Abstract
Looking at the diverse experiences of former Muslims shows that becoming
and being nonreligious encompasses more than a rational one-time decision that can
be studied from a mere ontological-cognitive perspective. It is deeply linked to per-
sonal experiences, relations, and emotions. While previous research has often focused
on organized, coherent, and cognitive forms of nonreligion, more and more scholars
have started to embrace material, embodied, and emotional aspects in their studies
on nonreligion. This ongoing development can be described as turning toward a lived
nonreligion framework that pays more attention to the everyday experiences of ‘ordi-
nary’ nonbelievers. Applying this approach to the experiences of young Moroccan non-
believers, I explore the extent to which the lived nonreligion framework manages to
capture the ethnographic complexity that their narratives offer.
