Allegorically Lost

Well crap! I’m getting a cold sore. Stupid HSV1! Who’s got some Lysine?

Today was a good day. This morning I broke 190! 189 ½! That counts. I don’t care what you say. Small victories, small victories.

In preparation for preaching this past weekend, I sent out some questions to some old friends (4 guys and my sister). For the most part, these were guys who were raised in the church but had fallen away in their late teens (3 of the 5 are atheist). As it turned out, I did not use any of their feedback in my sermon. I wish I had. They offered some really great ideas and criticisms and some surprising takes on Christianity.

What surprised me most were my answers compared to theirs. As it turns out, I am much more cynical about the church than any of them. Interesting.

Lost is on tonight, and I’m pretty excited.

***WARNING!!!*** If you are spoiler-phobic read no further. I think I kept it spoiler free, but I’d hate to be accused of spoiling. Proceed with caution.

I’m changing my mind on where I think things are going. I have some theories. I’ve been expecting a switcheroo. Right now we believe Jacob is good and the Man in Black (I call him UnLocke) is bad. I theorized a few weeks ago that we are wrong and the exact opposite is true.

I’ve changed my mind. Here’s my latest theory. It’s more of an idea than a theory, really.

I think it’s pretty obvious that Lost is an allegory. Biblical reference and themes run throughout the show. I think the show is a modern retelling of the book of Job.

Job is, to me, one of the darkest, most troubling stories in the Bible. God and Satan use Job as their plaything, a human sized, fully articulated, anatomically correct action figure, to test a theory and prove a point. Satan says Job is good because God has blessed him with family, wealth, etc. God says Job is good in spite of his blessings.

Satan proposes to the Lord that Job will “curse you to your face” if he loses all that he has. God disagrees and tells Satan “all that he has is in your power.” The only limitation is that Satan cannot hurt Job.

Job soon loses everything. His land. His livestock. His family (save his wife.) Job still does not turn from God. So Satan makes another proposal. Take his health and Job will curse God. Soon Job’s body is covered, head to toe, in sores.

Job’s life is turned upside down seemingly for little more than a game between the Lord and Satan. See the parallels to Lost yet?

In our little allegory called Lost, Jacob represents God and The Man in Black/UnLocke embodies Satan. (That was clear the moment he told one of the characters, “I can give you all of this if you’ll just follow me.” It was almost word for word the same proposition Satan made to Jesus atop the Temple in Jerusalem.) They are playing a very similar game. Jacob says people are inherently good. UnLocke/MIB says everyone can be corrupted. Jacob continuously brings people to the island to prove his point. UnLocke/MIB is given a shot at corrupting them. Their lives are turned upside down. They lose everything. They are tested.

I’m not sure yet which character (or characters) represents Job. But I think these last few episodes are the final movement in a well-orchestrated game. UnLocke is making his final play. The ultimate act of defiance is aid MIB in his bid to leave the game. In doing so, the players turn their backs on good. They “curse” Jacob.

I can’t wait to see how the game plays out over the next several weeks.