By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
It’s no mistaking that Mary Mary is one of the biggest Gospel groups of today. The group, which consists of sisters Erica and Tina, has become a force to be reckoned with in the world of God’s music because they have a knack of mixing powerful messages with crazy beats and flawless vocals. But when the sisters announced that they would be taking their act to reality television, a lot of the Gospel enthusiasts weren’t too thrilled with the decision. Although the show, Mary Mary (WE network), has brought in solid ratings, the sisters admit the criticism they receive from other Christians wasn’t quite what the expected.
In a recent interview with Upscale Magazine, the Gospel heavyweights talked about the good and bad of their experience with reality television, their thoughts on sex, as well as some of the issues they see with the more “traditional” Christians.
Mary Mary has had a lot of success when it comes to reaching young people and young Christians through their music. In the interview, the sisters admit that they think the public’s ideas of how Christians act needs to change. In particular, they feel it’s important for people to see that Christians are normal people.
Erica says:
“Every time we see an urban stage play or movie, the church scene is always the same. The clothes are not fly. The preacher is irrelevant and outta [sic] touch or begging for money. And every Christian does not roll like that. There are a lot of normal people that love God and you never, ever see that.”
Mary Mary also expressed they believe Christians have an unhealthy view of sex. One of the most prominent complaints of the group’s show is the constant sex talk that occurs between the two married sisters. Apparently some Christians don’t think the sisters should be discussing sex on television, even though they are married.
Erica says:
“God created sex and if He made anything better than that, He left it up in Heaven. So I think that it’s just another part of human life that people should understand. You have to be tasteful and do things the right way, but you’re not going to stay married for eleven years without a healthy sex life. Christian or not. ‘Marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled.’ Which means I can do what I want, when I want. As much as I want! In church, they just tell you ‘Don’t do it. Don’t think about it. Don’t say it. Don’t do nothing.’ And then you get married and you’re supposed to be sexually liberated and have this great time with your spouse. It’s weird. You have no information about it or how to open up and how to be free.”
Erica then goes on to explain that she thinks that the treatment of sex and lack of openness about it in Christianity is unhealthy:
“I don’t know if they thought we pray and that’s how Christians get pregnant,” she chuckles. “I think sexuality is a very important and undiscussed subject in Christian life. And I think that’s unhealthy.”
And when it comes to their reality show and the criticisms they have been receiving from other Christians, the sisters make it clear that they aren’t going to let the opinions of others break them.
Tina says they do have great intentions, but the only opinion that really matters to them is God’s:
“I don’t give a heck what people think. Not about my personal life. I’m committed to my God, myself, my family. It’s my intention to represent us well and real. I ain’t adjusting who I am to make people happy.”
Despite not letting opinions break them, Tina says it’s nothing like having a reality show to see how hard it really is to be a reality star:
“Now that I’ve shot [a reality show], I see it’s a tremendous amount of hard work and it’s consuming and it’s very invasive. It takes a real trooper. Especially for someone who’s already established and may have more to lose than gain. It’s work [to manage] the expectations of your fanbase. It takes a great amount of skill and commitment. I have more respect for reality stars than I did before. ‘Cuz [sic] this ain’t no easy job.”
I so agree with them about Christians being too close minded about sex! It’s definitely something that needs to change.
Love these ladies. They get so much hate for their music from traditional Christians. But sometimes you have to step outside of the box to get to people on the outside. I’m glad they aren’t fazed by the criticism.
Very real answers. I think that’s why they are successful. People can sense the authenticity in them. Love them.
I cosign everything they said about sex. Too many married Christians aren’t having sex and don’t see the value in it. That’s a big problem and probably why so many marriages fail.
I really applaud these ladies for standing the way they do and not being ppl pleasers, and ppl will want you to follow or live up to a standard that they don’t even live up to. And about sex, God created it, and you wonder why there is adultry and divorces in the body of Christ, y, to many closed minds and legs. It is time for the saints to get delivered and stop being judgemental and stop trying to put ppl in bondage because u r in bondage