This episode made me think more about the battle on the island between the DI and The Hosties. One possible outlook is that the Dharma Initiative represents the side of Science(yes I know pseudo-science) and the Hosties represent the side of faith. Faith definitely seems to be a large part of the main theme in this show. This episode highlighted an ongoing re-occuring struggle present within the subtext of the show, the struggle between science and faith. It definitely appears time and time again on the show that while they commonly interact with each other, Faith ultimately prevails, which I think is expressed implicitly in the purge. I'm very interested to see how this all plays out eventually. With the Namaste and Dharma, and the attitudes of the DI members, I almost get the feel that their faith is not genuine, but instead too well lost in the culture of the outside world. The DI relies on science for their answers at heart, they just mask it with what they think of as faith.

(The funny thing is that I'm a Secular Humanist, but hey I didn't write the show)

Interesting. Now Locke is the man of science. Ben the man of faith.
Good call. Faith in what though? The island? Jacob?

Interesting. Now Locke is the man of science. Ben the man of faith.
Good call. Faith in what though? The island? Jacob?

I wouldn't say Locke is the man of science, after all he blew up a lot of technological things. If one were to frame it in those terms, Ben would be the man of science, wasting their time with pregnancy issues and living with technology and such.

As far as faith goes, it appears that on the island, faith is viewed differently then how we view it in the real world. Religion is not exactly faith there. Faith in the island or at least faith in the good of the island is what gets you places. That and your ability to make the right choices.

I don't think Ben was originally the man of science. He saw his dead mother on the island. I think that's why he was so special to the Hostiles (Alpert was very interested in THAT bit of information when they first met, no?), and why they allowed him (previously a shy kid and basically a Dharma maintenance man) to be their leader. Now Locke has the something special, the connection with the island that Ben lost, and that's why Ben fears him. Ben's not the baby of the family anymore.

Ben was a man of faith... but pseudo-faith. HE'S the man behind the curtain, pretending to be special, but still the same kid.