I heard on NPR this morning that there is a new reality show called The Sisterhood featuring the wives of five Christian preachers in the Atlanta area.

Critics say the show takes reality TV one step too far, exposing personal, intimate and sometimes unflattering details about pastors’ wives. But Domonique Scott, former first lady of The Good Life Ministry church, tells NPR’s David Greene that The Sisterhood was somewhat of a calling for her. “We definitely believe that God told us to do it,” Scott says. “Individually, and together as a group.”

“I think for us, the assignment was to step out,” adds Christina Murray, the first lady of Oasis Family Life Church. “We knew it would probably be a little controversial, but we don’t do anything just for people to understand and give us our approval; we do everything for what God is trying to lead us to do.”

Yes, I am sure that their god told them he wants them to do a reality show about their lives since god must be sick of the other offerings on TV and was looking for something new. God has become an all-purpose get-out-of-jail free card for religious people when people question their behavior. I am waiting for the day when an interviewer will ask what seems to me to be an obvious follow-up question along the lines of “How exactly did your god tell you to take such a specific action?”

Needless to say, this show is stirring up controversy as to whether it is appropriate for preachers’ wives to expose their lives on such shows and questioning whether they are doing it for less than noble motives.