The young people (probably college students) have gathered to talk about the death of a friend, but it turns into a discussion about Christ with an atheist. Sarah is the girl seeking answers in this story and she talks with her mother about her father’s death two years ago. The mother is moving on and has begun to date again and Sarah is not ready for that to happen yet. She is still mad at God for taking her dad away from her. In the final scene, she gets to talk with Alex, who helps her to realize that Jesus truly loves her and cares about her sadness. Her heartfelt prayer at the end is overheard by her mother and they reconcile. This also contains a scene discussing the Last Supper. (Good for Easter)7 actors (3 men and 4 women) Some genders could be changed. About 30-35 mins. Simple set, no changes.
CAST OF CHARACTERS:
ALEX: Speaks 3220 words. The strong Christian and bold witness.
SARAH: Speaks 2008 words. Still grieving her dad’s death two years ago and feeling mad at God. She finally decides she was not saved and comes to Christ.
JOAN: Speaks 1376 words. Sarah’s mother and widow of two years.
LISA: Speaks 663 words. A new Christian.
RICK: Speaks 661 words. Outspoken atheist.
SUE: Speaks 569 words.
JEFF: Speaks 199 words.
This can be a very simple set, with just a bench or simple sitting area in an alley or courtyard. The feel needs to be that they are in the inner city. Most of the characters are probably college students or that age.
ALEX: Speaks 3220 words. The strong Christian and bold witness.
SARAH: Speaks 2008 words. Still grieving her dad’s death two years ago and feeling mad at God. She finally decides she was not saved and comes to Christ.
JOAN: Speaks 1376 words. Sarah’s mother and widow of two years.
LISA: Speaks 663 words. A new Christian.
RICK: Speaks 661 words. Outspoken atheist.
SUE: Speaks 569 words.
JEFF: Speaks 199 words.
This can be a very simple set, with just a bench or simple sitting area in an alley or courtyard. The feel needs to be that they are in the inner city. Most of the characters are probably college students or that age.
Excerpt:
SCENE ONE:
Three young people are standing around talking in a back alley courtyard when Alex approaches.
ALEX
Hey guys.
ALL
Hi Alex.
LISA
I guess you heard about Dave.
ALEX
Yes… very sad.
SUE
Poor Sharon! What she must be going through right now.
ALEX
I’ve really been praying for her.
SUE
That’s nice, Alex. You’re the right guy for that.
ALEX
Hmm?
JEFF
We were just talking about it. Have you heard anything? We’re still trying to piece it together.
ALEX
No. Not that much. What have you heard?
JEFF
Well… it seems that Dave was buying drugs. I don’t know if he took too many or what. They say he overdosed.
SUE
But isn’t it odd that he was right there in the park when he died, and not at home? I think whoever sold him those drugs is guilty of something.
LISA
No doubt. They’re guilty of selling him the drugs, for one thing.
ALEX
But when it comes right down to it… Dave’s addiction led him into a bad situation. I really thought that he was getting over that. Sharon was coming to church. She had given her life to Christ and Dave even came once or twice. I remember talking to him. I wish I had tried harder to reach out to him.
LISA
You didn’t know.
ALEX
Well, Sharon had indicated that there was a drug problem… but who knew it was something like this. She told me that he seemed to be coming around. I guess not.
JEFF
Yeah, that’s for sure… buying street drugs from dealers in the park at night! I don’t suppose we will ever know who they were.
Rick and Sarah enter.
JEFF
Hi Rick… Hi Sarah.
RICK
You guys talking about Dave’s overdose?
JEFF
Yeah.
LISA
It’s all we can think about.
RICK
Well, it seems to be the main topic all over the place today. What a mess!
SARAH
Anyone know how Sharon is doing?
ALEX
I was going to try to stop by and see her later. I just don’t know her that well.
SARAH
I suppose I should do that… but that’s just not me.
SUE
Why should you do it?
SARAH
Well, because I can relate. I lost my dad two years ago.
SUE
Yeah… but that was two years ago. And it was your dad. I think a husband would be different.
SARAH
Well, I’m not going to do it, anyway. What could I say to her?
LISA
But you have been through a big loss, and in that you can identify with her.
