{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthe-un-silent-church.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2Fgolden-trump-MkBvUTXK","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"Christian patriotism is starting to look a lot like classic idolatry.","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/a68c7757-f766-409f-8a09-a88efdf2fb42/2aab37e1-f942-412e-b05c-cfae4b09dc70/unsilent-church-profile-fin-01.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"When does patriotism become idolatry?\n\nRecently, a golden statue of Donald Trump was unveiled and celebrated at Trump National Doral in Miami. The statue showed Trump with his fist raised, echoing the image from the assassination attempt, and several Christian leaders participated in the dedication ceremony.\n\nFor many people, the image was hard to ignore: a golden statue, a public ceremony, political loyalty, religious language, and Christian leaders insisting that this was not worship.\n\nThat raises a bigger question.\n\nWhat actually makes something an idol?\n\nIn this episode, we talk about the golden Trump statue, the story of the golden calf in Exodus, Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image in Daniel, and why Christians should be deeply careful when political devotion starts borrowing the language, posture, and symbolism of worship.\n\nThis conversation is not only about Donald Trump. It is about the church, power, compromise, patriotism, celebrity, and the danger of using God’s name to bless something that may not look like God at all.\n\nBecause idolatry does not always announce itself as rebellion. Sometimes it calls itself gratitude. Sometimes it calls itself patriotism. Sometimes it says, “This is not worship,” while standing right beside a golden, graven image.\n\nWe don’t want to just ask whether this statue was strange. We want to ask what kind of people we are becoming when we can no longer tell the difference between honoring God and defending power.\n\nSo we’d love to hear from you in the comments:\n\n1. At what point do you think patriotism becomes idolatry?\n2. What should Christians do when political loyalty starts to look like worship?\n3. Would you have attended the dedication ceremony? Why or Why not?\n\n#GoldenTrump #ChristianPodcast #Idolatry #Christianity #PoliticsAndFaith #Trump #GoldenCalf #Patriotism #Evangelicalism #CulturePodcast #Theology\n\n---\n\nVISIT US IN PERSON\nRoosevelt Community Church\n924 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004\nSunday Service: 10:00 AM\nrooseveltchurch.org\n\nCONNECT WITH US:\n📧 Newsletter: Text \"newsletter\" to 855-834-2593\n📝 Want to connect with us? Start here: roosevelt.church/connect\n💚 Support the work at RCC: roosevelt.church/give\n\nFOLLOW US:\nInstagram: instagram.com/rooseveltchurch\nFacebook: facebook.com/rooseveltchurch\nTikTok: tiktok.com/@rooseveltchurch\n\nLISTEN TO THE PODCAST:\n🎧 The Un-Silent Church - Available wherever you get podcasts\nApple Podcasts: roosevelt.church/apple\nSpotify: roosevelt.church/spotify\n\nABOUT ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY CHURCH:\nWe exist to engage all people with all of Jesus. Located at the intersection of Roosevelt and 1st Street in the Roosevelt Arts District in Downtown Phoenix. RCC is a multiethnic congregation gathering every Sunday, with a unique voice crossing theology, street, and family. We make content to help extend the message of the gospel everywhere people are, far beyond Sunday morning. We share theological social commentary on a number of issues and current events, so that as much as it depends on us, we do not fail to speak on matters that have gone unspoken from churches historically. We believe the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom, and all its righteousness is thorough and complete as the authority to help us navigate our world, so we want to be faithful in providing everyone who listens a clear path to follow the way of Jesus.\n"}