Breaking Amish: What is the point of the show with the absence of authentic players?

I am truly disappointed and disheartened by T.L.C's show, Breaking Amish. At first glance, it caught my attention, because of the religion implications of living the Amish Community. I have done study in that culture and its religious implications on its people and thought it was be interesting to watch the people transition from the Amish lifestyle to a more technologically savoy and modern lifestyle. I knew it was going to be based on the transitional period from Amish to America or as they would call it English.

I found certain aspects to be a bite spell-bounding such as how could they know of certain things such as texting, etc. Abe admitted he was not a strong reader and had only gone to a certain elementary level of reading, yet he grasped the understanding of texting and was texting away to Rebbecca. Needless to say, there was other things that raised my brow of suspicion, but I decided to see how things unfolded.

After all, T.L.C. had a reputation that I had respected at times and remained puzzled at others. They had pulled the plug on Kate Plus Eight, while I understood the decision I was a bit conflicted. I thought strongly it was doing more harm than good for the family, but I also understood that it was a financial means of support for the Gosselin children. The network had remained true in its journalistic integrity, they gave us the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Gosselins.

Then, there was Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, it upset a lot of views, because clearly it was representing the state of Georgia in a colorful light, that most Georgians would have preferred to remain invisible to others. We saw it all, redneck games, belching, flocculation, gnats, sinks that ran into buckets that were emptied after use, hair washing in the kitchen sink, teen pregnancy, pigs, wigs, bare feet, swearing, bad manners, double-thumbed newborns, and any other less than stellar human imperfection.

We laughed, we were repulsed, and the ratings sky-rocketed. Once again T.L.C. retained their title of showing the good, the bad, and the ugly. They were on quite the roll, then came the Amish kids. I was somewhat impressed, they were thinking outside the box and a channel worth the outlandish Directv bill monthly.

However, my curiosity never left me and I wondered, so I googled, like any other 21st century unlicensed private detective. The more I dug the more I found. I was disgusted, let's just say I now am questioning the integrity behind all their shows, even my favorite, Long Island Medium. Why had T.L.C. broke the safety pin that held up the bandage that was duck-taping together my utopia of a perfect network disillusion? :(. I guess reality really does bite.

As the truth would have it, these children were adults that left the Amish community long before taping the show. The dead give away were the pre-dated mug shots before the season aired with the charges. This is a manufactured cast with manufactured issues. The upcoming episode shows Rebbecca googling Kate (wonder how she knows how to google?) and finding her mugshot and reports it to Abe (maybe Abe should tell her no big deal, because he has a mug shot, too!) While she is googling Kate she should google Jeremiah and his mug shot would pop up too!

Then, she should google Sabrina, because she would find that they have both abandoned their husbands to be on the show. Also, that Jeremiah at least had the decency to divorce his wife a their three kids. ( I use the term decency very loosely.) The show should be reworded as, What Happens when you leave the Fold once again! I am disgusted on another level because I feel in some ways they are mocking the Amish way of life and I may not agree with it, but I have enough respect to say, T.L.C. should be ashamed, as well as, the cast.

It is sad what people will trade in the name of fifteen minutes in the spot light. It is amazing that reputation is a fleeting concept along with decency and integrity. I will not say anymore further character attacks on them, because as the season unfolds you can judge for yourself. I think that beliefs are something to have and cherish. To hold on to beliefs in times of trouble, but to mock one's embedded theology is dangerous.

I won't say T.L.C. exploited them (even if I think they did to some degree.) because at the end of the day they were consenting adults that opened themselves up to this realm of reality. I pray that they find some type of absolution and peace, because only desperate people take desperate measures and as for the network, hurting people hurt others.

I must say the more I watch this show the more I see that a lot of the same prejudices the so called cast claims to be escaping from it still deeply embedded into their conscious. Jeremiah's archaic views on the roles of women and a wife, definitely show us the ideals and assumptions or the mindset that led to his domestic violence charge. Is this a journey of self-discovery for him, not to sure.

He calls women out of their name constantly which shows his lack of respect for them. He often calls Kate a *itch and is very hostile and aggressively vocal about his strong dislike for her. The scheme he cooked up either alone or with Sabrina to shack up is pathetic, but shows just how they have not escaped their own traditional beliefs.

I suspect they constantly did things in the dark or dare I say sinned in the dark. This latest Kate witchcraft scheme was a ploy to shack up the sexual energy between the two is obvious to everyone. It's sad they are still held captive not by their beliefs, but by the embedded mentality that subconsciously dictates their action, whether in Pennsylvania or New York.

I believe people can change, but only when they are honest and make a conscience effort to do so. It is not an external change, but it must begin internally, consciously, then the holistic evidence can be seen externally. I think Jeremiah summed up how I see their journeys, because I see their journeys as them running from something not running through something.

The fact that they are trying to recreate their societal adjustments shows great immaturity or naivity. The journey to true self-discovery is beautiful and sacred. It should be honored, cherished, a source of inspiration, not exploited or tainted. Whether they were running from an unhappy marriage, strict traditions, or a troubled past, I will pray that they find themselves truly.

I hope T.L.C. can redeem themselves in my eyes, because I truly enjoyed the network. It was a network I could watch with my four year old, my fifteen year old sister, as well as, my forty-seven year old aunt. Maybe my indictment of T.L.C. and the Amish kids is harsh to some, but I do not think you have to deceive anyone and the truth is more interesting than lies.