The Way We Speak (2024) Movie Script
1
You're doing it again.
Ohh.
Big building.
You have some time.
A dream 30 years in
the making.
Mmm.
Well that's new.
Hmm.
Here.
Ohh.
[exhales]
Did you write this?
No, why?
Public intellectual Simon
Harrington is enjoying a
meteoric rise as an essayist on
everything from futurism to
atheism.
"Meteoric?"
If that were true,
I'd have TV appearances.
-[chuckling]
-No, I'm here because of George.
Elusive fucker, I've left him
so many voicemails.
Mr. New York Times bestseller.
It is not a competition.
Of course it is.
Everything in life is a
competition.
My manager said I might be able
to get a book deal if
-I actually win this thing.
-Honey...
Aren't you the keynote guy?
Uh... Yes, one of them.
Nice to meet you.
Simon Harrington.
Nice to meet you too.
Kudos to you for spotting me
with my ashy hair.
He's being self-deprecating.
-That's an old photo.
-Ah.
This is my lovely wife, Claire.
Hi.
Do you know Simon's work?
Absolutely.
Wanna do the autograph thing
real quick?
-Sign my brochure?
-Oh, um...
I...
[phone vibrating]
Oh. Excuse me.
Tell you what, uh, we were
just about to go inside.
Join us.
In the green room?
Yeah, for a pen.
I'd hate to miss
the opening remarks.
Well, you won't.
I'm giving them.
I-- I promise.
I'll have you back before
anything interesting happens.
[chuckling]
[mysterious synth music]
[crowd chatting]
[man] ...to the general public,
you have to sort of
put on a show.
Come on.
-[door attendant] Hi.
-Hello.
[door attendant] Come on in.
[host] And of course, we want to
thank our beautiful host
city of Portland for
providing truly top-notch
venues across the board,
as we begin this year's annual
event, featuring thought
leaders from around the globe.
What do you say, everyone, huh?
-Let's fortify?
-[audience] Our lives!
[host] All right. Ah!
Here's one of Rampart's
newer friends who will offer
this year's opening
remarks in just a few moments.
Simon is enjoying
a meteoric rise as an essayist.
And will square off
against Rampart staple,
George Rossi,
for a truly high-minded event
that some of you flew in for,
I happen to know.
Okay, turning the page.
Be sure to download the Rampart
app if you haven't already.
Where you can search events,
secure tickets, and learn
more about our roster
of head-turning speakers.
And of course,
each and every debate, panel,
and workshop will live on.
And be streamed on
demand after they've
been simulcast live
in over 20 languages.
Okay.
Uh, let's find that pen.
Can I get you some water?
-That would be great.
-Yeah.
Oh, yes.
And thank you very much.
-Get that for you.
-Thank you.
-You okay?
-Yeah, I'm just going to
catch my breath.
Dr. Harrington,
it's such an honor to meet you.
-Thank you for saying that.
-Annette.
I have to admit,
I'm just a wee bit
in awe of
your contribution to the world.
[Claire] Oh, please,
are you kidding me?
The feeling is entirely mutual.
And I'm really excited
to support Simon for a change.
Yes, there he is.
Simon.
Hi. Pleased to meet you.
Thank you for
giving me a chance.
-Um... A few minutes?
-Two or three.
And I am so sorry
that we have to meet
under such
difficult circumstances.
Oh, thank you,
but Claire's a warrior.
Yes, I am so sorry to hear about
the persistence of your cancer.
Thank you for saying that.
There's anything I can
do to make you comfortable
during the conference...
Nope. Simon takes
great care of me.
You didn't get a phone call?
I'm sorry, do you mind if I--?
-Yes, please.
-Oh yeah, uh--
Yes, you rest.
[chuckles]
-You okay?
-Mm-hm.
[Simon] Yeah, I-- I'm sorry.
You were saying?
George.
He's in an ICU in London.
Excuse me,
are you with Harrington's--?
Uh, yeah, she's with us.
Thanks for making time.
Take care of her.
[Simon] Yeah,
thanks for coming.
That's not possible.
Cardiac arrest.
How bad is it?
Cynthia says that he is stable.
He's under constant supervision.
So, we're going to have
to cancel your keynote debate,
I'm afraid.
We can have you, um...
host a workshop or two
to make the most of things.
I'm really sorry, Simon.
Honey.
Oh, forgive me.
-You need anything else?
-No, thank you.
George built Rampart
into what it is today.
He put us on the map.
[quiet orchestral score]
He's going to pull through.
We proceed.
Um, well,
I don't think that's... wise.
I don't think
it will be well received.
George is a trailblazer.
Dogged, determined.
[chuckles] You would expect
nothing less from his peers.
You feel strongly?
Yes, I'm sure of it.
He's my best friend.
Look, I know you're
going to have to find
someone new to debate.
No one sharper
than George, but...
I'll do my best.
Don't worry.
He's going to pull through.
Well, you're going
to have to get on stage
regardless
of what happens tomorrow.
Claire's right.
Do you want to come?
I'm going to catch my breath.
Thank you.
[host] So, let's give him a warm
Rampart welcome, shall we?
This is Simon Harrington.
[applause]
[man on phone]
How's it going out west?
You know, it's a little
puff for my taste, but...
They're happy to have him, so...
Good for Simon.
What are you chewing on?
None of your business.
[laughs] You've got to
give me something.
I mean, you know
everybody over here
is dying to know what you've
been up to.
-You are a legend.
-Ha ha.
[chuckles] All right,
good news first.
We can proceed
with the clinical trial.
You're-- You're a great fit,
plain and simple.
Okay.
[chuckles] Okay?
Claire, this is good news.
This is good news.
Do I, uh, do I have time to
talk to Simon about it?
Um, I mean, sure, if I can
know by the end of the week.
I mean, I don't really think
that a delay is to your
benefit.
-Fair enough?
-Fair enough.
[soft jazz music]
-So good to see you.
-It's great to see you too.
Hi, how are you? Hi.
[indistinct chatter]
Excuse me,
but did you actually
print out one of my essays?
[chuckles] Simon?
-Oh, good eye.
-Who does that?
At that moment,
I was probably the only person.
-On the west coast.
-[chuckles]
-I'm Sarah.
-Pleasure to meet you.
This is impressive.
-Thank you.
-[Sarah] How do you, like,
congeal all of your thoughts so
convincingly on the page?
Well, revisions.
You know,
writing is mostly rewriting.
Writing is rewriting?
-Okay, um...
-[chuckles]
Well, I try and think what
the objection is going to be.
And I get out in front of it.
Good tip.
I think I'm going
to waltz over and get a drink.
Nerves and all that jazz.
You met your opponent. Sorry,
I wanted to introduce you.
Ha! Very funny.
-Wait, hold on.
-I hope Claire is okay?
Yeah, Claire is resting.
Who was that?
Sarah Clausen.
Very well respected
Christian author.
Big online presence.
-Oh, but-- but she's...
-A woman.
No,
I was going to say Christian.
[chuckles]
Just messing with you.
Your keynote debate
kicks off tomorrow on time.
You two will debate
the existence or absence of God.
Oh, Annette...
I mean,
isn't that borderline pass?
Well, Sarah had a break
in her speaking schedule,
which makes this
a miracle falling in your lap.
How is it pass?
Well, in this political climate?
You know, nobody listens
to anything they say,
and they refuse to listen.
It's like trying to talk
somebody out of their favorite
dessert, which theirs
is vanilla or something.
Okay. Bet on my plan
like I bet on yours.
Oh, I don't know.
Think determined.
Dogged,
I believe the word was.
George expects
nothing less from his peers.
I wish he'd get back to me.
It says she's
a New York Times bestseller.
She said my
essays were impressive.
You know,
one of the things that I've
always liked about
my written approach is...
Did you just forget
your own compliment?
-Oh... Yeah.
-[both chuckle]
Isn't it semi-beneath
Rampart to be debating
-the existence of God?
-I'm sure that they've
had Christians here before.
Yeah, but never
defending their faith.
Isn't this supposed to
be an intellectual event?
Oh, then keep it intellectual.
Oh... God's Giant Table.
-It's gotta be good.
-Oh, fuck me.
It's her biggest yet.
Sold 1.2 million copies.
-[whistles]
-Are you trying to get
into my head before
this thing even starts?
You should prepare.
I mean,
what if she's smarter than you?
Simon.
Not a snowball's
chance in hell.
That she's really smart
or that she'll actually study?
Aren't you supposed to be
prepping for the Zurich seminar?
Go call George.
Find out how he's doing.
You really are
trying to get in my head.
Every few years, Rampart
likes to shake things up.
I'm Terrence Stand.
Welcome to the Quadrennial
Keynote Debate Series.
Featuring two leading thinkers
in their respective fields.
Our distinguished
panel of judges is led by
Rampart President
Annette Davis.
[applause]
As well
as past speakers you can
learn more
about in your program.
Or on the Rampart app.
Three debates and
a closing argument.
The winner will find themselves
permanently enshrined.
With a lecture series
renamed in their honor.
This person will also
receive an invitation to
appear on one of
our judges panels in perpetuity.
No small thing.
And just to sweeten the pot,
Sarah or Simon will
receive a check for $50,000.
With another $50,000 awarded to
the winner's charity of choice.
This one, as they say,
is for all the marbles.
Let's meet them now.
Sarah Clausen is a sought-after
faith-based author and
speaker who Rampart
has had on its radar with
her latest book,
God's Giant Table.
Making the New York Times
bestseller list.
She's been named
one of ten essential
contemporary
writers by Christian Now.
Please welcome
Sarah Clausen to our stage.
[applause]
Simon Harrington is an up
and coming essayist.
Bringing the science
of predicting the future
and tech into the mainstream.
You may recognize
his published contributions as
a spirited proponent
of grounded rationalism.
Which he calls common
sense with our toes in the soil.
Please welcome
Simon Harrington to the stage.
[applause]
Good.
Boring stuff done.
[audience laughs]
Sarah, why God?
And the follow-up to you,
Simon, why not?
But we begin with you, Sarah.
Thank you.
C.S. Lewis said, "I believe in
God like I believe in the sun:
not because I see it,
but because by it
I see everything else."
God makes sense of things.
Both illuminated in
light and obscured in shadow.
God explains
the unlikely existence of love.
And transforms it from something
conventionally linked to status,
selfishness, and pleasure
into a movement of kindness,
grace, and unlikely community.
God clarifies
that which science,
however valuable,
simply cannot.
Survival of the fittest
gives us some insight into
initial attraction
and subsequent procreation.
But it doesn't even begin to
touch the Christian concept of
love, which is self-sacrificing
and full of surrender.
Science and rationalism
become an ill-fitted
garment in that way.
And I'll pause there.
[lightly chuckling]
Forgive me,
I'm kind of learning as I go.
-[applause]
-May I?
Please.
Well, um...
aside from the strangely inept
comparison to the sun,
which is one of the better
examples of things we can
easily measure and observe,
I would like
to challenge the idea
that somehow love is so
mysteriously counterintuitive.
People do silly
things for many reasons.
Cultures evolve over time and
slowly redefine what love is.
Take the issue of
spanking in the United States
now versus a generation ago.
Well, that's
conflating the idea--
I'd like to use my time.
Thank you.
Think of corporal punishment.
