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ATHEISM  4'?m2f Atheism: pointless, purposeless, leading nowhere

(scene: six chairs near podium facing audience)

DIR -- (enters with Amy, crosses to chairs, points to end chair, 
looks at watch, looks around auditorium)

AMY -- (enters with Dir, crosses to chair, sits, whispers) Thank 
you.

DIR -- (steps to podium) Ah, I'm the funeral director here. The 
deceased, Mr Johnson, was not a Christian. And he specified that 
no Christian pastor should preside over his memorial service. So 
I will be presiding over the memorial service. (looks at watch) 
But there's just a handful of people here. Perhaps we should 
wait a few moments for the others to arrive.

AMY -- There won't be any others.

DIR -- I was led to believe that the deceased was a very wealthy 
person and rather well known. Are you sure there was no 
confusion about the time?

AMY -- No. All the guests are here. There won't be any others.

DIR -- Oh. Oh. Well, let's get started then. Let's see. 
Normally, we would read the Bible or sing a hymn or say a 
prayer. But, since the deceased was not a Christian, I'm not 
sure... Would someone like to say something on behalf of the 
deceased?

AMY -- (stands) Yes, I'd like to say a few words.

DIR -- Please. (offers podium, sits)

AMY -- (steps to podium) My name is Amy Taylor. I am one of Bob 
Johnson's children. As you've heard, he was not a Christian. As 
a matter of fact, he was rather proud of the fact that he was an 
atheist. And I would say that he was a very successful atheist. 
He was self-indulgent, hedonistic, ruthless and callous. He was 
a thief, a forger, a swindler and a rapist. The only reason he 
didn't go to jail.... 

DIR -- (stands) ...Excuse me, should you be talking about the 
deceased like that during his memorial service? 

AMY -- Yes, of course. The memorial service is an occasion to 
list a person's accomplishments. My father's life was an 
unqualified success, considering that he was an atheist.

DIR -- It was? (sits)

AMY -- Yes. You see, an atheist is one who believes there is no 
God. That means he believes that there is nothing after this 
life, no rewards and no punishment, nothing to transcend this 
life at all. Given that belief, why would an atheist lift a 
finger to do anything the least bit unselfish in his lifetime?  

DIR -- I guess he wouldn't.

AMY -- That's right, he wouldn't. And so, my father stole, and 
forged and swindled his way into a huge financial empire. And in 
keeping with his atheism, when he found out that he was 
terminally ill, he spent every dime of his fortune on alcohol, 
drugs, gambling, parties and expensive toys. In fact he not only 
spent his entire fortune, he died owing his creditors over 
$150,000.

DIR -- (incredulous) You mean, he didn't leave ANYTHING for his 
family?

AMY -- He never had a family. I was one of three children born 
out of wedlock. In fact, all of his children were all conceived 
as a result of rape. My father enjoyed raping women. But what he 
enjoyed even more than raping them was fighting felony charges 
and paternity suits in court by humiliating and embarrassing his 
victims. He won every trial and law suit, leaving all of his 
victims penniless.

DIR -- I think I'm going to be sick.

AMY -- But why not rape women, if you can get away with it? Why 
not steal from your business partners and swindle your stock 
holders? If this life is all there is, a man would be a fool not 
to go for all the gusto he can get no matter who he hurts in the 
process. 

DIR -- Why would anybody have a memorial service for such a 
despicable person?

AMY -- A memorial service is never given for the deceased. It's 
too late for him. His fate has already been decided. This 
memorial service is to encourage the survivors.

DIR -- What encouragement can you possibly get from such a 
depraved man?

AMY -- Two things, I think. First, we who participated in Bob 
Johnson's life, saw how empty and miserable atheism is. Even 
when he was at his most self-indulgent, he was a miserable man. 
How can a man without hope be anything but miserable? And 
second, a memorial service reminds us that atheists are wrong. 
There IS hope of life after death. Scientific evidence shows 
that this universe was created. If there is a creation there's a 
creator. And that means we have a purpose beyond the shallow 
self-indulgence of my father. By denying his creator, my father 
denied his purpose in life. No wonder he was so miserable. He 
had everything that money could buy and he was miserable. I pity 
him. And I pity anyone who has missed his purpose in life. 
Thanks for the life-lesson, Dad. (exits)

DIR -- (follows) Purpose? You were talking about a purpose? Can 
you be a little more specific? What purpose? (notices audience)
Oh, ah, I guess that's it for the memorial service. (points 
offstage) We'll have a small reception in the parlor... where we 
can talk about our purpose. (follows Amy) Oh, miss...

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