Of all the places where you expect to hear profound wisdom, The Bachelorette is pretty low on the list. It is, after all, a show where men compete to win the affections of a woman via tasks and 'dates' which are filmed by a full camera crew.
But Bachelorette (who was also Miss Alabama) Hannah Brown, 24, has used her platform on the show to share her surprisingly enlightened views on balancing sexuality and religion.
On the show, one of the contestants, Luke P, who describes himself as 'a good Christian boy from Gainesville, GA' questioned her 'morality' given that she's had sex before. Which, at least to the untrained ear, doesn't really sound like a winning chat up line.
Rather than throwing her drink in his face and sending him home, Hannah replied, 'I have had sex ... and Jesus still loves me.'
Elaborating on her feelings, she told US radio station NPR: 'I do believe that the Lord intended for sex to be in the confines of marriage, but that's not so for a lot of people. And I used to carry a lot of shame because I had had sex before. And in that moment, [being questioned by Luke P.], I felt like I was right back in church, just feeling like I was not enough. And that's what I meant.
'Well you know what, I have had sex, but, like, I know my relationship with the Lord, I know that he forgives me. He loves me. And I'm not alone in that. And that doesn't make me any less worthy of his love or love from somebody who wants to spend the rest of my life with me.'
Her words will hit home for anyone who has previously struggled to balance staying true to the confines of their religion with the perfectly natural desire to experience sex and physical intimacy.
According to Dr David J Ley, a leading expert in human sexuality, religion is one of the prime reasons that people experience issues of guilt, shame and sexual dysfunction. He writes: 'Across the country, therapists are now seeing a tide of young people, feeling immense shame and pain about their sexual urges, desires and behaviors, as these young people encounter the wide world of sexuality available outside the confines of these moral fantasies.'
However, it's perfectly possible for religious people to have healthy attitudes towards sex. Being married tends of absolve most people of their guilt issues, however that's not the a cure all.
Dr Ley writes: 'People can overcome sexual shame in their lives, without abandoning their religious values and beliefs. We need to help religious people develop a new sexual ethic, one that they choose and develop as adults, which focuses on intentionality, authenticity, consent, honesty and mutuality.'
Adding to her insightful perspective on sex and religion, Bachelorette Hannah said: 'I've never been called a slut in my entire life. ... It's been hard, but then I started thinking, once I started being called that: Why do we even use that word anyway? Like, why are women talking to women this way and why are men talking about women in this way? Because I think sex and faith are all very individual relationships, and what I might feel comfortable doing sexually is not the same as the next girl, but that doesn't make her any less worthy.'
So next time someone tries to suggest that your reality TV habit is rotting your brain, point them towards the Bachelorette's meditation on the complicated intersection between religion and human sexuality.
Celebrity couples who met on reality TV shows
1 of 21Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo and Jack Maynard
Status: DatingGeorgia 'Toff' Toffolo and Jack Maynard met on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in November 2017. Despite this, the couple kept their romance a secret until they went Instagram official in August 2018.
2 of 21Cara de la Hoyde and Nathan Massey
Status: Dating They met and won Love Island together in 2016 and are now parents to their adorable baby boy.
3 of 21Heidi and Spencer Pratt
Status: Married Controversial reality couple Heidi and Spencer Pratt met when they appeared on MTV show The Hills. The couple recently welcomed their first child together in 2017, a baby boy called Gunner Stone.
4 of 21Spencer Matthews and Vogue Williams
Status: MarriedAfter being the lothario on Made In Chelsea for a number of years, Spencer Matthews found love with Vogue Williams when they met on The Jump. The couple have now married and are expecting their first child together later in 2018.
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5 of 21Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies
Status: SplitThe Love Island 2017 winners were inseparable in the villa, but they've since split up.
6 of 21Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen
Status: Dating Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen met when Ben appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013. The pair welcomed a baby girl in 2016 called Milena.
7 of 21Charlotte Crosby and Gaz Beadle
Status: SplitCharlotte Crosby and Gaz Beadle enjoyed an on/off romance for a number of years when they appeared on Geordie Shore. The pair split for good and are now happy with other partners.
8 of 21Sarah Harding and Chad Johnson
Status: SplitGirls Aloud singer Sarah Harding shocked viewers when she started a romance with The Bachelorette star Chad Johnson during the 2017 series of Celebrity Big Brother.
9 of 21Katie Price and Peter Andre
Status: DivorcedKatie Price and Peter Andre first met when they starred on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2004. The pair married and went on to have two children together, before divorcing in 2009.
10 of 21Stevi Ritchie and Chloe Jasmine
Status: DatingStevi Ritchie and Chloe Jasmine got together after they both appeared on The X Factor. Despite splitting in 2016, the pair were pictured on holiday together in 2017.
11 of 21Vicky Pattison and Ricci Guarnaccio
Status: SplitVicky Pattison and Ricci Guarnaccio met on Geordie Shore and despite getting engaged during an episode of the show, the pair's relationship broke down. Vicky is now engaged to John Noble.
12 of 21Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev
Status: DatingCountdown star Rachel Riley and professional dancer Pasha Kovalev first started dating when they were partnered together on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013.
13 of 21Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer
Status: DatingIt was love at first sight for Love Island 2018 winners Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer. The pair have vowed to move in together, with reports suggesting they could get married as soon as 2019.
14 of 21Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks
Status: SplitTOWIE stars Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks had their differences but they enjoyed a two-year romance. The couple have now split, with Megan now dating Love Island's 'Muggy Mike'.
15 of 21Pete Bennett and Nikki Grahame
Status: SplitOne of the most memorable couples to come out of Big Brother! Despite enjoying a brief romance when they left the house, Pete Bennett and Nikki Grahame split up not long after.
16 of 21Chris Hughes and Olivia Attwood
Status: SplitThey had their differences during their time in Love Island, but Olivia Attwood and Chris Hughes defied the odds for a number of months. However, as documented on their TV show, the pair have now split.
17 of 21Micky Dalton and Grace Adams-Short
Status: MarriedOne of the only Big Brother couples to stay together! Micky Dalton and Grace Adams-Short married back in 2009 and share two children together.
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18 of 21Binky Felstead and Josh 'JP' Patterson
Status: SplitBinky and JP met through mutual friends on E4 show Made In Chelsea. The pair recently welcomed their first child together, a baby girl called India.
19 of 21Joey Essex and Sam Faiers
Status: SplitJoey Essex and Sam Faiers met on The Only Way Is Essex but later split in 2014.
20 of 21Josie Gibson and John James Parton
Status: Split Josie Gibson and John James Parton enjoyed a brief romance in the Big Brother house back in 2010. The pair landed a TV show called Josie and John James: What Happened Next, but split not long after.
21 of 21Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen
Status: MarrieOlivia Buckland and Alex Bowen won the hearts of the nation when they appeared on Love Island in 2016. Not long after leaving the villa, Alex popped the question and the pair are now married!