The Greek word translated ‘again,’ is ἄνωθεν, (anothen). Its root is ἄνω, (ano), which means ‘above.’  The dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus is one of John’s examples of people not getting it.  Being ‘born from above’ is getting a radically new perspective on life.  ‘Above’ is that which gives a broader, more inclusive perspective – like going up on a mountain and looking down at the valley, or the ‘earthrise’ perspective on the planet.

You can’t get there from here.  You can’t start with a national, racial, economic or familial identity and ‘get’ the context of inclusiveness, forgiveness, compassion for all and responsibility for all.

To a large extent, the intent of RS-1 (and even occasionally succeeding) was to ‘get there.’

FWIW

Bill Schlesinger

…and I’m thinking that “born again” is something to be thought of as akin to evolving, which suggests that the Big Bang is something akin to an infinitely massive birth.