I hooked up the serial input from my pc and tested it on my oscilloscope. What I got was not a serial data string but something similar to a triangular waveform. I looked up the datasheet for the ftdi chip. I fixed it by adding a pulldown resistor to the output of the ftdi chip. Thanks for everybodys help.

Code:
val var byte

TRISIO = %00000010
CMCON0 = 7
ANSEL  = %00000000
main:
    serin GPIO.1, 6, val
    if (val = "a") then ser
goto main

ser:
Serout GPIO.2, 6, ["Got a"]
pause 10
goto main