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Old 11-28-2006, 12:37 PM   #22
Raynor
Eagle of the Star
 
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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Raynor has just left Hobbiton.
Tolkien was in fact "annoyed" by the fact that readers perceived that Middle Earth had no religion:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Letter #165
The only criticism that annoyed me was one that it 'contained no religion' (and 'no Women', but that does not matter, and is not true anyway). It is a monotheistic world of 'natural theology'. The odd fact that there are no churches, temples, or religious rites and ceremonies, is simply part of the historical climate depicted. It will be sufficiently explained, if (as now seems likely) the Silmarillion and other legends of the First and Second Ages are published.
In his 1971 BBC interview, Tolkien stated that God/Eru is mentioned in LotR, the probable referrences being:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadow of the past, FotR
- Lor bless you, Mr. Gandalf, sir! said Sam. Nothing! Leastways I was just trimming the grass-border under the window, if you follow me.
...
- I heard a deal that I didn't rightly understand, about an enemy, and rings, and Mr. Bilbo, sir, and dragons, and a fiery mountain, and – and Elves, sir. I listened because I couldn't help myself, if you know what I mean. Lor bless me, sir, but I do love tales of that sort.
Quote:
Originally Posted by A conspiracy unmasked, FotR
- Lawks! said Merry, looking in. The stone floor was swimming. You ought to mop all that up before you get anything to eat. Peregrin, he said. Hurry up, or we shant wait for you.
Interestingly enough, these referrences are made by common people. There are also various other referrences to fate or good fortune, made all the way by Sam, Gildor, Elrond, Boromir, Aragorn or Galadriel. All in all, I would say that Frodo did have the required knowledge (arguably on a profane level) to make an informed decision whether an act was sinful or not.

Moreover, in the Fourth Age that Child mentioned, it is speculated by Tolkien that the worship of Eru will be renewed, in the sense that more than it was so at the end of the third age:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Letter #156
It is to be presumed that with the reemergence of the lineal priest kings (of whom Luthien the Blessed Elf-maiden was a foremother) the worship of God would be renewed, and His Name (or title) be again more often heard.
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