Quote:
Originally posted by G'kar:
Also while I don't know anything about J.R.R. Tolkiens religious or spiritual life, I dont see anything christian about the L.O.T.R. The concept of conflict vs terrible enemies is the same as the war-driving "Us vs them" mentality. It has nothing to do with religion, but with humanity itself. Our drive to divide ourselves from one another, in a competive struggle. I also doubt Tolkien had any intention of influencing human behavior or belief at an individual level, as is the reason behind any religious writing. If anything the L.O.T.R. reflects the human condition in general and beyond the confining labels of religious affiliation.
One different way of thinking is the concept that all opposing values like good/evil exist equally in the divine. The infinite concept of diety cannot seperate itself by it's parts for it is the whole and interconnected within everything. Good, evil, everything, and god are one and the same.
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My word, G'kar - you DO jump to a lot of unwarrented conclusions!
I hardly think the comment 'Tolkien wrote from a christian viewpoint' warrents the extrapolations you have made! I would thank you not to put words into my mouth (or onto the page!) that I neither said, wrote, or thought! Please!
The concept of god containing both 'good & evil' within itself is one that most people toy with at one time or another, and will probably continue to do for as long as the species exists. But it is rather childish, and most people past their teens abandon it. It is based on the idea that 'if god exists and god created everything then god made eveything that is bad as well as everything that is good: therefore, god is both evil and good.'
However, the mere fact that good & bad are in opposition to each other - 'warring against' each other, if you like - shows that such cannot be the case because 'A city divided against itself will fall'. (An old bible proverb, but proved true countless times).
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