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Originally Posted by littlemanpoet
Wow. I could not have said it better.
... as long as that change does not include any logical results of a Christian subtext? 
There are layers and layers of subtext in LotR. How could there not be, considering all the linguistic, cultural, mythic, historical, and other substrata he has layered into it? What I am saying is that the deepest subtext is the Christian one, only one deeper than the theist. In that deepest of subtexts lie principles of reality and of the Spirit that are simply not perceivable by those who choose not to believe Christian teaching. It is this deepest substratum that Christians find so satisfying about LotR. This in no way denies the satisfactions to be enjoyed at the theist, mythic, linguistic, historical, cultural, story, and other strata of LotR. I appreciate that you are at least no longer denying that the Christian subtext is, or at least might be, there. |
I accept a theist subtext, but as any reference to Incarnation is absent from the subtext, I don't see how it's specifically Christian.This is why I can't accept your position that there is something non-Christians miss. Apart from the fact that not picking up on it, they couldn't actually 'miss' it, I think you're bringing your Chiristian baggage into Middle earth with you & 'finding' it there because you've brought it.
What exactly is this specifically Christian meaning you're seeing there? All the examples you've offered so far have certainly shown a religious subtext, but not a specifically Christian one. There is no Incarnation in LotR, hence, it is not Christian as far as I can see. Mercy, compassion, self-sacrifice, the presence of a Loving Creator & 'Angelic' Guardians are not unique to Christianity.
I can see specificly Catholic reerences/symbols in there - Lembas, Elbereth, & such, but all those things are well enough accounted for in the context of the Secondary World that a primary world explanation is surplus to requirements. I don't believe bringing Christianity into M-e does anything but break the spell & pull you out of the Secondary world back into the Primary.