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Ah, and so as always we end up discussing the question the poll is asking rather than debating an answer to it. We could set up our own parliamentary democracy! (I call the Speaker's Chair!)
At any rate, Esty has already pointed to what I meant with the question: what do you think? If the question were what did Tolkien think the answer would be pretty obviously "yes" -- Tolkien intended Eru to be the Christian God (as Tolkien saw him).
So we once again come to this: which should govern our interpretation -- authorial intent (Tolkien intended Eru to be God, so He is), or personal response (Eru doesn't seem like God to me, so he is not). And as always, I am caught somewhere in between.... Insofar as Tolkien clearly created Eru as an image of God, and inasmuch as M-E seems to run according to fairly strictly laid out Christian morality (as interpreted by Tolkien) then I would go for the yes side. But, insofar as Eru does not reflect my own view of what God is or may be, and inasmuch as I interpret the moral vision of Middle-Earth as reflecting some fairly pre-Christian notions of honour and doom (OE dom) then I would like to answer no.
So to Roa and Saucy, who are both demanding I vote (quite justly) I will only say that I think I need to read some more responses and arguments before I can decide. Why do you think I start these polls? I genuinely want to see what people have to say to help me figure out where I stand...
...well, except for that whole Balrog-wings thing. They clearly have them and they clearly work, no need for discussion. Oh, and Elves' ears -- they're not pointy.
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Scribbling scrabbling.
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