Do you ever stop to think about the current state of the Godstiel cult?
"I'm not an angel anymore. I'm your new God. A better one. So you will bow down and profess your love unto me, your Lord... or I shall destroy you"
It began with a few survivors at that first church; people who saw the light and took the new God's message to heart. As He excercises his judgement on other churches they are joined by like-minded converts who also witnessed what they call the 'miracle of the stained glass.'
The congregants gather in secret on Thursdays (no one knows why, but it's always Thursdays) to gaze upon His stained glass image and profess their love.
I am not petty. I'm punishing a woman who causes poverty and despair in my name. I put your needs first. Don't you understand?
When He takes out a politician, the FBI gets interested, and their meetings go underground: Signal, Discord, the Dark Web.
We all saw him. No beard, no robe. He was young...and...and sexy. He had a raincoat.
The mainstream media treats it like a joke, but sporadically the new religion makes it into popular culture: fanart, fanfiction, memes (the "and sexy" lady is the live slug reaction).
After the January 6 riots, membership climbs steeply. If the election had gone the other way, the administration was ready to blame the cult for disrupting their 'peaceful protest' (and thank God—the real one, not this charlatan—for the upstanding patriots who kept things from getting out of hand).
Things are quiet for two years, the movement growing at a trickle as followers wait and hope for change, but in 2023, membership begins to grow exponentially. The leaflets, previously printed on home printers low on ink, have become books bound in leather with gilt-edged pages, resting in pockets in the backs of pews, and there are never quite enough for the crowded services.
They're held on Thursdays. Always on Thursdays.
The man in the raincoat's image has entered popular culture by now. Artists on Etsy sell replicas of his image worked in stained glass. (The one where he rises out of Hell, carrying a nude man bridal style is especially popular.) The "and sexy" lady is popular on Cameo. The raincoat is a popular choice at Pride parades and political protests.
In 2025, membership explodes. In the new God's name, His followers attend protests and marches, and, while they don't condone violence, the new God saw fit to smite homophobes and politicians. If some follow of the more enthusiastic followers choose to walk in His holy path, can anyone really be surprised?
Fox and NewsMax anchors make nervous jokes. The man in the raincoat is at the top of the FBI's most wanted, eclipsing even the notorious Winchester brothers (though many suspect they are accomplices). Image search ties the man to a certain James Novak, missing since 2008. Other aliases include 'Emmanuel' (Daphne Allen is a frequent guest on NewsMax), 'Clarence', and 'Agent Beyonce'. (Beyonce herself has no comment.)
