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Into Temptation

Album: 17: On Earth As It Is In Heaven

Episode: 236

Lesson/Theme: The folly of giving into temptation.

Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Characters: Donna, George, Jimmy, Mary, Whit

Writer: Phil Lollar

Sound Designer: Bob Luttrell

Original Air Date: June 26, 1993

Last Air Date: November 12, 2008

Description:
Jimmy Barclay is in the midst of a dilemma. It's his birthday, and he wants to buy himself a new, portable video game. The problem is, his mom doesn't think the purchase is a good use of his money. Jimmy takes the problem to Whit, who helps him solve it through the use of a new invention: the Room of Consequence. Whit programs Jimmy's dilemma into the room's computer, then Jimmy enters and "plays out" the scenario to its conclusion. In this case, Jimmy decides to go against his mother's wishes and buy the game, which sets off a rash of bad decisions by Lawrence and everyone else who comes in contact with him. Jimmy tells Lawrence not to play the game. But Lawrence does and breaks it. To cover up his mistake, Lawrence tells Donna that he found the game. So Donna decides to take the game to the lost and found at the police station. But then Donna changes her mind and plans to give it to Jimmy for his birthday. She hides the game in the next-door neighbor's mailbox. The neighbor finds the game and gives it to George. George shows it to Mary, who thinks that George bought it for Jimmy. Mary concludes that George is the best father ever. Each one of them gives in to the temptation to do wrong, and at Jimmy's birthday celebration that night, everything falls apart. Jimmy exits the Room of Consequence, realizing that it's best to resist temptation.

Questions:
Why did everyone give in to temptation? Is it wrong to be tempted? Why or why not? Have you ever been tempted? Did you give in to the temptation or resist it? What would you have done in Jimmy's place?