The Number 40 that has been a recurring theme throughout the show was once again here tonight....40 days since Ecko spoke....40 years since AL cried.....So doing what I do best...I googled 40 days....and came up with some good stuff......Here ya go.....

The 40 days of Lent are a significant period. Forty is a magical number which recurs throughout the Bible (Noah floated in his ark for 40 days and nights, the chosen people wandered in the desert for 40 years, Jonah led the citizens of Nineveh through 40 days of penance).

In the eastern orthodox church when someone dies you mourn for 40 days also..was Ecko not speaking in honor of those that died?

40 days is also when it used to be considered that a soul enter a fetus in pagan religions....

That's a GREAT connection to Eko not talking for 40 days, because he's religious and was, in respect, mourning them.

40 years since AL cried.....

I think you meant 40 days. :biggrin:


In the eastern orthodox church when someone dies you mourn for 40 days also..was Ecko not speaking in honor of those that died?


That's what I think.

I think Eko, a man of God, was doing penance for having shed human blood.

Cardie

I think you meant 40 days. :biggrin:



That's what I think.

No I watched it 2 times..Ecko said 40 years since you cried....but I will watch it again tomorrow....

Really? But is Ana even 40 years old?

Here's some more 40's
(I'm just cutting and pasting from various sources. None of this is my personal comment)

"Moses fasted for 40 days before receiving the ten commandments on Mount Sinai."

"Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry."

Here's a page too long for me to read:
http://www.creation-answers.com/forty.htm



"Allah, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorified, has stated this fact in the Qur’aan:
During the first 40 days of gestation, all the body parts and organs are completely, though consecutively, formed.""

See thread "Hatch Codes".

40 is the last number in the series for sixth Dharma hatch code, if theory holds.

Really? But is Ana even 40 years old?

I think Eko was being facitious with Ana by saying that, because all she had shown up to then is a tough exterior.

It's actually hard to hear.

I grabbed the audio clip:

http://media.putfile.com/40-days

When Ana said the thing to Eko about how he hadn't spoke for 40 days, for some reason I shouted out "He was fasting!" I still don't know why, but it made me think of fasting. Even though they're too different things...

The Israelites ate manna for 40 years
Moses was 40 years old when he visited his brethren
Jesus stayed with his disciples 40 days after his ressurection
4 is the number of completeness x 10 it is sacred

40 minutes more should be added to each episode:biggrin:

oh... I just found out. the word Quarantine is derived from Italian "quaranta giorni" which means "40 days".

"Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry."

What I found was "Jesus prayed for 40 days in the wilderness as He fasted and was engaged in battle with Satan" (thought that was interesting...).

The number 40 appears to be used by GOD to represent a period of testing or judgement.

oh... I just found out. the word Quarantine is derived from Italian "quaranta giorni" which means "40 days".

Excellent find!

What I found was "Jesus prayed for 40 days in the wilderness as He fasted and was engaged in battle with Satan" (thought that was interesting...).

The number 40 appears to be used by GOD to represent a period of testing or judgement.



Excellent find!

Yes, very interesting and a great find. That's exactly why he did not speak for 40 days. He was his faith and believe for forgivness for taking another life. He was able to talk after he found the Bible.

When Ana said the thing to Eko about how he hadn't spoke for 40 days, for some reason I shouted out "He was fasting!" I still don't know why, but it made me think of fasting. Even though they're too different things...


You aren't alone... I was wondering if he'd given up speaking for Lent or something? *looks around sheepishly*

I agree with the ones who said it was penance for the blood he shed. There were quite a few hints at Eko's religious nature. When he talked to Bernard, he said he would pray for his wife, and pray for the rescue planes too. Then he didn't speak for 40 days, which as you all posted about, has quite a few biblical references. And, when they found the Bible, he was really interested specifically in that, and not the other items. They showed the shot of him touching the Bible for quite a while.

"years" would make no sense -- and everyone in my gang thought it was "days" and some of 'em were even really cynical and went "awwwww". all ironic like. haha - that' s why i'm here on the boards tonight ;-)

Would Eko have been mourning the more personal death of his wife? Was it established whether she was on the plane or not? His religious aspect was a nice surprise and I look forward even more to his eventual meeting with Locke.

I just finished watching and thought he said 40 years- cause i thought to myself hm, that doesnt make sense.

As for the whole 40day/ year thing-not being a religious person myself, the first thing I immediatelly thought of was Noahs Ark. Dont know why or how it could fit in, just thought id share :undecide: perhaps they are somewhat alluding to 'something' happening to the rest of the world, or not..

Would Eko have been mourning the more personal death of his wife? Was it established whether she was on the plane or not? His religious aspect was a nice surprise and I look forward even more to his eventual meeting with Locke.

That's an interesting point. Bernard asked Eko if he found any bodies in the water that were African American women. He said no.

Of course, Bernard said African AMERICAN--if Eko's wife was just African, he would not have been lying. And then there's always the possibility that if Eko had a wife (and one on the plane) she was white. So it's still possible he was traveling with his wife.

About Eko's religion--this may sound a little off the wall, but I was thinking before last night's episode that Eko was actually not one of the Tailies, but one of the Nigerians who crashed on the island--who were dressed like priests. Now they've made it quite clear Eko is a survivor of flight 815, but I still wonder if there is some kind of connection there.

