101813-national-preachers-of-la-show-oxygen-network.jpgI'm going to say on the front end that I'm not a fan of reality television.
The most popular genre in television programming has no real redeeming value to changing the realities of the society in which we live. I call it "Channel Zero."



But in an anti-intellectual society, channel zero works for people who know nothing about nothing and they are prepared to watch the type of dumb stuff that we all know is scripted reality. Well, a dumbed-down society has reached a new low. It has now included religion as a part of its jaded reality circus. It has caused a stir. 
Reality television is scripted for "numbers."
"The Kardashians," "Jersey Shore," "Big Brother" and what I thought was the worst show I ever saw, "The Housewives of Atlanta," are not really reality. These shows "act" as if this is reality and they act out extreme behaviors for entertainment sake.
Fools for fame, I call it. I think "The Housewives of Atlanta," took Black women backwards 100 years. Then "Flavor of Love"came out and I knew it was all downhill from there.
People want to be famous and television projects imagery far beyond fame, regardless of the value. That's why people trip over themselves to get on television.
The point is all of it is nonsense -- not even entertaining nonsense -- that is justified because "they pull the numbers." That's why people watch high-speed chases. They pull ratings because people want to see what they hope will be a fatal conclusion in real time. Next is extreme reality.
Extreme reality not only attacks our sensibilities, it offends our sensibilities. Facebook is already running beheading videos. Televised executions will soon follow because "they pull the numbers."
Nothing is sacred anymore, so when "Preachers of L.A." premiered, of course, curiosity was going to pull viewers. What would "the church" have to contribute to this genre?
Turns out, not much in terms of redeeming social value. But very much, in terms of where does this nonsense stop? Religion is not spirituality. Religion is doctrine -- gospel framed as the word of God. The spiritual person sees right threw the inconsistencies in the doctrine. The fastest-growing segments of the church are non-denominational factions that design their own religion. They give themselves titles and roll themselves out before the people.
I didn't think I would ever see anything worse than "The Housewives of Atlanta." Then came "Basketball Wives," "Housewives of Beverly Hills" (and Orange County) and "The Husbands of Hollywood."
Dumb stuff on top of dumb stuff. But "Preachers of L.A."is extreme reality of a different kind. The thesis here is that the show is supposed to project the human side of so-called, "God's men."
However, it projects the church, and the men (and women) of the church, in a very shallow, material and decadent way. This show is made to feed the carnal appetite, not the intellectual or spiritual imagination.
This is a hit on the church, an institution that is in "rehab." The church is trying to rehabilitate itself from the very type of imagery that this show projects, of the jackleg, over-materialistic, skirt-chasing, prosperity-preaching con men that television evangelism has projected for three decades. Well, "Preachers of L.A." just brought it back.
Supersized (mega-church) and microwaved (short entertainment-driven church services) have caused people to leave the church from the lack of spiritual fulfillment, as religion has become more impersonal and superficial. Then, there is the "devil in the pulpit" factor where trust in faith and the faith messenger become conflicted and people's faith in the church is totally crushed over preacher infidelities. That's church reality in the 21st century.
The insincere Bible thumper preying on the flock, vulnerable to the preacher as they (mostly women) open themselves up to religion (literally and figuratively) in search of salvation.
It is the worst of what the church has become and several of the figures of this reality show are implicated in such activity. In today's society, the devil is real and just as likely to show up in a preacher's robe as in devil ears and pitchfork. But then they are only human, right?
It is not the total persona of the church, but is certainly a prominent one as the mega-church represents the most visible aspects of religion today. "Preachers of L.A."distorts both the Black church and the Black preacher in a not so positive way. If it was positive, the country wouldn't be talking about it?
Source: Wave Newspapers 
Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D., is a national columnist and author of "REAL EYEZ: Race, Reality and Politics in 21st Century Popular Culture." He can be reached at www.AnthonySamad.com and on Twitter at @DrAnthonySamad.

 

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Prince Malachi is the founder of The Oracle Network and the Streetwear brand Y.A.H. Apparel

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