Re: [Re: [DL] The Lord of the Rings [OT]]

["David Farris" <brkredlg@gate.net>]

I promise this will be my only post on this....as this is so totally OT its
not even funny.....my apologies to The Deputy. 

Its weird someone's teacher would find Tolkien highly "questionable" in
relation to Christianity, given that his cosmology as presented in The
Silmarillion and other "First Age" books show a massive Judeo-Chrisitan
influence. 

Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, Alatar, Pallando, Melian, Tom Bombadil,
Goldberry, The Balrogs and Sauron were all of the order of beings called
Maia, which corresponds to Lesser Angels in Christian cosmology.
Melkor/Morgoth (Sauron's boss in the First Age and the Main Bad Guy, maker
of the Orcs, Trolls and other beasties), Ungoliant the Void Demon (Shelob's
mom), Aule (creator of the Dwarves) are all of the order called Valar,
which are basically Arch-Angels. 

They all come from Eru Illuvatar the One God, maker of the Elves and Men.
(possibly Hobbits too...though no one is sure when they awoke and for what
reason...possibly sometime in the 2nd Age after Sauron made the One Ring,
but before the war with Celebrimbor to regain all the Rings of Power)  

The main difference is that Men have the "Gift" of death, which is not a
curse. Since Elves are immortal, they can rarely affect their destinies or
that of thw world, whereas Men, who are mortal, burn bright and fast. Men's
destinies are not written in stone and therefore have the power to change
Arda (the world) and especially Endor (Middle-Earth...which makes me wonder
if George Lucas used that name on purpose in Return of the Jedi)

Oh well.....I shall return to just being my normal Tolkien-fanatic self.
 
Brooklyn Red Leg (a.k.a. David Farris)
The Red Legged Devil of the Iron Brigade
Corporal. 14th Brooklyn Militia, 1st Corps, 
1st Division, Iron Brigade
Army of the Potomac
From First Bull Run to Spotsylvannia Courthouse