[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I am hesitant about this post, but consider it to be thinking aloud.

I attended a presentation third term last year on communication as an art form and much to my fascination, this ended up on the overhead. I'm working from memory here... call me on things I'm forgetting or screw up.

Jesus knew that he was going to die, quite in advance of his death.

Originally Posted by Mark 8:31

Then Jesus began to tell them that he, the Son of Man, would suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, and three days later he would rise again.

But in the Gospel of Judas it is claimed that Jesus asked that this public betrayal be done by a friend as opposed to an enemy. The man leading the discussion (ugh... wish I could remember the whole thing) mentioned that suicide is bad and that in order to die for the people, Jesus had to die by the people. But Jesus also said

Originally Posted by John 10:17-18

Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.

Jesus had to die and come back, pretty much, and he could. But in order to make that sacrifice, he needed somebody to betray him.

I think the same holds for Frodo. He wanted to go to Mount Doom (the meaning of 'doom' has never seemed more applicable than when I ponder these events and how they occur to be somewhat fated) alone so that he could save those he loved from sharing his fate.

Originally Posted by Frodo

I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.

He tried to leave the Shire alone in the very beginning. When he found himself with more companions, he had to cut himself off from them. I don't think he could have made that cut without the aid of Boromir's 'treachery'. And that Galadriel could forsee Boromir's inner struggle suggests that it may have been somewhat of a 'Planned' event, required for further events to properly unfold.

Ignore my ramblings if you want. I need coffee.