Or the realization that some
vitamin is now a known poison.
And this is witnessed with even
a cursory glance across history.
Second, surrender,
as Sarah puts it.
Well, what if that is
just indulgence by another name?
Do you follow?
I'm getting off on
denying my impulses.
You're welcome to
take a cynical position on
the motives of those
who do believe that surrender
is authored by God,
which is far broader than
the Christian faith,
I might add.
But it doesn't change
the fact that letting go
is really hard
and always has been.
And it's somewhat convenient
for you to make this sweeping
generalization that throughout
history the collective
rising of our moral tide,
think Dr. King's quote about
the arc of moral history
bending towards justice,
was... intuitive? Or easy?
-Or effortlessly won?
-[chuckles]
You're-- You're discounting
the suffering of those who came
before us to struggle to
create a more just and equal
world for all of us,
not just the fittest.
And that reveals an argument
lacking in the kind of humility
Isaac Newton
intended when he wrote,
"If I have seen further,
it is by standing
on the shoulders of giants."
Oh, I'm-- I'm not
interested in false modesty,
although I am familiar with
that sentiment, properly cited,
belonging to French
philosopher Bernard Chartres.
But aren't we here to
debate the likelihood of God?
My point is that love
defies rational thinking,
and that large groups
of people would not continue
throughout history in behavior
that seems counterintuitive and
evolutionarily disadvantageous,
if not for something else,
for the whisper of
the divine in their hearts.
[applause]
Appealing to popular
opinion is a common fallacy.
I-- I don't think you realize
the self-fulfilling prophecy
that you're constructing here.
The person of faith
learns that private and
public self-denial is to
be held in the highest regard by
their tribe, that God's
favor will thus shine upon them.
And so that person adopts
surrender in order to feel warm
and fuzzy inside and to win
praise from the people outside.
Pretty attractive rewards,
you'd have to admit,
as a person of faith yourself.
People do what makes them
feel good and feel included,
and this is crucial in
understanding basic
human philosophy.
So please, let us not
confuse misguided behavior
or Sarah's tenuous grasp of
history as proof of the divine.
[applause]
-[exhales]
-[Sarah] Simon.
-Good job.
-Thank you.
It takes time to get
acclimated, I'm told.
I thought I did pretty well.
-Wind in your sails.
-I was okay?
Had a little too much fun,
I think.
Really?
I hadn't noticed.
No nausea.
-Should we go get some food?
-Oh, I'm so glad.
Yes,
if you're feeling up to it.
-Mm-hm.
-Um...
-But can I have a minute first?
-Take your time.
I'll go get the table.
You're sure?
I'm a big girl.
-Tell them I love them.
-I will.
Cynthia, Simon here.
[melancholic music]
Funeral's in three days.
Cynthia's in shock.
Her brother-in-law's
taking over.
She wants to be done with it.
It's the same day
as my closing argument.
Maybe right now is not
the right time to be here.
I mean, maybe we need to
look out the window for
a reminder of where we are.
The world is bruised.
Nobody can afford to
pay their rent.
But we have done well, Simon.
We're so fortunate.
No, you've done well.
[Claire scoffs]
No, we're staying.
We're staying.
And I want to have
dinner with my opponent tonight.
Wow, that sounds nice.
It's combat, love.
Nothing nice about it.
Thank you. Keep it coming.
Please don't.
To George.
[Simon scoffs]
-[footsteps approaching]
-I'm gonna go.
-Oh, Sarah!
-So sorry I'm late.
-My call went long.
-This is my wife, Claire.
-You look lovely.
-Thank you.
-So do you.
-Thank you.
-[Claire chuckles]
-Would you like a drink?
Um, maybe.
Not sure-- Probably not.
[Simon] Trying to stay focused?
Drank too much at the meet
and greet?
[dry chuckle]
[Sarah] What's good here?
We're out of towners.
-Where from?
-Cambridge.
No way. I've studied
at Wellesley for two years.
Love Massachusetts.
And you left?
Got sidetracked.
By the whole
speaking and writing thing.
Definitely wasn't
part of the plan.
Or my plan.
God's will prevails.
-Drinks?
-I'm good with water. Thanks.
[Claire] So, um,
are you writing another book?
Always. A memoir.
I'm really excited about this--
You seem a little
young for that, aren't you?
Well, I guess I could
wait until I was your age.
Oh. [chuckles]
I could never pull
off a hat like that.
Oh, yeah.
I didn't think I could either.
Claire, she's French.
[whispers] It's cancer,
actually.
-Oh, my gosh.
-No, it's okay. It's okay.
It's advanced stage cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
I tend to avoid
numerical staging when
it comes to hematological
malignancies because--
Honey, honey,
speak the people's language.
What she's not telling you is
that Claire is a world-renowned
nephrologist, which sounds
like something you should be put
in jail for, but actually
all it means is that you are
sitting right next to
a one-of-a-kind kidney doctor.
Wow. Impressive.
Thank you.
It's basically
stage IV blood cancer.
I'm so sorry.
Thanks.
But, uh, yeah, that's life...
One day at a time.
Yeah, that's
an honorable approach,
one I should really learn from.
[Simon] Sarah.
Rampart. Sounded like
you didn't even know about it.
Well, I got
the call and was flattered.
And it seemed
like a good opportunity.
Well, yeah, of course.
But, I mean,
what are you after, ultimately?
I guess I want to
point people to God.
-Nothing too fancy.
-Uh-huh.
What's the angle?
I-- I'm genuinely curious.
What about you?
Tomorrow is going to be better.
Us futurists,
we've done the analysis.
It's vital for us to
show the how's and the why's
of where the human
race is headed so we can
create engagement and
excitement around progress.
He doesn't
have to work that hard.
I've made us plenty of money.
[Simon] Ah, yes, the patriarchy.
Some hope, and a paycheck.
Simon, did I read somewhere
that you have social anxiety?
And at a conference, that must
be tough to push through.
His endurance is one
of my favorite qualities.
I just hold
his hand and he calms down.
Jesus, Claire.
So how is George?
Annette said heart attack.
Do you know his work?
I mostly roll in
faith-based circles.
George died today.
[sombre music]
A tremendous loss.
And we're just waiting
to see if Claire is a viable
candidate for a clinical trial,
a last-ditch effort,
so the timing is just
perfect all the way around.
-[woman] Sarah?
-Yes?
Would you be so kind
as to sign this?
Yes, of course.
Do you have a pen?
Great.
[woman]
I thought you were great.
Thank you.
[pen scribbling]
Have a good night.
[woman]
You should let Sarah finish.
You really
kind of steamrolled her.
Thank you for the feedback.
That's very helpful.
Sorry, a clinical trial,
what does that mean for you?
Can we please just
traipse through the menu?
Is it okay if I pray
for your health, Claire?
What-- Whatever you'd like,
yeah.
We should, um, order some food.
Simon, I do have a question.
I respect
that you don't believe in God,
-or I accept that you don't.
-Okay.
But, don't you tire
of being so militant about it?
-[Claire chuckling] Sorry.
-[Claire] No.
-Honesty is beautiful.
-Militant.
That is
an unexpected description.
I don't
challenge your conclusion.
I just...
what's the reward?
You'll be on the receiving
end of it tomorrow.
You good?
-Kudos, you're a good man.
-Thank you.
-Not a problem. Here you go--
-Hey...
You're an attractive
waiter, you know that?
I wouldn't mind seeing
you taking your turns at these
two lovely ladies, a little
naked tussle and all that.
That's not okay.
I know, okay, let's go.
I'm good.
[shouting] I'm good!
Um... Nice night.
Sarah, I'll walk with you.
Oh, there's
the award-winning graciousness.
-[Sarah] Is he okay to get home?
-[Claire] He's fine.
I'm fine.
Pretty nice to have guy time.
Yeah. Absolutely.
So, do you like living
in the Pacific Northwest?
Yeah.
You can't beat the outdoors.
Oh, yeah.
Do you feel it's welcoming?
Or is it just
a box people check?
I'm still trying to
figure that out myself.
Hey, I'm a headliner
at the conference.
-Oh. Right on.
-Rampart!
Are you familiar
with futurism? Because...
-I'm kind of famous for it.
-Oh, right on.
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
Hey, I have to get
ready for my next debate.
Do you want to help me?
I've got flash cards.
I'm in the middle
of my shift still.
-Are you sure?
-Yeah, absolutely.
Oh, right.
That's fair enough.
Uh, I-- Uh, your wife
said you'd throw me a hundred
if I took you
out the back door.
You okay to walk?
Yeah.
Have a good night, sir.
Yeah, Claire worries too much.
How do you like Portland?
Um, I like it.
[both chuckle]
I mean,
it's no East Coast, but...
No, it's not.
And I'm here
in a debate I don't belong in.
Sarah, that is nonsense.
No, I mean, I'm
grateful for the opportunity.
It's just that I have to take
everything that comes along,
so I've been
on the road for forever.
I'm our only source
of income while my husband
waits for his dream
job to magically appear.
He likes to remind me
that he doesn't like me being
on the road this much,
but he really wants kids.
[Claire chuckles]
I'm sorry.
This must sound so
insensitive and small
based on what you're facing.
Do not be.
Marriage is hard.
Yeah.
I can tell you what
I strive for.
Go first.
So instead of signaling that
you're frustrated,
say how you really feel.
Yeah.
But the really
hard part is forgiveness.
-Yeah.
-It'll all be imperfect,
but so is love.
[tense music]
[Sarah] Do you and
Simon have any kids?
Because you found your calling.
Something like that.
I feel like
I'm up against Goliath.
I mean, Simon is really
good at constructing his points,
but he's really, really good
at deconstructing my points.
Yes, he is.
Good morning.
I'm Sarah Clausen,
and you're having coffee
with Christian Now.
[host] Don't be nervous.
We're excited to have you.
This morning's cup of
coffee is shared with speaker,
influencer,
and author Sarah Clausen,
whose third book,
God's Giant Table,
just passed a
milestone that is rare--
[button clicking]
[Claire] He has
grown a bit of a chip on
his shoulder after
the last couple years.
[Sarah] How so?
[Claire] He and I are both
atheists, and I'm calm about it,
but he is Simon Harrington.
I don't follow.
Well, he doesn't come from
academia like the rest of them.
[Claire] I feel
kind of bad for him.
He's been a bit of
an outsider ever since
he was kicked out of seminary.
Well, a bit of an outsider
up until now, anyway.
You're joking.
No.
No, the same
dependency that made
tonight's dinner
less than comfortable.
Do you want to come in?
I shouldn't have said that.
-I am way too trusting.
-Oh, I won't say anything.
I think I'm going to go.
-Oh, let me walk you back.
-No, no.
It's just down the street.
Okay. Um... Thanks for the chat.
[Claire] Mm-hmm.
[sombre music]
[masturbatory sounds]
[distant waves crashing]
George?
Raise your arms.
[gasping]
So what did you two talk about?
We have a very serious
agreement.
Yes, I know.
And that's why I've
been sober all these years.
That I need to be able
to hang my hat on in this
marriage or things
fall apart right quick.
"Right quick?"
Don't mock me.
-You did this.
-Come on.
Don't you think my pounding
skull is punishment enough?
[scoffs]
Claire...
