My sermon today is about change. Specifically, I will explore how and why change can cause us to act or decline to act, especially when facing existential threats. A fundamental dynamic of change is how circumstances around us change. Given enough time and the right conditions, even radical, harmful change may not be perceived as a threat. There are several reasons why we humans struggle to perceive such harmful changes:

Sensory Perception: Our senses are attuned to detecting sudden changes. For instance, a loud noise is easier to notice than a gradual increase in volume. This evolutionary adaptation helps us avoid immediate dangers but not long-term, subtle threats.[1] This focus on the present can make it difficult to grasp abstract, long-term threats that don’t directly impact our immediate survival.
Mental Adaptation: Our brains adapt to our surroundings. As changes occur slowly, we adjust our baseline for what’s “normal.” This is known as the adaptation level theory.[2] The crab in the boiling pot adage is an example of this.[3]
Cognitive Bias: Confirmation bias can play a role in this. We tend to focus on information confirming our beliefs and then downplay evidence of change. This can make it challenging to recognize gradual problems, especially if they contradict our momentary beliefs or initial assessments.[4]
Present Bias and Discounting the Future: This is associated with “Cognitive Bias.” Present Bias happens because our brains tend to weigh immediate rewards or dangers more heavily than those far off. This Bias allows us to prioritize short-term benefits over long-term consequences, hindering our ability to address existential threats like climate change that unfold gradually. In our present sociological context, we do not perceive existential threats to one group as affecting us because… to put it simply... we are not affected yet.[5]
Psychological Numbing: Repeated exposure to negative stimuli can lead to psychological numbing. We become emotionally desensitized, making it harder to react to ongoing harm.[6]

It is essential to understand that all these factors are arrayed against us now. Don’t think for a second that there are not very smart people at work who apply the principles of evolutionary psychology and its insights into human behavior to adversely manipulate populations. People armed with such knowledge exploit our biological limitations to subvert our society for their gain. In terms of fomenting and maintaining racial hatred, they do this by a variety of means, such as:

Exploiting In-Group Favoritism: Humans evolved with a tendency to favor members of their own group (in-group) over outsiders (outgroup). Malicious actors can exploit this by:

• Fueling Social Division: framing issues in terms of “us vs. them” and creating a sense of threat from outgroups. This can be used to justify discrimination, prejudice, and even violence.[7] Here’s an alarming statistic: on April 13 of this year, a study by the Violence Prevention Research program at UC Davis published in the JAMA Network Open found that 56% of Americans who carry firearms in public believe violence is justified to advance political objectives.[8]

1. How is in-group exploitation for social division used? If you are a Democrat, you are actually a Communist, Fascist, sexual groomer in disguise. You love people of color because want to use them to replace white people in the United States.

• Another way to exploit in-group favoritism is through Scapegoating: identifying a specific outgroup as responsible for societal problems. This diverts attention from real issues and fosters hostility toward the targeted group.[9] As a result of scapegoating, nearly four in 10 Americans (38%) said they believed in the “white replacement theory”.[10]

1. How is scapegoating used? The people seeking asylum against oppression in their countries are actually rapists, murderers, and criminals who have been let loose to pollute the blood of the United States. They are vermin and not even real people.

Another misuse of evolutionary psychology is:
Manipulating Social Status: Our desire for social status can be used to control behavior. Techniques include:

• Appealing to Dominance: Framing messages to appeal to people’s desire for power and control. This can promote aggressive or domineering behavior, especially towards outgroups.[11]

1. How is the appeal to dominance used? The ruling power will promote and reward aggressive or domineering behavior towards outgroups. If your politics are liberal, there is something wrong with your brain. If you are a person of color, you do not deserve your place in society. If you are not Christian, then you worship the wrong god and are a danger to this rightfully Christian nation.

