Why One Would Quit Being A Christian

I will admit without reservation that I love Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles - I guess I identify with the otherness of the vampires and the homoerotic undertones as well. I have enjoyed her son Christopher Rice's books as well, especially A Density of Souls. I have not read Anne Rice's more recent books, but suspect that like the Vampire Chronicles a theme of spirituality is present in them as well. Now, as a number of blogs have reported, Rice has announced that she has quit being a Christian. Why, because more and more the name Christian applies to those who act like the Pharisees in the Gospels and act in an overall manner that is diametrically opposed to the theme of love of neighbor. Today's professional Christians are more easily defined by who they hate - which is almost everyone be they gay, black, Hispanic, of foreign birth, non-Christian, etc. I very much feel as Rice does. If the Christian Right and the Catholic Church hierarchy exemplify those who are Christian, then count me out too. I guess the big question is what do those like Rice, myself and others who want to relationship with "Christians" call ourselves? Here are some highlights from Box Turtle Bulletin that look at Rice's statements:
*
But her embrace of Catholicism was of a personal and spiritual nature, and as is not unusual among Catholics, didn’t extend to social issues: Her views will not please all of the devout. Rice favors gay marriage. She believes the church position regarding birth control is a grievous error that is not supported by Scripture. She repudiates what she sees as intolerant, “sex-obsessed” church leaders, and says she does not find support in the message of Jesus for their focus on sexual orientation or abortion. She argues for a more inclusive church.
*
“Think of how the church bells would ring and the pews would fill if women could become priests and priests could marry. It would be the great resurgence of the Catholic Church in this country.”

But Rice was ultimately unable to reconcile her belief in Christ on the one hand, with the actions of fellow Christians and how those actions have stained the Christian “brand” on the other. She appears to have hinted at this with this post on her facebook page which appeared on Tuesday: Gandhi famously said: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” When does a word (Christian)become unusable? When does it become so burdened with history and horror that it cannot be evoked without destructive controversy?
*
She answered her question yesterday morning, when she posted this to her facebook page: For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: 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. For ten …years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.
*
As I said below, I quit being a Christian. I’m out. 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.
*
Rice is 100% on the money in my view. So again, what do we call ourselves so as to not be confused with those who have made Christianity something vile and evil?