28: Not to worship idols in the four ways we worship God
The Book of Knowledge
Laws of Idolatry and Paganism
Not to worship idols in the four ways we worship God (Ex. 20:5)
a group of WORSHIPPERS stand before an ark
they all wear 80s power suits in bold colors
the ark is painted pitch black and bolted shut with a golden lock
a bell tolls
the WORSHIPPERS kneel before the ark
they whisper prayers we cannot hear
they stand up again
they kneel and pray and rise in ecstatic rotation
the bell tolls again
they all stop and stand
they wait in silence
the bell tolls
each WORSHIPPER pulls out a small glass filled with wine
they pour the wine over their own heads
lapping it up as it drips down their face
the bell tolls
they all drop their glasses to the floor
shards litter the ground
the WORSHIPPERS wait in silence
the bell tolls
one WORSHIPPER goes to the ark
opens it
an inhuman howl emerges from the ark
it’s too dark to see what’s in there
the WORSHIPPER reaches their hand into the ark
they pull out a gleaming 18th-century pistol
they load the pistol with a single bullet
they raise the pistol in the air
they fire the pistol
the WORSHIPPER brings the pistol around to everyone
they each sniff the barrel
using their hands to waft the smell of smoke and gunpowder to their nose
once everyone has had a turn
the bell tolls
the WORSHIPPER places the pistol on the ground and steps back
they wait
the bell tolls
the same WORSHIPPER who fired the pistol removes their power suit
until they are in their underwear
the same WORSHIPPER loads the pistol with another bullet
they wait
the bell tolls
a YOUNG BOY enters in a child-size 80s power suit
the YOUNG BOY is handed the gun by the nearly-naked WORSHIPPER
the YOUNG BOY raises the gun at the WORSHIPPER
they wait
they wait
they wait
the bell tolls
the YOUNG BOY fires
the WORSHIPPER falls down dead
YOUNG BOY
thoughts and prayers
the group drags the body to the ark
throws it into the darkness
they place the pistol back in the ark
the inhuman howl comes from the open ark again
the WORSHIPPERS and YOUNG BOWL howl with it
END OF PLAY