Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Politics and Religion
What Happens When Orange Jesus Fades?

What Happens When Orange Jesus Fades?

Last updated on: November 5, 2024 at 3:45 am by Stuart Delony

0 Comments

What Happens When Orange Jesus Fades? 2024-11-04T16:56:23-05:00 Stuart Delony

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Image created via Leonardo.ai

You remember the story: Moses takes off for a bit to get some divine downloads, and the Israelites lose their patience. They melt down their jewelry, fashion themselves a shiny golden calf, and proceed to worship the thing like it’s the latest cultural craze. Fast-forward a few millennia, and here we are again—but this time, the golden calf is covered in bronzer and has an obsession for authoritarians.

Yep, I’m talking about Donald J. Trump, the chosen idol of a chunk of American Christianity that decided the gospel of “grab ‘em by the p***y” somehow lined up with their Sunday sermons. They didn’t just elect him; they baptized him as their political messiah. And now, as the Trump movement starts to stumble, I can’t help but wonder—what happens when Orange Jesus no longer walks on the political waters?

Signs of the Shine Fading

You might not hear it from the MAGA faithful—they’re louder than ever, rallying with a confidence only emboldened by their own echo chamber. But look a little closer, and you can see the signs of wear. Trump’s rallies just aren’t what they used to be. The crowd sizes have dwindled, the enthusiasm wavers, and fans are slipping out before he even wraps up. It’s as if even they’re realizing that the greatest showman/grifter’s act has a shelf life.

Then there’s Trump himself, rambling and increasingly incoherent. Recently, he spent 40 minutes at a rally, not stumping, not hyping his vision—just swaying onstage to his favorite playlist, leaving the crowd to wonder if they were there to hear him speak or to watch some kind of bizarre performance art. Performance art? Mental decline? Take your pick. His surrogates are still out there, struggling to rationalize every incoherent outburst, but even the faithful must be feeling the strain as Trump’s rants get darker and harder to defend.

Maybe they’re clinging on because they’ve invested so much. Maybe they think a victory at the polls will be enough to breathe life back into this flagging movement. But it’s clear that the shine has dimmed, and the cracks are starting to show, even if they’re still wearing red hats and waving flags like it’s 2016.

The Cognitive Dissonance Hangover

Here’s where things get messy. Remember when the Israelites had to face the awkward reality that their golden cow was, well, just a cow? Trump’s devotees are staring down a similar reckoning. How do you admit that the man you hailed as your savior was really just a guy with a sharpie and an ego the size of Texas? The mental backflips are already hitting Olympic-levels. “He’s still in charge behind the scenes!” “It’s all part of the plan!” Bless their hearts—conspiracy theories are the last refuge of the disillusioned. But eventually, reality has a way of crashing the party, and the hangover from this particular fever dream is going to be a rough one.

The Search for a New Savior

So, where do they go when the magic wears off? When they realize that their Orange Jesus was never quite the messiah they made him out to be? Maybe some will cling tighter, carving his likeness into every GOP talking point until the end of time. Maybe they’ll find the next demagogue who promises to pick up the tiki torch. But there’s a chance—a slim one, but a chance—that a few will wake up. Maybe they’ll take a long, hard look in the mirror and realize that the teachings of Jesus were never about tax breaks, border walls, or owning the libs. Maybe they’ll remember that Christianity, at its core, was about radical love, compassion, and humility. You know, all the stuff that got buried under red hats, slurs, and rally chants.

Final Thoughts

The big question isn’t just what happens when Orange Jesus fades. It’s whether his followers will finally find their way back to a faith that doesn’t need a golden calf, a fake tan, or a red hat to feel relevant. And if they do, maybe, just maybe, we’ll see something genuinely miraculous: a Christianity that looks a little more like Christ and a lot less like the gilded idols we’re so good at building.

For more Snarky Faith, check out the podcast:

General Christian

Religion News

Christian Nationalism

Election

Idolatry in Modern Christianity

evangelical Christianity

Previous Post

November 3, 2024

Polling, Preaching, and the “Nones”

Next Post

November 26, 2024 How to Survive Thanksgiving with Your Sanity and Soul Intact

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"I've seen Noah believers use the claim "every culture tells stories of a flood, so ..."

EarthGrowl

Noah Was Never About the Animals

"So we shouldn't obey God?"

Harold Porter

Noah Was Never About the Animals

"Great article, Stuart. Important insights.For many years, as a theologically "educated" Evangelical (all well pre-MAGA, ..."

Howard Pepper

Noah Was Never About the Animals

"https://media1.giphy.com/me..."

