Anne Rice leaves Christianity

[Dazon50]

NEW YORK (AP) — Anne Rice has had a religious conversion: She's no longer a Christian.
The 68-year-old author wrote Wednesday on her Facebook page that she refuses to be "anti-gay ... anti-feminist," and "anti-artificial birth birth control."

She adds that "In the name of ... Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen."

Her publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, confirmed Thursday that the posting was by Rice.

Rice 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.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[April2]

I've struggled a lot with that too! I didn't even like the God of the Old Testament and tried to avoid it usually. I prayed about it once before reading in the OT and I asked God to help me understand and when I started reading I did notice some things. I noticed God pleading with the Israelites over and over to come back to Him and that if they'd only come back to Him He would so bless them but if they didn't He would allow their enemies to overtake them. They would ignore Him and their enemies would overtake them then they'd see how much trouble they were in and would come running back to God and He'd take them back. Then they'd start falling back into sin, and not just any sin! This was the greatest offensive sins against God in that they were turning to other gods and even sacrificing their children to other gods! They were a rebellious and stubborn people (as we all tend to be!) but God took them back over and over and over again. Why? Because He loved them so much and only wanted what was best for them. He was trying to teach them to trust Him. Over and over you see that. When He rained down Manna in the desert He was testing them. This is after they complained! He fed them after they whined and complained. But He also tested them telling them to gather on all the days except the Sabbath because that day was for rest and some of them still rebelled! They tested His patience over and over like little children but He never abandoned them.
I try to remember all that when I do read the Old Testament. Yes, things seemed so much harsher then but I think God was trying to show them the seriousness of sin and what it can do to us and how it seperates us from Him.

I heard a pastor preach one time about this. He said God had to show the seriousness of sin and how it leads to death. He had to show us through the commandments and His rules what we were doing wrong so that we would know and then how we can't even obey fully without His help and that's why we needed a Savior.

It's difficult for me to read some parts of the OT too because there was so much war and death and punishment but He also showed how much He cared for His people and for those who obeyed, He blessed. Look at Abraham, Moses, and other great prophets of God. He greatly blessed them because of their obedience. He even called Abraham His friend! Wow, to be called a friend of God! What a great honor.

I'm not sure we'll ever understand everything till we see Him face to face but I do recommend praying and asking God to reveal Himself and teach us what He wants us to learn and understand about Him.
When Jesus came He became our sacrifice for us and gave us His righteousness so that we are covered under His righteousness when we accept Him. It came at a great cost, though, and we all need to remember that. It will help us to be grateful and humble for what Christ has done for us.

[Dazon50]

Well..since we can talk about this subject here, let's do it, Sara.

Yes....I struggled with the seemingly different Gods.  One was of wrath, a jealous God, and the other was a loving, forgiving...sent Himself in human form to die for us so we would be forgiven and by accepting Jesus's death on the Cross as the lamb slain for our transgressions....we could go to heaven and will.

However...this means we must pray for wisdom and dig deeper.  Jesus asked questions and questions lead to answers.  The mysteries of the deep belong to God and Life is his to fill with His truths and realities.  You see mercy, forgiveness, love, and all the wonderful qualities that are God's character in the Old, but you see the need for boundaries.

I say that the Bible is a truthful mirror.  It is the introduction and story of God yet does not tell it all.  It tells us what we need to know.

The struggling is part of our growth, I believe.  That is why I like the spirituality group and others like it because we can see and encourage each other on the path to truth.  To tell someone that Jesus is the way, the truth and life and no man can come onto the Father, except by Him is true, however, each person must come to that awareness themselves or it will mean nothing.

We cannot get to heaven hanging on to someone elses belief.  We must each wrestle ourselves as we reach to see and know truth.

So, Sarah....please feel free to ask or share your insights/struggles and experiences.

Thanks for your courage to express your struggle.  We need safe places to do this without being killed for it.

[Sarajmt]

She must not have really loved God and the Holy Trinity in the first place.  That's too bad.  You don't need to believe in a certain denomination to be a Christian.  Jesus was very accepting and certainly not anti-feminist.  (Mary Magdalene)   I don't recall anything about birth control.  But I do believe that Jesus would have loved gays as well.  He may have hated the sin but would have loved the sinner.

I realize this is off topic (forgive this sinner Dazon!)  but does anyone else have a problem with the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament?  It seems to be 2 different Gods.  One is vengeful and the other loving.  I just have a problem with it.

[April2]

Oh no, I can't believe it! Wow, that makes me sad. :( I hope she will change her mind and realize it's all about having a relationship with Christ, not what others say we should or shouldn't do.