The setting is a contemporary dining room. A round table with four chairs set at equidistant points around the table is produced of fine, polished wood. Much of the room itself has a multitude of antique trinkets from bygone eras, a testament to the age and seasoned condition of the house. Through an oak wooden door, a man steps out and addresses those who have come to watch the meeting of three instrumental people, and the subject of tonight’s discussion. His short, dark brown hair and eyes are accentuated by thick-rimmed glasses, and his heavily chiseled face is not that of an overbearing man, but of an intellectual that has seen much throughout his life.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, throughout much of recorded history, many people in many places have debated on the subject that has brought us together here tonight. This discussion is a continuation of that debate with two leaders of the opposing viewpoints, and the third is a supporter of both. My name is Steve Allen, and I will be the mediator of tonight’s chat."

Slightly pivoting to create a small squeak on the polished hardwood floor, the host turns toward the door that he had entered from moments before. "My first guest is well-known throughout much if not all of the world. A spiritual leader to many for his ideas about universal brotherhood and peace, as well as renewing Faith in God to those who had lost theirs. Ladies and Gentlemen, Jesus of Nazareth!"

A dark-skinned, brown-haired slimly figured man steps through the door from which Allen had entered. The shoulder-length hair hid part of his soft cheekbones and the slight, tranquil smile that was on his features. Wearing a long, flowing white robe, the man known as Jesus Christ by his followers shook hands warmly with his host before sitting down in one of the old, wooden chairs.

Without hesitation, Allen introduced his next guest. "My next guest isn’t as well-revered as my first guest, but just as well known. Originally born to a liberal, aristocratic, practicing Christian family, my next guest revolutionized the way we think about our own origins on this planet, as well as defining the new thinking that was evident in the scientific revolution of the mid-1800s. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Charles Darwin!"

Entering via the same door as his two predecessors, the next guest looked to be approximately twice the age of Jesus. Nearly bald, the majority of his white hair was in his extremely long and well-groomed beard. Possessing a small bit of girth around his nineteenth century leisure suit, Charles Darwin entered and took up a seat next to the man whose teachings he had followed throughout most of his life.

Deciding that now would be as good a time as ever to introduce his final guest, Allen made his way over to his own seat before introducing his final guest. "My final guest here tonight is by far the most modern of the three that we will be discussing here tonight. A physicist as well as a renowned science fiction writer, my third guest has always spoken on behalf of the human mind and Humanity’s place in the universe. Welcome Doctor Isaac Asimov!"

A middle-aged man completed the ensemble of historical figures that the host had assembled for the night’s debate. Wearing a casual suit with a shirt and shoelace tie, as well as possessing short black hair with long, gray, bushy sideburns, the science fiction writer took his seat next to Allen at the end of the table, across from his robed colleague.

Sitting down in the remaining chair, Steve Allen began the discussion by turning to Jesus. "Now, Mr. Jesus, many throughout the course of history have interpreted your teachings to be many things. What do you say to those who, like Dr. Asimov, believe your teachings to be so vague that they are more of a liability than an asset?"

There was no hesitation in the carpenter’s answer. "To those that would doubt the word of the Almighty Father of us all, I would say that all that I teach is for eternal brotherhood and unity through understanding of the Word of God, the Almighty Father of this world and of Humanity."

Now turning his head towards the middle-aged scientist, Allen asked, "Dr. Asimov, do you have a rebuttal?"

Leaning forward, Asimov pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and creased his forehead in thought. Raising his head after a few moments, he looked the spiritual leader right in the eyes. "Before I begin, I would simply like to say that I do have the highest respect for what you attempted to accomplish nearly two millennia ago, Jesus of Nazareth. However, there is little or no proof of anything that you teach about the existence of a supernatural deity. In fact, there have been so great a number of conflicting interpretations over your teachings that millions have fought and died for something which has no basis in the real world that your vision of unity and brotherhood has been lost. The messenger has altered the message, and your message is now a symbol of further fragmentation, not unity, of Humanity."

Allen looked towards his second guest, who had been silent thus far. "Mr. Darwin, do you have anything to say on the subject?"

