Pod the Alien Sketch : ‘How do you know what is true?’

Standard entrance (Compere responds to banging on the door) That must be Pod. (Spaceman enters)

Hello Pod
Hello Bee-Sissy. Hey, did you like my landing?
It looked just like they always do, to me…
Ah, but the sound is back. My rockets are roaring again now. And my theme tune was playing.
Well, that’s good.
Good!? It’s a work of genius! I wrote it myself, you know.
Yes, I think you’ve told us that before.
When I was here at Christmas; centre stage and top of the bill, as I’m sure you remember; it was you that messed up my big entrance, as I recall!
But I don’t think that anyone really noticed.
Excuse me! … I noticed, I noticed! I managed to hold it together, but I must say that you were completely useless.
Wait a minute Pod. I think that you’re being too harsh with me. There was a time when I would have taken words like that to heart. There was a time when I would have felt like I wanted to run away and cry. But now, even though that still hurts, I know the truth: What ever you think, I’m not useless.
Ah, now that brings me to my question this morning.
(looks away)
I understand about right and wrong. That’s pretty easy…
(silence)
But what I don’t understand is… don’t you want to know what my question is?…
(looks to ceiling)
Oh, all right … I’m sorry.
OK. Fire away.
Ah, right. Well, what about truth and lies? How do you tell the difference?
It depends what you kind of thing are talking about….
Well I don’t mean like, “Look! There’s a donkey at the back, with 5 ears”. Hey, you looked! How gullible are you? No, no that’s an obvious lie. There’s clearly no such thing as a 5-eared donkey. Not on this planet anyway.
What sort of lie do you mean then Pod?
Well, the kind of thing that you were talking about, I suppose. You know about yourself. Are you good at stuff, or useless? Are you interesting or boring? Are you a good person, or bad one? Are you special or just taking up space? How can you be sure which you are?
I see Pod. All of those things are hard to be sure of when it’s about me? Those things are more, a matter of opinion.
Well if it’s a matter of opinion, how can you ever be sure what’s true? People have all different kinds of opinions. I’ve learnt that much. Some people have the most ridiculous opinions, but some people think more like me.
Yes, it’s a case of whose opinion you believe.
So if it’s a matter of opinion, you can’t ever really know what the truth about yourself is, then…
No there is an answer Pod. There is someone whose opinion is true. Always true. Jesus once said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. Jesus said that he was the truth, and he proved it through everything he did.
Whoa, whoa. Slow down there Donkey-Girl: So what, if Jesus is the truth. What difference does that make to you? He was talking about himself, not about you.
But don’t you see. If Jesus is the truth, then everything he says is true. And everything he says about me must be true.
No, no, no. Jesus never mentioned you. I know you’re no spring roll, but you’re not old enough to be in the Bible. Jesus never mentioned you.
Ah, that’s where you’re wrong. Jesus prayed for me long before I was even born. Just listen; Jesus had been praying for the disciples, and then he said this: John 17: (20)“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, (21) that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (22)I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: (23)I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
That sounds great, but it still doesn’t mention you…
It does, because I am one of those that believe because of the disciple’s message. And like Jesus says, I am one with Him and God the Father. And God loves me just like he loves Jesus.
Wow, I see what you mean! What could be cooler than that. What, in the whole world, could be cooler!
You’re right. It doesn’t come any better than this. If God is for me; no one else’s opinion of me carries as much weight any more. Now I know that I am special, loved, valued…
…And you’re somehow hooked up with Jesus too?
Yes, I’ve got my friendship back with God, just like he always wanted for me. And I know that because Jesus is “the truth”, anything that he says about me, is true, even if I don’t feel like it is.
Whoa, that’s just amazing. I never realised you were so very special to God. I’m really sorry that I said you were useless. That wasn’t true at all was it?
No, it wasn’t. And you can see now, why I never thought it was, can’t you: But I forgive you anyway.
You know, I’ve learnt something new on this trip, that God loves you and values you, and because Jesus is the truth, you can be sure that everything he says about you is true. It seems to me that you are very lucky that God is on your side.
There’s no luck about it. It’s just what he’s like.
Yeah. Well I must be going now. I see you again soon. Goodbye.

Standard exit (leaves. Spaceship takes off on OHP overlay to accompanying sound effects through PA.)

© M Day 01-Apr-2004