SARAH
No… Sue is probably right. Losing a husband is different than losing a father. I couldn’t be any help.
LISA
You could just tell her that you are praying for her and that you are there for her.
SARAH
I don’t think people should say that they are praying for someone unless they really are.
LISA
Of course… I just assumed….
SARAH
Why would I pray to a god who has taken away someone who I really loved and is the only one on earth who really cared about me?
ALEX
Wait… what?
SARAH
I’m sorry, Alex. I know how you feel about God. And you are so dedicated…. but I can’t help how I feel. God really let me down. He took my dad away from me and I can’t forget that.
ALEX
Sarah, I know death is hard to understand and it really hurts when it is someone that you really love and care about….
RICK
It makes no difference. Sarah… it’s just the way it is and you can’t do anything about it. It does you no good to blame God because He doesn’t even exist.
SARAH
What?
ALEX
Hey… wait a minute! Don’t be saying stuff like that!
RICK
It’s a free country, ain’t it? Don’t I have a right to believe what I want?
ALEX
It’s true, you do… but I’m afraid you are wrong about what you believe.
RICK
Why? Because it is different from what you believe? Well, I happen to think you’re wrong. There are way too many people in the world who are spending their whole lives wasting their time and spinning around in circles trying to follow some religion and meanwhile, they are missing out on life altogether.
JEFF
I don’t think I would go that far. I may not be as dogmatic about Christianity as Alex is, but to come out and say that God doesn’t exist and that religions are all a waste of time, well I don’t think that is right.
RICK
And that is your right as an American to have that belief. You just happen to be wrong also. There is no God. God didn’t take away your father, Sarah… he just died. God did not save Dave from his situation because there is no such thing. Now Sharon is going to try to find comfort in God and there won’t be any.
LISA
That just sounds mean, Rick. You shouldn’t put down what people believe?
RICK
But it’s what I believe. People put me down all the time. I get persecuted for being an atheist.
LISA
I just don’t understand how anyone can be an atheist. I just look at nature and I see the hand of God. Who created all of this beauty around us if there is no God?
RICK
Why does it have to be created? Science has given us plenty of theories as to how this all came into existence without any belief in God coming in to play.
SUE
So, what do you believe? The Big Bang Theory?
RICK
I’m not convinced that science has it all figured out yet… they are always making new advances in discovery, but it will all be explained one day. Hopefully in my lifetime.
JEFF
So do you believe we evolved from apes?
RICK
I think that is more likely than that crazy story about God creating Adam and Eve.
(Sarcastic)
Adam was made from the dust of the ground and Eve was made from Adam’s rib. That is not even biologically possible. Nothing scientific about that at all…. even a kid in grade school can figure that out.
JEFF
I just have a hard time believing that my ancestors were apes. Did they have personalities and know how to do good or bad? There are so many differences between an animal and a human.
SUE
That’s interesting. How can a personality or a conscience evolve?
JEFF
Right.
LISA
So you don’t believe in miracles, either?
RICK
No such thing. It can all be explained.
ALEX
So, how old is our planet? Millions of years?
RICK
Of course. Certainly not the thousands that you Christians believe? All you have to base that belief on is a book! The Bible! Written by a lot of religious men. Meanwhile, carbon dating has proven how old the earth is.
ALEX
Did you know that when Mt. St. Helen’s erupted back in the 80’s, that all that lava and ash piled up all these levels of rock and they tested the rock with carbon dating and it registered it as having been millions of years old, when in fact it was formed in just a matter of hours… proving that carbon dating is not accurate. Most of the fossils found up in high mountain ranges just prove that there was a world wide flood as stated in the Bible. There have been numerous archeological finds that have proven the existence of cities and kingdoms that were only told about in The Bible.
RICK
I don’t buy any of that.
ALEX
What about right and wrong?
RICK
Huh?
ALEX
Without a god… there would be no right and wrong. No morality. God was the One who determined that there was evil and gave us laws and morals to follow and taught us what is right and wrong.
RICK
Man gave us that. Man wrote all the books telling us what is morality. Why do we need that?