Stuart Delony

Noah Was Never About the Animals

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abuse & Power abuse coverups Abuse in the Church Advent AI AI and Technology American Christianity American democracy American Evangelicalism American Governance Antisemitism Apocalypse Culture Apocalyptic Theology Authentic Love Author Insights Authoritarianism Bible Bible & Scripture Bible Criticism Biblical Authority Biblical Interpretation Biblical Satire Book of Revelation book reviews Books and Reviews Capitalism Catholicism Charismatic Christianity Christian Activism Christian apocalypse culture Christian Commentary Christian Conservatism Christian Critique Christian Culture Christian History Christian Literature Christian Living Christian Music Christian Mysticism Christian Myths Christian Nationalism Christian Satire Christian Traditions Christian Zionism Christianity Christmas Church & Culture Church Abuse Church Accountability Church and State church corruption Church Critique Church Culture Church History Church Leadership Church Power and Abuse Churches of God Civil Rights Comic Book Analysis Commentary community Complementarianism Conservative Politics Conspiracy Theories Consumerism conversations cosmic philosophy Creation and Spirituality Creationism Critical Essays critical thinking Critique Cults Cultural Commentary cultural identity culture Culture and Society Culture Critique culture war Christianity Culture Wars Current Event Data & Religion Deconstruction Dominionism Dunning-Krueger Effect Easter Economics Editorial Education and Religion Election Emotional Health in Religion Emotional Wellness Empire End Times End Times Theology Environment Environmental Collapse equality Eschatology ethics Evangelical Culture Evangelical Hypocrisy Evangelicalism Evangelicalism Critique Evangelism existential journey Exorcisms Faith Faith & Culture Faith & Deconstruction Faith & Doubt Faith & Identity Faith & Politics Faith and Culture faith and doubt Faith and Mental Health Faith and Power Faith and Spirituality Faith critique Faith Deconstruction Faith Exploration Faith Formation faith journey Faith vs. Science Faith-based Scams False Prophets family Family and Relationships Family Gatherings Feminism Feminism and Conservatism football Gaza gender Gender and Power Gender Equality Gender Roles Geopolitics gospel music Grace Grief and Loss Growth and Change Gun Violence Hamas Healing and Recovery Healthcare Justice historical analysis History History and Religion Holiday Survival Holidays hope Humor Identity Idolatry in Modern Christianity Independence Day Intellectual Reads Interfaith Dialogue interview Israel Jesus' Teachings Kamala Kamala Harris Lament Late-Stage Capitalism leadership LGBTQ+ Literary Analysis Love MAGA Masculinity Meaning & Ethics Media Analysis Media and Religion Memorial Day mental health Militarism mimetic theory Misinterpretations Misogyny Modern Christianity modern culture modern faith Monasticism Music Music and Culture Mysticism Nationalism Nature and the Divine NCAA NDA opinion Orthodoxy vs Orthopraxy Pacifism Patriarchy Peace Personal Development Personal Growth Personal Reflection philosophy Philosophy of Faith podcast Political Commentary Political Humor Political Theology politics Politics & Culture politics & current events Politics and Religion pop culture Post-Evangelical power and control Power and Religion Power Dynamics Privilege Progressive Christian Progressive Christianity Prophetic Satire Prophetic Witness Prosperity Gospel psychology Psychology and Society Purity Culture Quantum Physics radical love rapture theology Recognizing Cultish Behavior Reflection and Critique Refugee & Immigration Policy Relationships Religion Religion & Culture Religion & Politics Religion & Spirituality Religion and Ethics Religion and Politics Religion and Public Safety Religion and Science Religion and Society Religion History Religion News Religious Accountability Religious Criticism Religious Critique Religious Diversity Religious Hypocrisy Religious Propaganda religious satire Reproductive Rights Resilience Resurrection Revelation sarcasm satire Satirical Guides Scandal Science & Spirituality Science and Religion science fiction review scriptural interpretation scripture Scripture & Misreadings Seasonal Holidays Second Amendment Sermon on the Mount Sex Sexuality and Culture Skepticism Snarky Faith Social Analysis Social Commentary Social Issues Social Justice Social Media Critique Social Trends society Society & Culture Soul Southern Baptist Convention Spiritual Abuse spiritual exploration Spiritual Growth Spiritual Practices Spiritual Psychology spiritual truths Spirituality sports Storytelling and Theology suffering Superstition & Faith Technology & Religion Televangelists Television Thanksgiving theocracy Theology Theology Gone Wrong Toxic Theology Trump Trump and Religion U.S. Politics UFO Uncategorized War War and Religion weaponized scripture Weaponized Theology White Supremacy Women’s Autonomy Worship Worship Culture

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What New Testament letter addresses a runaway slave returning to his master?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Colossians Philemon Titus 2 John