Dem Senate Candidate Slanders Virgin Mary, Denies Jesus

people seated in church pews facing a cross — Photo: Puttipong Klinklai / Shutterstock

The minister tied to James Talarico was caught on hidden camera rejecting the virgin birth and saying Jesus did not die for our sins, and the fallout hit fast.

Story Snapshot

Undercover video shows a St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church minister dismissing core Christian beliefs.
Quotes include doubts about Jesus’ existence and a denial of the virgin birth and atonement.
Multiple outlets circulated the clip, pushing the story into wider debate.
The church’s lead pastor later warned the flock about hidden cameras after backlash.

What the Footage Shows and Why It Landed Like a Thunderclap

Undercover video published this week attributes to Rev. Babs Miller three stark claims: we cannot know if Jesus existed, the virgin birth draws from pagan myths, and Jesus did not die for humanity’s sins. The clip also includes a blunt rejection when asked whether a virgin gave birth. These are not small side notes; they question basic creeds that many Christians say at church every Sunday. The video’s clarity and the direct quotes supercharged the reaction.

Coverage spread across Christian and conservative media within hours. The Daily Wire framed it as a denial of the Gospel and an insult to Mary. The Christian Post and others repeated the key lines and tied them to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, the congregation linked with Talarico. The reach of these outlets turned a church debate into a political storm. Once a claim is on video and shared across platforms, it becomes the story driver, not the press release.

Context: A Familiar Playbook in American Campaigns

Politicians often get dragged into “pastor problems” when a clergy member’s words become a test of the candidate’s faith or judgment. Research from the Pew Research Center in 2008 showed this kind of coverage can dwarf stories about a candidate’s own beliefs, fueled by viral clips that repeat on television and online. The incentive is simple: a sharp sound bite gains clicks and pressure. The cost is also simple: nuance loses to the loudest cut.

This clip lands in that groove. The reporting identifies St. Andrew’s as the setting and names Miller as a minister there. The absence of a full, uncut transcript leaves room for dispute over context, yet the quotes are specific and repeated across outlets. That mix is potent. It gives critics a clear target and supporters little to work with beyond process arguments. Fair or not, that is how modern media fights are won and lost.

The Core Claims Against Historic Christian Doctrine

The statements in the clip run against what most Christians hold as nonnegotiable. The virgin birth is embedded in the Apostles’ Creed. The atoning death of Jesus is central to the New Testament and Christian preaching. Saying these are pagan borrowings or that atonement is not the point rejects mainstream doctrine. Many believers will see such talk not as debate but as a break with the faith itself. That is why the clip hits a nerve beyond politics.

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Coverage also noted that St. Andrew’s clergy had faced backlash tied to these themes, and the lead pastor later warned congregants about hidden cameras. That response acknowledges a storm without walking back the theology. On the merits, the claims in the clip are clear, and they align poorly with historic Christianity. From a conservative view, the statements fail a basic test of what a church should teach and what a pastor should affirm. That is not about party; it is about creed.

What Holds Up, What Needs More Light

The video exists, the quotes are specific, and multiple outlets point to the same language. Those are firm blocks. What needs light is context and completeness. An uncut release would show whether these were long-held positions or a one-off riff. A direct, on-the-record response from Miller would help readers judge fairness and intent. Until then, the public must weigh the tape we have. In politics, the tape you have is the tape that decides the week.