Do you remember
that time I skipped my speaking
arrangement in New York
to watch my sister's kids?
Vaguely.
Okay, well, little Max was
very content with his handful of
chips until his sister
walked in with a whole bag.
And seeing her have more
than him made him flip out.
Yeah, I follow,
but look, I'm not jealous
of some young Christian author.
Studying up?
Ah, I guess I got curious.
Like you.
You know, she's the kind of
person that likes to make people
desire her so she can
feel mighty and then reject.
I'm just making conversation.
Oh, here, let me get this.
Oh! Fuck.
-I-- I can move.
-I'm sorry.
You good?
Great.
[typing]
"While it makes
for good cinema and doesn't
sound like a bad way
to kill an afternoon,
there's no reason to fear
a passive dystopia where we'll
spend our lives in a hover
chair sipping meals from a cup.
In reality,
the near future, we'll see
people taking greater
ownership of their health
and paying far less
for improved results.
By 2040,
65% of health spending will
support care models
that incentivize prevention and
wellness, with technology
improving early detection for
doctors and real-time
feedback for the rest of us.
[snorts] It won't be
long before our bodies
and our bank
account feel the benefits
of an early morning jog."
Are you still good?
-Do you need anything?
-I'm making it work.
Hey, when are we gonna
hear about the clinical trial?
Soon, I'm sure.
You should be prepping
for your next conference.
You should
mind your own business.
Or "fuck me," like
you're so fond of saying.
Huh.
[typing]
[audience applause]
We gave Sarah the floor at
the start of the first debate.
Simon, will
you kick things off for us?
Gladly.
Although it is
undoubtedly stimulating for
the purposes of this
Rampart keynote debate series to
ponder the likelihood of God--
and I'm happy to do it--
I would be remiss if I didn't
acknowledge what was missing
in today's houses of worship.
We don't need God.
We are in
the midst of our own story.
Humanity has pressing issues
to address, and-- and...
we're answering them
with science and reason
and technological advances.
Just look around.
There are urgent challenges
and breathtaking victories.
But a significant portion
of the planet's population still
spends so much of
their time and energy
on a lifelong fishing
expedition into an empty pond.
That's a profound loss.
Imagine what we could
do if we could refocus all
of that brain power.
So my conviction is also a plea.
Rejoin the human race.
Become fully present
in every way imaginable.
Don't miss out.
We welcome you.
We need you.
And I promise you,
the rewards are
self-evident now and tomorrow.
Surely, Simon
understands that science grew
out of the 16th
and 17th centuries,
where it largely
evolved from a bunch of theists.
That makes it relatively new on
the scene of human history and,
as originally intended,
limited in scope.
See, these theists
expected science to confirm
their understanding
of the laws of nature and
mathematics built on
a faith-based understanding
that a deity once
authored natural law.
You're implying
that the first thing
trivializes the next thing.
But if I bring up the Egyptian
god Horus, who predates
the Christ mythology by
3,000 years, you'll dismiss my
argument outright or say
that somehow the absentee savior
story is more authoritative
because it came later.
-I'm going to finish my point.
-[Simon] Which is it?
Is earlier or later best?
Contrary to the rebuttal
that I can only imagine is
boiling up inside of Simon
-at this very moment...
-[audience laughing]
...I do not discount
the value of science,
which allows me to
see things in a new way,
not to mention the ways
it helps society to advance.
Let's try it this way.
Science allows me to understand
the molecular structure of
a flower and the way
it is pollinated, as an example.
But if I stay too
close to that flower,
if I live inside the microscope,
I will miss a great deal about
what that flower means
to people.
As I back away from those
molecules and take in the bigger
picture, I begin to
observe the flower's beauty.
I feel the emotional impact
of its brilliant red color
set against a bland kitchen
table or some drab walls.
That contrast stirs
something in my soul.
And it's a disservice
if I don't linger on
those feelings or
begin to wonder why.
Perhaps I begin to reflect
on purpose as I consider the way
a flower holds itself
together so delicately.
And as I let nature
speak to me
beyond a mere
clinical observation,
I remember to cherish
small moments with a loved one
as I recall that my own life
is as fragile as that flower.
You see,
it is only when I believe
in God that I begin to
find answers beyond mere
comprehension about who we are
and why it all matters.
I can't appreciate a flower
without invoking a higher power?
[mysterious music]
[Sarah] Of course you can.
But appreciation and worldview
are two different things.
Simon, what do you make
of the likelihood of God when
there's such
widespread disagreement--?
A great point.
Disagreement not only
about the existence of it,
but the character
and nature of God,
which continues
to split believers
into opposing factions.
It is notable that
Christians love to pick
on Muslims and Mormons
for their outrageous tales,
but they're utterly
comfortable with their own.
Yet the burden
of proof lies squarely
on my distinguished
opponent's shoulders
because I cannot prove
the absence of something,
let alone something
as outlandish as God.
It would be like
trying to calculate
our collective
disbelief in leprechauns.
[audience laughing]
It's amazing
that you don't see how
you fit the mold
of your own criticism.
My opponent,
ladies and gentlemen,
demonstrating the religious
propensity for sleight of hand,
front and center,
for all of you to see.
On one hand,
they love to trot out
the Genesis fable
to show God's generosity.
Eat of any tree
in the garden except one.
Really? Almost nothing?
Off limits?
Well, not so fast,
say abuse survivors,
divorcees, members
of the LGBTQIA community,
and anyone who has been
hammered by Christians
for living outside of Paul's
archaic definition of sexuality,
which includes one man,
one woman,
one marriage for all time.
Pretty limited buffet.
Just ask Adam and Eve.
Try to stay focused, Simon.
Are you really saying
that by disagreeing with tenets
of Islam or aspects
of the Mormon faith
that the Christian
cannot believe in God?
That a hole
in one belief system anywhere
invalidates
all belief systems everywhere?
That's like
promoting anarchy
because we've had
one bad president.
I am waiting for you
to make a credible assertion,
and I'm wondering why you're
trying to sound like me.
I am trying to respond.
You are vomiting non-sequitur.
-Best foot forward.
-That's the point.
Excuse me?
It is senseless
because it mirrors
the confused nature
of your own argument.
I think my opponent
prefers her verbal acrobatics
to actually
making a case of her own.
You're...
[sighs]
...very confusing.
[laughs]
Well...
[somber piano music]
I mean,
that was a mess, right?
She's insane.
[Claire] This is not
her usual forum.
[Simon] Come on, hurry up.
I don't even know
why she's invited to this thing.
Can we please slow down?
The fatigue is real,
-like, insane.
-You have cancer.
No joking for cancer patients.
-[Claire laughing]
-[Simon sighs]
Ready?
Why haven't we heard
from the doctor?
What's up with him?
[Claire] Um, I'm sure
they're just inundated.
Glad you could make it.
-Simon.
-Sorry we're late.
[Annette] Would you like
to say a few words?
[Simon] Yes, yes, thank you.
Hello, everyone.
George Rossi
was a pioneer in the fields
of science,
rationality, and futurism.
He was also my closest friend.
It's funny,
and a little bit tragic,
that we were
so busy in recent years.
So we made an agreement
that, if nothing else,
we would always meet out of town
as often as we could,
far from the crowds
and the attention.
And it was in those moments
that the public and private
George Rossi
were one and the same.
Endless curiosity.
That he was
a father and a husband
and an earnest supporter
of the arts,
as well as a humanitarian,
are all worthy of note.
But his rigorous thirst
for knowledge
is what will linger with me.
The world truly has lost
one of its finest minds.
Thank you, Simon.
I'd like
to introduce someone who might
be something
of an unknown in this room.
It speaks
to the inclusive strides
George made
throughout his life.
His curiosity,
as Simon alluded to,
was so ever-present that
George quietly crossed divides
to promote voices that
challenged even his own beliefs.
Sarah Clausen, everyone.
Thank you.
I'm not going to wax poetic,
and I promise
to keep this brief.
Tonight is all about George.
I wrote to him
asking to be pen pals.
Imagine my surprise
when he said yes.
I learned
a great deal from George,
and it rarely amounted
to what felt
like a betrayal
of either of our beliefs.
And I hope
I don't offend
when I say that I too...
considered him a dear friend.
And I continue to offer
my prayers to his family.
[Annette]
Everyone came together.
Yeah. Turned out to be
kind of perfect actually.
I think it was.
-You should be really proud.
-Excuse me.
Well, he was well-remembered.
Thank you for sharing.
How come I feel like I'm not
getting the whole story here?
-I'm sorry?
-That she knew George.
-Like that.
-I don't--
-Simon--
-His replacement
just happens
to be a secret pen pal.
You think I owe you
an explanation
for solving
something you insisted on?
Huh.
Well, I think that--
Thank you for coming.
Good night.
It is beneath this institution
to even have her here.
And you know it.
I mean,
she wrote a children's book
about the resurrection,
for Christ's sake.
Are you really about
to dress down this proud
Black woman
who gave you this platform?
No.
And no.
Not tonight.
Work it out,
the two of you,
and I expect an improvement
over yesterday's belligerence.
You know what? I've known
a lot of great feminists
in my time,
but I've also known women
who perverted
the cause for selfish gain.
George always
spoke so highly of you.
But I see something different.
Well, that's
because you have a worldview
where you expect
to see angels in the sky.
You know,
I'd like to win this thing
to honor his legacy,
but I'll settle
for being the woman
who knocks you down in public.
Oh, well, look at all
your schemes coming to light.
You really are a subterranean
creature, aren't you?
George recommended me.
In light of the health concerns
over the past six months,
I was his contingency plan.
He didn't
have any health issues.
How well were
you paying attention?
[somber music]
George.
George?
Rough night?
Strange dreams.
George...
like he's
aware of what happened.
Like he knows he's gone.
I feel like I'm being
haunted for being here.
[laughs] I don't even
believe in that nonsense.
Your mind is trying to cope.
Dreams are good for that.
It's like the more
I share the stage with her,
the more she hurts
my reputation.
Remember you used
to tell me that your father
was never
the same after he got sick?
And your mom responded
with an iron fist?
I remember.
She was stressed out.
[Claire] Loss is trauma.
And you have to let go.
How are you feeling?
[sighs] Tired.
Dizzy.
Getting ready
really zapped my energy.
-I'm sorry.
-Mm-mm.
I'm not gonna let
this cancer get me down today.
I'm gonna get there
early to get a good seat.
Said the toughest woman
I ever met.
-Sarah. Hi.
-[Sarah] Hey.
I'm sorry, I didn't
mean to interrupt you.
-It's fine.
-[Claire] How are you feeling?
You good?
You know, if I can decipher
my own handwriting.
I'm sure you're gonna be great.
Thanks.
Where's Simon?
Oh, I think he's on his way.
I just, I wanted to ask
you a quick question.
Yeah.
Why did you tell us
you didn't know George?
I don't want
to talk about George.
I guess it felt
like Simon's moment.
Good luck out there today.
Thanks.
[audience applauding]
[Terence] I know you're
all looking forward to this.
Our third and final debate
before tomorrow's
closing remarks.
Can I get you some water,
Mr. Harrington?
-Or we have coffee?
-Um, water, yes, thank you.
[Terence] And,
of course, the one and only
Simon Harrington.
[audience applauding]
Good morning, Sarah and Simon.