Placing two fingers on the bridge of his nose, the aged scientist lowered his head. His voice was quiet and contained a slight tremor in it. "I’m not quite sure, you see. My entire life, I had been taught of the greatness of God and the incredible deeds done by Jesus of Nazareth, the man sitting next to me. However, all of my discoveries on board the H.M.S. Beagle indicate to me that evolution does indeed occur. I am torn between these two conflicting teachings, Mr. Allen: One by nature, one by man. Due to this, I will have to refrain from speaking for the moment. I beg the table’s pardon."

Placing his hand on the elderly man’s shoulder, the robed prophet calmly told him, "Do not worry, my son. These kinds of doubts were the same that plagued even some of the greatest of us. Have no fear. Only have faith that the divinity of Our Lord Father will shine through and guide you back through the light."

"But where is the proof of the authority and power of your deity, Jesus of Nazareth? How can we, as seekers of reason, as thinkers, as scientists, ever simply accept the supposed truth of your words?" Asimov shot back.

The slight smile ever present on his face, the carpenter’s son replied, "Science and reason are of no concern in matters of faith. In fact, it was that overly curious mind of Adam and Eve that caused their expulsion from paradise. If the actions of our forefathers are any guide to what we, as their sons, must do to attain the grace of God once more, this kind of evil and self-destructive curiosity must be curbed by the steady faith in the Lord."

Taking a deep breath, Dr. Asimov closed his eyes and mumbled something unintelligible. Placing his clasped hands over his eyes, he quietly responded, "If faith is all that’s required, then why can we reason in the first place, if all that it’s good for is to distract from God?"

"It is neither my place nor yours to question the Lord’s Plan for all of us," Jesus chastised Asimov.

This declaration seemed to revitalize the writer. Placing his hands back upon the hard, wooden table, his eyes blazed. "Just how is Humanity supposed to sit back and just accept that something as important as it’s own outcome and future has already been decided and have no way to question it, much less dispute it? What happens if Humanity doesn’t like God’s "plan" for the future of Humanity?"

Sitting back slightly in his chair, the robed man replied once more without any hesitation apparent whatsoever. "Again, that is not of any concern to God. He knows what is best for His children, and His Plan is for the best those who follow Him and His teachings. There is no point in attempting to dispute or even questioning it."

Shaking his head, Asimov broke in. "What about those who refuse to follow God’s "teachings", even if they live moral lives? What will become of them?"

"Why, they will be cast into eternal damnation, of course. It is His law that any who choose not to believe in His Eternal Word."

Turning to his fellow scientist, Asimov asked, "Mr. Darwin, are you seriously suggesting that you accept this type of…discrimination as being necessary to the existence of the universe?"

For the second time since the debate had begun, Darwin spoke. "I do not see the connection you are implying, Dr. Asimov. What does this discrimination, as you call it, have anything to do with the necessity of there being a God for this universe to exist?"

"The point, Mr. Darwin, is that if God is supposedly all-benevolent and all-forgiving as our third companion insists, He would not discriminate against others simply for their choice not to believe in Him; the choice in which He supposedly gave to the human race in the first place! However, if there are indeed sins worthy of expelling His patience, then God is not all forgiving and that logic is contradictory. Due to this double standard, neither point can really be true, because they are both supposedly part of God, and everything about Him is supposedly accurate. Now, if something as trivial as God’s level of forgiveness is in dispute, how can we believe anything that this kind of doublethink is supposed to teach us?"

The host took this moment to intervene due to the rather bewildered stares from the other two guests. "Perhaps you could try that one again, Dr. Asimov. I’m not sure that you were entirely clear."

Before the physicist could recollect his thoughts into more coherent words, however, the target of his rebuttal spoke out. "It is of no matter what the doctor meant, Mr. Allen. Obviously, my twentieth-century companion attempts to use confusing and disruptive logic in an attempt to sway the bewildered Mr. Darwin from his faith."

Shifting his dark-eyed gaze over to the aged scientific revolutionary, the spiritual leader implored him to remain true to his original calling. After all, Darwin had wanted to become a clergyman in his youth, before the lure of naturalism had driven Darwin to his five-year voyage on board the Beagle and his discovery of natural selection.

Eager to finish the point he was attempting to make earlier, the writer interjected after Jesus had finished preaching to Darwin. "As I was trying to say before, not only does conventional logic dictate that the idea behind a God is flawed and self-contradicting, but science has proven that the vast majority of how the universe works and functions requires no outside intervention at all."

