Tolkien-founder of new religion? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Turgon Philip Noldor · 07-11-2005, 06:47 AM

A Tolkien religion? Interesting. As a reader and a writer I respect Tolkien's ability to create believable worlds and books. Tolkien undoubtedly had a amazing imagination! But lets think about it, Tolkien was a fictional writer. Lord of the Rings, though it's a masterpiece in literary fiction, was a fictional story. I myself am a Lord of the Rings fan (obviously). I sometimes allow myself to get lost in the LOTR world as a distraction and break from the real world. I never associate the two (LOTR world and real world). If you believe the Lord of the Rings books are real, might as well believe Star Wars actually happened, or that Star Trek was filmed by a camera sent into the future and back. Tolkien was an Atheist himself, one of his best friends was writer C. S. Lewis. Supposedly he and C. S. Lewis were both fans of the Fantasy Fiction Genre, there books are similar in many ways. When I first read the Simarillion and the LOTR books, they reminded me of Allegories. But having said he hated Allegories, Tolkien obviously did not consciously write his book as an allegory. C. S. Lewis however did write several Allegories books, the Chronicles of Narnia for example. To get back on the subject, a Tolkien religion based on his fictional books would not make any since to me. And as far as I know, there is more scientific proof for the Bible then for the LOTR books. And if your going to believe that they have actually found hobbits on that island, then you might as well believe in the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, or aliens from outer space. I do not mean to offend with any of these words. I like Lord of the Rings! But it's a fictional story, not a religion!

07-11-2005, 06:47 AM	#14
Turgon Philip Noldor Animated Skeleton Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Indonesia Posts: 32	A Tolkien religion? Interesting. As a reader and a writer I respect Tolkien's ability to create believable worlds and books. Tolkien undoubtedly had a amazing imagination! But lets think about it, Tolkien was a fictional writer. Lord of the Rings, though it's a masterpiece in literary fiction, was a fictional story. I myself am a Lord of the Rings fan (obviously). I sometimes allow myself to get lost in the LOTR world as a distraction and break from the real world. I never associate the two (LOTR world and real world). If you believe the Lord of the Rings books are real, might as well believe Star Wars actually happened, or that Star Trek was filmed by a camera sent into the future and back. Tolkien was an Atheist himself, one of his best friends was writer C. S. Lewis. Supposedly he and C. S. Lewis were both fans of the Fantasy Fiction Genre, there books are similar in many ways. When I first read the Simarillion and the LOTR books, they reminded me of Allegories. But having said he hated Allegories, Tolkien obviously did not consciously write his book as an allegory. C. S. Lewis however did write several Allegories books, the Chronicles of Narnia for example. To get back on the subject, a Tolkien religion based on his fictional books would not make any since to me. And as far as I know, there is more scientific proof for the Bible then for the LOTR books. And if your going to believe that they have actually found hobbits on that island, then you might as well believe in the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, or aliens from outer space. I do not mean to offend with any of these words. I like Lord of the Rings! But it's a fictional story, not a religion!