A former winner of the CBS reality show talks about the faith that led her to the game and how Christian ethics intersects with outwitting, outlasting, and outplaying the competition
On Sunday night, the sixth season of CBS's reality game show
Survivor wrapped up with a jury of seven kicked-off Survivor: Amazon contestants choosing a $1 million winner. Like in years past, there was much discussion about the means with which the final two contestants got there.
On the show, 16 participants are arranged into" tribes." Every three days, the tribes vote out one member. Besides surviving the elements, contestants also compete politically to stay in the game. Sunday night's finale had the traditional allegations that those competing for the top prize lied, manipulated, and backstabbed other players.
In a game with so much deception and maneuvering, it may be surprising that several past survivors have been Christians. In fact, two of the six winners, season two's Tina Wesson and season four's Vecepia Towery-Robinson were regularly shown practicing their Christian faith.
Christianity Today assistant online editor Todd Hertz talked with Towery-Robinson this week about winning
Survivor and how the game's tactics correspond with Christian ethics.
Two of the six Survivor winners have been openly Christian. Is that a coincidence?
I consider myself first and foremost a Christian who loves the Lord. I had a great opportunity to go on a game show and to win. You can do anything with faith. I think Tina and I both went out there believing that.
I needed my faith out there. There were times when I got down, but I went to pray and I knew the Lord didn't bring me onto Survivor to falter. A strong faith and belief in myself and in the power of God was definitely something that helped. A lot of people won't buy it, but I stand true to that.
How did you decide to be on Survivor?
At first, both my husband and I wanted to go on Survivor, ...
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Christian Aid Ministries asks for prayer as families of 16 Americans and one Canadian state, “God has given our loved ones the unique opportunity to live out our Lord’s command to love your enemies.”
PIERRE-RICHARD LUXAMA, MATÍAS DELACROIX, and EVENS SANON - The Associated Press
Rashad Hussain, who would be the first Muslim to hold the position, is seen as a defender of religious minorities including Christians around the world.
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Christian Aid Ministries asks for prayer as families of 16 Americans and one Canadian state, “God has given our loved ones the unique opportunity to live out our Lord’s command to love your enemies.”
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Rashad Hussain, who would be the first Muslim to hold the position, is seen as a defender of religious minorities including Christians around the world.
