Lost, Life of Pi and Narnia

Nathan Stam
Children/Communications Pastor

So, a few (hopefully non-random) thoughts...

I'm a fan of Lost. It's been a brilliant (not perfect) six year body of work, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the journey. As I watched the finale this past weekend there was a lot about it that I loved; the imagery, the closure, and a few (very few!) answers. All along the way Lost has had some elements of spirituality and religious overtones mixed in as it explored the metaphysical and the series finale was no exception. Without giving anything away, I don't think the writers meant Lost to be a definitive guide to what happens to us in the afterlife. But the syncretism of Lost has always left a sour taste in my mouth and the finale didn't shy away from those themes in the slightest.

It actually reminded me of a book I read recently called Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The main character, Piscine "Pi" Molitor Patel, is an Indian boy who survives for 227 days in the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. Pi was born Hindu, became a "Christian" at the age of 14, and then immediately after began to follow Islam as well. Here's Pi's reaction to his new-found faith in Jesus: "Then I raced down the hill on the left and raced up the hill on the right--to offer thanks to Lord Krishna for having put Jesus of Nazareth, whose humanity I found so compelling, in my way. . . Islam followed right behind, hardly a year later." On the boat, Pi would alternate praying to Jesus, various Hindu gods, as well as performing salah 5 times a day.

I don't remember when I was first introduced to the land of Narnia, but I must have read those books a hundred times over the years. They never get old! One of my favorite, and one of Narnia's most poignant scenes takes place at the beginning of The Silver Chair. I think it has a great deal to say about Lost and about Life of Pi. Here's how it goes down:

"If you're thirsty, you may drink." [the Lion said]
They were the first words she had heard since Scrubb had spoken to her on the edge of the cliff. For a second she stared here and there, wondering who had spoken. Then the voice said again, "If you are thirsty, come and drink," and of course she remembered what Scrubb had said about animals talking in that other world, and realized that it was the lion speaking. Anyway, she had seen its lips move this time, and the voice was not like a man's. It was deeper, wilder, and stronger; a sort of heavy, golden voice. It did not make her any less frightened than she had been before, but it made her frightened in rather a different way.
"Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.
"I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.
"Then drink," said the Lion.
"May I--could I--would you mind going away while I do? said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
"Will you promise not to--do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill.
"I make no promise," said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
"Do you eat girls?" she said.
"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.
"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.
"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."
"There is no other stream," said the Lion.

There is no other stream. There is no other way. In our current inclusive culture that's not a popular position, but it's Jesus' position and for it not to be popular doesn't make it any less true. Syncretism and trying to please everyone is always the easy way out, but Jesus was never about the easy way. "How narrow is the gate and difficult is the road that leads to life, and few find it," Jesus said. There's only one way to God and that's through Jesus. I still love Lost and Pi's journey was quite the story, but I'm going to go with the Lion of Judah on this one. There is no other stream.