God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness Page #4

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me, and I'll stop saying I'm okay.

Fair enough.

Ready to get to it?

I've been getting to it

since 5:
00 a.m.

Okay? I'm starving. There's nothing

in that fridge but moldy casseroles.

- Is Doe's still open?

- I guess.

Well, let's go.

Don't eat that!

The government

takes private property.

They do it all the time.

End of story.

How do you think highways and

railroads get built, man?

But this isn't about a railroad. They said they

need the land to build a new student union.

- I hardly think that qualifies.

- We'll see. It might.

You're not hearing me.

They just want the church gone because

they think it's bad PR for the university.

- Yeah, they're probably right.

- Pearce.

Hey, listen, man.

I said this ain't my thing.

All right? Now you want to tell me

how to fight an eminent domain case?

Why don't I just go home?

You can do it.

[woman chattering, laughing]

This is eerie.

Let's go check it out.

We can't.

It's all locked up.

Last time I was in this building,

Dad was standing right there.

Hey.

[Dave] You got in so

much trouble for that.

[laughing]

So stupid.

[chuckles]

I'm gonna write a letter

to the board of trustees

and introduce myself

as your legal counsel.

I'll politely let them know we

won't be entertaining any more...

backroom offers

between old friends.

Thank you.

One step at a time,

little brother.

His brother is a lawyer?

Are you kidding me?

Of course he's gonna fight back.

What'd you expect?

At least we can offer him

a better settlement.

Something more fair.

And where do we take

that money from?

To pay any more than legally required

is a disservice to the school,

not to mention,

it's unethical.

Be careful not to let your friendship

with Reverend Dave cloud your judgment.

- [sighs]

- Look, I'm on your side.

My advice is take care

of this now,

or the person

who replaces you will.

[man] It's important to remember, in

the midst of all this controversy,

that friends and family are now

grieving the death of this innocent man

killed in this tragic

and senseless way.

I can't even imagine the heartbreak

for his parents, having to...

[stops]

Maybe you just need to

stop thinking about it.

I can't.

How can I?

Everybody thinks...

that he was... murdered.

His-His friends,

his parents.

They deserve to know the truth...

that it was an accident.

Maybe it'll help them.

Maybe that'll give them

some sort of closure.

Okay, so say you confess.

Maybe they'll go easy on you, but...

maybe they won't.

Okay, and then what?

I don't know.

Do you really believe...

that there's a God?

I don't know. I guess.

If he does exist...

do you think that he

would forgive me?

Of course.

[sniffles]

[sobs]

Hey, Pearce. I'm headed to church.

You want to join?

Not one bit.

Look what I found.

What?

Check it out.

My gosh.

Wait, wait, wait. I want

to show you something.

Man.

Stretchy!

Wow.

I thought most of this stuff

would've ended up in a landfill.

- No.

- Hey.

Pearce, Aunt Celia

painted that.

Who cares? It's ugly.

- Bet you can't hit the frog.

- Grow up.

Ten bucks.

Give it to me.

Told you.

Wow. Mandy Stebbins.

Whatever happened to her?

I don't know. If she's not

on Facebook, I have no idea.

[whistles] Hey.

[thuds]

Confirmation.

You still pray for me?

Pearce, can we not?

Why? I'm just curious.

Yeah. Sometimes.

I knew it.

What do you pray for?

I'll come back around?

I'll find peace? What?

- Is this fun for you?

- I'm just making conversation.

Yeah, well, maybe I'll pray that

you make better conversation.

- [phone buzzing]

- Josh?

What? Right now?

[Pearce] Hey, I'm gonna need the

name of a circuit judge down here.

Yes. Now. Today.

- Okay, let me know.

- Dave!

Yeah. What... What's going on?

They won't stop.

Excuse me. Excuse me. Hey. Whoa,

whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop! Stop!

I need you on the other

side of the tape, sir.

- I'm the pastor of this church.

- Well, that may be, but it's not safe.

- It's okay. I'm his attorney.

- Congratulations.

And I'm a Mets fan. Now, move

back, or I call the cops.

- I already called 'em.

- Hey, buddy, I have a demo permit.

- You got a permit to wreck a church on a Sunday? Really?

- Yeah, what can I say?

Signed by the president

of the university.

Thomas Ellsworth.

Unbelievable.

- Just trying to do my job here.

- And I'm trying to do mine. Give me your keys.

You touch this church

before I get back,

I'll have you arrested for

destruction of property, okay?

- You stay put.

- Yeah, what do you want me to do?

I don't know. Stall.

- You have a Bible?

- Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, Gloria Pascual.

I know. I'm already on my way.

What? Are you kidding me?

Ah.

Of course she is.

It's Sunday. Where is she?

Yeah, yeah, I know it.

I know the place.

[Dave] Hey, everyone.

We're gonna hold service.

Right now.

Come on in, guys.

Come on. Come on over here.

- Can I have that Bible?

- Yeah.

So the, uh... the Bible

is the word of God.

But how often do we really

take time to read it?

Let's start at the top,

shall we?

- "In the beginning..."

- Man.

[Pearce]

They haven't even filed yet.

No appraisals,

no escrow deposits.

It's an old-fashioned

end-around. Hold on.

You still there? You still

gotta send me the injunction.

Yeah, pdf's fine.

Okay, hurry up.

Hey, hey, hey! I don't even

know what she looks like.

The judge. Who do you

think I'm talking about?

Yeah, send me a pic.

- [organ playing hymn]

- [choir singing, faint]

"The serpent was more crafty

than any other wild animals

the Lord God had made.

And he said to the woman,

'Did God really say you must not

eat from the tree in any garden?'"

[siren wailing, whooping]

Your Honor,

I am so sorry,

but I'm an attorney, and it's

important that I speak with you.

I'm in the middle

of Mass.

I'm aware. It's very timely.

It involves a church.

And we want to take you live

to the scene right now,

show you what is

developing as we speak.

You are looking here

at Saint James Church.

This is on the campus

of Hadleigh University now.

Local pastor, David Hill,

is basically staging

his very own version of what can only be

described here as a Senate filibuster.

His last-ditch effort to delay

the demolition of his church.

As you can see here, he's literally

reading the Bible cover to cover

while the growing crowds

watch and wait.

Yeah, that's him.

Your little stunt's gonna cost you

and the pastor a night in jail.

Well, I don't think so.

I have a signed injunction from

Judge Pascual that says...

Well, you can read it yourself.

"Cease and desist."

Good? Thank you.

[whistles] Let's go!

[applauding, cheering]

All right, guys, we're done.

Time to leave. Let's go.

- What happened?

- I just bought us three weeks.

Thank you.

So, maybe the university's board

of trustees does have the right

to expropriate

the church property.

But even if it's legal,

is it moral?

Just take a look

at their dilemma here.

This is no longer

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