The Sisterhood debuted last week on TLC, and has quickly become one of TV’s most talked about reality shows. The 8-part series follows the lives of five outspoken preacher’s wives from Atlanta. So far viewers have described the series as The Real Housewives of Atlanta with an element of church.
After episode 1 aired, there was considerable backlash from the African-American churchgoing community, with an overwhelming number of viewers saying The Sisterhood portrays first ladies in a negative light.
A petition that has been posted on Change.org, titled “TLC Network: Cancel The Sisterhood,” embodies the frustration of some viewers who believe the premiere episode was “toxic and degrading.”
According to the petition, the airing of The Sisterhood “is not only offensive to the body of Christ, but it is also degrading to women of color (specifically).”
Tonight the second installment of the series airs, and focuses on Tara Lewis and her husband Dr. Brian Lewis (a self-confessed “Jewish believer in Jesus”), and the Christian Bar Mitzvah they are organizing for their son.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_Srhii7ap0
“Jesus our savior had a Bar Mitzvah,” Tara revealed during an interview with theGrio. “The scriptures talk about how Jesus celebrated a coming of age, and that’s what a Bar Mitzvah is. Some Christians are not familiar with the fact that their savior had a Bar Mitzvah. The truth is you could never have Christianity without Judaism.”
Before seeing the first episode of The Sisterhood, Tara said that she hoped their show would be viewed as a more dignified version of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, but after watching the debut installment of The Sisterhood, she was let down.
“I was heartbroken and saddened and had hoped that our show was different than the Real Housewives of Atlanta, and that there was a true sisterhood developing,” Tara said.
The mother of four also weighed in on backlash the show has received, specifically from the black church.
“I absolutely believe the backlash is warranted after seeing the first episode. However you cannot make a final judgment about the show until you have seen the series in its entirety,” Tara said. “There are other women in the black church that gossip, argue and bicker. But as first a lady you are held to a higher standard because you are taking on such a prestigious title.”
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All the feedback has not been negative though; Tara says that she has received some positive feedback from viewers regarding her appearance on the show. People were “so grateful to see me take a stand and not let the other ladies bully me. I’ve gotten amazing responses on how I handled myself and how I represented my family and how I related to my husband.”
After all is a said and done, Tara wants viewers to realize that she loves the word of God and loves the scriptures.
“I am truly living what I believe, these are my true convictions. Convictions are not what you believe, and not what you read, but rather what you believe and read and will apply to your life.”
Episode 2 of The Sisterhood airs tonight at 9/8c on TLC.
Follow Chris Witherspoon on Twitter at @WitherspoonC