Lisp isn’t too difficult to learn. The syntax is off-putting to some people, but what helped me adapt to Lisp syntax quickly was my familiarity with RPN calculators; I used an HP graphing calculator in college and I regularly use dc in Unix. In my opinion, the best way to start is to learn Scheme and work through The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, which is a very nice read even for experienced programmers. Scheme is a nice small language, and many undergraduates have written Scheme interpreters in Scheme. After mastering Scheme I recommend moving on to Common Lisp, which is a large language with many features that are not common in more popular languages, such as conditions for error handling, the Common Lisp Object System and its support for multiple dispatch, the metaobject protocol, support for image-based development, and support for REPL-based development and debugging.

It's really not as weird or as esoteric as the memes would lead you to believe.

(Common) Lisp is multi paradigm so you can write code that looks very much like "C with the parenthesis in the wrong spot" and it'll work just fine until you evolve a more idiomatic/"lispy" style.

If you're proficient in C, Java, and Python you already have everything you need to be proficient in lisp. It's honestly not that difficult to learn.

I can't code in anything, and I'm using Emacs since a couple of years, know some basic Elisp, and have recently started doing Common Lisp. Still baby steps, but it's really very fun, and I don't find it so hard.

Doing the book "Gentle Introduction to Symbolic Computation" at the moment, it's lovely.

So that's all I wanted to say - there's no courage required. Just doing. Emacs is a joy, and there's no rush on these things.

> But I don't have courage to learn Lisp.

Give it a shot! What have you got to lose?