Man of Science

From the moment his eye opens on the island, Jack Shepard is the quintessential Man of Science. He rushes to and from the fuselage littered beach administering medical aid to people, being aware of the physics of disintegrating plane wings, and choosing "basic black" for his color of stitches, foregoing all the frilly fancy types of thread.

Jack believes in what he can see, what he can learn, and what he can fix. He has a method, he has a plan. He doesn't have time for questions about things he can't answer, like what that giant thing in the forest is all about, or why he keeps seeing his dead father. He needs to find water. He needs to heal the sick. He needs to get everyone rescued, and in the mean time, he needs to keep everyone alive.

People of science are direct. They are often planners, detail people. They often grow frustrated with abstract thinkers because they dream and dream, but not in a way that can be tested. Science people love to test, because testing proves things. It gets them answers. And answers are what we want, right?

Jack has a problem with John Locke, because Locke doesn't need answers- he just acts on faith. To Jack, this is dangerous to everyone. And Jack has seen the proof- one castaway dies in Locke's pursuit of vision. Jack knows this kind of faith can be deadly because he has seen the proof when Boone dies on his makeshift operating table.

There are a lot of science minded folks that view faith as dangerous in the real world, too. They think faith makes people less inclined to see a doctor when needed. They think faith makes people take foolish risks. They think faith stirs up wars and arguments. And they are often right.

But they are also wrong. And a bit hypocritical. Men of science do in fact have faith- just not in the spiritual sense (this is a generalization- in upcoming posts we'll talk about the ability to be both a person of science and of faith). They have faith they can figure things out, faith that their pursuit is the right pursuit, faith that their method works. They have faith in science. But they view their faith as safe because it can be tested- unlike faith in some unseen deity.

If you are a person of science, it's possible that spiritual faith is harder for you to come by. You need verification, you need to see it, feel it, touch it. You are not unlike Thomas who refused to believe the risen Christ until he could touch his nail scarred hands. And really, in this day and age, desiring verification is a good thing. There are some people who will try to deceive you, even people claiming to be of faith, so they can get your money- or you. We should be discerning, we should be wise and almost scientific in our examination of people and ideologies.

But there comes a point with God where proof is not now, nor will it ever be, provided. The answer so desperately sought does not come. What do you, oh Person of Science do then? Do you right God off as unverifiable? Or, do you do the unthinkable- do you trust the unseen, become sure of what we hope for?