May (Web-only) 2003

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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, ...