The true motives of Jacob and the MIB by DJ Lance Rock

OK...I've been combing through these theories for a long time but have really ramped up my own brainstorming recently. I am not trying to come up with the end all be all theory of life, the universe, everything; rather, I am trying to simply theorize about one rather important aspect of Lost: Jacob and the MIB's motivations. Forgive any rambling or lack of cohesion...

Jacob and the MIB were mortals and have been "cursed".

This is shown during pivotal moments and carefully placed dialogue. For starters, Jacob tells Richard he cannot grant him forgiveness for his sins. He doesn't just say this because he isn't a "god" but also because he himself understands that this forgiveness is earned...which he has been trying to do himself His time on the island is his way to earn his own forgiveness, atone and do his "penance".

On the other side, the MIB isn't trying to earn penance but simply to escape his chains and be released.

Second point for this is that dead Michael and the whispering others are stuck there because of the things they did during their lives which were morally bankrupt, criminal in nature and just plain reprehensible. I believe that Jacob and the MIB are also "stuck" on the island, but not necessarily like the dead whisperers but as living guardians who have been cursed with seeming immortality.

Jacob is not the "white light" good guy that some may think. This is evident by the fact that he distracted Saayid so Nadia would die...leading Saayid down the path ultimately leading him back. He also says he is sorry to Locke when he was pushed out the window by Cooper, not out of sympathy but because he led Locke's life to that moment which rendered him paralyzed. He knew Sawyer would still go after and murder a man to seek vengeance...leading him onto the Oceanic. He knew Kate would become a fugitive...leading her onto the Oceanic as well. These weren't "touches" to steer them away from crime or towards goodness, rather to lead them to his own selfish goals on the island.

Possibly Jacob is the sentinel of the island for an even worse crime than the whisperers...killing the MIB (maybe his own mother as well)? This would explain "taking his body" like has been said by the MIB himself. Maybe the MIB committed a crime (maybe HE killed his own mother) and Jacob killed him in response...damning both of them to be stuck until they atone.

I believe both Jacob AND the MIB are being punished for their crimes but that they view their own crimes and the nature of humanity from opposing viewpoints.

Jacob is hoping to see people redeem themselves although using highly questionable methods to lead them to the island to prove this point, be released from immortal curse through death and be replaced as to not become a whispering dead.

The MIB is expecting history to repeat itself in this ideal setting of an isolated place which leads to desperation, survival of the fittest and dog eat dog depravity...also leading to his own release from his shackles tying him to the island.

The most important phrase besides the reference to backgammon and games of light/dark is "Live together, die alone". This statement helps tie in to the MIB and what he expects: that people will fend for themselves and kill each other off (like he expected in the sub and from the beginning)...Jacob expects the humanity can rise above and "live together".

It's going to come down to self-sacrifice or the willingness to do so vs. self-serving interest and survival of the fittest.

Sorry for the disjointed nature of this but it sort of coalesced quickly and I didn't want to lose it before writing it out.