Comments on: Anne Rice Still Believes in Nonsense

By: Anna

Anna — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:31:04 +0000

I haven’t bothered with reading through the previous comments as it is ridiculously late/early where I am just now. I would simply like to say that I am “not a Christian” in way similar to Ms. Rice. I think it is at least mildly unfair to imply that retaining a faith while leaving a religion is irrelevant. I am not a Christian because while I can be a “different” (read: rational and opposed to hatred) Christian, I would still be forced to operate within a harmful societal construct. That wasn’t healthy for me on any level, so I abandoned the religion. Labels are always optional. Society would label me as being so many things: Christ-follower, bisexual, liberal, vegetarian, academic, female, and so on. However, none of those things really matter until you get to know someone. So I think people like Ms. Rice and myself deserve (in some small way) the benefit of the doubt.

By: AnonyMouse

AnonyMouse — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:50:35 +0000

I have a tiny, barely-related quibble:

She’s not a “follower of Christ” – at least, not in any way that requires quotes. Followers of Christ are Christian fundamentalists living in various rural states in the US. They are essentially the opposite of everything Rice says she stands for.

She can call herself not a Christian, an unChristian, or whatever she likes. It may be silly, but I don’t really care. I don’t blame her at all for wanting to disclaim a label that has been historically associated with hatred, ignorance, abuse, and bigotry – even if, technically speaking, that’s what she is.

However, an apology for supporting the Catholic Church for as long as she did may be in order.

By: Seeking Soup for the Secular Soul « NonProphet Status

Seeking Soup for the Secular Soul « NonProphet Status — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:56:21 +0000

[...] for example, a recent blog post by my fellow panelist Hemant Mehta, who is also on the SSA’s Board of Directors. Writing [...]

By: p.s.

p.s. — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:17:45 +0000

Why? Based on what? What logic leads her to untie the few scraps of good things in the Bible from all the mayhem and murder that provides the blueprints for all these psychopaths to act the way they do? Why should a ridiculous statement like Anne Rice’s statement be met with condescending politeness?

From her facebook page it doesn’t seem like she takes much of the bible on faith. Like I said before, asking christians to all take the bible literally is asking all christians to be fundamentalists.

She would be giving away a lot if she shaved her head and proclaimed herself a Nazi skinhead, too. Would we be patting her on the back for that?

ahh the nazi’s. Because their actions are totally equatable to standing up for women, gays, and science. Oh wait….

Whatever happened to weighing the actual claims a person makes on their own merits? That’s what “some atheist blogger” did and he is right.

Whatever happened to judging people by their actions? Who cares what she wants to call herself? I really don’t think you have any right to tell her that she is a christian. Now if she was claiming to not be a theist, I would take issue with that. But I don’t think believing in some higher power and thinking christ was a pretty ok guy necessarily makes you a christian.

By: 3D

3D — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:38:59 +0000

Seeker Says:

You are a teacher. You should know that repetition is the mother of all knowledge. Also that what she did will cost her dearly in her social, emotional and possibly fiscal condition.

Who cares? What she is saying makes no sense. “I believe in one part of the Bible where Jesus says some nice stuff, but not the other 90% of it full of slaughter and hate and misogyny.”

Why? Based on what? What logic leads her to untie the few scraps of good things in the Bible from all the mayhem and murder that provides the blueprints for all these psychopaths to act the way they do? Why should a ridiculous statement like Anne Rice’s statement be met with condescending politeness?

She is giving away a lot by doing this so publicly, enough I guess to not give a damn if she impressed some atheist blogger or not.

She would be giving away a lot if she shaved her head and proclaimed herself a Nazi skinhead, too. Would we be patting her on the back for that?

Whatever happened to weighing the actual claims a person makes on their own merits? That’s what “some atheist blogger” did and he is right.

By: Lexy

Lexy — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:16:29 +0000

I second @potatopeeler. I think as atheists, we need to be less opposed to theism per se, and more opposed to the nasty side effects of theism: homophobia, sexism, antiscience etc. By hating theism for theism’s sake it makes you look less like a friendly atheist and more like a bigot. Just think, surely you know some atheists that believe in some crazy, unproven BS, 9/11 conspiracy theories, the iluminati, alien abductions and so on. This doesn’t make them bad people or hypocrites, it just makes them delusional. So long as someone isn’t going to infringe on my rights or the rights of others, I think they’re allowed to believe in whatever delusional crap they want. Good for Anne Rice! This is a victory for the good guys!

By: Francesco

Francesco — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:03:59 +0000

Ms Rice says she is not a true scotsman, why not take her word for it? Religion cannot have rational membership criteria as it does not have a rational foundation. It appears to me that membership of the religion is whoever thinks they are in that religion. Ms Rice if she still believes in the resurrection & such has just invented for herself a new religion with one member (possibly called Not-Cristianity) .

By: potatopeeler

potatopeeler — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 03:50:28 +0000

Hemant, I’m very disappointed in the way you seem to be going lately. You’re very hypocritical in what you want from religious people. You say you want them to do certain things, then attack them for it when they do (example: you’re always saying how Christians should speak up about how the church treats gays. When they do, you attack them for not doing more.). You’ve been saying for a while that you wished Christians would denounce the church for what it’s doing to people and you don’t understand how anyone could be part of such an institution. Anne Rice does exactly what you want, so you…attack her? Are you kidding me? I’m a big fan, but you’re not a very friendly atheist anymore. I hope you can see your hypocrisy here. The problems with this post isn’t that you went overboard with criticizing her, it’s that you criticized her in the first place. Make up your mind.

By: Mriana

Mriana — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:24:20 +0000

Well, she may still be a Xian, but I think the step and announcement she made isn’t all bad. I think more Xians should do such a thing. It might have some sort of influence on the Religious Reich. Not sure what sort of influence, but it is possible.

By: Jesse

Jesse — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:19:57 +0000

Sorry you feel that way, but I don’t think you really understand what she is trying to say. Christ is an ideal, following that ideal is difficult but more in touch with how humans “should” strive to be. It actually means that all humans should accept each other as they are because we are all brothers and sisters. Modern day “Christianity” is the McDonalds of spirituality. It has deviated so much from the true discipline, and instead of doing good it actually pulls people away from the “true way”.

I’m not advocating anyone to believe me, mainly because I believe that no one knows the truth and therefore no one can tell you the truth. This is what Anne is trying to say, anyone who wears the Authority hat and toots about telling the truth is BSing. Whether it’s the Government, Scientist, the Church, Richard Dawkins, and even Mom and Dad, you can’t rely on them to get the truth. Make your own damn research, figure it out on your own, it’s your life mission (I suppose), and don’t believe just because someone said it. Seek the truth, and the truth will set you free.