ALEX
Without it… wouldn’t we just all kill each other? In a godless society… people just live any way that they want… there are sexual perversions and killing and no manner of morality whatsoever. That type of world just dies or is destroyed. It is only because men have followed God and tried to live after His ways and His truths -written down to learn and follow for centuries- that we have survived as a human race.
SUE
That makes sense to me. There has to be right and wrong in the world. I know that men write new laws all the time, but it had to all start someplace.
ALEX
Right. So, tell me, Sue… have you ever told a lie?
RICK
Oh brother!
SUE
Of course. What does that have to do with anything?
ALEX
I’m just pointing out that you are a liar. Is that a good thing?
SUE
No… telling lies is wrong. But I’m not a liar.
ALEX
How do you know that telling lies is wrong?
SUE
Common sense.
RICK
Exactly.
ALEX
But how do we get common sense? If God didn’t tell us how to learn right from wrong, what kind of world would this be?
RICK
So, you’re trying to prove the existence of God with morality? That’s just ridiculous!
LISA
I think that saying that there is no God is more ridiculous.
Three young people are standing around talking in a back alley courtyard when Alex approaches.
ALEX
Hey guys.
ALL
Hi Alex.
LISA
I guess you heard about Dave.
ALEX
Yes… very sad.
SUE
Poor Sharon! What she must be going through right now.
ALEX
I’ve really been praying for her.
SUE
That’s nice, Alex. You’re the right guy for that.
ALEX
Hmm?
JEFF
We were just talking about it. Have you heard anything? We’re still trying to piece it together.
ALEX
No. Not that much. What have you heard?
JEFF
Well… it seems that Dave was buying drugs. I don’t know if he took too many or what. They say he overdosed.
SUE
But isn’t it odd that he was right there in the park when he died, and not at home? I think whoever sold him those drugs is guilty of something.
LISA
No doubt. They’re guilty of selling him the drugs, for one thing.
ALEX
But when it comes right down to it… Dave’s addiction led him into a bad situation. I really thought that he was getting over that. Sharon was coming to church. She had given her life to Christ and Dave even came once or twice. I remember talking to him. I wish I had tried harder to reach out to him.
LISA
You didn’t know.
ALEX
Well, Sharon had indicated that there was a drug problem… but who knew it was something like this. She told me that he seemed to be coming around. I guess not.
JEFF
Yeah, that’s for sure… buying street drugs from dealers in the park at night! I don’t suppose we will ever know who they were.
Rick and Sarah enter.
JEFF
Hi Rick… Hi Sarah.
RICK
You guys talking about Dave’s overdose?
JEFF
Yeah.
LISA
It’s all we can think about.
RICK
Well, it seems to be the main topic all over the place today. What a mess!
SARAH
Anyone know how Sharon is doing?
ALEX
I was going to try to stop by and see her later. I just don’t know her that well.
SARAH
I suppose I should do that… but that’s just not me.
SUE
Why should you do it?
SARAH
Well, because I can relate. I lost my dad two years ago.
SUE
Yeah… but that was two years ago. And it was your dad. I think a husband would be different.
SARAH
Well, I’m not going to do it, anyway. What could I say to her?
LISA
But you have been through a big loss, and in that you can identify with her.
SARAH
No… Sue is probably right. Losing a husband is different than losing a father. I couldn’t be any help.
LISA
You could just tell her that you are praying for her and that you are there for her.
SARAH
I don’t think people should say that they are praying for someone unless they really are.
LISA
Of course… I just assumed….
SARAH
Why would I pray to a god who has taken away someone who I really loved and is the only one on earth who really cared about me?
ALEX
Wait… what?
SARAH
I’m sorry, Alex. I know how you feel about God. And you are so dedicated…. but I can’t help how I feel. God really let me down. He took my dad away from me and I can’t forget that.
ALEX
Sarah, I know death is hard to understand and it really hurts when it is someone that you really love and care about….
RICK
It makes no difference. Sarah… it’s just the way it is and you can’t do anything about it. It does you no good to blame God because He doesn’t even exist.
SARAH
What?
ALEX
Hey… wait a minute! Don’t be saying stuff like that!
RICK
It’s a free country, ain’t it? Don’t I have a right to believe what I want?
