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Moving Targets

Album: 25: Darkness Before Dawn

Episode: 327

Lesson/Theme: Darkness Before Dawn mini-series

Bible Verse: n/a

Characters: Connie, Eugene, Jason

Writer: Paul McCusker

Sound Designer: Dave Arnold

Original Air Date: August 12, 1995

Last Air Date: April 24, 2009

Description:
Jason, who has been out of town, and Eugene, who has been busy at the college, reunite at Whit's End and catch up on all the mayhem that's been happening around Odyssey. Jason has decided that the Underground Railroad tunnel under Whit's End would make a great display for the kids. He has asked an inspector to come in and make sure it's safe. Jack arrives. He is bothered by this idea. The timing isn't right, especially with all the problems around town lately. He has had another strange dream. In this last one, the tunnel was a way to let evil into Whit's End. But Jack's reticence about the tunnel is frustrating to Jason. He feels that every time he has a new idea for Whit's End, Jack has a problem with it. This leads to friction between the two of them. The tunnel is causing more problems than those between Jack and Jason. The city inspector defers to state authorities on the tunnel issue, and later, Professor Bovril shows up as a state consultant, with Philip Glossman, everybody's favorite weasel, right behind. Alone in the tunnel, Bovril and Glossman are pleased to find that the mysterious mineral they've been looking for is there. Now they need to get Whit's End cleared out so they can have total access to the mineral. To do this, they bring in more 'experts' to prove the tunnel is a safety hazard. Glossman can do this because the city owns the land under Whit's End. If the tunnel proves hazardous, the city council can close down the shop. Eugene conducts his own test on the mineral, but it is inconclusive. He promises to keep investigating matters. Meanwhile, further friction develops between Jason and Jack. Jason has learned that Jack started up, and then disbanded, the Israelites. Jack defends his decision. He says the battle is way too serious when kids start getting hurt. But Jason disagrees. He says that getting hurt is the nature of battle, you must fight fire with fire. Jack believes that something far more sinister is going on, and using the Israelites isn't the way to fight it. Jason responds by saying that if Jack won't keep the Israelites going, then he will. Their disagreement becomes so heated, Jack feels he has no choice but to resign his job. Effective immediately, he will no longer work at Whit's End.

Questions:
Why was Jack so opposed to Jason's plans for the Underground Railroad tunnel and the Israelites? Do you agree or disagree with Jack? Explain. Have you ever had dreams like Jack's? Do you believe that God still talks to us through our dreams? Why or why not? Jason felt it was important to fight fire with fire. Was he right or wrong?