it's just different. perhaps because i'm "new" to this, i think about it all the time, which doesn't seem to be the case with her. but once again, there's no way for me to know what she's thinking / praying

also - My father, although he was also raised Catholic, stopped going to church a looong time ago, so my mom goes alone. She must lie sometimes because he gives her a hard time about it. One time we were at a summer party and she disappeared for a long time and we all knew she went to church. when she came back we said, where did you go, and she said she went to the store or something.. but we all know. in retrospect I feel bad that she felt she had to be so sneaky about it. Now when i'm in town, i'll go with her, but right now i'm not living in the same city.
 
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