The other undesirable character we have today is Saruman. Saruman is a slick talker, someone who persuades people to go against their better instincts. He was even able to persuade the Ents to release him from imprisonment, and they were not hasty in their decisions.
He never tells complete lies. Instead, he tells half-truths, and thereby deceives many people. For example, he recognized the growth in Frodo which was admittedly true. But he also prophesied that Frodo would have neither health or long life. In one sense, that is true, if one considers only the Shire itself. But it completely denies the reality of the Blessed Lands.
Although Frodo warns others not to listen to Saruman, he himself probably ran the words over in his head many times. In his moments of despair, they must have gnawed at his heart and added to his burdens.
In my mind, Saruman's words were as much a weapon as a prediction. He was trying to make Frodo believe a half truth and so drag him into despair that he would not even be able to accept the gift of passage to the Blessed Lands. Fortunately, he did not succeed. But there are too many Sarumans around today in too many high positions.
[ October 20, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]
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