ALEX
It’s true, you do… but I’m afraid you are wrong about what you believe.
RICK
Why? Because it is different from what you believe? Well, I happen to think you’re wrong. There are way too many people in the world who are spending their whole lives wasting their time and spinning around in circles trying to follow some religion and meanwhile, they are missing out on life altogether.
JEFF
I don’t think I would go that far. I may not be as dogmatic about Christianity as Alex is, but to come out and say that God doesn’t exist and that religions are all a waste of time, well I don’t think that is right.
RICK
And that is your right as an American to have that belief. You just happen to be wrong also. There is no God. God didn’t take away your father, Sarah… he just died. God did not save Dave from his situation because there is no such thing. Now Sharon is going to try to find comfort in God and there won’t be any.
LISA
That just sounds mean, Rick. You shouldn’t put down what people believe?
RICK
But it’s what I believe. People put me down all the time. I get persecuted for being an atheist.
LISA
I just don’t understand how anyone can be an atheist. I just look at nature and I see the hand of God. Who created all of this beauty around us if there is no God?
RICK
Why does it have to be created? Science has given us plenty of theories as to how this all came into existence without any belief in God coming in to play.
SUE
So, what do you believe? The Big Bang Theory?
RICK
I’m not convinced that science has it all figured out yet… they are always making new advances in discovery, but it will all be explained one day. Hopefully in my lifetime.
JEFF
So do you believe we evolved from apes?
RICK
I think that is more likely than that crazy story about God creating Adam and Eve.
(Sarcastic)
Adam was made from the dust of the ground and Eve was made from Adam’s rib. That is not even biologically possible. Nothing scientific about that at all…. even a kid in grade school can figure that out.
JEFF
I just have a hard time believing that my ancestors were apes. Did they have personalities and know how to do good or bad? There are so many differences between an animal and a human.
SUE
That’s interesting. How can a personality or a conscience evolve?
JEFF
Right.
LISA
So you don’t believe in miracles, either?
RICK
No such thing. It can all be explained.
ALEX
So, how old is our planet? Millions of years?
RICK
Of course. Certainly not the thousands that you Christians believe? All you have to base that belief on is a book! The Bible! Written by a lot of religious men. Meanwhile, carbon dating has proven how old the earth is.
ALEX
Did you know that when Mt. St. Helen’s erupted back in the 80’s, that all that lava and ash piled up all these levels of rock and they tested the rock with carbon dating and it registered it as having been millions of years old, when in fact it was formed in just a matter of hours… proving that carbon dating is not accurate. Most of the fossils found up in high mountain ranges just prove that there was a world wide flood as stated in the Bible. There have been numerous archeological finds that have proven the existence of cities and kingdoms that were only told about in The Bible.
RICK
I don’t buy any of that.
ALEX
What about right and wrong?
RICK
Huh?
ALEX
Without a god… there would be no right and wrong. No morality. God was the One who determined that there was evil and gave us laws and morals to follow and taught us what is right and wrong.
RICK
Man gave us that. Man wrote all the books telling us what is morality. Why do we need that?
ALEX
Without it… wouldn’t we just all kill each other? In a godless society… people just live any way that they want… there are sexual perversions and killing and no manner of morality whatsoever. That type of world just dies or is destroyed. It is only because men have followed God and tried to live after His ways and His truths -written down to learn and follow for centuries- that we have survived as a human race.
SUE
That makes sense to me. There has to be right and wrong in the world. I know that men write new laws all the time, but it had to all start someplace.
ALEX
Right. So, tell me, Sue… have you ever told a lie?
RICK
Oh brother!
SUE
Of course. What does that have to do with anything?
ALEX
I’m just pointing out that you are a liar. Is that a good thing?
SUE
No… telling lies is wrong. But I’m not a liar.
ALEX
How do you know that telling lies is wrong?
SUE
Common sense.
RICK
Exactly.
ALEX
But how do we get common sense? If God didn’t tell us how to learn right from wrong, what kind of world would this be?
RICK
So, you’re trying to prove the existence of God with morality? That’s just ridiculous!
LISA
I think that saying that there is no God is more ridiculous.
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