Barnabas File

Watching the last few minutes of repeat of the Lost finale Saturday evening, I picked up on a line that changed my perception of the “flash sideways” world and the island. When Jack is talking with his father, Christian says, “There is no now .” He goes on to explain that in the “flash sideways” world, there is no time factor. Those represented there may already have died or will die, but they are there nonetheless. If we buy this point of view, then the island was “real” (despite all its mysticism and magic) and was the stage upon which Jack and the other castaways played out their journeys of redemption. This also means that Kate, Claire, and Sawyer escaped the island to live on in the “real world” even though they were present in the “flash sideways” world. Here again, I do not believe that the writers of Lost are orthodox Christians, but this world that they crated to exist alongside ours is very much what Christians expect in heaven—reunion with loved ones without the s...

In previous comments about the finale of Lost , I may have missed a primary theme that has run throughout the series—the place of community in redemption. The “live together, die alone” phrase surfaced early on in the first season and was repeatedly emphasized during the last season. Perhaps the idea is not that the “survivors” find redemption within themselves but that they find it in community. This may be the way that postmoderns come to faith.  The old approach to conversion was "believe-belong-behave" whereas the new model may be "belong-behave-believe."  This seems to express the experience of the "survivors." In order to make any significant change in our lives, we need a community of people to support us. People in this type of community challenge one another, support each other in the difficult times, and share their spiritual struggles. Just as in Lost , this group is often flawed and divided but they stick together for the journey. We need t...

Lost ended as it began with Jack Shephard lying in the jungle, but he is dying. In fact, it appears that everyone is dead! The two and one-half hours of the final episode were riveting story telling that tugged at our hearts but, as expected, Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof left us with a lot of questions and plot holes big enough to drive several semi trucks through. For example, why were Desmond and Penny in the final group in the church? Was Desmond even real? Penny was never on the island. If she is dead, how did she die? Kate, Sawyer, and Claire can’t have escaped the island on the plane if they are getting ready to go on to “the light.” Is finding your “significant other” the key to salvation? Among those in the church, Locke seemed to be the only one who had not found his true love. What about Michael and Walt? Where do they fit into all this? What about Ben Linus? Why is he waiting outside the church? Is he still atoning for his sins?  What about Charlotte and Daniel? Th...

We are closing in on the finale of Lost. I am afraid that showrunners Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof will leave us with a number of unanswered questions, but one thing is clear. This is a story of redemption and the title Lost was well chosen. In last week’s episode, island protector Jacob (or his apparition) gathered the four final “candidates” around the campfire and laid it on the line. When Sawyer says, “I was doing just fine without you and the island,” Jacob responds with the truth. None of them were doing well in the lives they lived off the island. He says, “I chose all of you because you were flawed, you were all like me, alone and looking for something you couldn't find, and you need this place as much as it needs you." In a recent interview , Damon Lindelof said: If there’s one word that we keep coming back to, it’s redemption. It is that idea of everybody has something to be redeemed for and the idea that that redemption doesn’t necessarily come from any...

Humanity is in a constant struggle between good and evil. Perhaps this is why last week’s episode of Lost entitled “Ab Aeterno” (from the beginning of time) was so satisfying. The storyline was dominated by Richard Alpert (Nestor Carbonell), the ageless character who has popped up from time to time as a messenger, advisor, or observer in relation to the trials and tribulations of the Oceanic Air survivors. (By the way, Carbonell should get an Emmy nomination for this performance!) When the episode is over, we not only understand this mysterious figure, but we identify with him. Ricardo/Richard is a man who has sinned and seeks absolution for that sin. He commits murder, loses the love of his life, is sold into slavery, shipwrecked, tempted, and struggles to make the right moral choices. Although we might not have encountered all of these challenges, we certainly can identify with the last two! Although “gifted” with an ageless life, Richard is still very human. He questions his choic...

There have been a number of bloggers such as Chris Seay who have put a great deal of time into deciphering all the plot twists and turns in TV’s Lost . I am a regular viewer but only occasionally pick up something that seems to have a faith connotation. Of course, this season has been more messianic and apocalyptic in tone! I was hit in the face with one last night. Ben (Michael Emerson) has been delivered from certain death by John Locke/Man in Black (Terry O’Quinn). As he makes his escape, he is overtaken by Ilana (Zuleikha Robinson), his captor. When she asks him why he is going to join Locke, Ben replies, “He’s the only one who wants me!” Ilana’s replies, “I want you.” She turns and walks away and Ben follows her back to the beach with a look of uncertainty and incomprehension on his face. My first response was “This is church.” Ben Linus is certainly one of the more vicious characters on this program. He even stood by and watched his adopted daughter, Alex, be killed by assassins...