It seems to me that the Lost writers/producers have made every effort to mention as many cultural references as possible in this show ... in fact, I have criticized them in the past for taking such a buckshot approach ... hit everything, and you're bound to make someone happy!

From a liberal arts perspective, what HAVEN'T they hit upon? Notably, the literary references have been strung along like a freight train ... but it goes far beyond that. Art, literature, theater, film, television, philosophy, science, and yes, theology, have all been addressed in spades. And why not? To eliminate any one from this group would itself reek of intentional exclusion ... and why? For PC reasons? Damn, I certainly hope not! I'd think much less of the writers/producers if they did!

Without regard to religious belief, or lack thereof, I think it quite reasonable to expect that some/many of the characters involved in this "story" might realize something (or at the very least apparently) supernatural is going on, and turn toward religion as a means of explanation, or coping. We've all heard of battlefield conversion (right?) ... might someone possibly look toward "God" when faced with the irrational/inexplicable happenings that we've seen on the show to date? Frankly, I'd expect at least an O3 or O4 to have turned to "God" by now, faced with what they've been through.

Not professing an inclination here ... just stating what I see as reasonable fact. Risking the crossing of a line here, but in the interest of fairness, I consider myself what the military called NRP ... "No Religious Preference" ... but that doesn't mean atheist/agnostic either, which I am not. Hopefully, most out there will see someone like me as objective enough to tackle this issue ... probably not for everyone, via experience, but perhaps just enough to make my point ...

Okay, here I go ...

Like it or not, western society tends toward Christianity, and most here on the blog probably fall into that category ... at least by upbringing, if nothing else. So, something like the "316" epi title is BOUND to bring about immediate response from the audience. I, for one, do NOT think this is pandering to the Bible study group ... anyone remember Rollen Stewart, the "rainbow wig dude" with the John 3:16 signs at every televised sporting event in the 70's/80's? He ingrained himself into pop culture, just as surely as atheist/agnostic/tepid-church-goer Homer Simpson did a generation later. Frankly, I cannot think of "316" WITHOUT thinking of Rainbow Man, and John 3:16 ... "it" has effectively become part of pop culture, and there's no getting rid if it, belief or not.

Regarding other Biblical refs ... well, we have numerous other literary refs, right? Why not from the most purchased book in the world? Ya think people, even those who've never heard of, let alone read, Ulysses, might get those refs? How many people in the western world (the primary audience for Lost), especially the US, have a copy of the Bhagavad Gita or I Ching on their shelves? How much commentary do you suppose refs from those tomes would elicit in the states? I'm guessing ... huh?

I rest my case ... I hope.

That being said ... for those who think Jacob is God, Locke is Jesus, and Smokey is the Holy Ghost ... I just don't think so ... no disrespect, but this is ABC, not EWTN ...

Hope I have not pissed anyone off, but that's as I see things with regard to religion on Lost ...