Author and theologian Kaitlyn Schiess recently took an unapologetic stance against Bachelor Nation, and The Holy Post gave her a microphone to defend it.
“You are enjoying watching people harm themselves, and that is wrong,” argued Schiess.
‘Holy Post’ Co-Host Kaitlyn Schiess Argues That ‘The Bachelor’ Is ‘Potentially Sinful’
Co-hosts Skye Jethani and Esau McCaulley invited Kaitlyn Schiess to share her own “cultural hot take.” The Holy Post described this “new HP+ series ‘My Hill to Die On,'” as a place to “fiercely defend our cultural hot takes.” Schiess focused on Bachelor Nation.
For more than 20 years, Bachelor Nation has provided reality TV shows capturing the attention of millions of viewers. In each season, an eligible bachelor or bachelorette has the chance to “find true love” by first meeting a number of also eligible candidates.
Each episode involves connection, drama, surprises, and a rose ceremony—where the star hands out a rose to the contestants with the most growing connection. The franchise has grown to 10 other spinoff shows, including “The Bachelor Winter Games” and “The Golden Bachelorette.”
In a new episode of “My Hill to Die On,” Schiess offered a bold take on the Bachelor Nation. She argued that watching the show is “spiritually malformative” and even “potentially sinful.”
The claim is naturally controversial as the shows have gained millions of fans over the decades. When McCaulley chimed in with a follow-up question, Skye Jethani interrupted, “Esau, you’ve got to give people a moment because a lot of them just threw their phones or fell off their chair.” The trio realized Schiess’ claims were bold and potentially unpopular.
Schiess fiercely defended her take.
“It does something to you to watch people, intentionally or not, harm themselves in body, soul, and mind,” argued Schiess.
Schiess explained that contestants are “willingly subjecting themselves” to the nature and content of the show—which means they’re “subjecting themselves to great spiritual and sometimes bodily harm.”
Contestants put themselves in situations “to constantly vie for different people’s attention…I don’t think humans were meant to be in” that situation, said Schiess.
Schiess further described the premise of reality shows. “The producers intentionally pit the men and women against each other, try and get them to dig up childhood trauma, try and put them in embarrassing situations so that they’ll cry and be all emotionally involved,” she said.
Possibly @kaitlynschiess’ spiciest take yet.🌹
Watch her full critique of Bachelor Nation now on Holy Post Plus! This is part of our new HP+ series “My Hill to Die On,” in which we fiercely defend our cultural hot takes – tune in at the 🔗 in bio! pic.twitter.com/GXWX8d1LsR— Holy Post Media (@HolyPostPodcast) February 11, 2025
