Summary: Jack & Jill are discussing Bible truths. Jack is a sceptic. Jill is a Christian.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: 5min.
Actors: 2M/F
Script
(The pair enter. Jill:, quite calmly, slowly strolling. Jack: is more animated & agitated.)
Jack: You just can’t cope with life on your own, so you need this crutch of religion to get you through. It’s quite pathetic if you think about it. You really need to get a grip, wake up and smell the coffee, ‘cos you’re living in cloud cuckoo land.
(No reaction from Jill: – pause)
And this Bible you’re always going on about – it’s just a complete work of fiction. How anyone can believe all that stuff in this day and age is beyond me. (No reaction. Pause) And another thing, if this God of yours is so loving, how come there’s all this pain and suffering in the world. Tell me that, eh? You can’t, can you. You’ve got no answer ‘cos God’s not real.
Jill: Are you quite finished?
Jack: No! (pause – thinking of something else to say. Then sheepishly) Yes. I suppose so.
Jill: So do you really want me to answer some of your questions, or is all this bluster just a big smokescreen? Cos I think you’re scared.
Jack: Scared? Ha! Don’t make me laugh. I’m not scared of anything.
Jill: I think you’re scared of the truth.
Jack: What are you talking about?
Jill: I mean, you keep giving excuses for not actually thinking about the things Jesus said, considering whether or not He was telling the truth.
Jack: Telling the truth about what?
Jill: About who He is and who you are.
Jack: Shut up. Even I know the Bible doesn’t say anything about who I am.
Jill: As a matter of fact, it does. (Peeking into Bible as if it was a personal dossier)And it gives quite an accurate assessment of you.
Jack: You’re having me on.
Jill: Of all the things I joke about – this isn’t one of them.
Jack: OK then, what does your Bible say about me?
Jill: It says you are a dirty, wretched, wicked sinner who deserves nothing but God’s judgment and wrath.
Jack: What! How dare God say that about me.
Jill: Don’t take it personally. He says it about every single human being on the planet. And why are you bothered about the words of someone you don’t even believe exists?
Jack: But I’m not a sinner. I’m a good person – compared to most anyway.
Jill: By whose standards? (Pause) And if you don’t believe in God, heaven or hell, why does it matter if you’re good or bad? Everyone’s fate is the same – we all just die: Mother Theresa and Adolf Hitler alike.
Jack: Well, that just doesn’t seem right.
Jill: Let’s assume for a moment heaven is real. In your estimation, what should be the basis for who gets to go?
Jack: Obviously, you’ve got to be good enough.
Jill: And how do you measure that? Is 90% ‘good’ sufficient, or 95%?
Jack: Yes. 95% should be good enough.
Jill: So it would be OK to have 5% wickedness in heaven?
Jack: Yes. No. Wait. But there shouldn’t be any bad in heaven.
Jill: So 100% good is the benchmark. Who do you know that could hit that?
Jack: No-one. Oh – this is where you tell me that Jesus was 100% good, right?
Jill: When He was brought before a court of law, they could find no wrong in Him.
Jack: But if Jesus was the only one good enough, heaven must be a lonely place. Hang on, you think you’re going there, but I know for a fact you’re not 100% good – so how can you believe you’re good enough?
Jill: I don’t.
Jack: Now I’m officially confused.com
Jill: Do you believe there was an actual historical character called Jesus?
Jack: Historians accept that. I’ll buy it
Jill: Do you think He was crucified?
Jack: Sufficient historical evidence to back that up. Yep.
Jill: Why did He die?
Jack: Well, He – er – em, didn’t the Romans … I have no idea.
Jill: The Bible says He died for you – on your behalf. He died to give you 100% of His goodness, to make you ‘good enough’ for heaven.
(Pause – Jack: is taking this in. Jill: was expecting an argument)
Jill: What? No pithy comment. No sarcastic come-back?
Jack: If that’s true, that’s pretty awesome.
(Jill: starts walking offstage. Jack: follows, deep in thought)
Jill: Yes it is, Jack. Yes it is.
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© Barry Brannen 2013, all rights reserved.
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