Wednesday, July 05, 2006
One of the things we have tried to highlight are the various websites and hidden clues on the Internet that capure people's interest. Not since The Blair Witch Project has a major media organization done such a good job at alternative advertising that captures people's attention. For fans of the show, its a more interactive way of delving deeper into the show's mythology and meaning.
The writers and producers amped that up recently, launching the worldwide scavenger hunt, The Lost Experience, that, if you follow the myriad of clues, gives you a much deeper (and often even more frustrating) understanding of some of the minds and companies behind our castaways little adventure on the island - as well as their predecessors. The experience started with a commerical for the Hanso Foundation during the May 3rd episode of LOST. Calling the phone number at the end opened up a series of clues and red herrings that have led people across the Internet and created brand new communities to explore their implications. (Including SaveJoop.com - which is totally fan created and sponsored)
One of the brightest and best sites that helps fans work through the ins and outs of The Experience - and filling in the gaps when bandwidth runs out, which seems to be happening more and more often these days - is The Lost Experience Clues Blog. The information is updated consistently and constantly with a focus on accuracy and details.
What's more interesting is that the site has it's own hidden "hack" that resembles the clues spread out by Persephone and the Hanso Foundation. If you click the head banner - like the one at the top of the last paragraph, you are transported to "Stories of the Lost" - a site that explores the spiritual themes of the show as well as offering - stop me if this sounds familiar - the reason for the Hope that the Lost souls that started the website hold.
You see, both The Lost Experience Clues Blog & The Stories of the Lost are actually started by a member of Watermark Community Church, in Dallas Texas. To quote from the Stories site:
We want to share with the world, the hope and redemption that we have personally found. Our intentions as administrators is that this site be radically different than any other out there in terms of two things: 1) EXCELLENCE OF CLUES. We want to be the best "Lost Experience" clue giving site in the world! 2) SPIRITUAL CONTENT. We want to talk about things beyond the game. We want to talk about how some of this show's themes relating to faith & redemption aren't too different from what goes on in our real lives.
As my long time readers know, I've been observing and interacting with the Emergent Church movement (aka Postmodern, post-postmodern, hyperpostmodern, etc.) for years - long before it took off or caught the fire that is now quickly eroding the presence of the so-called mainline denominations, forcing them to evolve or die. In my experience - from Vineyard to Willow Creek to Saddleback, this is the strongest and most relevant effort I have seen to date - and maybe it says something that it was developed not by a pastor or committee, but by a lay minister - a guy named David Penuel who also works with their Jr. High Youth. If only church was like this - looking for answers, asking questions and exploring truths, regardless of its "Jesus Quotient."
Check out The Lost Experience Clues Blog. See what they have to say in the Stories of the Lost and, if you are a believer, consider what you can do to make a difference for Christ in this world - with excellence, not religion - turning others to Jesus, without turning people off... It's something to think about.
One of the things we have tried to highlight are the various websites and hidden clues on the Internet that capure people's interest. Not since The Blair Witch Project has a major media organization done such a good job at alternative advertising that captures people's attention. For fans of the show, its a more interactive way of delving deeper into the show's mythology and meaning.
The writers and producers amped that up recently, launching the worldwide scavenger hunt, The Lost Experience, that, if you follow the myriad of clues, gives you a much deeper (and often even more frustrating) understanding of some of the minds and companies behind our castaways little adventure on the island - as well as their predecessors. The experience started with a commerical for the Hanso Foundation during the May 3rd episode of LOST. Calling the phone number at the end opened up a series of clues and red herrings that have led people across the Internet and created brand new communities to explore their implications. (Including SaveJoop.com - which is totally fan created and sponsored)
One of the brightest and best sites that helps fans work through the ins and outs of The Experience - and filling in the gaps when bandwidth runs out, which seems to be happening more and more often these days - is The Lost Experience Clues Blog. The information is updated consistently and constantly with a focus on accuracy and details.
What's more interesting is that the site has it's own hidden "hack" that resembles the clues spread out by Persephone and the Hanso Foundation. If you click the head banner - like the one at the top of the last paragraph, you are transported to "Stories of the Lost" - a site that explores the spiritual themes of the show as well as offering - stop me if this sounds familiar - the reason for the Hope that the Lost souls that started the website hold.
You see, both The Lost Experience Clues Blog & The Stories of the Lost are actually started by a member of Watermark Community Church, in Dallas Texas. To quote from the Stories site:
We want to share with the world, the hope and redemption that we have personally found. Our intentions as administrators is that this site be radically different than any other out there in terms of two things: 1) EXCELLENCE OF CLUES. We want to be the best "Lost Experience" clue giving site in the world! 2) SPIRITUAL CONTENT. We want to talk about things beyond the game. We want to talk about how some of this show's themes relating to faith & redemption aren't too different from what goes on in our real lives.
As my long time readers know, I've been observing and interacting with the Emergent Church movement (aka Postmodern, post-postmodern, hyperpostmodern, etc.) for years - long before it took off or caught the fire that is now quickly eroding the presence of the so-called mainline denominations, forcing them to evolve or die. In my experience - from Vineyard to Willow Creek to Saddleback, this is the strongest and most relevant effort I have seen to date - and maybe it says something that it was developed not by a pastor or committee, but by a lay minister - a guy named David Penuel who also works with their Jr. High Youth. If only church was like this - looking for answers, asking questions and exploring truths, regardless of its "Jesus Quotient."
Check out The Lost Experience Clues Blog. See what they have to say in the Stories of the Lost and, if you are a believer, consider what you can do to make a difference for Christ in this world - with excellence, not religion - turning others to Jesus, without turning people off... It's something to think about.