The final misuse of evolutionary psychology is:
Targeting Our Biases: Evolutionary psychology identifies various cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias. This can be exploited for manipulation through:

• Tailored Messaging: This refers to crafting messages that resonate with people’s pre-existing beliefs, regardless of their accuracy. This reinforces confirmation bias and makes people resistant to opposing viewpoints.

1. How is Tailored Messaging used: How about this for using pre-existing beliefs, regardless of their accuracy -–Critical Race Theory is teaching young people to hate our country and, more specifically, that white people are evil. Another way confirmation bias is reinforced is by stating over and over again that a person who is “woke” is not open to opposing ideas, which has the effect of… wait for it… making the target of their “wokeness” resistant to opposing viewpoints. Have you noticed how black academicians and leaders in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs across the country are being systematically attacked for plagiarism? Or how about charges that a large number of high-tech companies are failing because of their DEI policies? These implications are carefully designed to subliminally reinforce a belief that people of color cannot be trusted with engineering or technology that puts white people at risk. In the case of black academicians, the belief is that their scholarship is always suspect because they were put in positions they are not qualified for because of affirmative action and not because of merit.

We need not look far into history to find the genesis of deep-seated stereotypes against people of color that present-day social engineers can easily manipulate to use in their toxic concoctions.

How does all this come together? The misuse of evolutionary psychology allows people to be pretty terrible to each other. We have seen how psychological theory has been used to change the very fabric of our democracy -—so strap in, my friends. We are in for a rough ride.

The first part of this sermon has been relatively dry... academic, even. I apologize for that. It is essential to lay the intellectual groundwork explaining what happened to our nation and why. Now comes the less intellectual part... the part about feeling what many of us have not allowed ourselves to feel and opening our eyes to what we have refused to see.   

Because I am a student of history, I believe our country faces a prolonged future of extreme political upheaval. This upheaval will include the normalization of political violence, wholesale disenfranchisement, attacks on LGBTQI+ people, more restrictions on women’s reproductive rights, more polarization and government gridlock, the rise of authoritarianism and White Christian Nationalism, and a concerted effort to eliminate gains made to address racial and ethnic inequities.

The fact that American democracy is fundamentally threatened would have been unthinkable a few short years ago. A few years ago, when I wrote my first historically-based “Harlem Voices” musical, I never dreamed it might be banned from school libraries in many places in our nation. The second musical, “Harlem Voices: Revisited,” will join it as being sure to be banned because they will now violate laws against making people feel “discomfort” in schools and private businesses when being taught about racial discrimination in U.S. history.[12] [13][14][15][16]

Twenty-five years ago, could you imagine it possible that we Americans might reelect a twice impeached person convicted of being liable for rape and fraud and who faces serious and credible criminal charges ranging from leading a nationwide insurrection to election interference? As I said earlier, my friends, this country has changed around us. For us, the change is so credibly threatening that we feel it is prudent to leave.

I believe the pendulum of change towards a dangerously far-right ethos in our country is happening too quickly and powerfully for most of us to comprehend. Regardless, these changes are inevitable, and they will be as profound as any faced by pre-Nazis and pre-Fascistic populations in the last century. The people engineering this change have been at it for a long time. They have not merely hoped for this change. They have been seething in the background, planning, forming militias and think tanks; they have appointed judges, adapted their tactics, forced their way onto school boards, taken over state legislature, and systematically subverted the liberal democratic intentions of our laws. They have promulgated messages of hatred and victimization. They have told the big lies because they understand the psychology of mass coercion works best that way. Cognitive dissonance matures into obedience when those big lies are allowed to metastasize.

What can we do about this? “How, Clovice, can we hope to undo the damage?” you might ask. Well, I think it’s too late to change the tide. For us, it is more dangerous to be here at this time than it is for most of you in this congregation. Carol and I will leave so we can continue the fight against the radical changes to come from a safer place, regardless of who wins the White House in November. We will join a nascent movement of people like ourselves described as “Blaxit”. These are people of color who are leaving the United States for the same reasons we are. Importantly, “Blaxits” are leaving for many of the reasons why James Baldwin and others like him starting leaving this country a century ago. Put simply, this has been a bad marriage for we “Blaxits”, and it’s not getting any better. It’s just time to go.

