When Absurdities Become Atrocities
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
"He who can persuade you to believe absurdities can persuade you to commit atrocities." —Voltaire
We are living in a time when the line between truth and falsehood has grown dangerously thin. Absurd claims fill the airwaves, mostly from the President of the US and his sidekick, Elon Musk. Once they are repeated enough times, they start to sound almost reasonable. People who might otherwise be kind, thoughtful, and compassionate find themselves swept up in ideologies that, when played out, lead to real harm.
History reminds us that this is not new. The seeds of injustice are often planted by repeated untruths. Lies about who belongs and who doesn’t. Lies about who deserves compassion and who should be feared. Lies that turn neighbors into enemies and justify cruelty in the name of “order” or “security” or “efficiency.”
In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul offered a stark warning: “Do not be blown about by every wind of doctrine, by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians 4:14) The winds of deceit are strong right now, and it takes real spiritual grounding to resist being pulled off course.
We see the consequences of absurdities believed. In the United States, we are being told that we need to drastically cut the size of the federal government and fire thousands of people because it costs too much. But the cost of the federal government has not increased since the 1950s as a percentage of GDP.1 What has happened is that we gave massive tax cuts to corporations and billionaires, which robs “we the people” of fair funding for the common good.2
Last week we heard Musk claim that DOGE saved some $16 billion in government contracts. Almost half came from a single $8 billion contract with ICE — but it was actually for $8 million, not $8 billion.3
The US House of Representatives is now taking steps to limit voting rights4 and strip vulnerable people of access to Medicaid support.5
The US President regularly demonizes women, African Americans, and the LGBT+ community. He accused Haitian immigrants of eating people’s pets. He promoted violent rhetoric, threatening to shoot protesters, and then led his followers to commit an insurrection against the US Capital. Voltaire said, “He who can persuade you to believe absurdities can persuade you to commit atrocities.” Violence becomes justified as “necessary” to maintain power.
It’s heartbreaking, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
But here’s the thing: just as absurdities spread, so does integrity. Just as fear multiplies, so does love. Every time we refuse to accept false narratives—every time we choose understanding over outrage, complexity over simplicity, and connection over division—we push back against the tide. We become witnesses to what is real, and in doing so, we protect not just ourselves, but those most vulnerable to the harm absurdities can unleash.
George Orwell once wrote, “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” In this moment, that might look like asking hard questions, fact-checking the stories we hear, and refusing to demonize those with whom we disagree. It might look like standing up for someone being scapegoated or simply choosing not to pass along an inflammatory headline without verifying its source.
The absurdities will continue, but they don’t have to win. We can anchor ourselves in truth, in love, in the hard but holy work of staying awake. And when we do, we become part of the resistance to the atrocities absurdity so often births.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where in my life am I being asked to discern truth from falsehood?
How can I speak out without becoming reactive or bitter?
Who in my community is most vulnerable to the consequences of false narratives, and how might I stand alongside them?
A Prayer for the Day
Grounded in Truth
God of clarity and compassion,
When the world spins with falsehoods,
Ground us in what is real.
Let us speak truth without arrogance,
Love without naivety,
And resist without hatred.
May we be lights in the fog of confusion,
Guided by the eternal flame of justice and mercy.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Practicing Discernment
This week, pay attention to the information you consume. When you hear a claim—whether on the news, social media, or in conversation—pause. Ask yourself: Is this true? Who benefits from me believing this? Is this leading me toward love, justice, and connection, or toward fear and division? If you’re unsure, resist the urge to share it further.
Instead, commit to being a person who nurtures clarity and refuses to be a conduit for confusion. In doing so, you become an antidote to the absurdities that can so easily lead to harm.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
STARTING TOMORROW! February 27, 2025, 12-1:30pm - Margaret Wheatley and I are offering an 8-session course called “Are We Made for These Times?” If you know Meg’s work, it’s going to be extraordinary. Scholarships are available. I sooooo hope you can be a part of this!
March 4, 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.” Modern mystic, Mirabai Starr, will be our guest on March 4! Andrew Harvey on March 11! The amazing Bishop Yvette Flunder on March 18! Father Adam Bucko on March 25! REGISTER HERE!
March 4, 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://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/exp@FPP/USA/FRA/JPN/GBR/SWE/ESP/ITA/ZAF/IND
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60807
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/upshot/doge-contracts-musk-trump.html
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-save-act-would-disenfranchise-millions-of-citizens/
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5303475/republicans-medicaid-cuts-trump-hospitals
I am so grateful for the comfort and the challenge that you provide each day. Yes!
Thank God we are in it together.
I'm confused. If the government has not grown since the 1950's as a percentage of GDP and the GDP has consistently grown, why is the US so deeply in debt? Taxes cannot possibly be raised enough to cover the deficit. Why does Congress spend each dollar of taxes multiple times and never audit, revise or eliminate programs that are ineffective or inefficient. It's just not as simple as you suggest.
For several recent cycles the Presidential campaigns have focused on change, but nothing has changed. I thought Obama had an outstanding opportunity to effect change. He failed. They all have because they were more worried about re-election than making the changes we need in our system of government to make it agile enough to be responsive to the needs of the people and our ever-changing technologies. Bottom line, real change is painful, it always is. Even on the smallest level.
I pray that you and others might be willing to come away from assuming the worst is upon us, when it may actually be what we need. For a balanced perspective I highly recommend 2way.tv also accessible through Mark Halperin's Substack.