Conversation Across Difference

A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." — Martin Luther King Jr.

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Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

This week, I participated in a remarkable conversation. I live in a small southern town in the US. Most of my neighbors support the current US administration. Many of them grew up on family farms in this area. Today, they are small business owners, employees of small chain stores in the area, or farmers themselves. Some have gone to college. Others had no access or saw no need. Nearly all of them own many guns and get their news from FOX News or Facebook.

It would appear that we have almost nothing in common. I am a city girl who now lives in the country. I hold graduate degrees. The progressive movement deeply shaped me. I am a pilot who has traveled the world, teaching me to celebrate diversity. I only watch FOX News for propaganda research purposes (because it’s not actually news). I stay away from Facebook. I could not be more appalled by the current US administration.

Because God has a sense of humor, God made us neighbors. I think it’s to teach me about grace. I’ve also learned a lot about tractors. Both are useful here.

This past week, I ran into a neighbor at a local cafe. We began a conversation that I’d like to share with you. It’s a little bit long, but I hope you will stick with it.

I said:

Mark, I’m really worried about what’s happening right now. Trump seems to be consolidating power in ways that go beyond what’s legal or constitutional. He’s ignoring judicial rulings, purging government officials who don’t agree with him, attacking our universties, and deporting people without due process. That’s authoritarianism.

Mark said:

Cameron, I see it completely differently. Trump isn’t consolidating power; he’s pushing back against a system that’s been rigged against everyday Americans for decades. He’s not ignoring the courts—he’s challenging activist judges who are trying to block his policies. And as for purging officials, why should he keep people in his administration who are actively working against him? That’s not authoritarianism—that’s leadership.

I said:

But democracy depends on checks and balances. When a president starts dismantling those, we’re in dangerous territory. A healthy democracy allows for dissent, even within an administration. What Trump is doing—dismissing generals, firing independent watchdogs, discrediting election results before they even happen, attacking the media—feels like a classic playbook for leaders who want unchecked power.

Mark said:

Hold on—are you saying no other president has pushed executive power? Because I remember Obama using executive orders when Congress wouldn’t pass his agenda. And Biden’s administration has used the DOJ to go after conservatives. If anyone’s abusing power, it’s the left, with their censorship, weaponized investigations, and silencing of conservatives.

I said:

That’s not the same thing! Biden isn’t threatening to jail his political opponents, and Obama never suggested he wouldn’t accept an election result or lead an insurrection against the Capital. Trump’s rhetoric is fundamentally different. He talks about being a strongman, about “retribution,” about how his enemies need to be “dealt with.” That’s authoritarian language.

Mark said:

Or maybe that’s just tough talk in a brutal political environment. Trump is a fighter—he speaks plainly, and sometimes he goes overboard, but that’s because he’s dealing with an establishment that never wanted him in power. I don’t take every tweet or statement literally. And honestly, I like that he’s not afraid to hit back.

I said:

That’s exactly the problem—when a leader encourages the idea that power should be taken, not earned, people start acting on it. We’ve already seen a rise in political violence, attacks on minority groups, threats to journalists, and extremism emboldened by his rhetoric. White supremacists feel emboldened. Policies that disproportionately hurt Black and brown communities—on voting rights, criminal justice, education—are accelerating. You may see this as just words, but to a lot of people, it feels like the country is moving toward something really dangerous.

Mark said:

And I’d argue that the left is equally responsible for that tension. You’ve got progressives pushing censorship, indoctrinating kids in schools, and calling everyone who disagrees with them a fascist and racist. Of course, people are going to push back against that. If anything, Trump is a reaction to years of leftist overreach.

I said:

But democracy isn’t about “getting even.” It’s about rules, laws, and shared norms. If we keep excusing authoritarian tactics because “the other side did it,” then we’re just escalating into a dangerous cycle where each leader pushes further. At some point, don’t we have to draw a line and say, “No matter who is in power, these are the democratic principles we won’t compromise on”?

Mark said:

That’s exactly why we need to get back to the principles this country was founded on—freedom, self-reliance, and a government that works for the people, not just elites and bureaucrats. You may see Trump as dangerous, but I see him as necessary to break the stranglehold of a corrupt system.

I said:

And I see him as the biggest threat to that system and the whole world.

It was an extraordinary exchange, in part because it happens so rarely. It was also extraordinary because we are still friends.

I am amazed that two people can look at the same moment in history and see opposite realities. Some see a leader who is breaking down a corrupt system. Others see a leader dismantling democracy itself. Some feel emboldened to speak their truths; others feel silenced, afraid of what’s happening around them.

We are not merely debating policies—we are wrestling with fundamentally different visions of what is real, what is true, and what is right.

There is no easy answer to this moment. But there is an invitation.

An invitation to listen—not to agree, but to understand.

An invitation to step back—not to disengage, but to gain perspective.

An invitation to root ourselves in love—not as a soft avoidance, but as a fierce refusal to become what we most fear.

Jesus taught that loving our enemies is one of the hardest but holiest paths we can walk. The Buddha spoke of right speech, of speaking truth in ways that do not inflame hatred. The Jewish tradition calls us to tikkun olam, the work of repairing the world. The way forward is in the deeper work of staying human toward those who see the world differently, though never ignoring harm, oppression or hatred.

This is our calling. Not to retreat. Not to conform. Certainly not to ignore injustice. But to hold our convictions with humility, and to remain open to the humanity of those who see the world another way.

What do you think? This is complicated stuff. Leave a comment if you have time.

We are in this together,

Cameron

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Reflection Questions

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• What emotions arise in you when you encounter someone whose perspective is drastically different from your own?

• Can you recall a time when you disagreed with someone but still felt a sense of respect for their humanity? What helped you navigate that experience?

• In this moment of deep division, what practices or actions help you hold onto your truth while staying open to others?

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A Prayer for the Day

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A Prayer for Holding the Divide

God of all people, all perspectives, all stories,
We are weary of division, yet we do not know how to bridge it.
We long for truth, yet we fear what it may ask of us.
Help us to be both courageous and kind,
Strong in our convictions, yet open in our hearts.
When we are quick to judge, slow us down.
When we are tempted to dismiss, soften our edges.
Remind us that every person we meet—no matter their views—
Is Your beloved.
And that our call is to love, even when we do not understand.

Amen.

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Spiritual Practice

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The Art of Listening

This week, seek out a conversation or a media source that challenges your perspective. Instead of responding with debate, practice deep listening. Ask yourself:

• What is this person most afraid of?

• What are they most longing for?

• What life experiences might have shaped their view?

Afterward, take five minutes to reflect in silence. What did you learn? What emotions arose in you? How did this shift your understanding—not of the issue, but of the person?

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Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…

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March 25, 2025, 7-8:30pm - Dr. Matthew Fox and I are hosting a Lenten series that we are calling “From Darkness to Dawn: Spiritual Courage and Political Action in the Age of MAGA.” Our first session was with modern mystic, Mirabai Starr. Andrew Harvey was our second guest. The amazing Bishop Yvette Flunder was on March 18! Father Adam Bucko on March 25! REGISTER HERE! (recordings are available)

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.

June 4, 2025, 12pm ET - Jeff Chu has written a new book on a topic close to my heart: Soil! The title is “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand.” I am so pleased to be interviewing him. I hope you will register (link coming soon). Your registration includes a copy of his new book.

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.