Here is something to consider: the people who have made these changes to our nation have done so because they are hateful. They wish people to be disconnected from one another. They adapted to the environment of liberalism, which they despised. They then set about, systematically, to subvert the liberal democracy they found so offensive. They have succeeded in creating a movement to fundamentally transform our society into one that will preserve their notion of white dominance.

My proposal for countering this anti-liberal, anti-democratic movement that is sweeping like wildfire across this nation and around the world is simple in concept. It is inspired by Christianity and is guaranteed to bring our planetary civilization into proper alignment. Remember this acronym: LAST
LOVE
ADAPT
SUBVERT
TRANSFORM

Love the people who hate you. Love all people through connection and work against forces that seek to disconnect us from one another. Love the planet and work against forces that seek to exploit it.

Adapt to profound changes when they occur. Do not martyr yourself. Hide in whatever closet is closest. Get a flag and wave it proudly from your house. Change your party affiliation to the dominant party while it is possible but vote for liberal causes and candidates during an election. Blend in.

Subvert any system that seeks to maintain power through hatred and division. Undermine it in every way possible while preserving human life (including your own). Strive to employ art, beauty, parable, humor, and life-enriching technology. Promulgate messages of human connection and love. Provide education that uplifts the human spirit rather than that which promotes fear.

Transform the society around you into one that celebrates freedom, promotes liberty, and honors the rights of all people as equal members of the human family. Work for diversity, equity, and inclusion for all people. Use the UU principles as a basis for everything you do in the public and private spheres. Speak your truth boldly while you continuously listen to the truth of others. And listen to me...…you put this collar on me so I can say the hard things. So, I am only going to say this one time. The transformation I’m talking about means this congregation needs to sign on to the proposed 8th UU principle. Start from there and work towards a truly multicultural world. Make ourselves accountable to dismantle racism and all other oppression in ourselves and our institutions. If we don’t see the need for this kind of self-transformation, then we don’t deserve to be here. There are bigger fish to fry!

Do you want to know how to overcome the tsunami of change facing us?

LAST to Love, Adapt, Subvert, and Transform all systems based on hatred and oppression. If our nation can manage that, Carol and I might be able to return someday. In the meantime, we’ll be fighting for diversity, equity, inclusion, and basic human rights in our nation from the safety and peace of another country.

Namaste
Clovice A. Lewis, Jr.

"Ego quasi mulus equitare illum”

He carries my tools easily.
He never tires in service to me.
He is vacuous, empty of empathy,
And devoid of feelings…
My perfect vessel.

Did you see my tells?
The upside down Bible,
The little dance I make all of them do,
The angry puffed out lower jaw…
The confessed thrill of domination.

My tools are chaos, anger,
Corruption, deceit, victimization,
Pride, greed, envy, lust, gluttony,
Sloth, avarice, and many more.
I made him tap the storm to test the nation.
I have not had so much fun in millennium!

"Nullae leges nos continent”

Who dares to speak?
They who profit from the lie?
They who supplicate themselves at my altar?
They who seek only the corruption of power
For the craven joy of grievance and untethered
Hatred of all who do not drink from my cup?

Oh, so many times I have tested you!
The highest lawmakers of the land
Twisted like rotted grapes in our gale of fury.
Afraid, they were, of multitudes of faithful
Made mindless by insentient fear and hatred.

Come I to speak at your funeral.
Come I to ride all of you through him.
Come I to your temples of law.
Come I to your fatuous sanctuaries.
Come you unto me.
Ahh… come unto me!

"Conteram gentem tuam”

When he pardoned war criminals
And separated children from their parents
And lied about a worldwide pandemic
And laid down with white supremacy
And banned immigrants from seeking asylum
And encouraged insurrection from your highest office.
And you did nothing of substance…

Your enemies knew you.
They saw you.
They listened to you.
They watched you.
They are among you.

