We just finished watching the final episode of Lost. The television series was thoroughly entertaining and thought provoking. But watching it reminds me of how our culture values watching movies and other forms of entertainment but rarely, if ever, utilizes critical thinking about the deeper meaning hidden in the form. The message of Lost only reinforces what the American culture already adheres to, as a philosophic standard, and we would be wise to recognize it. Just what is the message of Lost? Is Lost merely about 47 people being forsaken on some seemingly deserted island or is it deeper than that? Well we learn, in the end, that it has nothing whatsoever to do with being lost on some deserted island. The world view of Lost, the T.V. series is, above all, pantheistic. We have come to know, through the individual episodes, that there is a conflict going on but we have struggled to determine who the good guys are and who the bad guys are; the clear line of distinction has been blurred. The theme that plays over and over again like (if I may use an old phrase) a broken record, is that fate determines our part for us - the choices we make determine how the act is to be played out. For those who insist on getting excited on finding the Christian parallels in the show really need to ask a question. How does fate fit in to our faith? Fate gives us no real, substantive hope. Throughout the series we hear such things as this: Locke exclaims to Ben that there are innocent people on the ship threatened to be blown to kingdom come. Ben's response is simply, "so what!" We think that Ben and his crew are the bad guys until the "good" guys are also willing to murder in order to sway events to their side.
The so-called "light" at the center of the island must be protected at all costs - even if it means murdering Jacob's mother by smashing her skull with a rock. Somehow the signs were read that said that this was how she was to be ushered out of the present reality and into the next. What we have is elements of Christianity yes; but we also have elements of Eastern Mysticism and human philosophy - there are strong elements of utilitarian philosophy to be specific. For instance, when people are sacrificed for the greater good - and these are not necessarily willing participants either, then what we have are the seeds of humanistic philosophy that determines what defines right from wrong; good action from bad instead of utilizing a far more absolute, higher, transcendent law. We see this in the power struggle that goes on between the "others" and the survivors of flight 815. The one on the "list" are spared for some greater purpose unforeseen by the rest (and of course us, the viewers!), the rest are of no account in the grander scheme of things. Nor is it coincidental that one of the important main characters is named John Locke. Later on when he dies, he was known by a different name; the name of Jeremy Bentham who happens to be considered the father of utilitarian thought. John Locke's (the philosopher from the early 18th century) thought was essential with the development of our national Constitution. He was not a follower of Christ.
It all comes together in the end when we come to realize these "sideway flashes" going on simultaneously with the present storyline in the individual lives of the actors, really coincide with the former lives lived on previously. So Eastern Mystical thought, as is taught in Lost, places itself full front and center with its teaching on reincarnation. This is why the death of innocent people is permissible if it serves for the greater good - it is really not that big of a deal - they will have opportunity in another life to make a go at it again!
Close to the final scene we get an opportunity to understand the whole message of the producers. Jack has come into the church and his father is there. His name is also not coincidental with effort to weave Christianity into the intricate fabric of the series. His name is Christian Shephard. Without reading too deeply here, it is Jack's father who ushers him into the sanctuary and gently leads "one who was lost" into the embrace of all his friends. This Christ figure is the one who opens the doors to let in the "light" of Nirvana. But as Christian leads Jack our eyes fall on various religious artifacts on side tables such a small statue of Buddha symbol of Buddhist faith. But quickly our attention is drawn to the stained glass. Here the camera gives us ample opportunity to take a close look. In the stained glass there is the image of the Cross of Christ representing Christianity. But there is also the Ying and Yang which represents Eastern religious belief systems. Here both good and evil are held in delicate balance. They co-exist and cannot exist independently from one another. Good is defined by evil as evil is defined by good - they need each other. This perfect balance was disturbed on the island and so we see both Jacob and the smoke monster in a power struggle for dominance. Both are evenly matched until Jacob is killed. It ends up ultimately up to Jack to restore the balance of the Ying and Yang. But we also see the Pentagram the symbol of occult religions portrayed on the stained glass. By this time the message is loud and clear - the producers want to tell us what the culture has already agreed on - that all roads lead to the same place. Christian Shephard is the author of all of them and he will lead us into total unity with the universe itself. The end is one with all of creation. No more war; no more struggle; total peace with the universal god.
Lost is not about being lost on a remote island in the middle of some ocean. It is about being lost in the cosmos. We are on a quest that ultimately finds us making peace with the universe itself. When we become one with 'god', which means loosing our identity to the universe, (and this is what we saw at the end when Christian Shephard opened the doors to let in the light; all the main characters faded in the light; not quite disappearing, but the edges blurring, fading in to the backdrop) then we ultimately cease to exist any longer - our individual consciousness is swallowed up by the universal consciousness. But in so doing, we are no longer lost bu find our purpose and ultimate fulfillment.
A believer needs to recognize the message in every movie he or she sees. We need to engage our mind in a mighty effort, being wary of buying into the world's message such as was put forth with Lost. Or else what will continue to happen is simply a further degradation as is currently witnessed within the church towards the things of the world. When will we take a stand for Christ? When will we insist on being distinctly different from the world culture? When will we stand out as peculiar people?
-Joe
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