-Good morning.
-Thank you.
I want to pose a question
to kick things off
that I think will lend itself
to some fertile answers.
And by that, I mean,
I am intrigued by something
Sarah said earlier
about an ill-fitting garment.
Simon, try faith on for size.
Can you stretch it to fit
your rationalist
or godless conviction?
I'll take the bait.
Setting aside the gaping
issues of history
and so-called evidence,
I will focus squarely
on the morality of God.
I am an anti-theist.
-Sorry.
-[Simon] Uh, thank you.
The travails of live
broadcasting, everyone.
I'm an atheist.
As popularized
by Christopher Hitchens,
or I should say
an anti-theist for many reasons,
but I'll give you
an obvious one first.
What's taking God so long?
How can you justify
a righteous deity that allows
so much suffering to play out
without direct intervention?
I don't know, Simon.
If I had Jesus
himself on the stage,
you would just say he was
infringing on your free will.
Oh, you're dinging me
for my consistency.
This coming from someone
who has to reaffirm
her fantastical beliefs
every Sunday
lest they vanish
into thin air.
[audience chuckling]
Let's veer away
from the ad hominem.
My opponent, ladies
and gentlemen, running low
on intellectual and moral fuel.
As I said, let's veer away
from the ad hominem.
Back on track.
Name one thing
we need religion for
that we can't
infer ourselves.
She can't, although
she'll damn well try.
Pride.
The idea that
your private motivation matters,
not just
your public persona.
I'm sorry. Are you saying that
Jesus invented self-awareness?
That's right, everyone.
Don't follow Christ.
Follow Simon.
Sage advice.
If I were in charge,
it would be multiplied
meats and cheeses for everyone.
Jesus had culinary issues.
-[audience applauding]
-[Sarah] You're bitter.
And you don't have to be.
I've been there.
Bitterness leads us all astray.
It's true that you
once attended seminary.
Isn't that correct?
Maybe it was God
who broke your heart.
-Sarah.
-And maybe that's why
you still
struggle with alcoholism.
Perhaps an addiction
bad enough to get you
kicked out of seminary.
Perhaps you're
a subterranean cunt.
[tense music]
Excuse me.
We're going to table
this for now
and resume tomorrow
when each side will present
its final argument.
Thank you
for your thick skins today.
[door opens]
[Annette]
What Nazi-ing was that?
-[stutters] My friend is gone.
-Exactly.
-Dr. Harrington.
-Annette.
Sarah was way out of bounds.
And my response
was also out of bounds.
There is nothing
to salvage here.
Oh, come on, look,
I'll make a heartfelt apology
at the closing arguments.
Sarah can forgo an apology.
I'm okay with that.
I just want to know that
I am still eligible to win.
I'm not going to make another
hasty decision on your behalf.
I need time to think.
I'll own it.
I promise.
I would really rather you
step away at this point, Simon.
That doesn't seem necessary.
Not necessary.
Not for you. Nope.
No true payment is ever required
for the misdeeds of men.
I would really appreciate
it if you didn't heap
your entire experience
on my husband's
moment of weakness.
I will address
what happened in a way that...
affirms the values
of this institution.
But it is not going
to be pleasant.
Whatever you have to do.
As far as your eligibility
is concerned,
you will learn my decision
along with everyone else.
But I expect
an apology either way.
This is my conference.
It sounds like we both
have something to safeguard.
I don't need you to rescue me.
Really?
Did you just miss
the last half hour?
[dramatic music]
Tide's coming in.
My reputation is my career.
Decades late
and poorly timed as it may be.
I was upset.
I mentioned seminary.
-That is it.
-But why?
Because she's a Christian
and I didn't have any reason
to think she would
say anything about it.
Right. And now she's told
the whole world
that I hate religious people
because once upon a time,
God gave my heart a boo-boo.
Oh, also, I'm a drunk.
Well, that is her mistake.
And anybody who knows you
knows that's not true.
[both moaning]
Do you want my hand?
No, no, just let me...
Okay, what about my mouth?
Just give me a second.
Sorry.
[Simon sighs]
-Great.
-Okay, it is okay.
When are we going to hear
from the oncologist?
We talked.
No more treatments,
no more clinical trial.
When?
I've just been trying to keep
you focused while you're here.
[scoffs]
Well...
Well, there's the rub.
First you share secrets
with my sworn enemy
and then you
withhold information.
Come on,
you are being so dramatic.
Oh, well, that's great.
Don't apologize.
Just drip with contempt.
It's much more effective.
Simon...
I'm dying.
And I am a doctor,
so I know what it's like
when a body
is failing and I want peace.
I don't want to live what's left
of my life as an experiment.
I don't...
I need it to stop.
Claire!
For God's sake,
are you giving up?
Wow.
I thought you
were going to call me a cunt.
I have never heard you say that.
What does it say that
some short-term debate opponent
can evoke more passion
out of you than I can?
You know the rest of us women,
we're not your mother.
I'm getting pretty tired
of these little fucking
therapy sessions.
You just don't want me
to fight for the thing
that makes me feel alive.
Not when it's the only thing
that makes you feel alive.
What are you even trying
to salvage at this point?
Annette is right.
We're barely surviving,
you and I.
And I know this whole thing
seems trivial to you, but...
I need something
like this to get me through,
or else
I'm going to go crazy.
Ha! You fought dirty
because you saw an opening.
Sarah gave you
a real chance to win.
Well, it must be
just wonderful to just sit there
and dispense wisdom
on the tail end
of a wildly
successful career.
That you supported.
Kind of.
I traveled
to all of your lectures,
cheering you on
without interruption.
Do not talk to me
like you're on some stage.
Yeah, you were there.
With a glazed look
on your face,
I could see the obsession
in your eyes,
planning your future,
desperate for it to hurry up.
Well, I'm sorry that
my support meant so little.
That I can't
be the goddamn toast
of the town
for one fucking minute
without running into
your pioneering perfection.
Wow.
That was really mean.
You know, I married you for
your mind and your friendship.
And after
all these years, Simon,
I really wish that there
was something else.
And I will
not spend what's left
of my life watching you
go down in flames.
But enjoy your moment.
All this talking
and all this knowledge,
and you still haven't
learned the obvious.
Be careful
what you say out loud,
because
the universe is listening.
And that stuff boomerangs.
Yeah, and...
for the record,
people are drawn
to power and prestige.
They don't like you for you.
They're gonna forget about you
the moment you're gone,
and I promise you,
you will be gone.
Maybe not like me,
and maybe not as soon,
but you will
fade away just the same.
And then you'll be a footnote in
some book that nobody remembers.
Because this world,
it runs on competition.
And none of it matters.
I...
have been trying so hard
to get you to be close to me.
Is that even in you?
I wanted you to see
me succeed
before you weren't
around anymore.
That's why we're still here.
[somber music]
This-- This is my side.
Okay.
[Terence] Mm-hmm.
[light clattering]
Um, will Simon and Sarah
please join me on the stage?
I was ready
to recite this to all of you.
Another carefully
worded statement.
All seem to run together
at some point, don't they?
Mine was going to tell
you how disappointed I am.
And with conviction.
Dismayed was
the word I chose to write down.
But what I really am...
is tired.
Aren't you tired?
What happened on this stage
violates the standards.
And the values
of this institution.
Full stop.
We bother with all of this,
supposedly,
to contend for humankind
at its absolute best.
It's the very reason
Rampart exists.
You might say
it's the only reason.
And I'll tell you
what happened
makes me miss
George Rossi all the more.
Someone dear to our hearts.
A friend who embodied
the values of this institution.
With his every waking moment.
And his loss.
And people are
struggling because of it.
Suffering.
Whether they know it or not.
So, what do we do?
Now I acknowledge
that my decision...
will not be popular.
It may have its detractors.
But Simon will be
allowed to remain
in this competition should
he offer a heartfelt apology.
Now I tend
to distrust the word sorry
because it's been exploited
time and time again.
But...
maybe I too need to evolve.
Maybe my own beliefs
demand it
that I practice
what it means to be charitable.
Accepting the risks.
If I'm no longer
willing to extend mercy,
does that not mean
I need some forgiveness too?
Now, Simon owes
Sarah and the rest of us
something better,
to be sure.
And as we respond, perhaps
we can offer something better.
In return.
Simon.
Thank you, Madam President,
for those important words.
Painful,
though they are to receive.
Appropriate, yet painful.
My father said that
a long apology merely dilutes.
That a, um,
apology that goes on to...
Claire!
Here. Here.
Let's, uh, take
a brief intermission if we can.
I'm just gonna catch my breath
and then we'll go back in.
Yeah, we'll rest here
a few minutes.
And then we're leaving.
I'm gonna call 911.
You need help, baby.
And a seriously
huge hospital.
Gonna miss you.
I'm gonna miss you too.
What are you doing here?
Thanks for having my back.
[sharp inhale]
[somber music]
Your manager said that...
Hi.
Come in.
Uh, please, have a seat.
Thanks.
Oh, thirst.
What brings you to Cambridge?
Book tour.
It's hard,
being on the road.
And I'm pregnant,
so I'm gonna be taking
a step back
from travel and appearances.
Congratulations.
That's the hope, anyway.
My husband,
um, has a part-time thing,
but he spends
the rest of the week
practicing
with the worship band.
Guitar's great,
but it doesn't pay the bills.
No speaking engagements for you?
I poked
around on your website.
Uh, there has not
been many offers recently,
ever since, uh, you
and I had our little kerfuffle.
Which is fine.
Not really feeling it
much that lately.
And, uh...
speaking of...
Congratulations.
Oh.
[Simon] Well, you were
the last man standing.
Well, Claire collapsed,
and Annette called
the whole thing off, so.
What was she supposed to do?
She sent flowers, though.
Annette's a good person.
And I really admired your wife.
It's actually why I'm here.
I felt sick betraying her trust.
And yours.
Oh, please.
I would have done
the same thing myself.
I've been thinking about
that debate a lot recently.
Oh, boy.
Oh, I'm not
gonna convert you.
-Praise God.
-[Sarah laughs]
Jesus told me to go
easy on the widowers.
Oh, did he tell
you that directly?
I guess I've been
thinking about it a lot, too.
I should have called you.
You did not deserve to be
on the receiving end of a--
How are you holding up
these days?
Oh, um...
I hadn't really thought
about it like that.
People die. Right?
And you think, or at least
I thought, that, um...
the only thing that
really leaves is them.
I mean, I'm sure it's some
sort of coping mechanism
that I always forget
every time a new loss arrives,
but you realize too late
that they're also a feeling.
Being with them is a, uh...
What's the word? It's, um...
Not electrical, not circuitry.
Um, like a current.
Charge.
It's a charge...
that is uniquely
shared by you and them.
And when that feeling
starts to fade away,
not so fun.
Oh.
I thought that Claire was,
uh, working on her next lecture.
Turns out
she was writing a poem.
Um, can I share it with you?
Yeah.
Okay. Ahem.
[laughs]
"I strolled through
the market hoping to be seen."
Ha!
Christ.
It's so sentimental. Okay.
"I strolled through the market
hoping to be seen.
Strangers connected
by kindness and warmth.
A surge of humanity,
eyes that expressed life.
But no one noticed me."
[sentimental music]
[book shuts]
[sobbing]
[moody synth music]
You're doing it again.