The man from Armenia narrowed his eyes. It was fairly obvious that his eternal patience was beginning to wear thin. "And what about those that your science cannot explain, Dr. Asimov?"

Asimov shrugged. "Science is not a religion, Jesus of Nazareth. The paradigms that give science its strength can and do change with the discovery of new information. Unlike religion, which merely reinterprets the same data over and over again to suit it’s own selfish needs, science evolves, expands, reinforces our understanding of the universe."

Allen quickly intervened. "Gentlemen, as exciting as this debate is, we’re drifting off subject." Turning to Jesus, he asked, "Are those that misinterpret your teachings causing more trouble than those who seek to help others because of said teachings?"

Taking a deep breath, Jesus shifted in his chair before replying. He spoke slowly, with a slight tremor in his voice. "Those who fail to adhere to the true Word of the Heavenly Father will be judged accordingly…those who misinterpret the teachings of He who Created Earth will also be judged accordingly."

"That’s not an answer." Asimov quickly reprimanded.

Darwin took the initiative to answer for the first time in the conversation. "Asimov is correct. Would you mind answering the question? Are your teachings inspiring so many people towards evil deeds that those teachings now do more harm than good?"

Again avoiding a direct answer, the cornered spiritual leader quickly stated that he did not "think about such things". Like a cat pouncing upon its pray, Asimov quickly asked Jesus if he thought about anything relating to the consequences of his actions two millennia prior.

In an attempt to wretch control of the debate before it spiraled out of control, Steve Allen attempted to change the subject to something a little less abstract: the role of modern-day religions in government. Asimov quickly aligned himself to a platform of keeping religion out of government, and the dangers of a theocratic one-religion government in a society as diverse as the United States. Jesus of Nazareth quickly took the opposite polarization and argued that a theocracy was necessary to keep a society bonded together through a tight, homogenous, moral tapestry that put the Lord’s laws before its own.

This time, however, Darwin did take up a modest stand behind Asimov. Being the target of hatred from religious groups that painted him as a heretic for much of the later years of his life, he knew what it felt like when a religion backed by a state wielded such arbitrary power and turned a populace against one man.

Criticizing the dissenters’ from his point of view, Jesus told them about the wrath that they would face if they should disagree with the Heavenly Father’s views. After hearing that, Asimov, ever eager to insert a little humor into a serious discussion, inquired if that meant that God was an American Republican, and jokingly asked if God was for tax cuts for the rich and business over the environment. Now, this probably wasn’t the kindest thing to say to one who considers himself the Son of God. After all, it’s never a good idea to insult one’s parents in front of their child, especially if that son is worshiped by over a billion people. That kind of prestige creates…not an ego, but most certainly a strong sense of self-righteousness.

Rounding on his fellow scientist, Darwin sharply reprimanded the physicist for his lack of respect for his robed colleague. Asimov, immediately sobering, apologized for his childish behavior. This action quelled some of the testosterone running through both men who’s attitudes were so polarized against each other that an observer might have mistaken them for two magnets with the same charge.

In yet another attempt to steer the conversation towards less turbulent waters, Allen asked both men what their views on the recent attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on the East Coast of the United States. Naturally, both men condemned the attacks, but for different reasons. The doctor attacked the murderers as ignorant fools who had been misguided by a religious zealot into attempting to destroy the "Christian Colossus" of the United States, while Jesus described the attacks as akin to the slaughter of Abel by his brother.

Darwin, meanwhile, found himself on the side of Asimov once more, agreeing that if the Christian mainstream hadn’t filtered into the American political landscape, the attacks might not have happened. However, there was much less doubt in the aging naturalist’s voice. He had now firmly been convinced that the teachings of the third guest to the debate had his message so utterly twisted that whatever legitimacy it had left was inconsequential next to the damage that had been caused in his name. Regaining all of the composure and dignity that he had entered the room with, the self-proclaimed prophet left the room and the debate, leaving the two scientists and the host by themselves.

Pulling out a small notecard that was in his jacket, Allen ripped it up. At the questioning marks of the other two men, he said with a smile on his face, "Well, I’m certainly glad I hadn’t asked that question."