Systemic sacralisation of power: How AI, religion, and policy erode democracy under neoliberal spectacle

Indigenous traditions universally reject the sacralisation of temporal power, framing leadership as a sacred duty to community rather than a divine right. The AI image’s fusion of Trump with Christ echoes colonial-era syncretism, where Indigenous spiritual symbols were co-opted to legitimise extractive rule. This episode reflects a broader pattern of cultural erasure, where Indigenous epistemologies of reciprocity and stewardship are replaced by neoliberal individualism and spectacle. The absence of Indigenous voices in the discourse underscores how settler-colonial frameworks dominate even critiques of such imagery.

The use of religious imagery to legitimise political power dates to ancient empires, from Roman emperors deified to medieval kings claiming divine right, and resurfaces in modern Christian nationalism. The 19th-century 'Burned-Over District' revivals in the U.S. show how religious fervour and political spectacle intertwined to justify exclusionary policies, much like today’s fusion of Trumpism with evangelical support. The Medicaid cuts echo Reagan-era welfare reductions, which disproportionately targeted Black and Latino communities under the guise of 'welfare reform.' Historical parallels reveal how spectacle and policy brutality are cyclically linked.

In Hindu traditions, political leaders are often depicted as avatars of divine figures (e.g., Rama, Krishna), but this is balanced by the concept of dharma (righteous duty), which demands accountability to the people. Buddhist political philosophy, as in Thailand’s 'Dharma King' model, emphasises ethical governance over divine mandate, offering a corrective to Christian nationalist sacralisation. African spiritual traditions like Ifá (Yoruba) and Vodun frame leadership as a covenant with the community, not a mandate from a higher power. These traditions highlight the risks of unchecked religious-political fusion in governance.

Psychological studies show that the fusion of political figures with religious imagery triggers heuristic processing, reducing critical evaluation of policy actions—a phenomenon exploited by populist leaders. AI-generated imagery leverages the 'uncanny valley' effect, where hyper-realistic but distorted images (e.g., Trump as Christ) provoke strong emotional responses, bypassing rational analysis. Research on media spectacle demonstrates how outrage narratives distract from material harms, particularly in health policy where cuts to Medicaid have measurable impacts on mortality and morbidity. The lack of fact-checking in such imagery underscores the erosion of epistemic trust.

Artistic traditions like Dadaism and Situationist détournement critique the sacralisation of power by subverting religious iconography, as seen in Marcel Duchamp’s 'L.H.O.O.Q.' or Banksy’s satirical works. Spiritual traditions like Sufism and Kabbalah emphasise the inner divine as a path to humility, contrasting with the outward projection of divinity onto leaders. The AI image’s grotesque fusion of Trump with Christ mirrors the medieval 'grotesque body' in art, where power is depicted as monstrous and unnatural. Such imagery reveals the spiritual bankruptcy of conflating political power with divine mandate.

Scenario modelling suggests that the fusion of AI-generated religious imagery with political power will accelerate under conditions of declining trust in institutions, leading to further erosion of democratic norms. Projections indicate that Medicaid cuts will exacerbate health disparities, particularly among Black and Latino communities, with long-term economic and social costs. Future governance models may increasingly rely on spectacle to distract from structural violence, unless counter-movements emerge to reclaim public discourse. The rise of 'deepfake theology'—AI-generated religious imagery—could normalise theocratic governance, particularly in contexts of economic precarity.

Medicaid recipients, particularly disabled individuals and people of colour, are the primary victims of the policy brutality obscured by the spectacle, yet their voices are entirely absent from the discourse. Indigenous communities, who face systemic barriers to healthcare access, are doubly marginalised by narratives that prioritise cultural outrage over material justice. LGBTQ+ individuals, already targeted by both religious and political exclusion, are further erased in debates that frame the issue as purely cultural. The lack of representation of these groups in media coverage reflects how spectacle politics depoliticise structural oppression.