Ohh.
Big building.
You have some time.
A dream 30 years in
the making.
Mmm.
Well that's new.
Hmm.
Here.
Ohh.
[exhales]
Did you write this?
No, why?
Public intellectual Simon
Harrington is enjoying a
meteoric rise as an essayist on
everything from futurism to
atheism.
"Meteoric?"
If that were true,
I'd have TV appearances.
-[chuckling]
-No, I'm here because of George.
Elusive fucker, I've left him
so many voicemails.
Mr. New York Times bestseller.
It is not a competition.
Of course it is.
Everything in life is a
competition.
My manager said I might be able
to get a book deal if
-I actually win this thing.
-Honey...
Aren't you the keynote guy?
Uh... Yes, one of them.
Nice to meet you.
Simon Harrington.
Nice to meet you too.
Kudos to you for spotting me
with my ashy hair.
He's being self-deprecating.
-That's an old photo.
-Ah.
This is my lovely wife, Claire.
Hi.
Do you know Simon's work?
Absolutely.
Wanna do the autograph thing
real quick?
-Sign my brochure?
-Oh, um...
I...
[phone vibrating]
Oh. Excuse me.
Tell you what, uh, we were
just about to go inside.
Join us.
In the green room?
Yeah, for a pen.
I'd hate to miss
the opening remarks.
Well, you won't.
I'm giving them.
I-- I promise.
I'll have you back before
anything interesting happens.
[chuckling]
[mysterious synth music]
[crowd chatting]
[man] ...to the general public,
you have to sort of
put on a show.
Come on.
-[door attendant] Hi.
-Hello.
[door attendant] Come on in.
[host] And of course, we want to
thank our beautiful host
city of Portland for
providing truly top-notch
venues across the board,
as we begin this year's annual
event, featuring thought
leaders from around the globe.
What do you say, everyone, huh?
-Let's fortify?
-[audience] Our lives!
[host] All right. Ah!
Here's one of Rampart's
newer friends who will offer
this year's opening
remarks in just a few moments.
Simon is enjoying
a meteoric rise as an essayist.
And will square off
against Rampart staple,
George Rossi,
for a truly high-minded event
that some of you flew in for,
I happen to know.
Okay, turning the page.
Be sure to download the Rampart
app if you haven't already.
Where you can search events,
secure tickets, and learn
more about our roster
of head-turning speakers.
And of course,
each and every debate, panel,
and workshop will live on.
And be streamed on
demand after they've
been simulcast live
in over 20 languages.
Okay.
Uh, let's find that pen.
Can I get you some water?
-That would be great.
-Yeah.
Oh, yes.
And thank you very much.
-Get that for you.
-Thank you.
-You okay?
-Yeah, I'm just going to
catch my breath.
Dr. Harrington,
it's such an honor to meet you.
-Thank you for saying that.
-Annette.
I have to admit,
I'm just a wee bit
in awe of
your contribution to the world.
[Claire] Oh, please,
are you kidding me?
The feeling is entirely mutual.
And I'm really excited
to support Simon for a change.
Yes, there he is.
Simon.
Hi. Pleased to meet you.
Thank you for
giving me a chance.
-Um... A few minutes?
-Two or three.
And I am so sorry
that we have to meet
under such
difficult circumstances.
Oh, thank you,
but Claire's a warrior.
Yes, I am so sorry to hear about
the persistence of your cancer.
Thank you for saying that.
There's anything I can
do to make you comfortable
during the conference...
Nope. Simon takes
great care of me.
You didn't get a phone call?
I'm sorry, do you mind if I--?
-Yes, please.
-Oh yeah, uh--
Yes, you rest.
[chuckles]
-You okay?
-Mm-hm.
[Simon] Yeah, I-- I'm sorry.
You were saying?
George.
He's in an ICU in London.
Excuse me,
are you with Harrington's--?
Uh, yeah, she's with us.
Thanks for making time.
Take care of her.
[Simon] Yeah,
thanks for coming.
That's not possible.
Cardiac arrest.
How bad is it?
Cynthia says that he is stable.
He's under constant supervision.
So, we're going to have
to cancel your keynote debate,
I'm afraid.
We can have you, um...
host a workshop or two
to make the most of things.
I'm really sorry, Simon.
Honey.
Oh, forgive me.
-You need anything else?
-No, thank you.
George built Rampart
into what it is today.
He put us on the map.
[quiet orchestral score]
He's going to pull through.
We proceed.
Um, well,
I don't think that's... wise.
I don't think
it will be well received.
George is a trailblazer.
Dogged, determined.
[chuckles] You would expect
nothing less from his peers.
You feel strongly?
Yes, I'm sure of it.
He's my best friend.
Look, I know you're
going to have to find
someone new to debate.
No one sharper
than George, but...
I'll do my best.
Don't worry.
He's going to pull through.
Well, you're going
to have to get on stage
regardless
of what happens tomorrow.
Claire's right.
Do you want to come?
I'm going to catch my breath.
Thank you.
[host] So, let's give him a warm
Rampart welcome, shall we?
This is Simon Harrington.
[applause]
[man on phone]
How's it going out west?
You know, it's a little
puff for my taste, but...
They're happy to have him, so...
Good for Simon.
What are you chewing on?
None of your business.
[laughs] You've got to
give me something.
I mean, you know
everybody over here
is dying to know what you've
been up to.
-You are a legend.
-Ha ha.
[chuckles] All right,
good news first.
We can proceed
with the clinical trial.
You're-- You're a great fit,
plain and simple.
Okay.
[chuckles] Okay?
Claire, this is good news.
This is good news.
Do I, uh, do I have time to
talk to Simon about it?
Um, I mean, sure, if I can
know by the end of the week.
I mean, I don't really think
that a delay is to your
benefit.
-Fair enough?
-Fair enough.
[soft jazz music]
-So good to see you.
-It's great to see you too.
Hi, how are you? Hi.
[indistinct chatter]
Excuse me,
but did you actually
print out one of my essays?
[chuckles] Simon?
-Oh, good eye.
-Who does that?
At that moment,
I was probably the only person.
-On the west coast.
-[chuckles]
-I'm Sarah.
-Pleasure to meet you.
This is impressive.
-Thank you.
-[Sarah] How do you, like,
congeal all of your thoughts so
convincingly on the page?
Well, revisions.
You know,
writing is mostly rewriting.
Writing is rewriting?
-Okay, um...
-[chuckles]
Well, I try and think what
the objection is going to be.
And I get out in front of it.
Good tip.
I think I'm going
to waltz over and get a drink.
Nerves and all that jazz.
You met your opponent. Sorry,
I wanted to introduce you.
Ha! Very funny.
-Wait, hold on.
-I hope Claire is okay?
Yeah, Claire is resting.
Who was that?
Sarah Clausen.
Very well respected
Christian author.
Big online presence.
-Oh, but-- but she's...
-A woman.
No,
I was going to say Christian.
[chuckles]
Just messing with you.
Your keynote debate
kicks off tomorrow on time.
You two will debate
the existence or absence of God.
Oh, Annette...
I mean,
isn't that borderline pass?
Well, Sarah had a break
in her speaking schedule,
which makes this
a miracle falling in your lap.
How is it pass?
Well, in this political climate?
You know, nobody listens
to anything they say,
and they refuse to listen.
It's like trying to talk
somebody out of their favorite
dessert, which theirs
is vanilla or something.
Okay. Bet on my plan
like I bet on yours.
Oh, I don't know.
Think determined.
Dogged,
I believe the word was.
George expects
nothing less from his peers.
I wish he'd get back to me.
It says she's
a New York Times bestseller.
She said my
essays were impressive.
You know,
one of the things that I've
always liked about
my written approach is...
Did you just forget
your own compliment?
-Oh... Yeah.
-[both chuckle]
Isn't it semi-beneath
Rampart to be debating
-the existence of God?
-I'm sure that they've
had Christians here before.
Yeah, but never
defending their faith.
Isn't this supposed to
be an intellectual event?
Oh, then keep it intellectual.
Oh... God's Giant Table.
-It's gotta be good.
-Oh, fuck me.
It's her biggest yet.
Sold 1.2 million copies.
-[whistles]
-Are you trying to get
into my head before
this thing even starts?
You should prepare.
I mean,
what if she's smarter than you?
Simon.
Not a snowball's
chance in hell.
That she's really smart
or that she'll actually study?
Aren't you supposed to be
prepping for the Zurich seminar?
Go call George.
Find out how he's doing.
You really are
trying to get in my head.
Every few years, Rampart
likes to shake things up.
I'm Terrence Stand.
Welcome to the Quadrennial
Keynote Debate Series.
Featuring two leading thinkers
in their respective fields.
Our distinguished
panel of judges is led by
Rampart President
Annette Davis.
[applause]
As well
as past speakers you can
learn more
about in your program.
Or on the Rampart app.
Three debates and
a closing argument.
The winner will find themselves
permanently enshrined.
With a lecture series
renamed in their honor.
This person will also
receive an invitation to
appear on one of
our judges panels in perpetuity.
No small thing.
And just to sweeten the pot,
Sarah or Simon will
receive a check for $50,000.
With another $50,000 awarded to
the winner's charity of choice.
This one, as they say,
is for all the marbles.
Let's meet them now.
Sarah Clausen is a sought-after
faith-based author and
speaker who Rampart
has had on its radar with
her latest book,
God's Giant Table.
Making the New York Times
bestseller list.
She's been named
one of ten essential
contemporary
writers by Christian Now.
Please welcome
Sarah Clausen to our stage.
[applause]
Simon Harrington is an up
and coming essayist.
Bringing the science
of predicting the future
and tech into the mainstream.
You may recognize
his published contributions as
a spirited proponent
of grounded rationalism.
Which he calls common
sense with our toes in the soil.
Please welcome
Simon Harrington to the stage.
[applause]
Good.
Boring stuff done.
[audience laughs]
Sarah, why God?
And the follow-up to you,
Simon, why not?
But we begin with you, Sarah.
Thank you.
C.S. Lewis said, "I believe in
God like I believe in the sun:
not because I see it,
but because by it
I see everything else."
God makes sense of things.
Both illuminated in
light and obscured in shadow.
God explains
the unlikely existence of love.
And transforms it from something
conventionally linked to status,
selfishness, and pleasure
into a movement of kindness,
grace, and unlikely community.
God clarifies
that which science,
however valuable,
simply cannot.
Survival of the fittest
gives us some insight into
initial attraction
and subsequent procreation.
But it doesn't even begin to
touch the Christian concept of
love, which is self-sacrificing
and full of surrender.
Science and rationalism
become an ill-fitted
garment in that way.
And I'll pause there.
[lightly chuckling]
Forgive me,
I'm kind of learning as I go.
-[applause]
-May I?
Please.
Well, um...
aside from the strangely inept
comparison to the sun,
which is one of the better
examples of things we can
easily measure and observe,
I would like
to challenge the idea
that somehow love is so
mysteriously counterintuitive.
People do silly
things for many reasons.
Cultures evolve over time and
slowly redefine what love is.
Take the issue of
spanking in the United States
now versus a generation ago.
Well, that's
conflating the idea--
I'd like to use my time.
Thank you.
Think of corporal punishment.
