Reimagining Life Outside Religion
“To be a revolutionary is to be in possession of an imagination capable of leaping across the frontier of the familiar to envision a new order in which what is gained eclipses the ill-serving comforts of what is lost.”
– Maria Popova
Have you recently left the church of your upbringing? Are you currently in the process of deconstructing your beliefs? Do you practice a religion but wish to understand struggles faced by the ex-religious? If so, you are welcome here. May these essays provide solace and strength as you navigate life’s winding road, on which we are all wayfarers.
Latest Posts
“Train Dreams,” Terrence Malick, & the Transcendence of Secular Cinema
This essay contains spoilers from The Tree of Life, directed by Terrence Malick. Back in high school, when I was still a devout Christian, I scribbled a quote from Marilynne Robinson’s novel Gilead in the front cover of my Bible: I have been thinking about existence lately. In fact, I have been so full of admiration for existence that…
You Don’t Want to Live Forever. Here’s Why.
It might be the greatest pickup line of all time. For twenty minutes, two young adults have been talking on a train. She’s French and he’s American. They met by happenstance, after the German couple in front of them began loudly bickering and a move to a quieter car became necessary. But now they’ve covered…
God, the Sea, and Me: How I Found Peace in the Chaos of Unbelief
I still love the sea, despite the fact that it almost ruined my life. On a windy day in the fall of 2017, while bodysurfing in the Indian Ocean, I was caught off guard by a huge wave that slammed my head against the seabed and swept the rest of my body over it. The…
5 Things “Severance” Gets Exactly Right About Religious Deconstruction
This post contains spoilers from episodes 1–5 of Severance: Season 1. No spoilers from episodes 6–9 or from Season 2 are discussed. A powerful organization with deep historical roots, founded by a charismatic leader, that demands unquestioning obedience from its members, restricts access to information, stokes fears of the world outside its walls, and inspires…
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Words for Wayfarers 