The Emblems of Religion don't belong ... or do they?

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Originally Posted by Imladris

According to Tolkien, myth and religion is hopelessly entangled

I would agree (note that I do not combine myth/religion and fantasy). Would religion be tomorrow's mythology? To me, mythology is stories created from some truth - whether that 'truth' be the creation of the universe or simply a lightning bolt striking a tree - which over time becomes more and more removed from the original revelation/use/purpose. It's the 'telephone game' with one end of the chain way way in the past.

I have heard that the people truly did not believe these stories, but made them up to help them understand their world Whether this is true, I do not know

I would assume that there was some type of 'belief' as there were sacrifices at huge temples with priesthoods regarding the same - but again, this is an assumption.