Viewers Respond to Anne Rice
Obviously the Anne Rice statement that she was “breaking up” with Christianity has garnered a lot of attention, cutting a swath of comments across a broad spectrum of people Christian and otherwise.
Much of this has to do with Anne Rice’s reading public, including the vampire books and her subsequent turn around embracing her faith in Jesus Christ.
Her struggles with “churchianity” are not unusual for many, who start their spiritual journey with Jesus Christ and then down the road find themselves disillusioned and entangled in the trappings of doctrines, opinions, and other peripheral issues that can easily get one distracted from the primary thing which is to “Follow ME.”
It’s all about a relationship with a PERSON. As the Apostle Paul said to the Galatians:
“I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to Himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News.” (Galatians 1.6)
Each of us must “continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2.12)
That’s my prayer for Anne Rice.
Hopefully we will check in with Anne in future months and see how she and the Lord are doing.
Thanks,
Scott Ross
From R.W.: Some time ago God called me to be a "tent dweller", and I remain so to this day. I can mingle with church groups and Christians but must stay at a distance. My connection with Jesus is perhaps closer today than at any point in my life to date. It has been an extremely uncomfortable process which has left me critical, but at the same time compassionate, of contemporary Christians.
From J.B.: While I understand her frustration/repudiation of much that goes on in the “name” of Christ, which isn’t Biblical or Christlike at all, I don’t think it helps to claim to “separate” from the terms Christ and Christianity. You can’t separate Him from them or true believers from them.
From C.M.: For years we have prayed for "a gathering of believers." The stories of how we were led to leave some of those gatherings are almost funny, if they weren't so sad. We still are praying that we're not being "rebellious children." [My husband] assures me that when the gathering is right...the Lord will take us there.
From J.P.: I do not agree with most denominations doctrine. I too do not need another doctrine from men. God's Word is good enough as it is.
From P.M.: I'm with [Anne Rice], in many ways. Sick of the constant bickering and infighting, the anti- this and anti-that spirit, etc. The American church gives people few reasons to follow Jesus. Reasonable voices are needed; thanks for you yours.
From J.R.: “Jesus and His disciples were at home having supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers.” (Mark 2:15, The Message) The generosity of Jesus towards those who were outside the establishment was one of the major rubs against the religious institutions of His day. It is the same in our day as well.
From M.C.: My experience in the church community of my youth did not encourage question or discussion. Without enlightenment, it was very easy to only see the hypocrisy.
From D.Y.: I think this is too much truth for most American Christians to handle. A lot of us like living in Disneyland.
From K.E.: Maybe the time is appearing when a mighty move of God will release church members into a new walk with Christ - where the Holy Spirit is embraced as the "most relevant power" in the earth. The Holy Spirit, it seems, is the most neglected person living on the face of this earth...
From D.S.: I am tired of people dissing and complaining about the Body of Christ/Christianity. We are all too aware of failures and flaws within and without, but the Body still means a lot to Christ. And it's so much easier to walk away than it is to stick with it and try to work life out with weird and diverse people.
From D.Y.: One of my grandsons, at age 16, told his parents he won't going to church anymore. He said, "I'm good with God... It's church I don't get. What difference does it make to Jesus whether I go and listen to a lecture I will forget before I get home and sing songs I don't care for? Does Jesus really care about that?" Since then his older brother has voiced the same sentiments. The story book blue-eyed Jesus of our Sunday schools just didn't make it with these young men. I am certainly not giving up. But, they are not going to respond to the normal pap. I suspect it will take a revelation like Anne Rices describes...