In recent years, atheism has become quite trendy.

Likewise agnosticism, and also the pseudo-religion of Catholic Church-hating.

Many books, television debates and space-filler magazine articles have proclaimed these notions.

One atheist group modestly calls itself “the brights”.

Some would suggest it be altered to “the not-verys”.

Australia’s Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, seems to think her public atheism will do her electoral prospects no harm. She may be wrong.

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Last week, another celebrity publicly dumped her Catholic Faith.

Anne Rice, one of the world’s most widely-read writers, whose books have sold nearly 100 million copies, said on Facebook:

Today I quit being a Christian. 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.”

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She wants to invent her own Christ: keeping those of his teachings which she likes, ditching the rest.

The Bible forbids such a mentality:

Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One Body and one Spirit; as you are called into one hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism and one God who is Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all. (Ephesians, chapter 4)

“Unity” . . . . “One Body” . . . . that sounds like belonging to the one fellowship of fellow-believers, imperfect though they may be.

Despite its faults, this is the one Church that is good enough for Our Lord to honour with the spreading of his Gospel, and with the custody of his holy Sacraments.

Yet it isn’t good enough for Anne Rice (and her many clones) who feel qualified to condemn it from their perceived higher moral ground.

They are on the wrong track.