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
7 Reasons to Stop Hiding Your Atheism & Start Speaking Up
When I stopped attending church and started calling myself an atheist in the winter of 2022, there was only one ex-Christian who I knew personally: me. Almost all of my friends and family members were devout believers, many of whom were deeply shocked, saddened, and worried about my decision; the few non-Christians who I occasionally…
Hope Leaps: How a Native American Chief Helped Me Leave My Religion
Life doesn’t have to end when your world does. Several weeks ago, at an outdoor pub on the Chicago Riverwalk, I asked a close friend what he’d do if his religious belief suddenly collapsed. Taking a sip of soda, he leaned back in his chair and said, “I’d probably kill myself.” This reply might sound…
No Thanks, Saint Patrick: Debunking Christian History’s Deadliest Myth
“They say,” quips late-night comedian Conan O’Brien, “there are only two kinds of people on St. Patrick’s Day: the Irish, and the people that drive them home.” He’s not wrong. If March 17 is an opportunity to celebrate a famous saint, it’s also a chance for thousands of Americans to proclaim their dubious Irish lineage……
“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…
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Words for Wayfarers 