1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to the ten Minute Storyteller. That's me Bill Simpson, 2 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: your host, narrator, and author. We hear at the ten 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: minute Storyteller endeavor to entertain you with tall tales or 4 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: rendered swiftly and with the utmost empathy. We pledge to 5 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: pack as much entertainment, emotion, and exploration into the human 6 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: condition as ten minutes will permit many novels on steroids. 7 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: This week we meet Thomas, as in the biblical doubting Thomas, 8 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: who had some concerns about the resurrection. Like a lot 9 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 1: of us, Thomas raced into adulthood and left his youth behind, 10 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: including his religious upbringing. He sought new frontiers and new 11 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: philosophies everywhere he turned. But now he's a little older, 12 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: in his late forties, the father of three young children, 13 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: and suddenly wondering about all those things he left behind. 14 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: The atheist he was not so long ago, a devout 15 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: atheist with no room in his heart for God or 16 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 1: for Jesus. He had little room for anything but existential 17 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: pursuits and of course money. He was, after all, an American, 18 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: a Midwesterner, raised on beef, white bread, whole mill hard work. 19 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: The parables of the Old Testament and the fantasies of 20 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: the New. Thomas may have come to New York for 21 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: grad school, become a vegetarian and a cynic and an intellectual, 22 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: rejected God and Lutheranism as superstitions of the frightened and ignorant. 23 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: But still he is at least partly who he once was. Finally, 24 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: in his early forties, he married for love, sure, though 25 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: maybe more because she was passive of nature, well employed, 26 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: and yes, okay, he was sick and tired of shopping 27 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: and cooking and cleaning and dating and lying awake in 28 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 1: the wee hours of the morning, imagining himself all alone 29 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:30,799 Speaker 1: at sixty and seventy and eighty. The love, the real thing, 30 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: the genuine article, finally arrives one hot, late summer morning, 31 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: in the guise of a little seven pound, three ounce 32 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: baby girl. Thomas stands close by and watches the birth, 33 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: which comes naturally after some amount of toil and distress. 34 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: Wide eyed and breathless, he is as the miracle unfolds 35 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: right before his eyes. Soon after, he holds her in 36 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: his arms for the first time in tears of joy 37 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 1: and wonder comes streaming down his cheeks. Two more youngins 38 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: arrive in short order, a son and another daughter, and 39 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: then a move to the suburbs with a two car 40 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: garage and a backyard and a patio with a brand 41 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: new Weber Spirit grill. And after much discussion and no 42 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: small amount of consternation, Thomas agrees to have the kids baptized. 43 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: It'll make my parents happy, his wife says. And though 44 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: he wants to say, I don't really give a damn 45 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: what makes your parents happy, he doesn't say it. He 46 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: doesn't say a word. Instead, he follows the only piece 47 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: of marital advice his father gave him. When your dander's up, Son, 48 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: when your dander's up and you're really wondering why you 49 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: thought she was the one, count slowly to ten before 50 00:03:54,480 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: you open your trap. After the baptism, he exchanges few 51 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: words with the minister. Thomas thanks to minister and says 52 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: he'd been brought up a Lutheran but had years ago 53 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: rejected the basic tenets of Christianity as outdated, controlling and superstitious. 54 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: The minister just smiles and says, I guess it was 55 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: your wife who wanted the children baptized. Thomas nods, and 56 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: the minister smiles again and adds, we get a lot 57 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: of that, lots of non believers these days. I don't 58 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: really think it's a matter of believing or not believing, 59 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: says Thomas. I mean, come on, come on, rev. These 60 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: Young Earth creationists and their five thousand year old earth, 61 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: the virgin birth, wine into water, the resurrection, I mean, 62 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:50,239 Speaker 1: come on. Reverend Harold nods he's heard these concerns many 63 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 1: times before, and after a moment, he says, a few 64 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: fantastic acts give our story pizzazz, and then there are 65 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: our basic tenants which give our story substance. I talk 66 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: of course, of faith and salvation, the Holy Trinity, and 67 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: God's omnipotence. Thomas smirks, you talk of all the things 68 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: that turned me against religion. Reverend Harold takes a deep breath, 69 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: and then another, and his smile returns, and he says, so, 70 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: toss all of that out, Thomas. Toss it all out, 71 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: all of the fantasy stuff, and all the devotions to 72 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,839 Speaker 1: a God who may or may not exist. Toss it 73 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,919 Speaker 1: all away, right out the window. And I say, you 74 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: can still be a good Christian now. Over the minister's shoulder, 75 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: Thomas sees his wife packing up the three kids. She's 76 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,720 Speaker 1: ready to roll, and her body language is telling him 77 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: it's time to come help. But still, he says to 78 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 1: the minister, I don't see how you can be a 79 00:05:55,520 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: good Christian without carrying around all that baggage. That's to 80 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: a reverend. Harold takes Thomas by the forearm, gives it 81 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 1: a little gentle squeeze, and says, Christianity is something that 82 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: happened later, years, even decades after Jesus' death. In his lifetime, 83 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: Jesus was just a man who walked the earth, who 84 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: never ventured more than a few miles from the place 85 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 1: of his birth. His message was simple, and I think 86 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: it's a message we can still embrace and if we do. 87 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: If we do, we can all be good and decent Christians. 88 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: Thomas's wife is giving him the eye now, and the 89 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: message is he asks the reverend, well, you know, Thomas, 90 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: you learned the basic pillars in Sunday School when you 91 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: were five and six and seven years old. Love, forgiveness, generosity, compassion, humility. 92 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: There are others, of course, but this core five embraced 93 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: is all we need to contented through this life and 94 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:08,359 Speaker 1: give us the credo to treat others with kindness, and respect. 95 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: Thomas considers this, and after a moment he nods, and 96 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: then I have to go. My wife needs help. But 97 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: I would like to talk about this some more, of course, 98 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: says Reverend Harold, anytime, anytime you'd like. On the way 99 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: home in the minivan, all three kids strapped into their 100 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: car seats and his wife busy entertaining them, Thomas one 101 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: by one considers the pillars upon which stand the foundation 102 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: of the world's largest religion. Love, forgiveness, generosity, compassion, humility. Damn, 103 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: he mutters, what is it? She asks, Oh, it's nothing, 104 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: he answers, just thinking about something I need to do. Well. 105 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: He's beyond fifty now and is really trying to be 106 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: a good husband, a kind and loving father, an amusing friend, 107 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: a helpful son. So much of what he used to 108 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: believe now seems so narcissistic and self righteous, and that's 109 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: when the atheist realizes the obvious. He just wants to 110 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: be a decent Christian. At the stop sign, he turns, 111 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: squeezes his wife's hand and says, I love you. She 112 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: beams and returns the salutation. Tears well up in his 113 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: eyes as he drives his family safely home. Thanks for 114 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: listening to this original audio presentation of the Atheist narrated 115 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: by the author. If you enjoy today's story, please take 116 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: a few seconds to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast, 117 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: and then go to Thomas Williamsimpson dot com for additional 118 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: information about the author and to view his extensive canon. 119 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 1: The Ten Minute Storyteller is produced by Andrew Bigleasi and 120 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: Josh Klani and as part of the Elvis Duran Podcast 121 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: Network in partnership with iHeart Productions. Until next time, this 122 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: is Bill Simpson, your ten Minute Storyteller.