Reality shows are not my thing, though sometimes they are interesting case studies in human nature. Routinely, (especially in the case of Fear Factor) people willingly sacrifice human dignity as they quest for riches and fame.
Recently, a new season of Survivor premiered. Though I rarely watch the show, I happened to be sitting in front of a TV when it came on. With all the contestants gathered in the courtyard of a Buddhist temple complex, host Jeff Probst welcomed the contestants. He then said that the local people wanted to welcome them by inviting them to participate in some Buddhist rituals in the temple. Knowing that some might object, he said that no one is asking anyone to worship and that it's just a welcome ceremony.
The show then focuses on the reactions of several of the contestants to the rituals taking place. One was bored and another one was moved. A contestant name Leslie, though, was torn. Even with Probst's disclaimer that what they were doing wasn't worship, her conscience told her that no matter how the issues might have been couched, she was being invited to worship something other than the Triune God.
Leslie walked out of the Temple rituals. Afterwards, with all the contestants gathered in front of the Temple, Probst asked her why she walked out. Leslie, knowing that she might lose goodwill among her fellow contestants and thus lesson her chances of winning, told Probst plainly that she felt like she was being asked to worship someone or something other than Christ. She wasn't rude or condemning, just courageously witnessing to her allegiance.
While Jeff Probst implied she might have been rude by not going along with the "welcome ceremony," it was really Probst and the producers of the show that were rude and exploitive. The producers do research on all their contestants. They knew the chances were great that one of the Christians would object and that would make for "good TV".
While Probst said the ritual was one that the local people wanted to share as a way of welcome, I doubt that it was their idea. More likely, they were also being exploited for "good TV." I think the Buddhists would have been more respectful of religious convictions than the show's producers and can't imagine Buddhists pushing a Christian to participate in their rituals.
So, Leslie, I affirm your gentle stand.
And to Probst and the producers . . . well, forget it, you wouldn't listen anyway!
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