About Eko's religion--this may sound a little off the wall, but I was thinking before last night's episode that Eko was actually not one of the Tailies, but one of the Nigerians who crashed on the island--who were dressed like priests. Now they've made it quite clear Eko is a survivor of flight 815, but I still wonder if there is some kind of connection there.

I think making Eko a survivor from the drug plane was an option TPTB considered for a while and in the end decided not to go there. NOw I wonder if he is an actual Catholic priest or some kind of tribal pagan priest (Shaman like Locke?)

He and Locke are really gonna hit it off :)

Any chance Mr. Ecko is just business man with some faith? Didn't he come off the plane wearing a suit?

Any chance Mr. Ecko is just business man with some faith? Didn't he come off the plane wearing a suit?

That's true. We should find out why when we see his flashback episode and learn why he was on the plane. I look forward to his back story.

I think Eko, a man of God, was doing penance for having shed human blood.

Cardie

I thought that at first, too, but I think his 40 day silence started earlier- after he'd pulled the dead bodies from the water and told Bernard that he would "pray".

I Googled some things, and found this:

"the Kanuri of Nigeria sanction a 40-day mourning period"

Since he has a heavy African accent, I think this might fit where he is from, and why the 40 day silence.

ETA:

I also think that he'd started the silence (probably silent in a state of prayer) before he killed The Other, because of the muffled sounds he made while doing so. He didn't cry out for help or anything.

Back to the 40 days thing...Jesus was in the desert for 40 days and night ...this is when he was tempted by the devil and had to figure out good from evil...Another thought here is that Ecko was trying to figure out who was good and who was evil....

BUT not for nothing...that last few minutes of last nights show I think was to show us "lagers" that we think too much!!!!!

Ana clearly killed Shannon....and all of the time wasted about who what when where and why!!!!! It was fun while it lasted!

When Jesus was in the desert for 40 days he was tempted by Satan and his faith was tested. During the 40 days that Ecko does not speak, it seems that his faith was being tested as well. He killed two people, the Others kidnapped the children and other tailies, there was paranoia in the group regarding Nathan. It seems like many people could lose their faith with all of these horrible things happening. But I don't think Ecko does considering how he reacts to the Bible in the hatch.

And don't forget the 40th Psalm....which inspired the U2 song "40"

Yes, very interesting and a great find. That's exactly why he did not speak for 40 days. He was his faith and believe for forgivness for taking another life. He was able to talk after he found the Bible.

I don't think it was that he wasn't able to talk. It was merely he was doing penence, which is 40 days. Lent is also 40 days, but I don't think he was observing Lent.

It should also be pointed out that Eko is the abbreviation for Exodus in the Bible. Moses led his people on a Exodus for 40 years.

Also, the 10 commandments that Moses was given are rules for group survival. They are rules the set up fairness and safety. Don't steal, don't kill, don't take others belongings.

We may be led to believe that Mr. Eko will lead these people to their salvation.

As Raven menntioned...40 days in a quarantine...

Of more personal significance, 40 and 41 are songs by Dave Matthews Band (the "dm" from my handle refers to Dave Matthews) and a DMB song has already been used in the episode "Abandoned". Not that it means anything, just that it's neat to me! :)

ok time to get ready for work...

Exodus was also a name of a season 1 episode.....

Don't discount anything here as NOT MEANING ANYTHING...lol

But I still think that the last 5 minutes of the show was to say booga booga to all of us over analyzers on the lage...lol

(Noah floated in his ark for 40 days and nights,

Not that it makes much difference (or maybe it does...who knows with Lost)...but it RAINED 40 days and 40 nights...Noah actually floated in his ark much longer....closer to a year.

Didn't he come off the plane wearing a suit? Did he ever! And he was wearing it well!

unfortunately for me, I grew up attending 13 years of private Catholic School. K - 12th grade. Afer being brow beat with tons of religious study courses, here ae the parralels I drew:

I think the point the writers are trying to make is he is a man of religious background. Possible a religion fanatic, a priest, a deacon, or some other religious role.

1. The staff - Moses was given a staff by God when he was exiled for 40 days. Eko started to make a staff when he felt he needed to be exiled.
2. Penance / Lent - Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights as penance when he was outcast to the wilderness. Lent is the 40 days before Easter where Catholics fast to imitate Jesus fasting and mimic his suffering. This would be considered a penance for wrong doing

Lent -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent
Penance - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penance)

3. The bible - Out of all of things in the crate to take notice of, (duh the radio) the only thing Eko looked at was the bible.

4. Praying - Eko said he would pray for the rescue planes and for Rose to Bernard.

5. Burying the bodies - The lagees burned their dead bodies from the crash if I remember correctly. Eko made sure theirs were buried. Very religious practice.

6. Eko values life. Ana Lucia complains that he would "risk their lives to save the cowboy" meaning Sawyer. Eko replies, "it is the only way I know." For what has happened to him, he still values life over his own. Very faith oriented person.

5. Burying the bodies - The lagees burned their dead bodies from the crash if I remember correctly. Eko made sure theirs were buried. Very religious practice.


Well, just to be fair, it depends on what religion you're talking about. For some faiths, burning the bodies is very religious. It doesn't negate the point your trying to make at all. It just has to be stated slightly differently. :)

May I add that there is a new advertisement on the lage about 40 years in 40 days on the soap network for Days of our lives.....
I listened to the Ecko days years thing...he said years...imho...and I realy tried to hear days..but there was a r sound in the word... anyways....40 YEARS in 40 DAYS could hav been an advertisement link to the soap advertisement link on our lage