In the ceaseless barrage that has become an element of our everyday lives since the inauguration of the current president, it’s been difficult to figure out how to respond, how to cope, how to think about it all, how to resist. The one thing after another approach is, by design, dizzying, so it’s no wonder that it’s become a challenge to focus on any one thing, let alone more than one thing.

One of the issues that keeps popping up for me, waving at me for attention, is the assault on our basic humanity. For much of my adult life, it has felt like we have been able, generally speaking, to acknowledge and appreciate the dignity of persons. We have been able— again, generally speaking—to perceive our common humanity, despite obvious and not so obvious differences among us.

Here’s just one example from the church I have served since 2005. When Old South began the process of considering an Open and Affirming statement, in 2007 (I think), there was an interesting array of responses to the process. There were some people who were very eager to discuss and then fashion a statement. There were other people who were not so eager, but recognized the significance of such a statement (especially in the very open and welcoming community of Hallowell, Maine). And, then there were those who wanted just to adopt a statement without any discussion (do we really need to talk about this?). And, there were a few who really struggled with the issue.

Except for a very small number of people (three, if I remember correctly) who chose to leave rather than consider such a statement on welcoming the LBGTQ community (as well as a whole host of other people, like those who are divorced, those who have never married, etc), most people in the church were willing to engage in the process. I remember hearing, from time to time, the sentiment that the whole homosexual thing— and even more so, the transgender thing—was mysterious and hard to understand. Yet, it was also clear that most people understood that we were, and are, called to recognize the basic humanity of each person, that each person is loved by God, that we are to treat others as we wish to be treated. You know, like Jesus taught. Eventually, most people at Old South came to understand that the essential issue was not to “get it.” Instead, we were (and still are) called to love and to welcome. Just as each person wishes to be loved and welcomed.

At the time and in the years that followed, it felt like Old South was something of a microcosm of what was happening in other places around the country. There may be aspects of life that are mysterious to us, there may be people who completely baffle us, but each person is a human being and is deserving of dignity and respect. It is this acknowledgment of basic humanity that allowed a great swath of Americans, over a rather remarkable short period of time, to accept big changes in our culture, like gay marriage.

And, now . . .

There are so many examples of the current administration heaving any recognition of the Christian (and other religions too) call for a sense of basic humanity, loving neighbor, treating others as we wish to be treated— despite the ties to Christianity of so many who work with and for the Mr. Trump. A few weeks ago, the press secretary disparaged federal workers who did not want to take the administration’s buy-out deal, as individuals who were bent on “ripping off” the American people. It appears that there’s a policy that requires Republicans to refer to Sarah McBride, an elected representative from Delaware, with male pronouns and male-oriented titles. The President, as well as Republican lawmakers, have engaged in vicious insults and name-calling. This, of course, is nothing new to the President, but it seems like he all-too-eagerly now seeks to dismiss and denigrate certain individuals, and entire groups of people, even when they are not the subject of conversation), and the members of his party are completely falling in line.

We are losing so much in such a short period of time.

And, in the midst of all of the loss, we are losing our humanity.

If one bothers to listen closely, you can probably hear the lament of our God.