Insight (TV Series)

God in the Dock (1980)

Marcia Rodd: Prosecuting Attorney

Quotes 

• Kay Durban : I can tell, sir, that you're a warm and sensitive human being. Would you mind telling the court how you feel about the plaintiffs in today's case?

  God : They're very beautiful.

  Kay Durban : You say that, despite the resentment they obviously feel for you?

  God : Of course. In their shoes, I would probably feel the same way.

  Kay Durban : When you look at their pain and suffering, what do you feel?

  God : I feel a great pain in my heart.

  Kay Durban : Do you feel any guilt?

  God : No. No, I don't feel any guilt. Do you think that I should feel guilt?

  Kay Durban : I should think so! Yeah, I can understand you're being hurt and angry at the way the world turned out, but I can't understand you're lashing out blindly, arbitrarily punishing innocent people!

  God : I punish no one!

  Kay Durban : You cause them to suffer!

  God : I allow it, I do not cause it!

  Kay Durban : You're playing with words! The fact is you could've prevented it!

  God : Yes, but in doing so, I would have to withdraw freedom and I will not do that! You eliminate freedom and you eliminate joy, growth, love, and all those wonderful surprises of which human beings are capable!

  Kay Durban : How does it feel to play crap with human lives, huh? You get your jollies and we get it in the neck!

  God : Suffering is suffering! It's no fun! I know quite a bit about that, but it is also temporary! And for those who know how to use it, it can deepen and strengthen! Suffering... it's like garbage, it doesn't smell good, it doesn't look good, but it makes excellent fertilizer and it can sure help people to grow!

  Kay Durban : Please, spare us! We've heard it all before: "God writes straight with crooked lines!" "He draws good from evil!" "If you were as smart as I am, you'd understand, but you're not, so grin and bear it!" Words, words, words having nothing to do with reality! The fact is innocent people are being hurt! They're being killed and you're not doing a damn thing to prevent it!

  God : That's not true! I work within people, helping them to love!

  Kay Durban : How inspiring! What a total failure you are! In your shoes, I'd be thinking of suicide!

  God : But you are not in my shoes. Did it ever occur to you that suffering gives all those who do not want to believe in me an excellent excuse not to do so?

  Kay Durban : That is off the point! The point is innocent people are being hurt, degraded, killed by the selfishness of other people! I find that unacceptable!

  God : I do too!

• Kay Durban : Well, then, what are you doing about it?

  God : I'm talking to you, aren't I?

  Kay Durban : What does that mean?

  God : There's a lot you could be doing, Kay.

  Kay Durban : They're not my responsibility!

  God : Then whose?

  Kay Durban : Yours! The government's, the welfare agency's, church's!

  God : Ah, yes! Let George do it, let God do it! It's so easy to shift the burden!

  Kay Durban : You seem to have forgotten, you're on trial here, not me!

  God : I know. And I intend to make it up to those children.

  Kay Durban : Oh! You expect us to accept that, hmm? There's no justice now, but there will be in that great heavenly payoff, in that big blue gas station in the sky! I'm sorry! I can't accept that! I find your answers insulting to my intelligence! No further questions, your honor!