I don't think you understand how time travel works on this show. Ben doesn't know them before he saw them in the past
For a second, I thought Sun and Frank had been getting it on... Thirty minutes have gone by already? Geez, Lost is the fastest show on television.
Richard always is there in the thick of things, but he never seems to be the one in control. He's like the king maker, never the king. Maybe he's a construct of the island.
If he's not simply lying I'm sure they'll explain it. The writers know us better than we know ourselves.
As explained above, that is not the way time travel works on this show. They don't remember what happened in the past until it actually happens. Current Ben doesn't know them before he sees them in the past.
I get what that means but is that official because doesnt that go against "you cant change the past" that faraday and his mom was going on about and charlie died for. so now either ben is lying about not remembering the oceanic folks in the past or....?