Legendary author Anne Rice is quitting Christianity.

The famous author of “Interview with a Vampire” published a book in 2008 about her conversion to Christ titled “Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession.”  But last week she went public again and said that she refuses to be “anti-gay,” “anti-feminist,” “anti-science” and “anti-Democrat” and is feeling compelled to part ways with the organized version of Christ followers.

Rice blogged on Wednesday, “For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian … It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.”

She then added another supplementary post on Thursday amplifying her decision:

“My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn’t understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me,” Rice said. “But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become.”

What do you think? Is it possible to follow Jesus and yet distance ourselves from his followers? Allegiance to Jesus is a “team sport.” But how can we honor our personal convictions when those on our team seem to be headed in different directions.

Personally, I don’t have all the same issues with Christians that offend Rice. But I admit to other objections. Sometimes the family embarrasses me with her meaningless traditions acceptance of shoddiness. and Sometimes I’m ashamed to be associated with the Church. But it’s family… My response isn’t Rice’s response. I’m committed to Jesus and yet may not want to associate myself with “Christianity.” Still, I won’t leave my association with other followers of Jesus. Painful as it is, I’m in the family.

What do you think?