Thursday, October 29, 2009

More Religion on LOST ...

 

    I feel terrible!  I have not been writing nearly enough about LOST.  That does not mean I am not watching.  Bonnie and I are almost done with the second season (remember the Hatch?).  We are still discussing and debating the idea that John Locke has actually been the "Man in Black" from the beginning.  Sometimes that theory works beautifully and other times not.  While usually I would dismiss a theory for its inconsistency, one should not do that with LOST.  Bonnie has suggested that in the third episode, when John Locke meets Smokey, is the "Man in Black" enters him, thus using Locke as a vessel throughout the show that he can enter and exit as he pleases.  This would explain why sometimes Locke is very "Man in Black"-ish and other times he is not.


    But this posting is not about that.  I've often discussed the correlations between religion and LOST.  By now, it's easy to assume that the writers are using religion as a basis for many plot points, yet we still don't know what they mean.  108?  Jacob and Esau?  What else?  Recently we viewed the episode entitled "S.O.S."  In this often-forgotten episode, the flashback is about Rose and Bernard (the first guest stars to get flashbacks).  In this episode, we discover that Rose was diagnosed with cancer not too long after she meets, and is courted by, Bernard.  After their marriage, Bernard takes her to Australia to see a "Faith Healer" named Isaac.  Isaac fully admits that he is unable to heal Rose, though Rose decides to tell Bernard that he was successful, hoping Bernard's constant worrying will cease.  Of course, on their way out of Australia, they crash on the island, where all diseases are "cured," such as Locke's need for a wheelchair. 


    The name “Isaac” appears approximately eighty times in the King James Bible.  Isaac is the son of 100-year-old Abraham, who is destined to not to have children until God blesses him and his wife, Sarah, with a son.  God then asks Abraham to sacrifice young Isaac to show his devotion.  Eventually, God changes his request to a minor circumcision, the first on record.  So why name a Faith Healer “Isaac”?  The connection is not as strong as some of the others in the show, but, in the Bible, Isaac bares two sons: Jacob and Esau. 


    Let’s assume for a little while that the “Man in Black” is Esau.  According to the story, Isaac goes blind due to old age but before he dies, is supposed to bless the eldest son with the blessing he received from his father, who received it from God.  Esau, jealous of big brother Jacob, pretends to be Jacob by gluing hair on his arm (apparently Jacob was quite hairy).  This naturally begins a battle between the two brothers, much like the battle between Cain and Abel (see my Cain & Abel / Locke & Ben theory on this blog). 


    If the writers are following the Bible as a guide, we may find out that Isaac the Faith Healer is the father of Jacob and the “Man in Black.”  It would seem that, like in the Bible, Jacob is the favorite son and Esau hates him for it (“Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” Malachi 1:2-4).  It could be that while Jacob is the one responsible for sending the Oceanic Six to the island, it is his father, Isaac, sending the others.  It stands to reason that if Isaac had healed Rose, she may have wanted to stay in Australia longer, therefore avoiding the fated Oceanic Flight 815. 


     Before we know it, we’ll be heading into Season Six!  Another topic that needs to be discussed is the titles to the first few episodes of Season Six.  We’ll get to that soon … For now, tune into ABCs new hit, FlashForward.  It’s terrific for any LOST fan!  I’m sure I’ll be commenting on it in The Correct Opinion soon.


 


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