Texas Baptist pastor faces backlash for allowing children to smash religious statues

Jonathan Shelley, a pastor at Steadfast Baptist Church in Cedar Hill, Texas, has drawn significant backlash after sharing videos of children smashing statues of the Virgin Mary and angels. The destruction occurred on stage as a reward during a “Bible drills” exercise.

Shelley justified the actions as a defense of the Second Commandment against what he termed “Catholic idols.” The footage, which has garnered over 100,000 views on social media, has prompted criticism from both Catholic and Protestant observers.

This incident follows previous controversies involving Shelley’s ministry. In 2022, the church was reportedly evicted from its building following remarks regarding the LGBT community that were viewed as inciting violence and violating lease terms.