Novelist Anne Rice says she's leaving Christianity

Thu Jul 29, 2010 4:33 PM EDT

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FILE - In this April 25, 2006 file photo, writer Anne Rice arrives to the opening night of the new Broadway musical "Lestat," in New York. (AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh, file)

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NEW YORK — Anne Rice has had a religious conversion: She's no longer a Christian.

"In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control," the author wrote Wednesday on her Facebook page. "In the name of ... Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen."

Rice, 68, is best known for "Interview With a Vampire" and other gothic novels. Raised as a Catholic, she had rejected the church early in her life but renewed her faith in recent years and in 2008 released the memoir "Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession."

In a telephone interview Thursday, Rice said she had been having doubts for the past two to three years. She was troubled by the child abuse scandals in the church, and the church's defensive reaction, and by the ex-communication of Sister Margaret McBride, a nun and hospital administrator who had approved an abortion for a woman whose life was in danger.

"I believed for a long time that the differences, the quarrels among Christians didn't matter a lot for the individual, that you live your life and stay out of it. But then I began to realize that it wasn't an easy thing to do," said Rice, speaking from her home near Palm Springs, Calif. "I came to the conclusion that if I didn't make this declaration, I was going to lose my mind."

Rice said she is a Democrat who supports the health care legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama and believes gay marriage inevitably will be permitted throughout the country. Although no longer part of any denomination, she remains a believer and continues to read theology and post Biblical passages on her Facebook page. She has no immediate plans to write about her leaving the church and will continue with her metaphysical fiction series, "Songs of the Seraphim."

Rice will not be taking up vampires again, but she said she is a big fan of the HBO series "True Blood," enjoyed the first two "Twilight" movies (she has yet to read any of the Stephenie Meyer novels) and is interested in seeing her most famous character, the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, return to the screen.

"We're in talks about it," she said. "But then we've always been in talks about it. Hope springs eternal in California."

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Public Discussion (22)

obama12121200Deleted

Angry Left-532262

Well thats great...she should have done that before she screwed up the last 4 books of the Vampire Chronicles and saved herself the embarrassment of her slew of crappy christian mythology books...that whole "life of christ" nonsense she wrote.....

#2 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:17 AM EDT

Auteur 1536

Good she's no longer a fundamentalist. Bad that she won't be writing more vampire novels to save us from the bane of "Twilight."

#3 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:56 PM EDT

kenneth pearce

I think the current vampire craze is her grandchild...the human face of the poor vampire. Hey, here's an idea, we could get Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise to reprise their roles, some generations after.

#3.1 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:42 PM EDT

Auteur 1536

Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Anthonio Banderas.

#3.2 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:54 PM EDT

desert voice

She obviously misses a screw or two. Decades ago, after perusing her books, I thought that she had some unclean spirit in her. She loved the gothic and the vampiresque, the bloody and the macabre. I doubt whether her "conversion" to Christianity has been real. Once you convert to Christ, you cannot leave Him just like that! He dwells in your heart and mind, and becomes part of you! Christ sends you the Holy Spirit, who becomes the Soul of your soul. You are no longer soul and body: you are, as St. Irenaeus says, "Spirit, soul, and body"! I hope Mrs. Rice reads this post. It can save her life in the afterlife! For ultimately, by leaving Christianity, she resigns herself to a life without God ... which ends here ... or worse, in hell!

#4 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:09 PM EDT

Auteur 1536

Once you convert to Christ, you cannot leave Him!

Obsessive-controlling much?

He dwells in your heart and mind, and becomes part of you!

Not without my consent.

It can save her life in the afterlife!

You ever think that maybe she doesn't want to be saved?

1 vote

#4.1 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:12 PM EDT

Me-2100015

This lady is twisted. She doesnt know who or what she believes in. Obviously with her dark and gothic concepts from which she draws inspiration for her novels, she is following Satan. Never would I imagine her claiming to love Christ. Now, she is denouncing the Catholic doctrine and their judgments not Christianity. A doctrine is a man made teaching....Christianity is a believe and love for God. She needs to understand her facts. Certain people denounce God to follow after their own lusts. So come on now. Don't give me all these Bs about "anti-gay...blah blah blah"

#5 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:55 PM EDT

Auteur 1536

Sounds like the only one who's really twisted is you.

#5.1 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:03 PM EDT

SoCalJoe

God is just as man made as your doctrine.

And tell me, why does god hate amputees?

1 vote

#5.2 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:20 PM EDT

kenneth pearce

She is expressing herself in the NEGATIVE, which implies a postive. Rather than tell the world what she ISN'T, she would do better to tell the world what she IS....unless of course she is now nothing, or perhaps just another Vampire.

