this post was submitted on 11 May 2026
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Pastor Mark Burns, the president's informal "spiritual advisor," wants to make one thing very clear about the extremely tall gold statue of Donald Trump that was officially dedicated last week in Doral, Miami. "Let me be clear: this is not a golden calf. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone," he wrote on Twitter.

He's technically right, just as Rene Magritte was technically right that his painting of a pipe was not actually a pipe. In the most literal sense, the statue of Trump, which is named "Don Colossus" is not a golden calf.

Despite the president calling it "The Real Deal - GOLD," on Truth Social, the statue is not made of gold. Unlike the golden calf, which was made from melting the jewelry of the Egyptians, the Trump statue is not actually made of solid gold. "Don Colossus" is cast in bronze and covered in gold leaf, making it much, much less valuable. It is also obviously not a calf, as calves are baby cows, and the statue is certainly not a baby cow.

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[–] Almacca@aussie.zone 114 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

It's still definitely an idol, though.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 29 points 3 weeks ago

tiny dick and all.

[–] frunch@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Probably the most American Idol to date

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[–] mPony@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

with a golden calf just above each golden ankle

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[–] Australis13@fedia.io 84 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

I'd like to ask Pastor Burns if he's read the book of Daniel, particularly chapters 3 and 4.

God struck Nebuchadnezzar (who likewise had a golden statue built for his entire kingdom to workship) with madness for 7 years for his pride.

[–] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 62 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

We're having madness right now.

[–] Australis13@fedia.io 31 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

True, but in Nebuchadnezzar's case his kingdom was taken from him for those 7 years...

[–] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 36 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If only we could be so fortunate.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

A monkey paw finger curls

Hey look, the brits are coming again!

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[–] Murse@slrpnk.net 66 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Sometimes I wish God was real, so we'd get to see him swoop in and smite these fucking hypocrites.

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

if god isn't real it is up to us to make the world a just god would make.

[–] badgermurphy@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

It should be no problem to come to broad consensus on what that would look like!

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[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.cafe 8 points 3 weeks ago

I think that every time one of these psychos assumes room temperature. Upon hearing of their death, I'd love the satisfaction of imagining their reaction upon entering Hell for the eternity of fiery torture that we've been promised.

But alas, it's all a fairy tale, as real as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

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[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.cafe 43 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

the statue is certainly not a baby cow.

No, it's a giant pig.

[–] BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Now, be nicer to pigs, they're intelligent, capable of empathy. It's actually a giant pile of gold leafed shit.

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[–] SuiXi3D@fedia.io 37 points 3 weeks ago

…if you feel the need to let everyone know how much the golden idol isn’t a golden idol, perhaps you’ve forgotten what an idol is and why your religion speaks against them.

[–] frunch@lemmy.world 30 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"Let me be clear: this is not a golden calf. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone,"

Which is why they erected a giant golden statue of the president of the United States. Makes perfect sense!

[–] Mirshe@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago

And blessed it, and have repeatedly said that Trump is either blessed by God, or God's divine instrument.

But this isn't idolatry.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 28 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

It's not a golden calf

No. It's a golden pig-like thing that is fatter and smellier than a pig.

But also: If they worship Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ alone that's pretty weird. What about God and the Holy Spirit? Did this pastor even go to seminary school?

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[–] Akh@lemmy.world 24 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

This “church” wouldn’t know Christ if the Christ walked up to them and said to love their neighbors as Christ loved them.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 12 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

They would know Christ: they would be in the front row yelling for another crucifixion

[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Indeed: most of present day America, especially the far-right, would be incredibly hostile towards a middle eastern guy preaching a philosophy of peace and equality and who was openly against the "money lenders".

[–] Thebeardedsinglemalt@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If the real Christ came back, they'd call him a lunatic

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[–] lovingisliving@anarchist.nexus 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

A gold plated statue is really on the nose for this con artist.

[–] BeigeAgenda@lemmy.ca 11 points 3 weeks ago

I am sure it's the thinnest gold coating possible, a lettuce head will last longer than the coating.

[–] BucketBong@p.hobo.social 19 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 22 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Baphomet is much better done

[–] FreddiesLantern@leminal.space 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Not only that, a much better character to have a statue of.

[–] BucketBong@p.hobo.social 21 points 3 weeks ago

And way safer around those children

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One is a statue of a cruel, merciless, sinful being that kills for fun. The other is Baphomet.

[–] lechekaflan@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago (8 children)

Do those bastards not see what can happen to despots?

[–] auntieclokwise@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
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[–] Photonic@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Are you sure he is not a baby cow though? When I hear him speak all I hear is the exact same whiny mooing sound a calf makes.

[–] nile_istic@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

I feel like he's both a baby and a cow, and yet somehow not a baby cow.

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[–] normalentrance@lemmy.zip 16 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

and God later sent a plague upon the people for their idolatry.

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[–] tomiant@piefed.social 15 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

"The church has investigated the claims about rampant pedophilia"

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[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

These people love vice signalling. This is clearly a giant golden idol they worship. They love their pedo prince so much because he's all the vices.

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[–] HollowedFleshwalker@lemmy.world 15 points 3 weeks ago

Why would the idol-like statue, made for a person worshiped by his followers who are part of a group with cult-like tendencies, be considered an idol?

[–] BenLeMan@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

We are witnessing Olympic levels of mental gymnastics here.

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It is also obviously not a calf, as calves are baby cows, and the statue is certainly not a baby cow.

Right...bcz it's a statue of a large cow.

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[–] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

How long before he's charging admission just as far as the statue, so MAGAs can kneel to it?

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[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 3 weeks ago

It's obviously meant to be an homage to medical doctors.

[–] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 9 points 3 weeks ago

My 'Not a golden idol' shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by my shirt.

[–] Onsotumenh@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

My first thought went to this:

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.cafe 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, it's a golden idol.

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[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 7 points 3 weeks ago

I can't wait until the righteous americans eventually tear all of that shit down just like the people did with Saddam.

[–] MousePotatoDoesStuff@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

What would Moses do?

Throw the idol into a fire, I guess.

The statue, too.

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[–] cley_faye@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's not an idol, it's just a gold-looking representation of something a large group of people fervently honor and pray to, and according to their own chit-chat, hold in higher respect than jesus or god. And nothing more.

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[–] Mulligrubs@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

This statue is a PERFECT representation of Trumpism, he can't resist revealing himself by the art he chooses. Reminds me of Mussolini.

(caption: a photo of the massive Mussolini head staring down a public square)

I think it's because these personalities surround themselves with sycophants, and this leads to them being isolated and unaware of their own ridiculousness. A universal truth across the centuries.

Ye shall know them by their fruits. ~Matthew 7:16

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