Discussing
Rick and Morty’s Conversion Episode

It’s a surprise that personal salvation plays any part in the animated series, let alone too big of one.

I didn't read the whole text, but you're probably overthinking here. The point is that modern movies and series, especially with characters appealing to a young audience, are full of irony: Characters are self-aware of their self-awareness, the real appeal being interpassivity, common people with their quirks and mannerisms interacting for the viewer who doesn't suspend his disbelief -that he sort of identifies with them, reflects on them etc. That suspension of disbelief is supposed to be broken by the appeal to something that lots of youngsters don't want to be interpassive about any longer - Jesus Christ.

It is actually a pretty elaborate pun on something like McLuhan's "the medium is the massage" - not supposed to criticize the religion, but the audience. And thusly breaking the real spell, that of the "altar of television" (McLuhan again), bringing the audience in contact with reality again - where the toy train still runs on the same power that gave the "magic box" its powers. The real question, maybe to someone who is bedazzled by recursive wit, could be "What runs you?"