"I quit being a Christian...."

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
[quote] For those who care, and I understand if you don't: [b]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 t ...[text shortened]... Anne Rice has had her eyes opened to the hypocrisy that is Christianity.

Comments?[/b]

it is all depending on how you view the problem. you belong to an organization that is accused of all you mentioned. do you quit the organization or try to reform it? do you believe this organization is flawed or simply some have taken it in a different direction than initially intended. do you view the pedophile priests, the anti-gay and anti-feminists and so on as representative of the religion or do you view yourself as representative. and if the latter, why should you leave and allow the rotten few to become the majority and why not try and reform it?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
[quote] 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 trie Anne Rice has had her eyes opened to the hypocrisy that is Christianity.

Comments?[/b]

Bravo. Looks like Anne Rice has had her eyes opened to the hypocrisy that is Christianity.

Comments?
Anne Rice sure is a quitter. After years away from the Catholic church--- during which time she amassed millions for turning out erotic, death-obsessed drivel--- she decided to "quit" what she perceived to be a culture of morbidity, and resumed her previous life of piety. Apparently she missed the community, the chants, the feeling of attachment to something more permanent. Presumably, we were all supposed to cheer.

Now, she has come to the insightful conclusion that Christians sometimes get it wrong (wonder if she referenced Clif Notes on that one) and =gasp!= she wants to quit again. I, for one, feel like there is a rat's ass out there somewhere suffering under the weight of supreme apathy.

Anne Rice? Really? Why not quote the guy who gave us "Chicken Soup for the Soul" or the editor from Reader's Digest? You pin your campaign against Christianity on someone with nothing to show for their lives but crap pulp novels.

This, of course, says nothing about the naiveté associated with the position that somehow Christianity = Christ. Last time I checked, He never said anything about being a Christian as a condition for salvation. Idiots who put their eyes on people deserve their own misery.

And as to your auxiliary point that folks don't have a problem with the message of the Christ, you couldn't be further off the mark. People certainly don't have a problem with their personal version of Him, but--- as He so forcefully put it--- He is the rock for some and a stumbling block for the rest.

Originally posted by Zahlanzi
it is all depending on how you view the problem. you belong to an organization that is accused of all you mentioned. do you quit the organization or try to reform it? do you believe this organization is flawed or simply some have taken it in a different direction than initially intended. do you view the pedophile priests, the anti-gay and anti-feminists a ...[text shortened]... should you leave and allow the rotten few to become the majority and why not try and reform it?

Which is the point I have been beating around, she didn't leave Christianity, I'm
not sure she was ever there to leave it, but she did leave an organization. To
which I say, big deal.
Kelly

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
[b]Bravo. Looks like Anne Rice has had her eyes opened to the hypocrisy that is Christianity.

Comments?
Anne Rice sure is a quitter. After years away from the Catholic church--- during which time she amassed millions for turning out erotic, death-obsessed drivel--- she decided to "quit" what she perceived to be a culture of morbidity, and resumed ...[text shortened]... He so forcefully put it--- He is the rock for some and a stumbling block for the rest.[/b]

is your view that someone's opinion doesn't matter if he/she has "nothing to show for their lives"? that unless you are ghandi, or abraham lincoln or einstein you have no right to speak up?

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
[b]Bravo. Looks like Anne Rice has had her eyes opened to the hypocrisy that is Christianity.

Comments?
Anne Rice sure is a quitter. After years away from the Catholic church--- during which time she amassed millions for turning out erotic, death-obsessed drivel--- she decided to "quit" what she perceived to be a culture of morbidity, and resumed ...[text shortened]... He so forcefully put it--- He is the rock for some and a stumbling block for the rest.[/b]

This just in: Silly author, out of depth, has opinion...

I can't believe NPR reported this.

Originally posted by KellyJay
Not sure what she is quiting, since being in Christ is being a Christian.
Kelly

She seemed to be reasonably clear: "I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity."

Originally posted by whodey
Why then did she give up on Christ?

She didn't. Reread the OP.

Originally posted by Zahlanzi
it is all depending on how you view the problem. you belong to an organization that is accused of all you mentioned. do you quit the organization or try to reform it? do you believe this organization is flawed or simply some have taken it in a different direction than initially intended. do you view the pedophile priests, the anti-gay and anti-feminists a ...[text shortened]... should you leave and allow the rotten few to become the majority and why not try and reform it?

[/b]
I'll repost this since so many seemed to have missed it:

Here's some more background on Rice's declaration and what informed it:
[quote] From http://www.csmonitor.com/From-the-news-wires/2010/0730/Anne-Rice-says-no-more-to-Christianity-and-no-new-vampires

In a telephone interview Thursday, Rice said she had been having doubts for the past two to three years. She was troubled by the child abuse scandals in the church, and the church's defensive reaction, and by the ex-communication of Sister Margaret McBride, a nun and hospital administrator who had approved an abortion for a woman whose life was in danger.

