# Anne Rice renounces Christianity but remains a Christian **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 30, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599 "2010-07-30T17:27:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/1 "2010-07-30T17:27:50Z")
[Story here.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/29/anne-rice-i-quit-being-a_n_663915.html) > [@](#): > > Rice declared on her Facebook account that she is “an outsider” in the Christian community: > > > [@](#): > > > > 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. > > Rice affirmed that though she has decided to leave the Christian institution, she “remain[s] committed to Christ as always.” Ooookaaaayyyyy . . . I guess the only thing about this relevant to CS is, how will this affect her future novels? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/2 "2010-07-30T17:31:44Z")
You know, that’s really insulting to a lot of Christians. I haven’t described myself as one since I was a teenager and I’m still pissed on behalf of my parents. I know she’d gotten a big religious readership for her more recent Jesus novels - I doubt they’ll care much for whatever she’s calling whatever she’s doing now. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/3 "2010-07-30T17:32:27Z")
Maybe she’ll write something worth reading again now. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/4 "2010-07-30T17:32:30Z")
Why would it have any effect on future novels? I get the impression that her values/beliefs have not changed, just that she no longer belongs to a particular church. I expect her writing will remain much the same. Lots of angsty vampires feeling sorry for themselves because they’re immortal and beautiful. I quit reading her after the body-snatcher book (forgot title). ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/5 "2010-07-30T17:34:32Z")
Eh, she’s just pissed about the Churches irrational and biggoted anti-vampire stance. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/6 "2010-07-30T17:38:05Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Eh, she’s just pissed about the Churches irrational and biggoted anti-vampire stance. It is rather hypocritical, since their core sacrament involves blood-drinking . . . ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/7 "2010-07-30T17:39:25Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > You know, that’s really insulting to a lot of Christians. I haven’t described myself as one since I was a teenager and I’m still pissed on behalf of my parents. You may find it insulting but with the exception of a few denominations, she’s not that far off the mark in terms of what christianity demands. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/8 "2010-07-30T17:39:35Z")
Someone didn’t check out the United Church of Christ, among other denominations. Most of those beliefs are practically written into their bylaws/articles of faith/whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/9 "2010-07-30T17:40:08Z")
There are plenty of Christian sects that don’t believe in any of the crap she’s (quite reasonbly) objecting to. I don’t see why she would feel a need to renounce organized Christian religion generally (as opposed to renouncing particular sects that **do** endorse that crap). ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/10 "2010-07-30T17:42:38Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Why would it have any effect on future novels? I get the impression that her values/beliefs have not changed, just that she no longer belongs to a particular church. I expect her writing will remain much the same. Lots of angsty vampires feeling sorry for themselves because they’re immortal and beautiful. I quit reading her after the body-snatcher book (forgot title). You’re thinking of Stephenie Meyer. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/11 "2010-07-30T17:43:54Z")
Does Anne Rice still even ping the radar? I gave up on her years and years ago. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/12 "2010-07-30T17:44:33Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Why would it have any effect on future novels?. Because after she publicy announced her conversion, she started writing novels from a definitely Christian (for a certain value of such) POV, such as [_Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_the_Lord:_Out_of_Egypt) May the Gay Vampire Jesus be with you all. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/13 "2010-07-30T17:50:12Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > > [@Oakminster](#): > > > > Why would it have any effect on future novels? I get the impression that her values/beliefs have not changed, just that she no longer belongs to a particular church. I expect her writing will remain much the same. Lots of angsty vampires feeling sorry for themselves because they’re immortal and beautiful. I quit reading her after the body-snatcher book (forgot title). > > You’re thinking of Stephenie Meyer. You’re saying **Oakminster** renounced Anne Rice because of a generalization drawn from a similar writer’s characteristics? Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/14 "2010-07-30T17:52:58Z")
There are plenty of churches she could join that would fit her. The entire Covenant Network of Presbyterian Churches, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/15 "2010-07-30T17:54:32Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > [@Oakminster](#): > > > > Why would it have any effect on future novels?. > > Because after she publicy announced her conversion, she started writing novels from a definitely Christian (for a certain value of such) POV, such as [_Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_the_Lord:_Out_of_Egypt) And I don’t see why that would change. She still believes the same stuff, and I’d expect her writing to continue to be influenced by those beliefs. Though it might be kinda funny if she did a “Donkey Ears on the Pope” kinda thing… ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/16 "2010-07-30T18:39:16Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > You know, that’s really insulting to a lot of Christians. That was my first thought too. OK I’m not religious but I do know there are such huge number of Chrisitan churches, you probably could find one that suits your beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/17 "2010-07-30T19:05:22Z")
Mmmm…I’ve seen her attitude before with some people raised Catholic. (And IIRC that’s what she converted, or rather reverted to.) My husband has it, as a matter of fact. They just can’t see any denomination of Christianity other than Catholicism being “true”. They’re newbies, Johnny-come-latelys, and lack the authority that comes with being The First Christian Church. Only the RCC “counts”. So when she became disenchanted with the RCC again, she didn’t really have the option in her mind of moving to a more liberal denomination. The RCC had branded itself in her heart as The Only True Church, so she couldn’t take any “lesser” ones seriously. This is only my supposition, of course, and I know that there are people who convert from the RCC to Protestant churches, and are devout and happy in their new denomination. But as I’ve said, it’s an attitude I’ve seen more than once before, and I would not be surprised if it’s true here. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/18 "2010-07-30T19:09:07Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Story here.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/29/anne-rice-i-quit-being-a_n_663915.html) > > > [@](#): > > > > Rice declared on her Facebook account that she is “an outsider” in the Christian community: > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > 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. > > > > Rice affirmed that though she has decided to leave the Christian institution, she “remain[s] committed to Christ as always.” > > Ooookaaaayyyyy . . . > > I guess the only thing about this relevant to CS is, how will this affect her future novels? You can take the girl out of the Church, but you can’t take the church out of the girl. I quit reading her many years ago for that very reason. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/19 "2010-07-30T19:11:50Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Mmmm…I’ve seen her attitude before with some people raised Catholic. (And IIRC that’s what she converted, or rather reverted to.) My husband has it, as a matter of fact. > > They just can’t see any denomination of Christianity other than Catholicism being “true”. They’re newbies, Johnny-come-latelys, and lack the authority that comes with being The First Christian Church. Only the RCC “counts”. > > So when she became disenchanted with the RCC again, she didn’t really have the option in her mind of moving to a more liberal denomination. The RCC had branded itself in her heart as The Only True Church, so she couldn’t take any “lesser” ones seriously. > > This is only my supposition, of course, and I know that there are people who convert from the RCC to Protestant churches, and are devout and happy in their new denomination. But as I’ve said, it’s an attitude I’ve seen more than once before, and I would not be surprised if it’s true here. See TVTropes page: [Christianity Is Catholic.](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChristianityIsCatholic) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599/20 "2010-07-30T19:27:31Z")
[Alec Guinness]Anne Rice… that’s a name I haven’t heard in… a long time…[/Alec Guinness] Anne Rice was born with one great book in her and she decided instead to spread it over 20. If she’d written the Bible it would be 9,834 books to date and still growing, and every character a bisexual whining aristocrat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-rice-renounces-christianity-but-remains-a-christian/548599.md?page=2)