Controversial Nativity Scene in Madame Tussaud’s Museum Earns Church Wrath

London, England – Madame Tussaud’s waxwork museum in London caught the media glare recently when Church leaders in unison condemned a Christmas Nativity tableau depicting soccer star David Beckham as Joseph and his pop singer wife Victoria as the Virgin Mary. However, it seemed that the museum officials were briefly spared the embarrassment as the waxwork depicting the nativity scene was vandalized by an unidentified person.

Anglicans, Catholics and Presbyterians called the exhibit at Madame Tussaud's waxwork museum in London a new low in the cult of celebrity worship. In the tableau, Australian pop star Kylie Minogue hovers above the crib as an angel while "Posh Spice" Victoria lays her shawled head tenderly on Beckham's shoulder. Tony Blair, George W. Bush and the Duke of Edinburgh star as The Three Wise Men. The shepherds are played by Hollywood star Samuel L. Jackson, British actor Hugh Grant and openly–gay flamboyant Irish comedian Graham Norton.

The celebrities used in the crèche were decided by a poll of 300 visitors to the London attraction in October. Asked which stars they would like to see in which roles, they overwhelmingly chose the Beckhams for the top positions.

Displayed in the “Divas” hall of the museum, the celebrity crèche sat in the VIP corner, looking out onto the likes of J–Lo and Beyonce. Instead of chamber music or Christmas carols playing softly in the background, professional dancers groove to the music of Britney Spears.

Many visitors happily posed with the wax figures for pictures and felt that it was comical more than anything else. However, some did feel that it was disrespectful and stupid.

Indeed, “Posh and Becks,” as they are known here due to Victoria Beckham's role in the former pop band Spice Girls, are not known for their piety or modesty.

The soccer star was embroiled for months in accusations of having extramarital affairs, and the couple are famous for their tactless publicity stunts: they wore crowns and were seated on thrones at their wedding, named their oldest son Brooklyn after the New York borough where he was allegedly conceived, and have his–and–hers matching wrist tattoos.

The Vatican, also was not amused by the depiction. "This is worse than bad taste. It is cheap," an official Vatican source told Reuters in Rome. "You cannot use contemporary personalities as the central figures of the Nativity ... And it becomes worse, if that were possible, if the people may be of questionable moral standing," he added.

He said it was sometimes acceptable to use modern figures in the supporting roles because it can help make Christmas contemporary – but not the central characters. In Naples, for example, famous figures like Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona have been depicted as shepherds in creche scenes.

A spokesman for Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of 70 million Anglicans worldwide, reacted with weary resignation to the "Posh and Becks" nativity scene. "There is a tradition of each generation trying to re–interpret the Nativity but, oh dear ...," he sighed.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England had also criticized the scene. Cardinal Cormac Murphy–O'Connor said: "To have a very special part of Christianity depicted in this way and its most precious symbol, which is the coming of God into the world in Jesus Christ, seems to me to be not just disrespectful to Christians, it is also disrespectful to the heritage of Britain and does damage to the culture of this country."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, more conservative religious figures were harsher. Rev Rod Thomas, spokesman for Reform, the conservative evangelical grouping, said that the tableau should not be allowed to undermine the serious message of the story of the birth of Christ. “Anything that reminds us that Jesus came into the real world as a real human being is very useful at this time of year,” he said. “But anything that invites us to laugh at what God did is something that He will take very seriously. In the Ten Commandments we are told not to make any images of God. This scene shows how wise that commandment is.”

“This is just an additional indication of the way people exploit the Christian message without any real understanding of its significance,” he added.

"Would they do the same thing for a depiction of a major event in the Muslim faith?" he asked.

The Presbyterian Church was also forthright: "The waxwork will cause offence to many and should be pulled down."

Arun Kataria, spokesman for the Church of England, said: “It is an original idea. But it is worth noting that none of the people who took part in the original was a celebrity.”

He admitted that there was some potential for evangelization. “If it brings the nativity tableau to an adult audience rather than just to toddlers in a school, then that is a good thing.”

However, "the eternal story of Jesus will last a lot longer than these waxworks or the celebrities in it," he said.

Roman Catholic bishops were reluctant to comment. A spokesman for one said he was concerned that the tableau might offend some Catholics. He said he was anxious to avoid saying anything that might exacerbate things.

Paul Handley, editor of the Anglican Church Times, thought the idea was "just pathetic."

"It is yet another sign that people feel they can play around with sacred things," he told Reuters. "God is not going to worry. He is going to cope – but it is a bit depressing."

However, within a few days of the display, an unidentified person who visited the waxworks, seemingly unable to cope with the idea, destroyed the figures.

The figures were removed and the controversial nativity scene closed off because of the vandalism, said a spokeswoman for Madame Tussauds. "There was some damage caused to the figures of David and Victoria by a member of the public on December 12."

However, according to news sources, repair work is going on and museum officials hope to reopen the popular display soon.

According to news reports, a man in his twenties queued behind other visitors before repeatedly punching and pushing the waxwork figures and escaping into the street. The spokeswoman could not confirm the extent of the damage, or say how it happened. However, the figure of baby Jesus, a plastic doll, like those used in traditional church Nativity scenes, was spared, museum officials confirmed.

Surveillance tapes are currently being examined to determine the identity of the assailant, who ran away after damaging the figures.

"We're sorry if we have offended people," said Diane Moon, a spokeswoman for the museum, who said it was intended to be satirical and funny. "We are not suggesting for one minute these celebrities actually represent the biblical characters themselves and we are sorry if it has been misconstrued as such,” she said.

The Beckhams were not aware of the museum's plans to depict them in the scene, according to a spokesman for the couple.