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I am pretty sure that all they ever said about the mortal spirit is that they know not where it goes after death. Does this apply to Dwarves and Hobbits as well??
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Tigerlily, I believe that Dwarves go to the Halls of Mandos when they die and they do not leave. I think that there is something in the Sil about that, but I'll have to find the passage. They do not share the fate of Men, because they were created by Aulë the Vala before the children of Ilúvatar were awakened.
Tolkien's world and creations are certainly as complicated as Greek mythology (which I have always found fascinating...i love mythology [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]). I wonder if people actually worship the Greek gods? If so, then certainly it's
possible that people could worship Eru and the Valar. Someone
could experiment on a human guinea pig, educate them from when they're young to believe in Eru and the creation of Arda and all it's history. If this were done, then I believe that the person would indeed grow up to believe that Eru is God, elves exist, etc etc. I don't think that it would be a good idea to do that, of course, but the worship of Eru&co. is not beyond the realm of possibility.
You know how we are required to study Greek mythology in class at some point during our education? I was thinking, why not study Tolkien's mythology too? Maybe the difference is that people actually did believe in the Greek gods, whereas everyone knows that Tolkien is pure fantasy. I still think that all schools should do a Tolkien mythology unit though!
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My turn on Belethiriels' question was more interested in the kinds of things that would be valued compared to that which is valued in Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Shintoism, or whatever.
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I think that the same basic things are valued. Like how Eru lets everything happen for a reason and has a plan for the universe. And how men and other beings (elves in Tolkien's case) are punished if they openly defy God/Eru and the Valar. (think: the downfall of Númenor & the disaster brought by the Oath of Fëanor, compared to how Adam and Eve caused the Fall of Man when they ate the apple from the Tree of Knowledge). There are other similarities too but I'll have to think about this some more.
Interesting thread! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]