Published in Interfaith Now·Apr 20, 2022Member-onlyI’m Seeking Spiritual Expansion Beyond AtheismI want the magic of fiction — As a scientifically-minded person with an engineering physics degree, it’s easy to sit in my modern western worldview, smugly dismissing supernatural beliefs as nonsense. Lately, though, podcasts have shown me a new perspective on human history and our relationship to religion. I’ve learned about our development as a species starting…Spirituality8 min readSpirituality8 min read
Published in Almond Sun·Mar 31, 2022Member-onlyThe Celestial River After DeathWhen I died, my awareness separated from my body. I floated up and away — not up towards the sky, but into a new dimension outside of time where I could look down upon my life as if it were a reel of film. Loved ones sat somberly with my…Dreams2 min readDreams2 min read
Published in ExCommunications·Mar 29, 2022Member-onlyUsing Anger After Being Taught to Suppress ItIt’s healthy to feel mad in moderation — Many of us who were raised in religious homes learned that being angry is always wrong. We were meant to be meek, submissive, respectful little children, and it didn’t matter what we were upset about — expressing anger was automatically bad. …Psychology8 min readPsychology8 min read
Published in Almond Sun·Jan 29, 2022Member-only5 Realities of Vandwelling as a Ski Resort JanitorI usually go to the Sonoran Desert when winter hits, but this year I decided to stay in Oregon, make some money, and embrace the cold. I figured working at a ski resort would be a fun way to do that. …Vanlife6 min readVanlife6 min read
Published in ExCommunications·Oct 30, 2021Member-only9 Reasons I Never Tried Liberal ChristianityI went straight from evangelical to atheist — People who leave fundamentalist Christianity often transition into a more liberal form of the religion. They might hold that belief for the rest of their life, or it might be a transitional phase on the way out. I never went through that stage. I left my faith because I’d grown…Bible11 min readBible11 min read
Published in Ecofrugality·Sep 11, 2021Member-onlyHow to Live on $833/Month | Chapter 6A general overview — ←← Introduction | ← Chapter 5 Imagine you’ve decided to live on the global mean wage — roughly $10,000/year, or $833/month. There’s an obvious problem with this idea. $833 would not even cover monthly rent/mortgage for many of my readers. …Budget7 min readBudget7 min read
Published in Ecofrugality·Aug 29, 2021Member-onlyLife’s Hard Enough — I Don’t Want to Be Poorer! | Chapter 5Is a frugal lifestyle right for you? — ←← Introduction | ← Chapter 4 | Chapter 6 → | Latest Chapter → → In previous chapters I explained how frugal lifestyles can help the world and described the benefits they offer. But is this the right path for you? Is it reasonable to minimize your monetary footprint right…Money6 min readMoney6 min read
Published in Almond Sun·Aug 25, 2021Member-onlyA Courageous Mission Into CivilizationImagine leaving behind the safety of the forest! — Based on my Pacific Crest Trail experiences in 2014–2015. Written for the Medium Writers Challenge. A 100-mile backpacking trip seems like a big undertaking, but this summer I’ve been doing one every week. The most stressful part is actually the town visit between these trips. Every day I hike in…Mwc Reentry5 min readMwc Reentry5 min read
Published in Ecofrugality·Aug 23, 2021Member-onlyThe Benefits of Becoming Poorer Intentionally | Chapter 4There’s more to life than money — ←← Introduction | ← Chapter 3 | Chapter 5 → | Latest chapter → → In my early 20s I was an electrical engineer. I made $70,000/year, and my wife at the time made a similar amount. No kids, no debt, a brand new car fully paid off — money…Money12 min readMoney12 min read
Published in ExCommunications·Aug 20, 2021Member-onlyCreating the Voice of Imaginary JesusThe Jesus tulpa — We’ve all met people who claim to have a vibrant personal relationship with Jesus. Even as a Christian, this was hard for me to understand. No matter how much I tried to talk to Jesus, I never heard anything back, and I envied those who did. How was I supposed…Psychology11 min readPsychology11 min read
