Novelist Anne Rice, who had famously converted to Catholicism, has issued the following statement: “I refuse to be anti-gay … to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control … to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism … to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.”
When I first read this statement, it really hit me hard. I refuse to be all those things as well! (Well, I’m not really sure what she means by “anti secular humanism” — if that means I’m “against” systems that exclude the notion of God, I suppose I am “anti-” that. And I’m not “anti-gay,” although I do hold to a “traditional,” covenantal Christian view of human sexuality…)
Are there days (hours, minutes…) when I doubt, and wonder why I keep identifying with the body of people that sometimes are “anti” all these things — yup, yup, yup. But I identify with Jesus, or better he identified me, and so I’m joyfully part of the mixed up mess that is his body in this world!
And this is what I really don’t understand about Rice’s statement: many Christians have managed to find other Christians with common sentiments — heck, I’ve earned a theological credential in a seminary that, Praise the Lord, takes this kind of concern seriously! Why couldn’t Rice have done the same thing? I teach in a Catholic school, and those of my colleagues who are serious Catholics, including our campus Priest, aren’t anything like what Rice describes — not even close! (Well, a few of the really devout Catholics are “anti-artificial birth control” but for some very serious theological and spiritual reasons that I’m not going to rail against…)
Anyway — it seems to me that Rice could have just picked up an issue of Commonweal or Sojourers and many of her worries would have been put to rest, or at least she would have found some food for spiritual thought. That, I don’t get.
2 replies on “On Anne Rice”
Over here in the UK, I think there are a lot of people put off by us Christians, and I can often see why. It’s easy to say she was put off by Catholics / fundamentalists / American Christians – but we all have to watch ourselves. Thank God (as it were!) that she hasn’t been put off Christ himself!
I guess some interactions with the church (i.e. us) are just so off putting that some people despair of finding another group – especially if those interactions are with one of the groups that insists the others are wrong, so doesn’t make people aware that there are other options ‘within the church’.
I agree with your comment David O. However, finding an appropriate Christian church can be daunting.