Prompt 60: August 1, 2026
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
Proverbs 16:33
Ancient people understood their humble role in the world. Their telling of mythical stories helped inform their cultures of the grand scale of existing patterns; through tragedy–the burden of uncontrollable influence, through heroism– bravery in the face of certain doom, through chance– the benevolent hope of good favor by the gods. Their stories tell how people participate in these patterns, but inevitably succumb to the inevitable fate, as determined by the will of the gods. Whether factual or not, the aim of ancient lore is a guide on how people should act, rather than an objective account of benign particulars. From the Copernican revolution, through the Enlightenment, to the scientism of the twenty-first century, the models of reality have become increasingly specific and morally ambiguous. The larger patterns of existence still exist, yet we modern people are ill-prepared for how to interact with them.
We are caught in an unending cascade of change; consent is no concern for nuclear exchange, bioweapons development, artificial intelligence advancement, civil surveillance, immigration, climate change, or urban sprawl.
If we consider such forces, they are usually rationalized by our use of words like economy, evolution, geopolitics, or society; not knowing exactly how those terms are causing change in the broader world. Alternatively, when speaking about such forces of change, there are some who avoid sophisticated terms and opt for more immediate observations directed at people or groups. Today, this form is largely derided as conspiracy talk. Both versions of reality have their merits, yet neither are adequate to describe the actual workings of fate, or the uncontrollable course of history. For that, we are left only with religious language.
The thread is open. Create boldly, and may the Spirit guide us all