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The Mortal Coil, I

Album: 16: Flights of Imagination

Episode: 211

Lesson/Theme: Death; heaven.

Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15; 2 Cori

Characters: Connie, Eugene, Whit, Tom

Writer: Paul McCusker

Sound Designer: Dave Arnold

Original Air Date: November 21, 1992

Last Air Date: October 9, 2008

Description:
Whit has been working long hours on a new program for the Imagination Station, and Connie is curious about what the program is. This time, Whit tells her it is an adventure that explores life after death. Connie is taken aback by this, but is also eager to try it. She does, and the program seems to fizzle out on her. Then Whit gets in the Station to experience the program. While it's running, Eugene enters the Bible Room, just in time to hear Whit cry out! Eugene shuts down the Station. Whit steps out, very shaken. Later, Tom visits Whit at home and speaks with Whit about the death program. For Christians, Tom says, death is a door to eternal life with God, but it's supposed to be a locked door until God opens it. Whit knows Tom is right, but the explorer in him outweighs Tom's good sense. Whit goes back into the Station. Only this time, something goes terribly wrong, and Whit winds up in a coma! After putting Whit in the hospital, Tom and Eugene go back to Whit's End. There, Tom tries out the program for a fraction of a second. It's also too much for him, and he orders Eugene to destroy it immediately! But after Tom goes back to Whit in the hospital, Eugene hops into the Station, with disastrous results. Meanwhile, on the doctor's advice, Tom talks to Whit, hoping that the stimulation might "bring him back." Tom tells Whit that he had no business messing around with life after death, only God should be the one to say when and how people are to die. But even as Tom speaks, Whit's heartbeat slows down and stops completely! The story continues in part II...

Questions:
Why was Whit so adamant about retrying the death program? Why was Tom so insistent that Eugene destroy it? Why was the program so frightening to Eugene? What do you think heaven will be like?