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For me, too, Tolkien has influenced me in a religious fashion.
By my early teens, I was already a very devout atheist (as I have since remained), however, I had the downfall of being extremely confrontational. Something I can't just chalk up to youthful defiance, either. Finding Tolkien, and becoming informed about his life, played a large part in my becoming more sensitive to other people in relation to religious desire and need. Finding this site, especially, introduced me to people I could respect on an intelligence level who were of one faith or another. Respect for faith was something an atheist since birth has a difficult time with.
Tolkien also exposed me to a different outlook in another way. The enviromental views found in his writings are almost demonizing towards technology, something I would have trouble understanding without his influence. I'm quite the proponent and technology, obviously, and generally regard it's expanded use without too many qualms. Reading Tolkien has brought me a great awareness of nature, one that would have took a lot longer to develop.
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