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Deconsecrating Myself
This book is something of a stream of consciousness journal written during the process of intentionally leaving religion after a career in ministry. “Stream of consciousness”, you may be aware, is a literary term that means “unedited, pretentious and often unreadable crap, usually written while people are drunk or high”. So, fair warning. That said, it's not totally worthless, I think. Maybe someone out there will be interested to read some thoughts on how to cope with the loss of meaning, belief, and community that happens when you leave behind religion? There's a bit in here about running, too, if you're into that sort of thing, as well as a recounting of a recent trip to Rome, which is a really pleasant city.
124 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2011
2 people want to read
About the author
Tim Mathis
5 books13 followersJoin the mailing list at TimMathisWrites.com for ongoing projects.
Or follow on Instagram @dirtbagguide
I was born country, and raised near Middletown, Ohio - the town that was the subject of J.D. Vance's memoir of poverty and suffering, "Hillbilly Elegy." I didn't think it was as bad as he made it out to be, and I spent my childhood building forts in hay bales, behaving irresponsibly, and filling Quaker Oats containers with snakes that my friends and I caught in the creek.
I've traveled a lot since then. On my first trip overseas when I was a teenager, I went to Peru on an Evangelical mission trip with my youth group, and tried to share the Gospel by dressing up like a clown and performing for street children.
In my 20's I married my high school sweetheart, Angel, and we moved to New Zealand for two years, where I earned a Masters Degree by writing a thesis about various ways that people try to find sense, beauty and meaning in the messy evolutionary history of the universe. The scenery there made it feel like the right thing to do at the time.
After that we moved to the lovely, mossy Pacific Northwest, and it's been our base ever since - first in Seattle, and now in Tacoma (which is a way cheaper place for a dirtbag these days). Along the way I ended up as a psychiatric nurse, so now I do that in exchange for money.
Otherwise, Angel and I try to make the most of our lives by traveling and playing outside. We've run El Camino de Santiago in Spain and finished a bunch of trail ultras in the Pacific Northwest. We've hiked the Pacific Crest and Tahoe Rim Trails, along with part of Te Araroa and a bunch of the "Great Walk" system in New Zealand. We've spent about six months drifting around Latin America in buses, and have picked up a bit of Spanish, which helps.
Along the way I've done a fair bit of writing. I've written for Trail Runner Magazine, Grit City Magazine, Oru Kayak's blog, Ultrapedestrian.com, and I've been interviewed on The Art of Manliness Podcast.
Or follow on Instagram @dirtbagguide
I was born country, and raised near Middletown, Ohio - the town that was the subject of J.D. Vance's memoir of poverty and suffering, "Hillbilly Elegy." I didn't think it was as bad as he made it out to be, and I spent my childhood building forts in hay bales, behaving irresponsibly, and filling Quaker Oats containers with snakes that my friends and I caught in the creek.
I've traveled a lot since then. On my first trip overseas when I was a teenager, I went to Peru on an Evangelical mission trip with my youth group, and tried to share the Gospel by dressing up like a clown and performing for street children.
In my 20's I married my high school sweetheart, Angel, and we moved to New Zealand for two years, where I earned a Masters Degree by writing a thesis about various ways that people try to find sense, beauty and meaning in the messy evolutionary history of the universe. The scenery there made it feel like the right thing to do at the time.
After that we moved to the lovely, mossy Pacific Northwest, and it's been our base ever since - first in Seattle, and now in Tacoma (which is a way cheaper place for a dirtbag these days). Along the way I ended up as a psychiatric nurse, so now I do that in exchange for money.
Otherwise, Angel and I try to make the most of our lives by traveling and playing outside. We've run El Camino de Santiago in Spain and finished a bunch of trail ultras in the Pacific Northwest. We've hiked the Pacific Crest and Tahoe Rim Trails, along with part of Te Araroa and a bunch of the "Great Walk" system in New Zealand. We've spent about six months drifting around Latin America in buses, and have picked up a bit of Spanish, which helps.
Along the way I've done a fair bit of writing. I've written for Trail Runner Magazine, Grit City Magazine, Oru Kayak's blog, Ultrapedestrian.com, and I've been interviewed on The Art of Manliness Podcast.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 26, 2018
Yes!
Thanks for an extraordinary book. High quality writing about a personal journey that nonetheless resonated deeply with me. Tom, please stop dissing your abilities as a story teller and thoughtful observer. You are just fine.
Thanks for an extraordinary book. High quality writing about a personal journey that nonetheless resonated deeply with me. Tom, please stop dissing your abilities as a story teller and thoughtful observer. You are just fine.
Displaying 1 of 1 review