Anne Rice thinks she can. The famous author wrote a series of vampire novels, one of the most famous being Interview with the Vampire, which was later filmed starring Tom Cruise. Just a few days ago, a frustrated Anne posted the following on her facebook page:
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 the comments quickly began to fly on her facebook post she then wrote the following statement a few minutes later:
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.
Do you think there is any value or truth to her claims? Do you think Anne’s statements help the church or just add to the problem? Do you think someone can bail on Christianity but still follow Jesus? I’m curious to know what others are thinking…
UPDATE: Here are some comments she made in a video interview on the topic…
“The worst effects are emotional… no smiles on the street and a sense of despair.”
Haiti needs hope. Yes, as Christians we need to help with disaster relief, we need to lead our nation and the world in providing water, food, and medical care but we also need to share Jesus. Haiti needs hope and that is where organizations like Faith Comes By Hearing are doing some great things. They are partnering with disaster relief organizations to bring hope to Haiti through the distribution of solar powered audio bibles.
Not only do I love the idea but I love the technology. The other wonderful thing about their approach is that literacy doesn’t stand in the way. With the use of these audio bibles there is no need for batteries and even those that are uneducated can still hear the message of hope that God has for them. Currently the organization distrubutes audio bibles in two ways. On is through the Bible Stick which is basically an mp3 player that is compact, easy to use and practically indistructable. They also distrubute a version of these units to military personnel in the battlefield.
To get an idea of what a bible stick looks like you can preview their bible stick for kids below…
To help on an even greater scale in Haiti Faith Comes By Hearing has designed a solar powered audio bible that has the kind of amplification needed to play audio for up to 300 people to listen to a life changing message. So not only are they distributing audio Bibles to the US military and numerous countries around the world, but they also have over 400 different versions available for download and distribution.
“Faith Comes By Hearing is committed to reaching the nations with the Word of God in Audio, offering the Bible in a format that will connect with the world’s 50% illiterate population.”
Haiti is in the thoughts and prayers of many at this time. However for some like my friend Toussaint, it is heartbreak, worry, and intense feelings for his family, country and his people. He just recently received word that his grandmother is ok and you can view his story by clicking on the video link below:
It was just a month ago when Toussaint and I sat down for coffee to discuss is passions for his homeland and how he could partner with CCV and our desires to do something for this nation in need. Now the need to aid Haiti is greater than ever. Fortunately we’ve connected with people on the ground there through Lifeline Christian Mission.
If you’re ready to make a difference now you can donate and be certain that your dollars will be immediately put to action to provide water, food, and medical supplies for those in need. CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION
Often when we are frustrated, the things that weigh on our minds most is what we’re against. Instead of remaining positive and initiating change through supporting the things that are great, we boycott and draw unnecessary attention to the things we hate. Sometimes people check out the things we dislike simply to find out what all the fuss it about.
That is why I like this new website I found on the web called Regenerate Culture. It’s creator Ryan Zemple says,
The arts have tremendous power to shape the culture and simply criticizing “degenerate” art gets us nowhere. Instead, we need to pay heed to two quotes of debatable origin. “Criticize by creating” is good advice, regardless of whether or not Michelangelo was the one who first said it. Similarly, “Give me the songs of a nation, and it matters not who writes its laws” may or may not originate with Damon of Athens, but rings true regardless here in the nation’s capital. I firmly believe that by fostering redemptive art, regenerate artists can bring about a morally and spiritually revitalized culture.
How much control do you believe you have over your own happiness?
I saw the video below on a friend’s blog and I had to pass it on. The short film shows how a little validation can go a long way in building relationships and impacting one’s circle of influence. However, there is also a subtle lesson in the video as well. When we become solely dependant on the validation of one single person, it can be unhealthy for you and for others around you. If you have 15 minutes to spare, the video is worth watching.
