Becoming an atheist at Wheaton

Posted by Helen on: 11.11.2008 /

Last year I posted about the Leaving Eden blog. This was the blog of a Wheaton student who had become an atheist while at Wheaton and was anonymously posting about their life. I enjoyed reading LE’s blog because LE is very articulate. Also I could relate to a lot of LE’s experiences of moving away from conservative Christianity towards atheism and how the world looks (and reacts) when that happens to you.

LE stopped posting after graduating but has recently been posting again.

Now a friend of LE’s is writing a book about Wheaton culture and is including a chapter about LE becoming an atheist at Wheaton, using quotes from LE’s blog.

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5 Responses to "Becoming an atheist at Wheaton"

  • Comment by: Eliza

    1 11/13/08 12:20 AM | Comment Link |

    There’s a link to a 20-page .pdf file of the author’s chapter (draft) on “Becoming an Atheist at Wheaton” at his blog. The chapter is very interesting. He starts off with general analysis of factors affecting Wheaton students who lose their faith (including some specifics about why it would be hard to transfer to another college), then reviews the LE blogger’s experience in detail, with analysis. (I learned that the LE blogger is female - I’d assumed last year that the person was male, don’t know why - & goes by “Lily” in the chapter).

    The LE blogger’s recent posts are also really interesting. She’s clearly thoughtful & reflective about her life & her beliefs! Here’s her closing comment from her post on 11/7/2008:

    Atheists have every measure of peace, love, reverence and conviction. They just direct it towards what is really worthy of being called holy. I don’t derive my worth as an atheist from a memory or from someone telling me it is so. My life is a continual making of myself into something, something that I think is special and worth remembering.

    Not the way you hear every atheist talking about life & inspiration. She describes it in a very positive way.

  • Comment by: Helen

    2 11/13/08 1:33 PM | Comment Link |

    Eliza, I enjoyed that closing comment too.

  • Comment by: Atheism at Wheaton College | All Reason

    3 11/14/08 5:05 PM | Comment Link |

    [...] (via Conversation at the Edge) [...]

  • Comment by: Grant

    4 11/26/08 7:48 AM | Comment Link |

    I’m the author of the chapter. Eliza–thanks for the comments. It’s a rarity to have people read what is basically an academic work. I truly appreciate it.

    Also, I, too, though Lily (not real name) was a guy at first–funny how we have stereotypes like that. I’ll also add something that I mentioned in the chapter, but deserves to be repeated. If you knew Lily, there was nothing that set her apart as different from other W students other than her beliefs. The comment that you mention is typical of her thinking–she’s very thoughtful. I’m glad she’s writing again, too.

  • Comment by: Helen

    5 11/26/08 12:51 PM | Comment Link |

    Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Grant.

    I agree that “Lily” is very thoughtful - that struck me when I first ran across her site. Like you and Eliza I’m glad she’s still writing and I wish her the best in her post-Wheaton College endeavors.