I recently saw an article telling that author Anne Rice has “quit being a Christian”. After reading the post, it made me think.
“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.”
Anne Rice Tweet
Ms. Rice is free to believe or not believe as she sees fit. What caught my attention is why she decided not to believe. It made me think of the scene from Princess Diaries “I realized how many stupid times a day I use the word I. That’s probably all I ever do.” Did you notice how many times Ms. Rice used the term “I”? She didn’t comment on whether Christian beliefs are true, whether Scripture is accurate or even any reason why the beliefs she’s quitting should not be followed. I know a tweet has to be small, but her only “reason” she gives is her refusal to be identified as against certain lifestyles, worldviews and political parties.
This point of view is nothing new. Back in the Garden of Eden Eve had to choose between what the creator of the universe said and how she wanted to live her life.
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)
Or put another way, she refused to be anti-knowledge of good and evil. While it may not be new, the arrogance shown is no less saddening. The desire to control religion, decide who is and is not worthy of salvation and what adherents are required to do has done more to split and make worthless the so much of the modern church in the west.
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
Matthew 5:13 (NKJV)
If we are no different then the world around us, we are good for nothing and deserve to be trampled underfoot. If we dictate to God which of His rules we will follow have we not displaced Him and made ourselves lord of our lives? If we judge the rightness of a position by rhetoric and public opinion rather then the dictates of our leader are we not subversive infiltrators?
Ms. Rice says “In the name of … Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian.” I cannot say for sure whether she actually met Christ or just the images and idols we create to make ourselves feel good as we call ourselves Christians. It does appear she has told the creator of the universe “I refuse to be your follower, I refuse to accept your payment for my sins and I refuse to even be associated with your teachings.”
How sad.