Bad Company
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Psalm 1:1-4
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
4Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.2 Corinthians 6:14
“Bad Company” is episode #65 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written and directed by Paul McCusker, and originally aired on March 11, 1989.
Summary
Connie attends a Bible study with a questionable leader, while Donna hangs out with a girl who may not be honest.
Plot
Donna Barclay is on her way out the door to meet her friend Rachael Woodworth at the mall when she is stopped by her mother. Mary isn't sure Donna should hang around Rachael, whose reputation is less than sterling. Donna defends her friend, and Mary finally relents and lets Donna go. Mary expresses her reservations to George, but he says they have to trust that they've raised their daughter to choose her friends wisely.
Meanwhile, Connie stops by to visit Whit at home. He's sick with a cold. Connie needs to borrow a Bible from Whit because she's on her way to a Bible study with friends from school. Whit warns Connie about attending just any study taught by just anybody. Connie promises to be careful.
At the mall, Donna and Rachael talk about various things, including Donna's beliefs. Rachael cuts the conversation short when she sees some earrings. Donna goes to look at blouses. Later, the mall security guard confronts the girls and demands to see the contents of their purses. Donna immediately hands hers over, but Rachael spitefully turns her purse upside down and spills the earrings. Rachael runs, but Donna is too shocked to move and gets caught.
Connie fares no better at the Bible study. There, a Mr. Grayson clouds her mind with a lot of non-biblical baloney, saying that Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God. Connie leaves the study feeling confused and goes back to Whit. He sets her straight and offers to teach a Bible study for Connie and her friends that focuses on the truth. Whit tells her to be more careful about whom she associates with.
Donna heeds this advice as well. She catches up with Rachael and scolds her for stealing the earrings and running away. Rachael brushes off the lecture. When Donna tells her to take back the earrings, Rachael brushes Donna off as well. Donna returns home and, along with Connie, learns an important lesson about the hazards of associating with bad company.
Discussion Questions
- How do your friends affect your faith?
- If you’re a Christian, do you think it’s appropriate to have non-Christian friends?
- Psalm 1:1-4 and 2 Corinthians 6:1. What kinds of friends do you hang around with?
- How can you be sure that you and your friends believe the same things about God?
Cast
Notes
VERSION DIFFERENCE: [view] In the original broadcast version of this episode, Chris is talking with Dr. Julius Schnitzelbonker who has started a computer friendship service to find the perfect friend. At the end of the program, he tries to match Chris up with Bruno Chainbreaker.
- Trivia
- The scenes between Connie and Whit in this episode were adjusted to accommodate Hal Smith's cold.
- The changes in Donna that Mary describes in this episode may stem partially from the death of Donna's friend Karen Crosby in #50: “Karen”. We know from the later episode #95: “The Very Best of Friends” that Donna is not dealing with her grief properly at this point.
- The name of Carter Braxton is taken from a signer of the Declaration of Independence who shares the same name.
- This is the first episode where Bob Luttrell and Dave Arnold worked on the foley (life sound effects).
- Dave Arnold included this note as a fun fact on the Whit's End page: "We have a different pair of shoes for each character — Whit has his own pair, Connie has hers, and so on."
- Mary refers to the fictional television series Macho Headbanger: Private Eye.
- Connie struggling to answer Dr. Grayson's false teachings about Jesus seems to have left her in a brief crisis of faith. While not alluded to, she would later end up helping Olivia during her own crisis of faith in "The Lost One, Part 2".
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Quotes
Connie Kendall: You're not just anybody; you're John Avery Whittaker. Rumor has it that he never gets sick.
Carter Braxton: Thank you. What's your name?
Donna Barclay: I'm Donna, Donna Barclay.
Rachael Woodworth: Don't tell him your name!
Donna Barclay: Come on, Rachael. You should do what he says.
John Whittaker: What kind of things did Mr. Grayson teach?
Connie Kendall: Oh, that the Bible is just a bunch of stories that weren't true and that Jesus wasn't really God, he was just a good teacher. I wanted to argue with him, but he was so smart. He had an answer for everything I said. Now I don't know what I believe.
John Whittaker: Connie, if Mr. Grayson taught that the Bible is just a bunch of stories and Jesus isn't God, then Mr. Grayson is wrong — absolutely, without question or doubt, wrong. The Bible is the Word of God. Jesus is God, crucified for our sins and raised from the dead on the third day. Now if that's not true, then our faith is in vain.
Rachael Woodworth: What happened to you? I told you to run.
Donna Barclay: Why? I didn't do anything wrong.
Rachael Woodworth: Uh-oh! You got that sound in your voice like my mom when she's about to lecture me.
John Whittaker: Chicken soup. <laughs> Thanks, Dr. Kendall. I've already had so much chicken soup that I might start sprouting feathers.
Mary Barclay: Is everything alright?
Donna Barclay: Yeah, it's okay. Why?
Mary Barclay: You're watching 'Macho Headbanger: Private Eye' on TV.
Donna Barclay: Oh yeah... I am, aren't I?
Mary Barclay: You hate 'Macho Headbanger: Private Eye'.
Donna Barclay: Oh yeah, I do.
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