Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith by April Ajoy

Author:April Ajoy [Ajoy, April]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Nonfiction, Religious, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Christian Life, Social & Cultural Studies, Biography & Memoir, Political Science
ISBN: 9781546006701
Google: L8LyEAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Worthy
Published: 2024-09-30T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

Store Up Your Treasure Trolls in Heaven: Boycotts

If labeling enemies a scary word like “Marxist” doesn’t stop the opposition, then it’s time to up the ante and demonize them. Literally. Mark something demonic and boycott it. Satan is on the attack and wants your kids! Tell all your friends about it and save the children!

It’s not unusual for Christians to believe in demonic influence. I got an extra dose of demonic awareness because we were Pentecostal. Even though we didn’t fear demons per se (because we were pros at casting those suckers out in Jesus’ name), we were hyper aware of their existence. Even Jesus talked about—and even talked to—demons in the Bible, so it’s not a far-fetched conclusion for evangelicals to look for darkness lurking in our nation today. However, Christian Nationalism can use this belief in literal demons, among other things, to fulfill another tactic used to silence enemies: boycotts.

But before you can get people to boycott Target because of an alleged demonic goat-headed statue in the kids’ section, you need to lay the groundwork with some basic satanic panic.1

My childhood trained me well for this.

“When you wish on a Treasure Troll, who knows what might happen?” the voice on the television asked.

“I wish my violin was an electric guitar!” one girl said, smiling into the camera as multiple Treasure Trolls appeared on the screen. Each had a colorful belly jewel that matched the color of their crazy hair. I was eight years old, and I was sold.

“Mom, Dad!! Can I pleeeeeaaaase get a Treasure Troll?” I asked.

“No, April, you don’t need to make a wish on a toy when you can pray to God.”

“But alllllll my friends have them…” I begged. The answer was still no.

Despite the popularity of Treasure Trolls in the 1990s, I never got one. In our home, like many other evangelical households, magic of all forms was considered demonic—even if it was just pretend.

While Treasure Trolls seemed innocent enough to me, I ultimately decided that continuing to nag my parents over a potential demon doll wasn’t worth it. Even though I accepted my fate, it didn’t squash my desire for one or the jealousy I felt when other kids played with their own Trolls.

Then, at a friend’s house one day, I saw she had a Troll. There it was in all its crazy purple-haired glory, shoved into a toy chest between a Barbie and a plastic toy pistol. The purple jewel on its belly called out to me, and I yearned to answer.

I knew I wasn’t allowed to make a wish on it. I knew it might open a gateway to hell.

But I looked across the room at my friend, who seemed normal enough. I’m sure she had made a wish at some point, and I didn’t see any open hell portals in the house.

Just rub it real quick. No one will know, I convinced myself.

I looked around the room quickly. No one was looking. So I snatched the doll and secretly rubbed the belly jewel of the troll.

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