When Data is Erased
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” — Romans 12:2
This past week I had a conversation with a University researcher. She works in the area of economic resilience in vulnerable communities. During the call, she reminded me that due to this administration, vast amounts of government data have vanished—years of research, tracking, and accountability have been wiped away. CDC health records, Department of Education statistics, labor reports, census data—all gone or made inaccessible.1 What remains is censored, stripped of words like diversity, equity, and inclusion, as if refusing to name reality can somehow erase it.
This is not just bureaucratic housekeeping. It’s a calculated act of control. Without data, we can’t measure the impact of community programs, track diseases, or hold leaders accountable for their claims. It’s an old playbook. When truth becomes inconvenient, those in power often try to erase it.
I can’t help but think of Pharaoh in the book of Exodus. His grip on power tightened when he feared losing control. He enslaved the Israelites, stripped them of autonomy, and tried to erase their identity. Pharaoh’s rule was built on scarcity, fear, and domination. But God’s way was—and is—radically different. God led the people out of oppression into a new kind of community—one built on shared resources, mutual care, and the liberating power of truth.2
Deleting data doesn’t delete reality. Silencing words doesn’t silence the human spirit. Truth has a way of resurfacing, like water finding its way through cracks in concrete. As Howard Thurman once said, “Whatever may be the tensions and the stresses of a particular day, there is always lurking close at hand the trailing beauty of forgotten joy or unremembered peace.”3 Even when facts are erased from official servers, truth remains alive in our stories, our communities, and our shared memory.
So, what do we do when the systems we trusted are compromised? First, we call our representatives (202.224.3121)! Then, we become living witnesses. We write down what we know, not just as scribes of the present but as guardians of truth for the future. We speak the stories that oppressive systems seek to silence, passing them from heart to heart, home to home, congregation to congregation. We turn our communities into sanctuaries of memory, where reality is preserved not on vulnerable servers but in the resilience of human connection.
We teach our children the full history—the stories of struggle and triumph, injustice and resistance, heartbreak and hope. Not the sanitized version that flatters power, but the raw, honest truth that equips them to shape a better world.
And we embody the very values authoritarianism fears most: kindness that disrupts cruelty, justice that dismantles oppression, curiosity that refuses propaganda, and love that binds us together when division is the goal.
In times like these, I find solace in the words of Jesus: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32). Not the official, polished narrative, but the deeper story—the one that sees human dignity, embraces diversity, and insists on justice, no matter how fiercely it is denied.
The truth of who we are as a people doesn’t just live in databases. It lives in us. As long as we hold it, speak it, and pass it on, it cannot be erased. Though my heart breaks for the researchers. It’s all so insane.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
What truths in your own life or community need to be preserved and shared right now?
How can you practice discernment when access to reliable information becomes limited?
A Prayer for the Day
Keeper of Truth
God of light and clarity,
In a world clouded by deception and fear,
Ground us in what is real and good.
When facts are erased and words are twisted,
May we be truth-tellers,
Not in anger, but with love.
Give us the wisdom to discern
And the courage to speak.
Let us be living testaments
To the power of compassion,
The resilience of hope,
And the promise that truth,
No matter how buried,
Will rise again.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Becoming Keepers of Truth
In a world where facts are erased and language itself is censored, our practice becomes one of remembrance and resilience. Begin with yourself: Set aside time each day to reflect and record what you see and hear—moments of injustice, yes, but also moments of courage, compassion, and solidarity. Write them down. Speak them aloud. Share them with someone you trust. This is how truth survives—through human connection, not digital archives.
But don’t stop there. Expand your circle. Gather with friends, family, or your congregation for a “Story Circle.” Invite each person to share something they’ve witnessed—an act of kindness, a challenge faced, a piece of history worth holding onto. As you listen, resist the urge to debate or problem-solve. Simply bear witness. Honor the truth in each story. This practice not only preserves memory but strengthens the bonds that hold communities together when institutions falter.
Finally, take this practice into the body. Each morning, as you rise, ground yourself with this intention: I will walk in truth today. Let it shape how you speak, how you listen, how you navigate the world. When you feel overwhelmed, place a hand on your heart and remember: truth is not just information; it is presence, integrity, and love made visible.
In this way, we become more than passive observers. We become living archives of what matters, keepers of light in a time that seeks to dim it. And in doing so, we remind ourselves and each other: even when the data is gone, the truth endures.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
February 27, 2025, 12-1:30pm - Margaret Wheatley and I are offering a 4 or 8-session course called “Are We Made for These Times?” If you know Meg’s work, it’s going to be extraordinary. If you want the deep dive, the 8-session course is for you. You can read about the shorter 4-session course here. 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://apnews.com/article/government-websites-changes-trump-transgender-dei-orders-383fc983c6ca48804f1404cbc61ee9e9
Lecture by Dr. Walter Bruggemann
https://bookshop.org/p/books/meditations-of-the-heart-howard-thurman/8994677?ean=9780807007174&next=t&next=t