"I believed for a long time that the differences, the quarrels among Christians didn't matter a lot for the individual, that you live your life and stay out of it. But then I began to realize that it wasn't an easy thing to do," said Rice, speaking from her home near Palm Springs, California. "I came to the conclusion that if I didn't make this declaration, I was going to lose my mind."

[/quote]

Seems to me that she grew weary of the hypocrisy that is so prevalent in Christianity and amongst Christians.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne

I'll repost this since so many seemed to have missed it:
[quote]Here's some more background on Rice's declaration and what informed it:
[quote] From http://www.csmonitor.com/From-the-news-wires/2010/0730/Anne-Rice-says-no-more-to-Christianity-and-no-new-vampires

In a telephone interview Thursday, Rice said she had been having doubts for the pas ...[text shortened]... w weary of the hypocrisy that is so prevalent in Christianity and amongst Christians.[/b]

Just wondering if you could give a list of the hypocrsies your speaking of?

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
[b]Bravo. Looks like Anne Rice has had her eyes opened to the hypocrisy that is Christianity.

Comments?
Anne Rice sure is a quitter. After years away from the Catholic church--- during which time she amassed millions for turning out erotic, death-obsessed drivel--- she decided to "quit" what she perceived to be a culture of morbidity, and resumed He so forcefully put it--- He is the rock for some and a stumbling block for the rest.[/b]

It never ceases to amaze me how you are able to so consistently draw so many illogical and/or unfounded inferences / conclusions.

Anne Rice sure is a quitter. After years away from the Catholic church--- during which time she amassed millions for turning out erotic, death-obsessed drivel--- she decided to "quit" what she perceived to be a culture of morbidity, and resumed her previous life of piety. Apparently she missed the community, the chants, the feeling of attachment to something more permanent. Presumably, we were all supposed to cheer.

If all else fails, if you don't like the message, attack the messenger. Wow, "a quitter". How juvenile.

Now, she has come to the insightful conclusion that Christians sometimes get it wrong (wonder if she referenced Clif Notes on that one) and =gasp!= she wants to quit again.

Like Gandhi, it's been my experience that Christians are so unlike Jesus. It isn't about "sometimes [getting] it wrong".

Anne Rice? Really? Why not quote the guy who gave us "Chicken Soup for the Soul" or the editor from Reader's Digest? You pin your campaign against Christianity on someone with nothing to show for their lives but crap pulp novels.

lol. This only goes to show how desperate you are to find something disparaging to say.

This, of course, says nothing about the naiveté associated with the position that somehow Christianity = Christ. Last time I checked, He never said anything about being a Christian as a condition for salvation.

"Christianity = Christ"? Did Rice say anything of the sort? In actuality, she makes a distinction between the two. "Salvation"? Did Rice say anything about salvation? But since you're off on the tangent, Jesus taught that one must become righteous; i.e., one must become one with God, one must follow the will of God, one cannot continue to commit sin, etc.; for "eternal life" / "heaven" / "salvation. It seems that the vast majority of "Christians" believe otherwise.
And as to your auxiliary point that folks don't have a problem with the message of the Christ, you couldn't be further off the mark. People certainly don't have a problem with their personal version of Him, but--- as He so forcefully put it--- He is the rock for some and a stumbling block for the rest.

Was there supposed to be a logical progression here? The sad truth is that the vast majority of "Christians" have chosen to follow the teachings of Paul and others rather than the teachings of Jesus. No wonder hypocrisy is so prevalent and "Christians are so unlike...Christ" .

Originally posted by galveston75
Just wondering if you could give a list of the hypocrsies your speaking of?

Reread the post.

Or do you really want to go back to those who preach "forgiveness" and "love of your neighbor", yet support the death penalty and the ostracization of homosexuals?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Reread the post.

Or do you really want to go back to those who preach "forgiveness" and "love of your neighbor", yet support the death penalty and the ostracization of homosexuals?

No just a short list of your picking will do...

Originally posted by galveston75
No just a short list of your picking will do...

Did you miss the part about "reread the post"?

If that's beyond you, there's always those who claim to abide in / love / be disciples of Jesus, yet don't follow His commandments, i.e., continue to sin.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Did you miss the part about "reread the post"?

If that's beyond you, there's always those who claim to follow / love / be disciples of Jesus, yet don't follow His commandments, i.e., continue to sin.

No need to insult but that seems to be your way. I had just a simple request but are you not able to do that?

Originally posted by galveston75
No need to insult but that seems to be your way. I had just a simple request but are you not able to do that?

You're certainly a prideful one.

And I simply suggested that you reread the post - twice.

What's more, I gave you an example anyway.