Anne Rice, author of vampire books (like the book Interview with the Vampire on which the Tom Cruise starred movie of the same name was based) and other religion inspired ones, publicly announced her decision to quit Christianity a few days back.
Of course, what she actually meant was that she was leaving the organized religion named Christianity. She still believed in God, and decided to keep her faith an entirely personal affair without necessarily involving her entire religious community with it.
I find this admirable, as this is precisely the role I feel faith should have in our lives. Or even lack of faith.
Although, her reasoning was interesting. :)
I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to “belong” to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. … In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.
You could take Christianity out and replace it with any other religion, and it won’t make a difference. Organized religion has the same impact on people of all faiths. Forever trying to homogenize the interpretation of faith over not just all it’s followers, but even on the rest of the society.