Seeing Clearly in Times of Delusion
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” —John 8:32
Last night, Donald Trump stood before Congress and painted a picture of a nation thriving under his leadership. If you listened only to his narrative - the tale of American Empire - you might actually believe that all is well, that all of our problems have been solved or soon will be, that America has never been stronger or more admired.1 In one genuinely nice moment of the speech, we meet DJ, a 13-year-old boy surviving pediatric cancer. We all hope that he continues to thrive. He would have a better chance if Trump had not just cancelled funding for pediatric cancer research. Awkward! But step outside of the illusion of that speech, and another reality comes into sharp focus.
For most of us,2 these are days of deepening crisis. We are watching the systematic dismantling of democracy,3 the stealing of our data,4 deregulation that rolls out the red carpet for corruption,5 the destabilizing of social safety programs such as Medicaid,6 the unjust (and likely illegal) firing of thousands of government employees and the unraveling of hard-won and sacred global relationships.7 Just in the past two days, we have seen the stock market drop 1300 points,8 now lower than when Trump took office, as we watched the President undeniably align himself with a dictator.9
What makes this moment especially dangerous is not just the lies (they are endless10)—it’s the way those lies fuel division and oppression. Trump’s rhetoric emboldens the worst impulses in his supporters, giving permission for racism, misogyny, and bigotry to thrive.
Every age has faced leaders who sought to rewrite history, to silence opposition, to demand loyalty to a version of the world that served only them. This age is different. Now, we don’t have time to play these absurd games. The planet is warming, clean water is disappearing and hundreds of species of plants and animals are going extinct. Mother Earth is giving us every warning imaginable. “Drill, baby, drill” is the shrill cry of a nativist movement that has no future.
The ancient prophets knew this game well. They watched as leaders told the people what they wanted to hear while justice crumbled beneath them. Jeremiah lamented, “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). To deny reality—to claim prosperity where there is suffering, to call wisdom foolishness and foolishness wisdom—is not just bad leadership; it is spiritual deception.
History teaches us that even in the darkest of times, there have always been those who refused to be gaslit, who named what was real, who held onto the belief that the people deserved better.
But resistance is more than just opposition. It is also creation. We do not simply fight against the darkness; we build something better. We create spaces of safety, of belonging, of truth-telling and justice-seeking. We become the people who tell the truth in a world of lies, who embody love in a culture of division, who create “islands of coherence in a sea of chaos.”
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where do you see disconnects between the official narrative and the reality around you?
What practices help you stay grounded in truth when deception feels overwhelming?
How can you be a voice for truth and justice in your own community?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for Those Who See
God of justice,
We see what is happening.
We see the lies that harm, the words that wound,
The systems that crush the most vulnerable among us.
Give us the courage to say so.
Be with those who are afraid today—
Women whose rights are disappearing,
Immigrants fearing deportation,
Trans children who no longer feel safe in their schools,
People of color who hear the dog whistles loud and clear.
Make us the ones who do not turn away.
Give us wisdom to see clearly,
Compassion to love deeply,
And courage to act boldly.
Let us be truth-tellers and justice-bearers
In a world that so desperately needs both.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Creating Sanity in Dangerous Times
When fear and injustice feel overwhelming, our bodies carry the weight of it—tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, a shallow breath. Today, practice grounding yourself in the truth that you are not powerless. Stand with your feet firmly planted on the earth, feeling the solid ground beneath you. Breathe deeply, inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for four. As you do, imagine drawing in courage, exhaling fear.
Now, take one physical step forward. Let it be an act of commitment—of showing up for those who need protection, of refusing to be paralyzed by despair, of choosing love over fear. Feel your strength, your presence, your ability to act.
Let this be a reminder: The work ahead is not just intellectual or emotional—it is embodied. We move forward, together.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
March 11, 18, 25 2025, 7-8:30pm - Dr. Matthew Fox and I are scheming a Lenten series that we are calling “From Darkness to Dawn: Spiritual Courage and Political Action in the Age of MAGA.” Andrew Harvey is our next guest on March 11! The amazing Bishop Yvette Flunder on March 18! Father Adam Bucko on March 25! REGISTER HERE!
April 1, 2025, 12pm ET - Rev. Damien Lake and I are collaborating on hosting a cohort for new congregation developers that will meet monthly. Ecumenical. Interfaith. Free. Join us.
April 1, 2025 - Rabbi Benjamin Ross and I are collaborating on a new leadership program called “All Together Now: A Collaborative Cohort for Jewish Congregational Leadership Teams.” You can read about the program here.
July 20-25, 2025 - The Art of Wilding: A 5-Day Expedition in Wyoming for Women Leaders. Click here to learn more. Only one spot left!
August 11, 2025, 2pm ET - Dr. Andrew Root and I will be hosting a 6 part series on Spirituality in the Secular Age based on his research. The dates are August 11, 18, September 8, 15, and October 6, 13. Mark your calendars! More on this soon.
September 4, 4:30pm ET - I will be collaborating with the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology to host a conversation with Thomas Jay Oord on Open and Relational theology. It’s a FREE event. Register here.
October 15-18, 2025 - Converging 2025: Sing Truth Conference (all musicians invited!) at Northwest Christian Church in Columbus, OH. Register here!
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
https://apnews.com/article/trump-speech-congress-immigration-tariffs-guests-93f6107ede260854f90c65c4bde60de8
Just a reminder that more people in the US voted for someone other than Donald Trump than voted for him.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/07/trump-viktor-orban-electoral-autocracy
Firing of Inspector Generals: https://apnews.com/article/trump-inspectors-general-fired-congress-unlawful-4e8bc57e132c3f9a7f1c2a3754359993, Article on the “Pump and Dump” scandal of Trump’s recent crypto reserve announcement: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/cryptocurrency/peter-schiff-calls-trumps-crypto-reserve-push-a-pump-and-dump-demands-congressional-probe/articleshow/118706125.cms?from=mdr
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-republican-house-budget-resolutions-potential-880-billion-in-medicaid-cuts-by-congressional-district/
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/03/stock-market-today-live-updates.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-turns-russia-breaking-decades-us-policy-rcna194518
Fact Checking Trump’s Speech: https://www.npr.org/2025/03/04/g-s1-50488/trump-congress-joint-address-fact-check