The Case Against The Resurrection
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About this ebook
This is a play set in a courtroom where the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is being both challenged and supported by opposing teams. After reading some intense cross-examination and summaries by lawyers acting for each side, readers are left to decide for themselves which group provides the most convincing evidence.
Silvio Famularo
Silvio Famularo is a New Zealander of Italian decent. He has had a varied career as an opera singer, comedian, actor and public speaker as well as having owned and managed several businesses. Now in his later years he is mainly devoting his time to writing books with the aim of sharing the good and valuable information he has learned in life with others. His philosophy is that it is not what you accumulate in life that matters, but what you contribute.
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The Case Against The Resurrection - Silvio Famularo
THE CASE AGAINST THE RESURRECTION
A courtroom drama for stage and screen
Written by SILVIO FAMULARO
Copyright 2011 Silvio Famularo
Smashwords Edition
No royalties will be requested for amateurs producing of this play, however, no alterations may be made without the author's permission. Should you wish to make changes, please contact the author beforehand through the social website, Facebook. Royalty charges for professional productions can be negotiated by the same contact method. Please do not re-sell or give copies of this play away to other people. If you would like to share this play with other people, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the entitlements of the author.
Cast: (Characters have been given male and female titles but may be played by either males or females.)
Judge.
Counsel for the plaintiff (Male or female)
M, Joseph Paperman.
Mr. John Alexander Greenberg
Mr. Phillip Paul Forrester
Counsel for the defence (Male or Female)
Mr. Gerald Parker
Miss Marcia Giles
Mrs. Helen Gardner
Jury: The audience
The entire play is set in a courtroom.
Play divisions.
Introduction by the Judge
First witness: Joseph Paperman: against.
Second witness: Mr. Gerald Parker: for.
Third witness: John Alexander Greenberg: against.
Fourth witness: Marcia Giles: for.
Fifth witness: Phillip Paul Forrester: against.
Sixth witness: Helen Gardner: for.
First lawyer’s summary of arguments against the Resurrection.
Second lawyer’s summary of arguments for the Resurrection.
Judges summary.
Judge
Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to hear the case against the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I would assume that everyone here is familiar with the story, however in case there are some present that are not, I will give a brief outline of it before we proceed.
Jesus lived around 2,000 years ago. He was, as no doubt you do know, the founder of the Christian faith. Nearly everything we know about his earthly
life is written in four of the 66 books, which make up the anthology of books we know as The Bible. These four books are called the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The word ‘Gospel’ means good news. Some additional information on Jesus' life is given in the book of Acts, written by Luke, and in the epistles, which are formal letters, mostly written by the Apostle, Paul. I have used the term ‘earthly’ life because Christians believe that Jesus was the creator of the universe, the Son of God, sent to earth to save mankind from eternal damnation. They believe that references are made to Jesus throughout the Bible from the first book, Genesis, to the 66th book, Revelation. They believe that the first 39 books, the Old Testament, written centuries before the birth of Christ, contain many prophecies fulfilled by his life on earth. They believe that the Gospels recorded his life, death, and resurrection, and that the rest of the New Testament, written after his death and resurrection, prepare us for his expected second coming. At that time, they believe, we will all be judged, both the living and the dead. The belief is that those who firmly accept Jesus will have eternal life, while those who reject Him will be dammed eternally.
There can be little dispute that Jesus Christ has influenced humanity more than anyone else who ever lived. Christianity is the most widespread religion in the world, with the Bible translated into over 1,500 languages, and even the 850 million Muslims who constitute the second largest religious group, regard Jesus as a great prophet, despite the fact that they don't believe he was the Messiah, or that he rose from the dead.
The question is, ‘Did Jesus rise from the dead, and was he the Christ, meaning the anointed one, destined to offer mankind salvation from eternal death?’
The case you will be hearing today is being lodged by representatives of the North Basetown Humanist Society. Their claim is that the resurrection is a myth. A group from the Basetown Christian Centre, who believe they are born again in Christ, will defend the case. A solicitor will represent each group.
You must bear in mind that this trial is not a game. The decision you make at the end of this hearing could have a profound consequence on your lives. It is your personal verdict that really matters
Are all the witnesses present?
Counsel for the plaintiff
Your Honour, I am acting for the plaintiff. I will, call three witnesses to testify against the resurrection.
Counsel for the defence
I am acting for those in defence of the resurrection Your Honour. I also have three witnesses to give testimony.
Judge
Very well. Would counsel for the plaintiff call his first witness to the box?
Counsel for the plaintiff
I call the principal plaintiff, Mr. Joseph Paperman.
Judge
State your full name and occupation before proceeding.
To the top
*****************
Paperman
My name is Joseph Paperman. I am a secondary school teacher, and a citizen of this country concerned for its people and future generations. My plea to the Court is that the myth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who supposedly lived 2,000 years ago, be exposed for all its fallacies, and that all preaching of the false literature surrounding the life of this man be banned from public places, that it be punishable to teach Christianity in our schools, that the printing of Bibles be terminated, and that all churches and church-owned property be taken over by the State, and used for proper humanitarian purposes so that we might develop a culture based on common sense and realism, and not the archaic, impractical philosophy of a deluded legendary figure whose reputation is couched in unproved, incredible and naive folklore.
Because it would take an immense amount of the Court's time to examine all the facets of this absurd religion, I would like to restrict discussion to proving the falsity of the very point on which Christianity hinges, the myth of the resurrection. With this quaint belief exposed, our people will be freed from the deluded hopes that inhibit rational thought. Rather than teaching our children to place their hopes on some promise of a future Utopia, we can muster our resources and make this - our only life - more acceptable for us all. Our dreams of the future should be based on reality, not fantasy. Karl Marx expressed the effect on humanity of false teaching when he said –quote, ‘Religion is the opiate of the masses.’ No one can reason satisfactorily when his mind is