Christianity grew from Judaism, which, like all positive religions, was focused on the survival and perpetuation of the tribe. One of the cardinal attributes of that perpetuation is the next generation, something that homosexuals are inherently unable to accomplish. On the tree of life, homosexuals do not branch, so they are inherently the fruits, which is exactly how the euphemish, FRUITS, became associated with homosexuals. Their sexuality is not associated with perpetuating the tribal blood and values, but is rather for carnal pleasure alone...the FRUIT of the human vine.

#6 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:39 PM EDT

jackie-1085195

Rice says she "refuses to be "anti-gay ... anti-feminist," and "anti-artificial birth birth control" as reasons she cites for "quitting Christianity."

Obviously and sadly, that statement demonstrates right there she knows nothing about being a Christian if this is what she believes. Maybe she should take a hiatus from writing books....to reading one....The Bible.

She should learn to let The Word speak to her and worship with fellow Christians (which is needed to fully absorb and understand God's teachings).

She may quit on Christ.....but He will never forsake her. It's a shame to be on death's door when so many are turning to God...and she is abandoning Him.

Hopefully, she will have a revelation...and soon.

#7 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:54 PM EDT

Angry Left-532262

Obviously and sadly, that statement demonstrates right there she knows nothing about being a Christian if this is what she believes. Maybe she should take a hiatus from writing books....to reading one....The Bible.

I would say she is spot on......Most christians are fundamentally anti-homosexual, anti-feminist, and anti birth control.

You might be right in saying that thats not what true christians believe, but 90% of the christians in america are hypocrites and "not really" christian.

2 votes

#7.1 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:24 PM EDT

Suite Judy

You obviously haven't met 'most Christians'. I have met many, and they aren't anti-homsexual, anti-feminist, and anti birth control.

The Catholic Church by its' very teachings is, but that is a church, not Christianity. There is a difference which you obviously don't know. I'm not trying to insult you just trying to point out a truth.

#7.2 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:56 PM EDT

Angry Left-532262

I grew up in SC as a jew...I had to hide that because of those good god fearing christian folk, would assault me when they found out.

The klan marched around my state preaching death to me and the destruction of my people, they call themselves christians.

No, not everyone there was a klansman and a bigot....but no one would say anything to them....no one called the cops or ambulance while I got beaten by a group of good christian redneck klansmen......those good christians stood by and did NOTHING......they are all guilty in my eyes.

2 votes

#7.3 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:07 PM EDT

Auteur 1536

I have met many

By "many" you mean the ones you go to church with, which isn't that many.

#7.4 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:08 PM EDT

Becks-2100818

And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³²Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Matthew 12:31-32

#7.5 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:02 PM EDT

Auteur 1536

Not everyone reads the bible. Try again.

#7.6 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:10 PM EDT

SoCalJoe

And so the ignorant, fearing the world around them, made up a god, the holy ghost/spirit, and even a sacrificial son (gee thanks dad), so they would not have to think for themselves or take responsibilities for their xenophobic, homophobic and intolerance of other cultures, lifestyles and races. And in these days they thought it was good and godly to whine about helping the poor and instead supported the rich philistines and from their pulpits they shouted to pass laws against two loving people to marry. And this they also thought was good and godly. Then nothing happened, no god or return and they were marginalized just like the people who worshipped Zeus, Osiris and other ancient made up deities.

SoCalJoe 8:1-2010

#7.7 - Sun Aug 1, 2010 9:22 PM EDT

Auteur 1536

You should also add, "They also shouted and attacked and killed in attempt to pass laws against women being able to have a choice and rights to their own bodies because they believed women to be inferior and good for nothing other than reproductive purposes."

#7.8 - Mon Aug 2, 2010 5:04 AM EDT

Lia-2005107

I was born again at the age of 12 (I am now 62). In recent years I have become disillusioned with organized religion and what is happening to it, but my faith in God and his son Jesus will always be in my mind and heart. The Bible warns us about these times when it will become very hard to remain a Christian. I would love to find a church where I could recapture the feelings of my early religion, but that seems pretty out of reach for now. But who knows where God will lead me.

#8 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:47 PM EDT

Becks-2100818

Try a church that has expository preaching. I am with you on the disillisionment, but if you find this type of church, you will get teaching from the Bible, instead of topical sermons. Calvery Chapel is pretty reliable.

#8.1 - Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:09 PM EDT

Candie Enchantress Goddess

Welcome Anne Rice to the world of the 'thinkers'. I love God and Jesus Christ. I love fantasy as well and all other types of make-believe, etc, but I 'think' religion goes to far. I do believe there is a God because it 'seems' that he really 'is' the logical answer to everything, but I 'think' that Jesus Christ was just a wonderful man who was a great missionary that did wonderful work. Because he died for his work - many people have decided to make him a martyr and worship him. There isn't any proof of anything except that he lived and he died. Religion and its people decided to makeup unnecessary rules for people to follow and label them as sins...I undersand that most people have a need to be a follower with a desire to belong to something;BUT US FREE-THINKERS ONLY DESIRE FREEDOM, we are a beautiful people!

Novelist Anne Rice says she's leaving Christianity

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