Can you unfriend your religion on Facebook? Anne Rice did. In a brilliant move, Rice quit Christianity on Facebook. In an impassioned posting, Rice declares that she quit Christianity because “It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group.”
Wow. In a second Facebook post a few moments later, she says she is not anti-gay, anti-feminism, anti-secular humanism and adds, “In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being a Christian.”
After years of being compared to the Antichrist because of characters like Lestat in her Vampire books, now the ultimate convert has renounced the movement’s focus on the “anti’s” to follow Jesus alone, and not his followers.
Anne, I ain’t mad at you. I completely get it. Christianity’s followers are at times like an abusive boyfriend, promising love, giving it only when you wear the right outfit, act submissively, and pretend to like the same stupid jokes. I guess you were tired of hearing the Christian anti-abortionists, the Christian nationalist bunch, the “Jesus is just for our kind of people” bunch, and the “Jesus wants you to be rich” bunch. I have to admit, your leaving givs me pause too. I am sick of the same stuff you are.
All kidding aside, I wonder if Rice hasn’t hit upon a brilliant idea. A Facebook page dedicated to ‘quitting’ religion. This is where all of the nones, agnostics, atheists, and those tired of organized religion can hang out. Everybody can work together virtually to help each other get over the “religion breakup.”
Perhaps that’s the lesson, after reading some of the many responses to Rice’s post. The upshot of Rice’s Facebook put-down of Christianity will reduce me to trolling daily to see what her next religious status on Facebook will be. Which religion is going to slot up next? I’m guessing nothing, but like many of Rice’s fans, I hope that she’ll get back to the business of showing us real vampires, instead of those insipid ones on True Blood and Twilight. Since she’s decided to focus in on the ultimate bloodletting figure, Jesus, rather than his followers, I’m betting Lestat can’t be too far behind.
