Go Ahead and Scream: This Is Not Normal!
This Great Idea is a compilation of all sorts of stories and opportunities popping up all over the place. It could make your congregation a place for catharsis, action, and good medicine; for ‘we’ and ‘together’.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s, Catharsis on the Delaware River: Local Moms Meet to Blow off Steam with Screams – ‘They screamed because of motherhood, the roller coaster of raising teenagers, climate change, federal job cuts en masse, and attacks on immigrants.’ That’s as far as I got – I don’t subscribe to the paper – but that’s all I needed, because this need to recognize that these are not normal times is being mentioned everywhere.
Because: These are not normal times.
This is not normal.
Clergy being shot with pepper balls by federal agents is not normal. (Find more on this story here.)
And we cannot allow ourselves or others to begin to think that this is what normal is.
Diana Butler Bass – citing the story of a Chicago clergy person being pepper-balled by federal agents – cited at length ‘words from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his letter to his fellow clergy from the Birmingham Jail‘. I urge all church folx to read it.
Here are some resonating resources to share in worship, intergenerational engagements, and with adults, youth, and tween groups:
- The Many share 10 Holy Disruptions: Creative Worship Ideas for Such a Time As This, writing, ‘It almost feels wrong to go on with worship as usual right now, when every day it seems, there’s another policy enacted that hurts those with the least amount of power in our country… [But] we also know the power of creative rituals… Holy disruptive rituals remind us we aren’t alone.’
- Journalist and expert on authoritarianism, Masha Gessen says, ‘We’re entering the most dangerous phase of the Trump era: normalization.’ In response, Illustrated Ministry wrote, Things Are Not Normal – to promote their Resist. Act. Vote. merch, inviting leaders to let them know how you are doing and ‘what resistance looks like in your area’; and urging us to engage an Advent that ‘refuses to let us go numb’, with their The Will to Dream’s invitation to ‘practice prophetic imagination’.
- Lots of conversations have been revolving around the rise of Christian Nationalism and its appeal and ability to radicalize youth, particularly boys.
- Rev. Angela Denker’s, Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood (Broadleaf) is a top read for understanding and counteracting this with community youth.
- A strong second is Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds (Avid/Simon & Schuster) – for a dose of humor with your overwhelm.
- Brand-new on the scene are:
- The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power (Chalice), which invites us to, ‘Read it faithfully. Live it prophetically.’
- The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy (WJK) – which includes group discussion guides for adults – exposes ‘the decades-long plan’ of ‘prosperity preachers and political operatives’ to ‘destroy democracy’; and reveals the importance of local elections and decision-making.
- Belonging is a key antidote to Christian Nationalism. David Scherer – in collaboration with Peer Ministry – leads youth in Learning Gospel Inclusion One Conversation at a Time.
- PLEASE encourage folx to utilize our decision-making agency through elections. See our School Boards Matter Great Idea and Seasonal Offerings for opportunities to learn about local candidates. OR create your own opportunities to meet candidates and invite the community!
- Rev. Paul Drees (ELCA) shares pithy quips of gospel goodness on Instagram, YouTube, BlueSky, Facebook… (choose your platform) – shareable with youth, YA, and adults – for conversation on some of today’s biggest topics, including Christian Nationalism, authoritarianism, and where Jesus stands, politically.
- And by all means: Show up – with the entire congregation – for No Kings II on October 18!!!
- Scholars of authoritarianism teach us that we need 3.5% of the population rising up to disrupt the rise of authoritarians. The last protest had over 6 million people in the streets in the US (more around the world) which was one of the largest protests in US history. We need 12 million.
- Learn more, find locations near you, and/or register your own event here and/or through Interfaith Alliance.
Interfaith Alliance will host The Sacred Tradition of Protest: No Kings II Faith Training – a 90-minute training on how moral protest serves as a sacred expression of faith and conscience as well as a practical training of how to know your rights, protect yourself and practice non-violent resistance at No Kings II.
- Tuesday, October 14, 2025 – 4:30-6:00 PM CT
- Scholars of authoritarianism teach us that we need 3.5% of the population rising up to disrupt the rise of authoritarians. The last protest had over 6 million people in the streets in the US (more around the world) which was one of the largest protests in US history. We need 12 million.
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These are not normal times – and we cannot begin to feel like they are.
I find my brain feeling fuzzy.
I am unable to focus.
I feel depleted, tired, unproductive.
I get sucked into doom-scrolls and hope-sprees.
All of that is by design.
We cannot give in to feelings of overwhelm, uselessness, hopelessness, or helplessness.
Community reminds us that every little act is resistance – and part of staying awake and alive.
Every conversation is an opportunity to commiserate (literally, ‘be miserable together’).
Every gathering – including worship – is a chance to scream it out.
And in, A Chicken Crosses a Portland Street – To Show Who the Real Chicken Is…, Diana Butler Bass reminds us that laughter is essential medicine – and crucial resistance.
The more ‘we’ and ‘together’ we share, the better our chances of survival and ultimately, thriving.
Conversation, humor, community – these expand ‘we’ and ‘together’.
We’re in this together.
