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Texas megachurch is slammed for extravagant Christmas service with 1,000-strong cast, live camels and flying angels
UK Daily Mail ^ | 12/14/2023 | GERMANIA RODRIGUEZ POLEO

Posted on 12/14/2023 9:39:28 AM PST by DFG

A Texas megachurch has been slammed for its extravagant Christmas service, which featured nearly 1,000 performers, several camels and flying angels.

Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas has gone viral on social media for its yearly The Gift of Christmas show - a Vegas-style spectacle that retells the story of the birth of Jesus.

Footage of the event on Sunday shows real sheep walking across the stage before flying angels appear over the crowd, followed by hundreds of performers and three live camels entering the scene.

A TikTok video posted by Lawson Martin - titled 'They say everything is bigger in Texas' - has been watched more than 10million times. It showed airborne performers dancing to The Greatest Show from the musical The Greatest Showman.

The clip sparked massive backlash, with some mocking the event and others expressing anger that a church would hold such a lavish affair, which costs attendants between $19 and $69.

One commenter wrote: 'I can no longer tell what’s sarcasm and what’s an actual mega church.'

Another added: 'no taxes just vibes.'

A third said: 'Do they pass the money bowl around before after or during this ???'

Other social media videos showed a performance to Michael Jackson's Thriller.

'Nothing says Christmas like creepy dolls dancing to MJ's Thriller,' wrote the poster.

A TiKTok user replied: 'Nothing about this glorifies God in anyway way. Absolute trash.

Another echoed the sentiment, writing: 'This is evil.'

But the church was not faced by the backlash, and issued a statement saying the event was ticketed and not a service.

'Prestonwood Baptist Church is not ashamed to pull out all the stops in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ during the Christmas season,' the church told San Antonio Express-News.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Religion
KEYWORDS: camel; christmas; church; dallas; lawsonmartin; megachurch; michaeljackson; prestonwood; prestonwoodbaptist; sbc; texas; thegiftofchristmas; thegreatestshow; thegreatestshowman; thriller
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1 posted on 12/14/2023 9:39:28 AM PST by DFG
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To: DFG

There’s that word again.......................megachurch............


2 posted on 12/14/2023 9:40:30 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while l aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: DFG

And the problem is??


3 posted on 12/14/2023 9:41:11 AM PST by Dawgreg
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To: Dawgreg

I just hope those camels don’t poop on somebody’s head...


4 posted on 12/14/2023 9:43:03 AM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: DFG

That is great! If the church people are paying for it, and are okay with paying for it, whose business is it?


5 posted on 12/14/2023 9:43:04 AM PST by madison10 (He watching over Israel slumbers not, nor sleeps.)
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To: DFG

Everyone has an opinion, and there is ALWAYS someone that will be offended.

More power to them. God can use this. But I wouldn’t buy a ticket.

And what is the intent and purpose of this article? Did it work?


6 posted on 12/14/2023 9:43:05 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
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To: Dawgreg

I see nothing wrong with the pictures. I guess I would have to read the article to figure out what people are complaining about. Cost seems to be in the comments shown, but how that is an issue for anyone not forced to participate is a mystery.


7 posted on 12/14/2023 9:44:25 AM PST by Ingtar
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To: DFG

That neighborhood is the richie rich part of Dallas. It’s their pocket change to do with what they wish.


8 posted on 12/14/2023 9:44:43 AM PST by bgill
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To: Dawgreg

Beware false prophets!


9 posted on 12/14/2023 9:44:49 AM PST by 9422WMR
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To: DFG

If people are buying tickets to see this, I don’t see what the problem is.


10 posted on 12/14/2023 9:49:05 AM PST by nuconvert ( Warning: Accused of being a radical militarist. Approach with caution.)
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To: DFG

Sounds like something Disney would have done, in a previous life. Not the new Disney of course, but the way things used to be.


11 posted on 12/14/2023 9:49:24 AM PST by Bernard (We honor veterans who fought to keep this country from turning into what it now is. --Argus Hamilton)
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To: DFG

Thriller???

Yeah. Nothing says Christmas to me like the eerie laugh of Vincent Price.


12 posted on 12/14/2023 9:50:46 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (A truth that’s told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent ~ Wm. Blake)
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To: DFG
The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif. used to put on a program like that called the Glory of Christmas. Angels would fly across the sanctuary and the three kings would come in riding on camels. It was spectacular, but overly so, complained my father, a music director at a Methodist church. He thought the program was more about show biz than worship.

The Rev. Robert Schuller, pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, retired and turned it over to his kids, who ran it into the ground. It is now a Roman Catholic house of worship.

13 posted on 12/14/2023 9:50:56 AM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: DFG

Jesus enters the world in poverty to teach the lesson of detachment from earthly things.

These people might need remedial lessons.


14 posted on 12/14/2023 9:51:06 AM PST by grey_whiskers ( The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: DFG

Reminds me of the ZZ Top Worldwide Texas Tour where they brought cattle on stage.


15 posted on 12/14/2023 9:52:01 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Red Badger

I’ve always wondered what constitutes a “megachurch”.

Is it number of seats in the worship center? Number of members perhaps? 🤔


16 posted on 12/14/2023 9:52:02 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: 9422WMR

They’re all false prophets. But what’s the fuss about good entertainment?


17 posted on 12/14/2023 9:52:45 AM PST by joesbucks (It's called love-bombing. Claiming he's saving the world. This is a cult. Just back away. )
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To: PeterPrinciple
And what is the intent and purpose of this article? Did it work?

 

It's a Daily Mail article. Like most DM garbage, its designed to bash Christians.

18 posted on 12/14/2023 9:52:50 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (A truth that’s told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent ~ Wm. Blake)
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To: V_TWIN

Number of Mercedes in the parking lot.................


19 posted on 12/14/2023 9:53:08 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while l aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: DFG

Not at all tasteful, but then, neither are rock concerts.

I don’t see a problem.


20 posted on 12/14/2023 9:53:41 AM PST by HIDEK6 (God bless Donald Trump. )
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