From the L.A. Times: (http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-lobdell-religion-20100808,0,3621871.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fmostviewed+%28L.A.+ Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories%29)
The Anne Rice defection: It's the tip of the religious iceberg American Christianity is not well, and there's evidence to indicate that its condition is more critical than most realize — or at least want to admit.

By William Lobdell

August 8, 2010

Novelist Anne Rice's surprise post last week on Facebook — she announced she had quit Christianity "in the name of Christ" because she'd seen too much hypocrisy — brought cheers and smug smiles from critics of institutional faith, and criticism and soul-searching among believers.

Anne Rice has had an interesting religious life and has managed to intertwine her career with her spiritual beliefs. I get where she is coming from - I also gave up on Christianity because it has become such a watered down version on the one hand, and there were principals on the other that I couldn't accept. I respect the faith but am too literal and concrete to be comfortable in it.

Traditionally, Christianity has been a profound, arduous path that calls upon its members to sacrifice and inject their belief system into their daily lives at a fundamental level. The view has been towards the afterlife rather than this one. Once the notion of being saved took root on the protestant side, vs. the widespread cafeteria christianity that took root on the Catholic side, the faith became something that evolved into a kind of emotional relationship with god to be defined by the follower, with little absolutes, requirements or consequences for spiritual lapses. Once the fear of hell and/or the value of living an austere life ebbed away, it really isn't worth the trouble, to many. Many good, church going people would consider the traditional follower (and what that entails has changed over time, I get that) to be a fanatic.

Thank you for your respectful reply.

We have some common ground here.

You are very welcome.

One could also question whether she was ever a true Christian in the first place, therefore not quit something she wasn't fully committed to.

I'm only very vaguely acquainted with Anne Rice, but I can relate to the sentiment. I've recently (past few years) become very uncomfortable with the current state of "the Church". I'm not at all disillusioned with Christianity, especially as espoused by C.S. Lewis. I'm more ill at ease with all the trappings of today's Church. I believe even more deeply than ever in God, in Jesus of Nazareth being God incarnate, the reality of a literal Heaven and Hell, the existence of Satan and all those things that I see as essential to being a Christian.

What I don't see as being Christian in nature are the magnificent edifices, the using of the Christian label as public and political branding, the untold millions (maybe billions?) invested in religious infrastructure, programs, literature, advertising and such. I am not even interested in targeting a particular denomination because they all do it, no matter what the designation. And although believers are admonished to make their beliefs public, they are not encouraged at all (in fact they are discouraged from) to sling around the name of Jesus and the Church for personal gain or recognition. The central figure of my faith said "by their fruits you shall know them".

I have come to see things in a much different light than when I was young and growing up. Back then Christians were not supposed to dance, drink, smoke, go to movies or do anything fun or frivolous on Sunday. Did I expose myself as a Baptist growing up? Now that I am older I believe that God, in His infinite wisdom, grace and mercy has provided us, the crowning glory of His creation, all the rest of His creation for our enjoyment and stewardship. This includes being good stewards of ourselves as well as the rest of His creation. Am I an "environmentalist wacko"? Not really. I do believe in doing OUR part of taking care of what God has created in a way that mostly takes care of itself.

I believe that when Jesus said "you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free", He included personal freedoms that allow us to be believers and still enjoy the bounty that God has created. Not to the degree that we are irresponsible and gluttons, but in moderation.

If you are seeking information about belief apart from the Church, you can go to http://freebelievers.com/ and see that there are others who seek true belief apart from the present-day Church. If you just don't believe at all, in my opinion, God says "OK - if that's the way you want to believe, that's not OK with me, but I'll allow it anyway." If He who (I believe) created all there is or ever will be says OK, I have to say OK too. Believe as you think is right. But if you want to know more, the Holy Bible has all you will ever need to know between Genesis and The Revelation and you don't need an interpreter.

I think it all boils down to one thing....CRUCIFIXES...and she never felt safe around Holy Water...

I think Anne likes the spotlight a bit much personally.