"Non born again" survey?

Perhaps you can help me out, Glenji (or someone else), but what exactly does it mean to be a "born again" Christian as opposed to just a Christian? Is it just that the former means you weren't originally a Christian (from birth) and now you are?

This survey (or review of survey) seems to suggest that 'non born agains' aren't really as christian as born agains are...? I mean, I get the fact that some non-borns may just be about the 'community' or whatnot, but I didn't get why the results were 'so suprising'.

And here are some of the results:

Article wrote:MORE than four in 10 Australians who do not consider themselves "born again"' still believe Jesus rose from the dead, while one in 10 does not believe he existed.

put another, yet just as confusing, way:

Article wrote:found that out of the 85 per cent who did not identify as born again - including those of other religions - 45 per believed in the resurrection.

So, 85% of Christians are not born agains? Is that what it's saying? But then it says "other religions"... then it also says this:

Article wrote:Dr Dickson said the number who believed in the resurrection included agnostics and secularists because the total percentage was far higher than the remaining Christians surveyed.

"includes agnostics AND secularists"... wtf? Seriously, this survey is pointlessly obscure. At first I thought they meant "secular" to mean 'Atheist' and I thought "well, that's obviously BS, because it seems to be a blatant contradiction", but now I'm thinking secular just means... well, secular. But that makes me think "so what?!" Why is that a surprise?

Well, I think it's actually surprising that it's so low: only 45% of non-born again Christians believe in the resurrection of Christ? Wow, I would have thought it was way higher. But, I think, the article was making out that this was a high number.

Now, I share their optimism, but I certainly don't think it's a surprisingly high number (especially considering why people might answer a poll the way they do).

Feel free to correct my interpretation of the article—I certainly could have been wrong.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/national/national/general/christian-beliefs-still-strong-says-survey/1480128.aspx

I think that they're trying to say that more people believe in the resurrection (ie, the easter story) than previously thought. Secular probably just means people who don't practice a particular religion (which is how i read it)... in relation to born again, i've always been a little cagey on the subject, it comes (from memory) out of the southern baptist (American) tradition of full body immersion baptism, from which a believer is symbolically risen from the death of their old life, i.e. born again into new life with Christ. hope that helps- if it's any consolation i think the article was unclear as John is usually very succinct and understandable (as you would expect from some one who's whole job is to explain Christianity to the world around him).

Ah, ok, I think I get it now. So, he was saying that around 45% of people who do not consider themselves 'born-again' believe, in some form or another, in the resurrection, and some of those 45% still might classify themselves as 'Christian,' but most of them are probably 'secular'.

Yeah?

I think so- that article sucked so it's hard to tell what John was saying...