Anne Rice: Gay Rights Challenge Christian Faith
Novelist Anne Rice says gay rights, in particular
gay marriage, challenges the Christian faith.
gay marriage, challenges the Christian faith.
Last summer Rice created a firestorm of controversy
when she quit the Roman Catholic Church. She
said at the time that she was driven out by the
church's anti-gay rhetoric.
when she quit the Roman Catholic Church. She
said at the time that she was driven out by the
church's anti-gay rhetoric.
It wasn't the first time she had shunned religion.
At the age of 18, Rice, who had been raised
Catholic, became an atheist.
At the age of 18, Rice, who had been raised
Catholic, became an atheist.
But in 1998, she returned to the church after
experiencing a religious awakening and for the
next decade she devoted herself to write
exclusively Christian-themed novels, such as
Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt.
experiencing a religious awakening and for the
next decade she devoted herself to write
exclusively Christian-themed novels, such as
Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt.
“Today I quit being a Christian,” Rice announced
on her Facebook page. “I'm out.”
on her Facebook page. “I'm out.”
In a videotaped conversation with her son Christopher
Rice, an openly gay novelist, posted on the website
of The Advocate, Rice said Christians were
challenged by the notion that gay and lesbian
people could lead healthy, productive lives.
Rice, an openly gay novelist, posted on the website
of The Advocate, Rice said Christians were
challenged by the notion that gay and lesbian
people could lead healthy, productive lives.
“I think the main reason Christians and Catholics
are going through this crisis with gay culture is
they cannot face the reality that they are seeing
before their eyes. The reality is that good,
wholesome, productive gay people exist in all walks
of life in our country and in other countries,” Rice
explained. “They are at war with information.”
are going through this crisis with gay culture is
they cannot face the reality that they are seeing
before their eyes. The reality is that good,
wholesome, productive gay people exist in all walks
of life in our country and in other countries,” Rice
explained. “They are at war with information.”
“They cannot bear the thought that two good gay
people could have two adoptive children and get
up before an altar or a judge and exchange vows
and live a good family life.”
people could have two adoptive children and get
up before an altar or a judge and exchange vows
and live a good family life.”
“These Christians now have to face the fact that this information is just flooding in. Gay people are people.
Gay people are good people. Gay people are
wholesome people.”
Gay people are good people. Gay people are
wholesome people.”
“It calls into question everything they believe about
sin and salvation. That the narrow way is to Jesus
Christ and that anybody who doesn't take it and
who is a sinner is going to hell.”
sin and salvation. That the narrow way is to Jesus
Christ and that anybody who doesn't take it and
who is a sinner is going to hell.”
“They have to face the fact that all these good people
are not living as degenerate sinners… They want
gays to be sinners. They want you to be a sinner
and they want you to behave like a sinner and they
want you to fail like one. And it's driving them
crazy that you're not doing that.”
are not living as degenerate sinners… They want
gays to be sinners. They want you to be a sinner
and they want you to behave like a sinner and they
want you to fail like one. And it's driving them
crazy that you're not doing that.”
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