Let's Get Real Here
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. But first it will make you miserable.” — attributed to James Baldwin and others
I’ve tried to avoid writing about the Epstein files. While I am deeply sympathetic to the experiences of the victims, my sense is this is a collective distraction. But now the latest Epstein emails have surfaced, and people are acting as though this might finally be the thing that brings Trump down. I will place my bet: It won’t. We need to be honest about that.
This country has already shown us what it is willing to tolerate. Trump was indicted four times, found guilty of 34 felonies by 12 jurors, found liable for sexual abuse, caught on recordings trying to overturn an election, encouraged an insurrection, and openly bragged about degrading women. None of it stopped him. None of it even slowed him down. He is still in power and, in some (diminishing) circles, more emboldened than ever.
The truth is that the Epstein revelations do not introduce a new moral problem. They expose the same old one: a culture that consistently shields too many wealthy white men from consequences, no matter the harm they cause. These men have operated for decades in circles where sexual violence, exploitation, and impunity are part of the ecosystem. Epstein didn’t invent that world. He thrived in it.
What we are seeing now is not a crack in the system. It is the system. It has been telling us, in every possible way, that a certain kind of man simply does not fall.
The question is not why. The question is: Why do we still pretend to be surprised?
If an insurrection didn’t end Trump’s political life…
If four indictments didn’t…
If a sexual abuse verdict didn’t…
If paying off a porn star didn’t…
If decades of predatory behavior didn’t…
These emails won’t.
Here is the part we must name plainly: his base does not care what he has done. They care what he will do to the people they fear and despise. His power is not rooted in goodness. It is rooted in grievance, nostalgia for white dominance, patriarchal entitlement, and the fantasy that men like him exist above accountability.
This is not a political analysis. It is a moral one.
Because of this, there is a role for us to play. Theological tradition teaches that moral clarity is a form of spiritual practice. Truth‑telling is part of repentance. Standing with the vulnerable, especially when the powerful go unpunished, is sacred work.
We cannot force the reckoning justice calls for, but we can refuse to pretend that the absence of justice is anything less than a moral failure. We can stop waiting for institutions that have already failed to do what they have no intention of doing. We can choose, in our own communities and families, to name what is true: This is not normal. This is not acceptable. And this is not what a just society looks like.
I would love to be wrong about all of this. I would rejoice at being wrong. But history suggests otherwise.
So the question becomes: Now that we know, now that we’ve known, what will we do with the truth?
If we could finally get real, we could create the world we dream of—beloved community—where all are safe, included and honored as children of a relentlessly loving God.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
What truths are being revealed in this moment—about our political system, about our cultural values, and about ourselves?
How have I, consciously or unconsciously, been shaped by systems that protect power and silence the vulnerable?
How might I build communities of accountability, repair, and moral courage—especially in predominantly white spaces?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for Courage in a Time of Collapse
O God who weeps, whose justice rolls like waters but whose rivers feel dammed in this hour— we bring you our ache, our rage, our disillusionment. We are watching powerful men evade consequence again. We are watching systems fail again. We are watching truth buried beneath wealth and influence again. Let us not grow numb. Let us not make peace with injustice. Let us not trade our clarity for comfort. Grant us the courage to name what is real, to weep for what is lost, to repent where we have been complicit, and to stand where you stand—with the vulnerable, the wounded, the silenced. May our grief become fuel. May our love become fire. May our truth-telling be an act of holy resistance. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Naming the Unspoken
Today, find a quiet space and write down five truths that feel hard to say out loud in this political moment. These might be truths about injustice, complicity, fear, or power. Let them be raw. Let them be real. Let them be yours.
Then, write down one step—small or large—you can take to live more fully aligned with those truths. That might be a conversation, a letter, a prayer, a boundary, a donation, or a decision.
This practice is not about fixing the world overnight.
It’s about refusing to lie to yourself.
It’s about becoming the kind of person who doesn’t flinch from truth, and doesn’t walk away from love.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
TONIGHT! November 13, 20 2025, 7pm ET - In Search of a New Story: Reimagining What Comes Next, A 4-Part Online Series with Dr. Matthew Fox, Cameron Trimble, Ilia Delio, Diana Butler Bass, Caroline Myss and Luther Smith. We are living through the unraveling of many old stories—about who we are, why we’re here, and how we are meant to live together on this Earth. As these inherited narratives collapse under the weight of climate crisis, social fragmentation, and spiritual disconnection, the question becomes clear: What story will guide us now? REGISTER HERE!
November 18, 2025, 7pm ET - FREE - I will be speaking on a panel with Kosen Gregory Snyder and Imam Jamal Rahman on the essential role of friendship in building interfaith understanding and cooperation hosted by Third Act Faith. REGISTER HERE.
July 19-24, 2026 - Join me and amazing co-facilitator, Victoria, on retreat in the back-country of beautiful Wyoming. The Art of Wilding is a 5-Day Expedition for Women Leaders. We will spend the week reconnecting to nature, exploring our inner landscapes for change, and engage the wisdom of spiritual teachings. Click here to learn more.
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.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.