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no_hypocrisy

(53,189 posts)
Mon Sep 22, 2025, 07:49 PM Monday

When I was in high school 50 years ago, there were kids who "followed Jesus".

They were influenced by Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell. They had their Mustard Seed Coffee Houses. They went to church and read the Bible. Carried big Bibles to class. Probably more pious than their parents.

They were the "Jesus Freaks".

They were different than the kids who follow Charlie Kirk.

JF's preached and lived Love and Peace and stuff. Jesus even looked like the guys. Religious hippies. No hate. No anger. No desire to take over the constitutional United States.

&list=RDzWAqW5D5kZo&start_radio=1

I'm an atheist. Bring back the Jesus Freaks.
13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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When I was in high school 50 years ago, there were kids who "followed Jesus". (Original Post) no_hypocrisy Monday OP
Godspell came out when I was a kid proud patriot Monday #1
Yes, I remember Youth for Christ people in college in the late '60s. Ocelot II Monday #2
Did you keep in touch or know what became of her? Xavier Breath Monday #4
I have no idea what happened to her. I don't even remember what her major was. Ocelot II Monday #5
It's mostly annoying Avalon Sparks Monday #7
Having never experienced it, I probably tend to romanticize the going-away-to-college process, and probably always will. Xavier Breath Tuesday #12
Yes Avalon Sparks Wednesday #13
In 1971, Time Magazine published an issue with the following cover: John1956PA Monday #3
My high school had a bible club. BluesRunTheGame Monday #6
"One-WayJesus"? UP WITH PEOPLE? JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT? czarjak Tuesday #8
I was one of them HBguy Tuesday #9
interesting Skittles Tuesday #10
Welcome to DU. no_hypocrisy Tuesday #11

proud patriot

(102,270 posts)
1. Godspell came out when I was a kid
Mon Sep 22, 2025, 07:52 PM
Monday

We had the album . I still listen to it from time to time .

I'm agnostic but I can totally get behind Jesus Freaks .

Ocelot II

(127,439 posts)
2. Yes, I remember Youth for Christ people in college in the late '60s.
Mon Sep 22, 2025, 07:55 PM
Monday

They were annoying but not hateful. My first college roommate was into that stuff, and she was really irritating because she kept bugging me to go to her Jesus meetings with her instead of doing normal college stuff like hanging out with disreputable men and smoking weed. I moved to another dorm as soon as there was an opening. She meant well, though, which is more than we can say for the Kirklejerkers.

Xavier Breath

(6,150 posts)
4. Did you keep in touch or know what became of her?
Mon Sep 22, 2025, 08:33 PM
Monday

I'm curious if she stayed devoted and stuck to the religious path.

Perhaps my biggest regret in life is that I did not go away to college. Both of my parents barely gradated from high school, so college was not emphasized in our home. As a result, I've always found the idea of roommates and dorm life intriguing.

Ocelot II

(127,439 posts)
5. I have no idea what happened to her. I don't even remember what her major was.
Mon Sep 22, 2025, 08:46 PM
Monday

Mostly I wanted to get away from her. She was from the South somewhere, TX or OK I think, not sure how she even ended up at a college in the North. Roommates and dorm life can be fun or horrible or, most of the time, both.

Avalon Sparks

(2,726 posts)
7. It's mostly annoying
Mon Sep 22, 2025, 09:58 PM
Monday

In my experience. Especially if you are randomly paired with someone. Dorm life was definitely a pain in the ass.

Roommates, even the best can be challenging. Also the older you get it gets worse.

Just my experience, although I’ll admit I had some good times with roommates who were friends first, but still annoying… lol

That’s just my experience.

Xavier Breath

(6,150 posts)
12. Having never experienced it, I probably tend to romanticize the going-away-to-college process, and probably always will.
Tue Sep 23, 2025, 09:41 AM
Tuesday

I never had a platonic roommate, and at this age I wouldn't want to. No sir.

Avalon Sparks

(2,726 posts)
13. Yes
Wed Sep 24, 2025, 12:12 AM
Wednesday

It really isn’t like it’s portrayed in the movies or shows, and thinking back I remember a lot of people complaining about their own roommates often. I definitely have some horror stories like the dorm mate who throw up on the floor while I was out of town and left it there. She was absolutely gross. I eventually got a staff infection living with her for which I still have a scar and on my face too.

With Others, clothes ‘borrowed’ with out asking and sometimes ruined. Food disappearing, (young me also guilty of that roomie no no here and there), jewelry borrowed and lost, difference in cleaning expectations, and I swear I am laid back, relatively clean and even young self centered me was not really high maintenance or ocd about it. A few came onto my boyfriends, one had guys over after bar closed quite a bit, another played David Bowie non stop, from early morning to late at night, and lol I wasn’t a fan. Much, much more.

A few might have a great roommate and live together all through college, but I rarely saw that if ever. I think my brother had one he roomed with all 4 years.

Anyway, I don’t think you missed out on anything but stress and unwanted frustration. Late teens and early 20 year olds often don’t understand boundaries, I know I didn’t. Lots of self centered ness in those days too and pure roommate drama lol. I was done with it forever by age 22. My hubby is the only one I can ever live with and eventually did after all that.

The last thing I will add is you know that saying about fish and company going bad after 3 days. Roommates have a longer timeline I guess, but the fish pops up here and there every time.

BluesRunTheGame

(1,876 posts)
6. My high school had a bible club.
Mon Sep 22, 2025, 09:54 PM
Monday

8 or 10 kids at the most. They were weird.

Pretty harmless though.

czarjak

(13,210 posts)
8. "One-WayJesus"? UP WITH PEOPLE? JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT?
Tue Sep 23, 2025, 01:02 AM
Tuesday

Any others from late 60's early 70's?

HBguy

(4 posts)
9. I was one of them
Tue Sep 23, 2025, 01:34 AM
Tuesday

Raised in the church (Southern Baptist), was "saved" the summer before 9th Grade. Yes, I was probably pretty annoying during my high school years, although I settled down a bit during the latter years. The Jesus I followed was, essentially, the Jesus of the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount, and was focused on kind treatment of others -- everyone.

Now, however, I'm an atheist (although I prefer the label "freethinker" ). I began the transition not too long after I had graduated from college, and although it's a rather long and complicated story, one of the bigger reasons was how I saw other "Christians" were acting, for example, Jerry Falwell/Moral Majority, etc., and the hate they were spreading. I still subscribe, more or less, to the "Jesus" values in the Beatitudes, etc., but I've incorporated them into a humanistic worldview, without the religious trappings.

Of the people I went to church with back in those days . . . the ones I am in sort-of touch with (Facebook, etc.) -- I'm sad to say that most (although, thankfully, not all) are now full-blown Trumpers. In my mind, they've betrayed the teachings of the Jesus they claim to follow, and I've all but cut off contact with them. Don't need that in my life now.

Skittles

(167,728 posts)
10. interesting
Tue Sep 23, 2025, 02:34 AM
Tuesday

I never truly understand how people get sucked into religion (yes I know it is GROOMED into most kids) - it simply is NOT NEEDED to be a decent person. I'm really glad I was not raised to believe in such nonsense......seems to me if you can get people to believe that stuff you can make them believe anything.

no_hypocrisy

(53,189 posts)
11. Welcome to DU.
Tue Sep 23, 2025, 04:58 AM
Tuesday

Yeah, being born again make you a level above your parents who just accepted doctrine.

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