I have you.

"Et ascendam super te donec clamas”

Clovice A. Lewis, Jr.
April 4, 2020


 

No documents were taken…
It they were taken, they were classified.
If they weren’t classified, they were planted.
If they weren’t planted, they were declassified.
If they weren’t declassified, then it’s all a hoax.
If it’s not a hoax, then Obama did it.

If you love me more than laws, you are worthy.
If you give me money, you are doing God’s work.
If you fight for me, you are a foot soldier for truth.
If you overthrow the government, you are a patriot.
If you elevate emotion and faith over fact, then welcome!

Clovice Lewis

Once upon a time there was a huge inland lake. It was teeming with underwater plant life and a million varieties of fish. An entire civilization of people lived on the lake and depended on it for life. They lived on separate nationships of all kinds. They traded with each other. Sometimes they fought, absorbing the people from one boat into another. They made the captives work to rebuild the ships of the victors. Sometimes the captured workers eventually assimilated to the point of being virtually identical to the people who once oppressed them.

Most boats and ships on the lake were propelled by the wind. There were as many shapes of sails as there were sea craft. Everyone fished enough for their needs.

One day a group of people with big guns attacked another ship and seized it. They made its people live in the corners and captured others to build a large ship they called “Merik". The attackers said, “Let us make a rule that this must always be the most opulent, fastest, most heavily armed, and most powerful ship on the lake. Let us make another rule that only our progeny can own and sail the Merik.” They built an engine to power the Merik that used fish and water as fuel. The byproducts of the engine were soot in the air and an oily film that polluted the water. But the few people who were the masters of the Merik lived in astonishing wealth and luxury. They kept the ship tall and narrow so it could slice through the water at a speed no others could match. The masters lived on top and built their living quarters above the workers they captured in ever higher layers. The Merik was not very seaworthy, but used the thrust from its powerful engines to keep it afloat. They also used their giant guns to blast other boats out of the water when they were threatened or angered.

Over time the workers on the Merik gained some power. They said “Let us reshape the Merik so that its luxury is shared, so it is fast but seaworthy, armed but friendly, and powerful but cooperative. Let us also make a rule to let everyone own and sail the Merik so that the lake can be preserved.” All of the people of the Merik made this pledge. They scaled back the polluting, inefficient engine and erected the largest, most beautiful and efficient sails. They also transformed the single-hulled Merik into three large and deep streamlined hulls joined by broad platforms so that everyone could enjoy the sun. The luxury appointments were spread out on the platforms - not vertically placed. The once conquered people were welcomed to participate in improving the design of the ship and sharing its responsibilities. The Merik shared its products and ideas with others on the lake. Trade blossomed. The old engines of the Merik were to be discarded and most of the large guns were to be dismantled because the lake was being polluted and the environment was becoming unsustainable.

More time passed. The lake became more polluted. Scientists warned that people needed to preserve the lake or everyone would die.

Instead of cooperating with each other some nations started to build large ships like the Merik. There was competition to see who could build the fastest, most luxurious, most powerful ships. Big and little wars broke out as nationships were absorbed for their resources. Their people were killed or forced into economic slavery to support the few wealthy people living at the tops of their narrow ships.

The progeny of the original makers of the Merik abandoned their pledges for fairness, cooperation, and preserving the lake for future generations because they were afraid of the future. They were afraid all the changes made in the ship and its ownership would make them unsafe. So, they insisted on reshaping the ship to the original specifications (they said “Make the Merik Great Again”). They discarded the sails and turned the old engines back on at full throttle. They pulled out their guns again to threaten everyone else and chopped away, without regard to designing a ship that would be sustainable for its crew and the lake it sailed upon.

The scientists were correct.

The end.   

Clovice A. Lewis, Jr.