'Preachers' Daughters' sparks controversy before it even airs

From the network that brought us "Dance Moms," Lifetime’s latest controversial series examines the lives of three “Preachers’ Daughters.”

The show has sparked debate and outrage already, even before it premiered Tuesday night.

Clips from the show posted on Lifetime.com have received pages of comments, with posters divided on their reactions to the upcoming show.

Some viewers believe the series will highlight the often ignored difficulties that are associated with being the child of a preacher. Others wrote they feel the show is “disgusting,” “trash” and “a shame.”

Jocelyn Sandor, 28, told FOX411 that growing up as the daughter of a priest in the Church of Ireland wasn’t easy, and she is glad the Lifetime series will shed light on the struggles preacher’s children often go through.

“I think it’s good for people know it’s not this perfect little family unit,” she said. “It is important for people to know what the children have to go through because their parent is a pillar of the community.”

Amanda Jean McNamara, of North Hampton, Mass., said as the daughter of a preacher, she feels the show is surprisingly accurate in many ways.

“It shows all of the different extremes that I have seen other pastor’s kids go through, even my own sister,” she said. “As a pastor’s kid you have so much more pressure. It’s so suffocating; you don’t know what to do. I went the whole tattoos, piercings route. My sister went the promiscuous, rebel route.”

She added that she also knew other preacher’s kids who didn’t rebel at all.

But that’s one type of preacher’s daughter the Lifetime reality series isn’t focusing on, and some posters on the show’s website were outraged by that.

“I'm a preacher's daughter and I act nothing like those girls,” one user wrote. “Preacher's kids are already stereotyped as rebellious, unruly children this show isn't helping at all.”

Another poster expressed disappointment in the pastors that participated in the series.

“Come Christians! I understand we have problems as well, but we should not be parading foolishness around on TV for a few bucks. The PASTORS on this show should consider how many people will be turned away from the GOSPEL because of this. This is coming from a Preacher's Daughter.”

McNamara said she doesn’t think the show will have a positive impact on the struggles of preacher’s children.

“With today’s reality television I’m not surprised they’re doing a show on it,” she said. “I don’t think it’s going to help anything, though.”

"Preachers' Daughters" airs Tuesdays on Lifetime at 10 p.m. ET.

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