Two theories

Here are two theories I've come up with while watching this season of LOST.

1. We don't know where Christian's allegiances lie. He definitely dislikes Ben, and he does appear in Jacob's cabin, but we have no reason to believe he speaks for the Island or Jacob. What if there are two competing forces on the Island, each with its own agenda? Jacob represents one, and Christian represents the other. Remember, the only thing we've ever heard Jacob say is, "Help me." Something is going on there.

2. The thing that gets me the most about LOST, I think, is that they introduced The Others very, very early in the first season, and we still know little to nothing about them.

My theory is that the only "true" Other is Richard Alpert... he's tied to the island in some magic way (the no aging, etc.). Every other Other is recruited. There are varying accents, skin colors, etc. When people crash on the island, Jacob tells Alpert (or Ben or whoever) to take those who are "good" (whatever the crap that means) and kill the rest. Non-Alpert Others can die (and be booted from the Island, ie. Widmore) and recruitment is how they replenish their numbers.

On a related vein, it seems the Others that are off-island don't know that Ben has lost his "favored son" status. The lady in the butcher shop and the lawyer who's working to get Hugo out of jail still follow him unquestioningly. Are they loyal to Ben moreso than they are to the Island? What is their function?

And in general, I have no idea what the Others are all about. Obviously they function as Defenders of the Island, but beyond that... there have to be other goals. I just don't know what they are.

Thoughts?