Or the realization that some
vitamin is now a known poison.
And this is witnessed with even
a cursory glance across history.
Second, surrender,
as Sarah puts it.
Well, what if that is
just indulgence by another name?
Do you follow?
I'm getting off on
denying my impulses.
You're welcome to
take a cynical position on
the motives of those
who do believe that surrender
is authored by God,
which is far broader than
the Christian faith,
I might add.
But it doesn't change
the fact that letting go
is really hard
and always has been.
And it's somewhat convenient
for you to make this sweeping
generalization that throughout
history the collective
rising of our moral tide,
think Dr. King's quote about
the arc of moral history
bending towards justice,
was... intuitive? Or easy?
-Or effortlessly won?
-[chuckles]
You're-- You're discounting
the suffering of those who came
before us to struggle to
create a more just and equal
world for all of us,
not just the fittest.
And that reveals an argument
lacking in the kind of humility
Isaac Newton
intended when he wrote,
"If I have seen further,
it is by standing
on the shoulders of giants."
Oh, I'm-- I'm not
interested in false modesty,
although I am familiar with
that sentiment, properly cited,
belonging to French
philosopher Bernard Chartres.
But aren't we here to
debate the likelihood of God?
My point is that love
defies rational thinking,
and that large groups
of people would not continue
throughout history in behavior
that seems counterintuitive and
evolutionarily disadvantageous,
if not for something else,
for the whisper of
the divine in their hearts.
[applause]
Appealing to popular
opinion is a common fallacy.
I-- I don't think you realize
the self-fulfilling prophecy
that you're constructing here.
The person of faith
learns that private and
public self-denial is to
be held in the highest regard by
their tribe, that God's
favor will thus shine upon them.
And so that person adopts
surrender in order to feel warm
and fuzzy inside and to win
praise from the people outside.
Pretty attractive rewards,
you'd have to admit,
as a person of faith yourself.
People do what makes them
feel good and feel included,
and this is crucial in
understanding basic
human philosophy.
So please, let us not
confuse misguided behavior
or Sarah's tenuous grasp of
history as proof of the divine.
[applause]
-[exhales]
-[Sarah] Simon.
-Good job.
-Thank you.
It takes time to get
acclimated, I'm told.
I thought I did pretty well.
-Wind in your sails.
-I was okay?
Had a little too much fun,
I think.
Really?
I hadn't noticed.
No nausea.
-Should we go get some food?
-Oh, I'm so glad.
Yes,
if you're feeling up to it.
-Mm-hm.
-Um...
-But can I have a minute first?
-Take your time.
I'll go get the table.
You're sure?
I'm a big girl.
-Tell them I love them.
-I will.
Cynthia, Simon here.
[melancholic music]
Funeral's in three days.
Cynthia's in shock.
Her brother-in-law's
taking over.
She wants to be done with it.
It's the same day
as my closing argument.
Maybe right now is not
the right time to be here.
I mean, maybe we need to
look out the window for
a reminder of where we are.
The world is bruised.
Nobody can afford to
pay their rent.
But we have done well, Simon.
We're so fortunate.
No, you've done well.
[Claire scoffs]
No, we're staying.
We're staying.
And I want to have
dinner with my opponent tonight.
Wow, that sounds nice.
It's combat, love.
Nothing nice about it.
Thank you. Keep it coming.
Please don't.
To George.
[Simon scoffs]
-[footsteps approaching]
-I'm gonna go.
-Oh, Sarah!
-So sorry I'm late.
-My call went long.
-This is my wife, Claire.
-You look lovely.
-Thank you.
-So do you.
-Thank you.
-[Claire chuckles]
-Would you like a drink?
Um, maybe.
Not sure-- Probably not.
[Simon] Trying to stay focused?
Drank too much at the meet
and greet?
[dry chuckle]
[Sarah] What's good here?
We're out of towners.
-Where from?
-Cambridge.
No way. I've studied
at Wellesley for two years.
Love Massachusetts.
And you left?
Got sidetracked.
By the whole
speaking and writing thing.
Definitely wasn't
part of the plan.
Or my plan.
God's will prevails.
-Drinks?
-I'm good with water. Thanks.
[Claire] So, um,
are you writing another book?
Always. A memoir.
I'm really excited about this--
You seem a little
young for that, aren't you?
Well, I guess I could
wait until I was your age.
Oh. [chuckles]
I could never pull
off a hat like that.
Oh, yeah.
I didn't think I could either.
Claire, she's French.
[whispers] It's cancer,
actually.
-Oh, my gosh.
-No, it's okay. It's okay.
It's advanced stage cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
I tend to avoid
numerical staging when
it comes to hematological
malignancies because--
Honey, honey,
speak the people's language.
What she's not telling you is
that Claire is a world-renowned
nephrologist, which sounds
like something you should be put
in jail for, but actually
all it means is that you are
sitting right next to
a one-of-a-kind kidney doctor.
Wow. Impressive.
Thank you.
It's basically
stage IV blood cancer.
I'm so sorry.
Thanks.
But, uh, yeah, that's life...
One day at a time.
Yeah, that's
an honorable approach,
one I should really learn from.
[Simon] Sarah.
Rampart. Sounded like
you didn't even know about it.
Well, I got
the call and was flattered.
And it seemed
like a good opportunity.
Well, yeah, of course.
But, I mean,
what are you after, ultimately?
I guess I want to
point people to God.
-Nothing too fancy.
-Uh-huh.
What's the angle?
I-- I'm genuinely curious.
What about you?
Tomorrow is going to be better.
Us futurists,
we've done the analysis.
It's vital for us to
show the how's and the why's
of where the human
race is headed so we can
create engagement and
excitement around progress.
He doesn't
have to work that hard.
I've made us plenty of money.
[Simon] Ah, yes, the patriarchy.
Some hope, and a paycheck.
Simon, did I read somewhere
that you have social anxiety?
And at a conference, that must
be tough to push through.
His endurance is one
of my favorite qualities.
I just hold
his hand and he calms down.
Jesus, Claire.
So how is George?
Annette said heart attack.
Do you know his work?
I mostly roll in
faith-based circles.
George died today.
[sombre music]
A tremendous loss.
And we're just waiting
to see if Claire is a viable
candidate for a clinical trial,
a last-ditch effort,
so the timing is just
perfect all the way around.
-[woman] Sarah?
-Yes?
Would you be so kind
as to sign this?
Yes, of course.
Do you have a pen?
Great.
[woman]
I thought you were great.
Thank you.
[pen scribbling]
Have a good night.
[woman]
You should let Sarah finish.
You really
kind of steamrolled her.
Thank you for the feedback.
That's very helpful.
Sorry, a clinical trial,
what does that mean for you?
Can we please just
traipse through the menu?
Is it okay if I pray
for your health, Claire?
What-- Whatever you'd like,
yeah.
We should, um, order some food.
Simon, I do have a question.
I respect
that you don't believe in God,
-or I accept that you don't.
-Okay.
But, don't you tire
of being so militant about it?
-[Claire chuckling] Sorry.
-[Claire] No.
-Honesty is beautiful.
-Militant.
That is
an unexpected description.
I don't
challenge your conclusion.
I just...
what's the reward?
You'll be on the receiving
end of it tomorrow.
You good?
-Kudos, you're a good man.
-Thank you.
-Not a problem. Here you go--
-Hey...
You're an attractive
waiter, you know that?
I wouldn't mind seeing
you taking your turns at these
two lovely ladies, a little
naked tussle and all that.
That's not okay.
I know, okay, let's go.
I'm good.
[shouting] I'm good!
Um... Nice night.
Sarah, I'll walk with you.
Oh, there's
the award-winning graciousness.
-[Sarah] Is he okay to get home?
-[Claire] He's fine.
I'm fine.
Pretty nice to have guy time.
Yeah. Absolutely.
So, do you like living
in the Pacific Northwest?
Yeah.
You can't beat the outdoors.
Oh, yeah.
Do you feel it's welcoming?
Or is it just
a box people check?
I'm still trying to
figure that out myself.
Hey, I'm a headliner
at the conference.
-Oh. Right on.
-Rampart!
Are you familiar
with futurism? Because...
-I'm kind of famous for it.
-Oh, right on.
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
Hey, I have to get
ready for my next debate.
Do you want to help me?
I've got flash cards.
I'm in the middle
of my shift still.
-Are you sure?
-Yeah, absolutely.
Oh, right.
That's fair enough.
Uh, I-- Uh, your wife
said you'd throw me a hundred
if I took you
out the back door.
You okay to walk?
Yeah.
Have a good night, sir.
Yeah, Claire worries too much.
How do you like Portland?
Um, I like it.
[both chuckle]
I mean,
it's no East Coast, but...
No, it's not.
And I'm here
in a debate I don't belong in.
Sarah, that is nonsense.
No, I mean, I'm
grateful for the opportunity.
It's just that I have to take
everything that comes along,
so I've been
on the road for forever.
I'm our only source
of income while my husband
waits for his dream
job to magically appear.
He likes to remind me
that he doesn't like me being
on the road this much,
but he really wants kids.
[Claire chuckles]
I'm sorry.
This must sound so
insensitive and small
based on what you're facing.
Do not be.
Marriage is hard.
Yeah.
I can tell you what
I strive for.
Go first.
So instead of signaling that
you're frustrated,
say how you really feel.
Yeah.
But the really
hard part is forgiveness.
-Yeah.
-It'll all be imperfect,
but so is love.
[tense music]
[Sarah] Do you and
Simon have any kids?
Because you found your calling.
Something like that.
I feel like
I'm up against Goliath.
I mean, Simon is really
good at constructing his points,
but he's really, really good
at deconstructing my points.
Yes, he is.
Good morning.
I'm Sarah Clausen,
and you're having coffee
with Christian Now.
[host] Don't be nervous.
We're excited to have you.
This morning's cup of
coffee is shared with speaker,
influencer,
and author Sarah Clausen,
whose third book,
God's Giant Table,
just passed a
milestone that is rare--
[button clicking]
[Claire] He has
grown a bit of a chip on
his shoulder after
the last couple years.
[Sarah] How so?
[Claire] He and I are both
atheists, and I'm calm about it,
but he is Simon Harrington.
I don't follow.
Well, he doesn't come from
academia like the rest of them.
[Claire] I feel
kind of bad for him.
He's been a bit of
an outsider ever since
he was kicked out of seminary.
Well, a bit of an outsider
up until now, anyway.
You're joking.
No.
No, the same
dependency that made
tonight's dinner
less than comfortable.
Do you want to come in?
I shouldn't have said that.
-I am way too trusting.
-Oh, I won't say anything.
I think I'm going to go.
-Oh, let me walk you back.
-No, no.
It's just down the street.
Okay. Um... Thanks for the chat.
[Claire] Mm-hmm.
[sombre music]
[masturbatory sounds]
[distant waves crashing]
George?
Raise your arms.
[gasping]
So what did you two talk about?
We have a very serious
agreement.
Yes, I know.
And that's why I've
been sober all these years.
That I need to be able
to hang my hat on in this
marriage or things
fall apart right quick.
"Right quick?"
Don't mock me.
-You did this.
-Come on.
Don't you think my pounding
skull is punishment enough?
[scoffs]
Claire...
Do you remember
that time I skipped my speaking
arrangement in New York
to watch my sister's kids?
Vaguely.
Okay, well, little Max was
very content with his handful of
chips until his sister
walked in with a whole bag.
And seeing her have more
than him made him flip out.
Yeah, I follow,
but look, I'm not jealous
of some young Christian author.
Studying up?
Ah, I guess I got curious.
Like you.
You know, she's the kind of
person that likes to make people
desire her so she can
feel mighty and then reject.
I'm just making conversation.
Oh, here, let me get this.
Oh! Fuck.
-I-- I can move.
-I'm sorry.
You good?
Great.
[typing]
"While it makes
for good cinema and doesn't
sound like a bad way
to kill an afternoon,
there's no reason to fear
a passive dystopia where we'll
spend our lives in a hover
chair sipping meals from a cup.
In reality,
the near future, we'll see
people taking greater
ownership of their health
and paying far less
for improved results.
By 2040,
65% of health spending will
support care models
that incentivize prevention and
wellness, with technology
improving early detection for
doctors and real-time
feedback for the rest of us.
[snorts] It won't be
long before our bodies
and our bank
account feel the benefits
of an early morning jog."
Are you still good?
-Do you need anything?
-I'm making it work.
Hey, when are we gonna
hear about the clinical trial?
Soon, I'm sure.
You should be prepping
for your next conference.
You should
mind your own business.
Or "fuck me," like
you're so fond of saying.
Huh.
[typing]
[audience applause]
We gave Sarah the floor at
the start of the first debate.
Simon, will
you kick things off for us?
Gladly.
Although it is
undoubtedly stimulating for
the purposes of this
Rampart keynote debate series to
ponder the likelihood of God--
and I'm happy to do it--
I would be remiss if I didn't
acknowledge what was missing
in today's houses of worship.
We don't need God.
We are in
the midst of our own story.
Humanity has pressing issues
to address, and-- and...
we're answering them
with science and reason
and technological advances.
Just look around.
There are urgent challenges
and breathtaking victories.
But a significant portion
of the planet's population still
spends so much of
their time and energy
on a lifelong fishing
expedition into an empty pond.
That's a profound loss.
Imagine what we could
do if we could refocus all
of that brain power.
So my conviction is also a plea.
Rejoin the human race.
Become fully present
in every way imaginable.
Don't miss out.
We welcome you.
We need you.
And I promise you,
the rewards are
self-evident now and tomorrow.
Surely, Simon
understands that science grew
out of the 16th
and 17th centuries,
where it largely
evolved from a bunch of theists.
That makes it relatively new on
the scene of human history and,
as originally intended,
limited in scope.
See, these theists
expected science to confirm
their understanding
of the laws of nature and
mathematics built on
a faith-based understanding
that a deity once
authored natural law.
You're implying
that the first thing
trivializes the next thing.
But if I bring up the Egyptian
god Horus, who predates
the Christ mythology by
3,000 years, you'll dismiss my
argument outright or say
that somehow the absentee savior
story is more authoritative
because it came later.
-I'm going to finish my point.
-[Simon] Which is it?
Is earlier or later best?
Contrary to the rebuttal
that I can only imagine is
boiling up inside of Simon
-at this very moment...
-[audience laughing]
...I do not discount
the value of science,
which allows me to
see things in a new way,
not to mention the ways
it helps society to advance.
Let's try it this way.
Science allows me to understand
the molecular structure of
a flower and the way
it is pollinated, as an example.
But if I stay too
close to that flower,
if I live inside the microscope,
I will miss a great deal about
what that flower means
to people.
As I back away from those
molecules and take in the bigger
picture, I begin to
observe the flower's beauty.
I feel the emotional impact
of its brilliant red color
set against a bland kitchen
table or some drab walls.
That contrast stirs
something in my soul.
And it's a disservice
if I don't linger on
those feelings or
begin to wonder why.
Perhaps I begin to reflect
on purpose as I consider the way
a flower holds itself
together so delicately.
And as I let nature
speak to me
beyond a mere
clinical observation,
I remember to cherish
small moments with a loved one
as I recall that my own life
is as fragile as that flower.
You see,
it is only when I believe
in God that I begin to
find answers beyond mere
comprehension about who we are
and why it all matters.
I can't appreciate a flower
without invoking a higher power?
[mysterious music]
[Sarah] Of course you can.
But appreciation and worldview
are two different things.
Simon, what do you make
of the likelihood of God when
there's such
widespread disagreement--?
A great point.
Disagreement not only
about the existence of it,
but the character
and nature of God,
which continues
to split believers
into opposing factions.
It is notable that
Christians love to pick
on Muslims and Mormons
for their outrageous tales,
but they're utterly
comfortable with their own.
Yet the burden
of proof lies squarely
on my distinguished
opponent's shoulders
because I cannot prove
the absence of something,
let alone something
as outlandish as God.
It would be like
trying to calculate
our collective
disbelief in leprechauns.
[audience laughing]
It's amazing
that you don't see how
you fit the mold
of your own criticism.
My opponent,
ladies and gentlemen,
demonstrating the religious
propensity for sleight of hand,
front and center,
for all of you to see.
On one hand,
they love to trot out
the Genesis fable
to show God's generosity.
Eat of any tree
in the garden except one.
Really? Almost nothing?
Off limits?
Well, not so fast,
say abuse survivors,
divorcees, members
of the LGBTQIA community,
and anyone who has been
hammered by Christians
for living outside of Paul's
archaic definition of sexuality,
which includes one man,
one woman,
one marriage for all time.
Pretty limited buffet.
Just ask Adam and Eve.
Try to stay focused, Simon.
Are you really saying
that by disagreeing with tenets
of Islam or aspects
of the Mormon faith
that the Christian
cannot believe in God?
That a hole
in one belief system anywhere
invalidates
all belief systems everywhere?
That's like
promoting anarchy
because we've had
one bad president.
I am waiting for you
to make a credible assertion,
and I'm wondering why you're
trying to sound like me.
I am trying to respond.
You are vomiting non-sequitur.
-Best foot forward.
-That's the point.
Excuse me?
It is senseless
because it mirrors
the confused nature
of your own argument.
I think my opponent
prefers her verbal acrobatics
to actually
making a case of her own.
You're...
[sighs]
...very confusing.
[laughs]
Well...
[somber piano music]
I mean,
that was a mess, right?
She's insane.
[Claire] This is not
her usual forum.
[Simon] Come on, hurry up.
I don't even know
why she's invited to this thing.
Can we please slow down?
The fatigue is real,
-like, insane.
-You have cancer.
No joking for cancer patients.
-[Claire laughing]
-[Simon sighs]
Ready?
Why haven't we heard
from the doctor?
What's up with him?
[Claire] Um, I'm sure
they're just inundated.
Glad you could make it.
-Simon.
-Sorry we're late.
[Annette] Would you like
to say a few words?
[Simon] Yes, yes, thank you.
Hello, everyone.
George Rossi
was a pioneer in the fields
of science,
rationality, and futurism.
He was also my closest friend.
It's funny,
and a little bit tragic,
that we were
so busy in recent years.
So we made an agreement
that, if nothing else,
we would always meet out of town
as often as we could,
far from the crowds
and the attention.
And it was in those moments
that the public and private
George Rossi
were one and the same.
Endless curiosity.
That he was
a father and a husband
and an earnest supporter
of the arts,
as well as a humanitarian,
are all worthy of note.
But his rigorous thirst
for knowledge
is what will linger with me.
The world truly has lost
one of its finest minds.
Thank you, Simon.
I'd like
to introduce someone who might
be something
of an unknown in this room.
It speaks
to the inclusive strides
George made
throughout his life.
His curiosity,
as Simon alluded to,
was so ever-present that
George quietly crossed divides
to promote voices that
challenged even his own beliefs.
Sarah Clausen, everyone.
Thank you.
I'm not going to wax poetic,
and I promise
to keep this brief.
Tonight is all about George.
I wrote to him
asking to be pen pals.
Imagine my surprise
when he said yes.
I learned
a great deal from George,
and it rarely amounted
to what felt
like a betrayal
of either of our beliefs.
And I hope
I don't offend
when I say that I too...
considered him a dear friend.
And I continue to offer
my prayers to his family.
[Annette]
Everyone came together.
Yeah. Turned out to be
kind of perfect actually.
I think it was.
-You should be really proud.
-Excuse me.
Well, he was well-remembered.
Thank you for sharing.
How come I feel like I'm not
getting the whole story here?
-I'm sorry?
-That she knew George.
-Like that.
-I don't--
-Simon--
-His replacement
just happens
to be a secret pen pal.
You think I owe you
an explanation
for solving
something you insisted on?
Huh.
Well, I think that--
Thank you for coming.
Good night.
It is beneath this institution
to even have her here.
And you know it.
I mean,
she wrote a children's book
about the resurrection,
for Christ's sake.
Are you really about
to dress down this proud
Black woman
who gave you this platform?
No.
And no.
Not tonight.
Work it out,
the two of you,
and I expect an improvement
over yesterday's belligerence.
You know what? I've known
a lot of great feminists
in my time,
but I've also known women
who perverted
the cause for selfish gain.
George always
spoke so highly of you.
But I see something different.
Well, that's
because you have a worldview
where you expect
to see angels in the sky.
You know,
I'd like to win this thing
to honor his legacy,
but I'll settle
for being the woman
who knocks you down in public.
Oh, well, look at all
your schemes coming to light.
You really are a subterranean
creature, aren't you?
George recommended me.
In light of the health concerns
over the past six months,
I was his contingency plan.
He didn't
have any health issues.
How well were
you paying attention?
[somber music]
George.
George?
Rough night?
Strange dreams.
George...
like he's
aware of what happened.
Like he knows he's gone.
I feel like I'm being
haunted for being here.
[laughs] I don't even
believe in that nonsense.
Your mind is trying to cope.
Dreams are good for that.
It's like the more
I share the stage with her,
the more she hurts
my reputation.
Remember you used
to tell me that your father
was never
the same after he got sick?
And your mom responded
with an iron fist?
I remember.
She was stressed out.
[Claire] Loss is trauma.
And you have to let go.
How are you feeling?
[sighs] Tired.
Dizzy.
Getting ready
really zapped my energy.
-I'm sorry.
-Mm-mm.
I'm not gonna let
this cancer get me down today.
I'm gonna get there
early to get a good seat.
Said the toughest woman
I ever met.
-Sarah. Hi.
-[Sarah] Hey.
I'm sorry, I didn't
mean to interrupt you.
-It's fine.
-[Claire] How are you feeling?
You good?
You know, if I can decipher
my own handwriting.
I'm sure you're gonna be great.
Thanks.
Where's Simon?
Oh, I think he's on his way.
I just, I wanted to ask
you a quick question.
Yeah.
Why did you tell us
you didn't know George?
I don't want
to talk about George.
I guess it felt
like Simon's moment.
Good luck out there today.
Thanks.
[audience applauding]
[Terence] I know you're
all looking forward to this.
Our third and final debate
before tomorrow's
closing remarks.
Can I get you some water,
Mr. Harrington?
-Or we have coffee?
-Um, water, yes, thank you.
[Terence] And,
of course, the one and only
Simon Harrington.
[audience applauding]
Good morning, Sarah and Simon.
-Good morning.
-Thank you.
I want to pose a question
to kick things off
that I think will lend itself
to some fertile answers.
And by that, I mean,
I am intrigued by something
Sarah said earlier
about an ill-fitting garment.
Simon, try faith on for size.
Can you stretch it to fit
your rationalist
or godless conviction?
I'll take the bait.
Setting aside the gaping
issues of history
and so-called evidence,
I will focus squarely
on the morality of God.
I am an anti-theist.
-Sorry.
-[Simon] Uh, thank you.
The travails of live
broadcasting, everyone.
I'm an atheist.
As popularized
by Christopher Hitchens,
or I should say
an anti-theist for many reasons,
but I'll give you
an obvious one first.
What's taking God so long?
How can you justify
a righteous deity that allows
so much suffering to play out
without direct intervention?
I don't know, Simon.
If I had Jesus
himself on the stage,
you would just say he was
infringing on your free will.
Oh, you're dinging me
for my consistency.
This coming from someone
who has to reaffirm
her fantastical beliefs
every Sunday
lest they vanish
into thin air.
[audience chuckling]
Let's veer away
from the ad hominem.
My opponent, ladies
and gentlemen, running low
on intellectual and moral fuel.
As I said, let's veer away
from the ad hominem.
Back on track.
Name one thing
we need religion for
that we can't
infer ourselves.
She can't, although
she'll damn well try.
Pride.
The idea that
your private motivation matters,
not just
your public persona.
I'm sorry. Are you saying that
Jesus invented self-awareness?
That's right, everyone.
Don't follow Christ.
Follow Simon.
Sage advice.
If I were in charge,
it would be multiplied
meats and cheeses for everyone.
Jesus had culinary issues.
-[audience applauding]
-[Sarah] You're bitter.
And you don't have to be.
I've been there.
Bitterness leads us all astray.
It's true that you
once attended seminary.
Isn't that correct?
Maybe it was God
who broke your heart.
-Sarah.
-And maybe that's why
you still
struggle with alcoholism.
Perhaps an addiction
bad enough to get you
kicked out of seminary.
Perhaps you're
a subterranean cunt.
[tense music]
Excuse me.
We're going to table
this for now
and resume tomorrow
when each side will present
its final argument.
Thank you
for your thick skins today.
[door opens]
[Annette]
What Nazi-ing was that?
-[stutters] My friend is gone.
-Exactly.
-Dr. Harrington.
-Annette.
Sarah was way out of bounds.
And my response
was also out of bounds.
There is nothing
to salvage here.
Oh, come on, look,
I'll make a heartfelt apology
at the closing arguments.
Sarah can forgo an apology.
I'm okay with that.
I just want to know that
I am still eligible to win.
I'm not going to make another
hasty decision on your behalf.
I need time to think.
I'll own it.
I promise.
I would really rather you
step away at this point, Simon.
That doesn't seem necessary.
Not necessary.
Not for you. Nope.
No true payment is ever required
for the misdeeds of men.
I would really appreciate
it if you didn't heap
your entire experience
on my husband's
moment of weakness.
I will address
what happened in a way that...
affirms the values
of this institution.
But it is not going
to be pleasant.
Whatever you have to do.
As far as your eligibility
is concerned,
you will learn my decision
along with everyone else.
But I expect
an apology either way.
This is my conference.
It sounds like we both
have something to safeguard.
I don't need you to rescue me.
Really?
Did you just miss
the last half hour?
[dramatic music]
Tide's coming in.
My reputation is my career.
Decades late
and poorly timed as it may be.
I was upset.
I mentioned seminary.
-That is it.
-But why?
Because she's a Christian
and I didn't have any reason
to think she would
say anything about it.
Right. And now she's told
the whole world
that I hate religious people
because once upon a time,
God gave my heart a boo-boo.
Oh, also, I'm a drunk.
Well, that is her mistake.
And anybody who knows you
knows that's not true.
[both moaning]
Do you want my hand?
No, no, just let me...
Okay, what about my mouth?
Just give me a second.
Sorry.
[Simon sighs]
-Great.
-Okay, it is okay.
When are we going to hear
from the oncologist?
We talked.
No more treatments,
no more clinical trial.
When?
I've just been trying to keep
you focused while you're here.
[scoffs]
Well...
Well, there's the rub.
First you share secrets
with my sworn enemy
and then you
withhold information.
Come on,
you are being so dramatic.
Oh, well, that's great.
Don't apologize.
Just drip with contempt.
It's much more effective.
Simon...
I'm dying.
And I am a doctor,
so I know what it's like
when a body
is failing and I want peace.
I don't want to live what's left
of my life as an experiment.
I don't...
I need it to stop.
Claire!
For God's sake,
are you giving up?
Wow.
I thought you
were going to call me a cunt.
I have never heard you say that.
What does it say that
some short-term debate opponent
can evoke more passion
out of you than I can?
You know the rest of us women,
we're not your mother.
I'm getting pretty tired
of these little fucking
therapy sessions.
You just don't want me
to fight for the thing
that makes me feel alive.
Not when it's the only thing
that makes you feel alive.
What are you even trying
to salvage at this point?
Annette is right.
We're barely surviving,
you and I.
And I know this whole thing
seems trivial to you, but...
I need something
like this to get me through,
or else
I'm going to go crazy.
Ha! You fought dirty
because you saw an opening.
Sarah gave you
a real chance to win.
Well, it must be
just wonderful to just sit there
and dispense wisdom
on the tail end
of a wildly
successful career.
That you supported.
Kind of.
I traveled
to all of your lectures,
cheering you on
without interruption.
Do not talk to me
like you're on some stage.
Yeah, you were there.
With a glazed look
on your face,
I could see the obsession
in your eyes,
planning your future,
desperate for it to hurry up.
Well, I'm sorry that
my support meant so little.
That I can't
be the goddamn toast
of the town
for one fucking minute
without running into
your pioneering perfection.
Wow.
That was really mean.
You know, I married you for
your mind and your friendship.
And after
all these years, Simon,
I really wish that there
was something else.
And I will
not spend what's left
of my life watching you
go down in flames.
But enjoy your moment.
All this talking
and all this knowledge,
and you still haven't
learned the obvious.
Be careful
what you say out loud,
because
the universe is listening.
And that stuff boomerangs.
Yeah, and...
for the record,
people are drawn
to power and prestige.
They don't like you for you.
They're gonna forget about you
the moment you're gone,
and I promise you,
you will be gone.
Maybe not like me,
and maybe not as soon,
but you will
fade away just the same.
And then you'll be a footnote in
some book that nobody remembers.
Because this world,
it runs on competition.
And none of it matters.
I...
have been trying so hard
to get you to be close to me.
Is that even in you?
I wanted you to see
me succeed
before you weren't
around anymore.
That's why we're still here.
[somber music]
This-- This is my side.
Okay.
[Terence] Mm-hmm.
[light clattering]
Um, will Simon and Sarah
please join me on the stage?
I was ready
to recite this to all of you.
Another carefully
worded statement.
All seem to run together
at some point, don't they?
Mine was going to tell
you how disappointed I am.
And with conviction.
Dismayed was
the word I chose to write down.
But what I really am...
is tired.
Aren't you tired?
What happened on this stage
violates the standards.
And the values
of this institution.
Full stop.
We bother with all of this,
supposedly,
to contend for humankind
at its absolute best.
It's the very reason
Rampart exists.
You might say
it's the only reason.
And I'll tell you
what happened
makes me miss
George Rossi all the more.
Someone dear to our hearts.
A friend who embodied
the values of this institution.
With his every waking moment.
And his loss.
And people are
struggling because of it.
Suffering.
Whether they know it or not.
So, what do we do?
Now I acknowledge
that my decision...
will not be popular.
It may have its detractors.
But Simon will be
allowed to remain
in this competition should
he offer a heartfelt apology.
Now I tend
to distrust the word sorry
because it's been exploited
time and time again.
But...
maybe I too need to evolve.
Maybe my own beliefs
demand it
that I practice
what it means to be charitable.
Accepting the risks.
If I'm no longer
willing to extend mercy,
does that not mean
I need some forgiveness too?
Now, Simon owes
Sarah and the rest of us
something better,
to be sure.
And as we respond, perhaps
we can offer something better.
In return.
Simon.
Thank you, Madam President,
for those important words.
Painful,
though they are to receive.
Appropriate, yet painful.
My father said that
a long apology merely dilutes.
That a, um,
apology that goes on to...
Claire!
Here. Here.
Let's, uh, take
a brief intermission if we can.
I'm just gonna catch my breath
and then we'll go back in.
Yeah, we'll rest here
a few minutes.
And then we're leaving.
I'm gonna call 911.
You need help, baby.
And a seriously
huge hospital.
Gonna miss you.
I'm gonna miss you too.
What are you doing here?
Thanks for having my back.
[sharp inhale]
[somber music]
Your manager said that...
Hi.
Come in.
Uh, please, have a seat.
Thanks.
Oh, thirst.
What brings you to Cambridge?
Book tour.
It's hard,
being on the road.
And I'm pregnant,
so I'm gonna be taking
a step back
from travel and appearances.
Congratulations.
That's the hope, anyway.
My husband,
um, has a part-time thing,
but he spends
the rest of the week
practicing
with the worship band.
Guitar's great,
but it doesn't pay the bills.
No speaking engagements for you?
I poked
around on your website.
Uh, there has not
been many offers recently,
ever since, uh, you
and I had our little kerfuffle.
Which is fine.
Not really feeling it
much that lately.
And, uh...
speaking of...
Congratulations.
Oh.
[Simon] Well, you were
the last man standing.
Well, Claire collapsed,
and Annette called
the whole thing off, so.
What was she supposed to do?
She sent flowers, though.
Annette's a good person.
And I really admired your wife.
It's actually why I'm here.
I felt sick betraying her trust.
And yours.
Oh, please.
I would have done
the same thing myself.
I've been thinking about
that debate a lot recently.
Oh, boy.
Oh, I'm not
gonna convert you.
-Praise God.
-[Sarah laughs]
Jesus told me to go
easy on the widowers.
Oh, did he tell
you that directly?
I guess I've been
thinking about it a lot, too.
I should have called you.
You did not deserve to be
on the receiving end of a--
How are you holding up
these days?
Oh, um...
I hadn't really thought
about it like that.
People die. Right?
And you think, or at least
I thought, that, um...
the only thing that
really leaves is them.
I mean, I'm sure it's some
sort of coping mechanism
that I always forget
every time a new loss arrives,
but you realize too late
that they're also a feeling.
Being with them is a, uh...
What's the word? It's, um...
Not electrical, not circuitry.
Um, like a current.
Charge.
It's a charge...
that is uniquely
shared by you and them.
And when that feeling
starts to fade away,
not so fun.
Oh.
I thought that Claire was,
uh, working on her next lecture.
Turns out
she was writing a poem.
Um, can I share it with you?
Yeah.
Okay. Ahem.
[laughs]
"I strolled through
the market hoping to be seen."
Ha!
Christ.
It's so sentimental. Okay.
"I strolled through the market
hoping to be seen.
Strangers connected
by kindness and warmth.
A surge of humanity,
eyes that expressed life.
But no one noticed me."
[sentimental music]
[book shuts]
[sobbing]
[moody synth music]