'Ministry' draws ire from Crestview citizens over Christmas parade presence

CRESTVIEW, Fla. (WALA) - Some people in northwest Florida are outraged over what happened at the Crestview Christmas parade.

A group in the holiday parade shouted at parade-goers that Santa Claus isn’t real, among other controversial statements concerning religious beliefs.

In a video taken by Brian Gaines as he drove his organization "Save Me from the Fire" in the Crestview Christmas parade, you can hear the words, “Its going to burn up. Let me tell you, are you going to burn up with it? Are you going to burn in hell?”

Not what you expect to hear at a Christmas parade. Especially one with the theme “Blessed are our children.”

Cal Zethmayr is one of the organizers. He says there were a lot of freaked out families. 

“I felt most bad for the school of dance that was right in front of them for an hour-and-a-half. They didn’t have a choice they couldn’t have left,” said Zethmayr.

From the bed of a truck, a man with a megaphone projected a message about sin, being saved and Hell.

"Its a hard message to hear. You are a sinner, God judges your sin and you're going to have to pay for that in a lake of fire,” said Gaines, who is the founder and leader of the group.

The group shouted during the parade, “Let me tell you something, I'm going to spoil your dreams, Santa Claus ain’t real.”

 “Your kids will know that you lied to them and you deceived them, and you wonder why they are not going to trust you when you say don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs,” said Gaines.

Gaines said they've gotten feedback on their website, Facebook page and through phone calls.  

“People questioned whether beating us is a violation of Second Amendment rights and things like that,” said Gaines.

In a letter Gaines addressed the city. He says there is no set time and place for the group's message, it's every chance they get.

“That could have been the last opportunity that God was going to give the people in that parade, that if they were willing to believe it they would be saved,” said Gaines.

Gaines said if the Lord calls “Save me from the Fire” to the parade next year, it will be back.

Zethmayr says the Crestview Main Street Association is looking at ways to keep that from happening, without limiting freedom of speech.

“We'll let our city attorney recommend what we can legally do to set some guidelines. I have some ideas, for example, floats can only play music and it can only be Christmas music,” said Zethmayr.

As of right now, there is really isn’t a screening process for the groups, they just fill out an application.

From what was written on “Save me from the Fire’s” application, Zethmayr says you wouldn’t expect what they saw on Saturday.

Fox10 News has also learned "Save me from the Fire" was signed up to ride in the Bay Minette Christmas Parade, but was just told the group did not meet the application requirements. Gaines says they may still attend  - to preach.