Anne Rice Dumps Christianity (Again)

Anne Rice is probably one of the most prolific and best-selling authors in America -- having sold about 100 million books. She achieved her fame by writing gothic (vampires, witches) and erotic novels. But in 2005 she did an about-face and turned uber-religious. That year she rejoined the Catholic Church, which she had left when she was 18 years old (about 1959-60). She even penned several religious books.

But a few days ago Ms. Rice again dumped christianity. Although she says she is still a follower of Christ, she doesn't want to have anything to do with the church or organized religion and no longer calls herself a christian. She especially doesn't like how organized christian churches treat women and homosexuals. Here is how she explains her abandonment of organized religion:

"For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to “belong” to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else."

"As I said below, I quit being a Christian. I’m out. 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. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of …Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen."