They were an ordinary group of people. Nothing stood out to make you think there was anything different or odd about them—except for what took place. No need to tell you where it happened—what country or town. That's not important and it has no bearing on the matter. They were mostly men with a few women among them.
One of the men said, “Did you hear the news, God is dead.” Another man said, “What? What news? You mean someone told you that?” The first man said, “It was on television, on the news. They announced it. They said that God is dead.” “That's ridiculous.” the second guy said. “They wouldn't announce such a thing.” Yet another man said, “Of course they wouldn't. How would anyone know such a thing anyway? It's absurd.” The first man said, “Well I was wide awake and I wasn't drunk and I know what I heard. The TV guy said ‘God is dead.'
The group tightened. Everyone seemed suddenly interested. They had never talked about such a disturbing thing as this before. This had nothing to do with the weather or how someone got ripped off at some store or how someone wasn't talking to somebody or other topics that protected them from deep think.
A woman said, “Don't pay any attention to him. He's just trying to annoy everyone. You know how he is.” The first man said, “What did you mean by that? You think I have nothing better to do than make up things like this? I'm telling you it was announced on TV. He said 'God is dead.'
I should at least tell you they were at a park with a very large pond full of geese and ducks. It was a beautiful summer day. You need to know this because while they were talking the sky abruptly changed. It just went from sunny and clear to dark, windy, and scary—the geese and ducks took off all at once as though they all had the same thought simultaneously. Someone said, “What the hell's going on?” Another said, “Jesus!”
They headed for a couple of picnic tables under some trees. A woman said, “It's just a passing thunder storm. It'll be over as fast as it started.” A man asked, “Anyway, how can anyone prove that God is dead?” Someone said, “The same way you can prove that He’s alive.” A woman said, “That’s crazy!” They all fell silent.
The storm passed and the sun came out but for some reason the geese and ducks didn't return. A woman said, “I have to go.” She headed for her car. A man said, “Yeah.” Another man said, “I'm tired.” They all got up from the picnic tables and left.